Chapter 5, Temptation

Ji Chenyang believed it to be true and hurriedly urged her to take advantage of the more than half an hour drive to catch up on sleep. Nanxi closed her eyes and pretended to doze off, but in her heart, she was speculating about what kind of favor Ji Chenyang owed Fu Qingquan that warranted such effort to accompany him in this charade. After indulging in such thoughts for a long time, she vaguely sensed that the car seemed to have stopped, and it felt as if a pair of eyes were staring at her. Startled, she quickly opened her eyes, only to realize it was merely Ji Chenyang resting his elbow on the back of the seat, propping up his chin, and looking at her with great interest.

The kiss of the clear spring seems to have undergone a transformation, shifting from a fierce, desperate bite to a moist, gentle, and gradual caress. The dense and rich warmth also bursts forth upon her face, blending with her gradually calming breath as if water and milk were merging, making it indistinguishable between you and me

Feeling good, aren't you

It turns out that Fu Qingquan is not like this, so Mother Nan often advises Nanxi not to keep a stern face when she returns home on weekends, urging her to be a bit kinder to Fu Qingquan. After all, their relationship used to be quite good, didn't it? Unfortunately, Mother Nan is unaware of the truth. If she knew what had happened between Nanxi and Fu Qingquan, she would probably be the first to take a knife and confront Fu Qingquan.

However, for all these years, none of them would cross this barrier to demonstrate in the territory of the other party

Nanxi's body tensed up, with only one thought in his mind—he had crossed that railing

As Nanxi looked around, she realized she had already arrived at the study group. She saw Ji Chenyang appearing to be lost in thought and hurriedly smiled, saying, "We arrived so quickly, why didn't you wake me up?"

Ji Chenyang smiled, but did not respond, bending down to unbuckle her seatbelt. Nanxi was so frightened that her back pressed tightly against the car seat, not daring to move an inch. Ji Chenyang's movements were particularly slow, and it was unclear whether it was intentional. After he unfastened her seatbelt, he raised his head, his strikingly handsome face almost touching her cheek. Nanxi was so shocked that she didn't dare to breathe, and she didn't know how long it had been; perhaps it wasn't long, but her heart was so astonished that she stretched those fleeting moments into what felt like an agonizing eternity. Finally, he moved away, as if nothing had happened, and gently said, "I will come to pick you up again in the afternoon, goodbye"

Nanxi suddenly took a step back, not knowing when Fu Qingquan had come out of his room. Their two balconies were connected, separated only by a railing. He stood behind her and lightly asked a question that nearly scared Nanxi out of her wits. She steadied herself and saw Fu Qingquan with a stiff expression, which was quickly replaced by a smile: "Yes, I feel good every day."

Their balconies are connected, yet that railing serves as an unspoken barrier between the two of them. Behind it, you may shoot arrows openly or covertly, while I may mock you with cold sarcasm, and none of it would be considered crossing the line.

He merely seeks to exert complete control over her, to make her a caged bird, a fish in a pond, teasing her when the mood strikes, watching her struggle and flail for amusement

Downstairs live Father Fu and Mother Nan

Fu Qingquan glared at her with a sullen expression. He slightly released his grip on her, and she immediately crossed her arms tightly around herself. This action had no effect on Fu Qingquan, but it made her feel a bit safer. He coldly observed her complete defensive posture, curling his lip in disdain, and then decisively stepped over the railing to return to his room. Nanxi watched him close the door before reaching out to support herself against the wall, slowly making her way back to her room.

Thus, when Ji Chenyang chatted with her again, she became indifferent and often responded with one answer to three questions. Ji Chenyang noticed a change in her attitude and asked her if she was feeling unwell.

To be more precise, it cannot be considered a kiss, but rather a chaotic gnawing. Nanxi pressed her hands against Fu Qingquan's chest, desperately trying to push him away, yet he easily slipped through the wide sleeves of her bathrobe. With just a slight exertion of one hand, he brought her entire waist and abdomen against his body. The sudden surge of heat rose up, instantly spreading from her waist and abdomen to her limbs and bones, causing the last trace of her breath to become uncontrollably disordered.

Nanxi sensed that the situation was dire. Perhaps her probing in front of her parents today had ultimately tested Fu Qingquan's patience? She glanced around anxiously, hoping to find an opportunity to escape. Fu Qingquan pressed closer, cornering her firmly in the balcony. She had no time to resist, as he swiftly tightened his hold on her, and his kiss unexpectedly descended upon her.

Before her words could finish, she was suddenly pulled back by a strong arm, her entire upper body falling into Fu Qingquan's embrace. Nanxi was taken aback, frantically pounding on Fu Qingquan's arm, but it was of no use. He even went further, crossing over the railing and cornering her completely in the balcony. His tall figure blocked all the moonlight, enveloping her entirely in shadow: "What did you mean by that just now?"

Today, Fu Qingquan unexpectedly crossed over this railing

Nanxi resignedly closed her eyes. Since resistance was futile, it was better to simply let him be. After all, when he felt that it was "enough," he would naturally let her go.

Driving from home to the study group takes more than half an hour. Ji Chenyang used to chat with her casually, for instance, he would often tease, saying, "There are no city management officers in Times Square," when talking about farmers selling their products at the markets around Times Square. Or he would share stories about his early days in New York when he was financially strapped and shared an apartment with Indian students, leading to some unexpected cultural clashes. Nanxi knew that Ji Chenyang was not a bad person; just based on his father's status and his efforts to find internships while studying, it was evident that he was a down-to-earth individual. However, now she understands that no matter how good Ji Chenyang is, it has nothing to do with her.

Nanxi used her last bit of strength to resist Fu Qingquan. She recalled a term called "stubborn resistance"; was this not a form of stubborn resistance? She was trapped in such a small corner, and Fu Qingquan held her firmly with just one hand. The pressure of his arm gradually increased, and thus his body temperature also drew closer to hers. In this small corner, Fu Qingquan had blocked all the moonlight, and all Nanxi could see were the flickering stars in his eyes, shimmering like hooks and flames against the deep dark sky. She knew she should resist to the end, yet for some reason, when their gazes met, her heart stirred slightly, as if touched by an invisible hand that gently stirred her, causing her to tremble involuntarily, her legs growing weak and unable to support her.

Fu Qingquan's kiss slowly moved to other areas, her petite and slightly upturned nose, her cheeks that appeared rosy from soaking in hot water, her rounded earlobes, and finally her brows and eyes... His kiss suddenly became intense again, and Nanxi barely had time to gasp in pain before the strong force that was fervently pressing against her brows and eyes abruptly vanished. She opened her eyes and met Fu Qingquan's gaze, which was complex and hard to decipher. He slightly relaxed his hold on her, yet his breath still lingered on her face. His expression was stiff, and there was a hint of anger brewing in his eyes. After a long silence, he suddenly spoke: "Do you think the people downstairs would be scared half to death if they saw what we were doing?"

Before Fu Qingquan made his intentions clear, Nanxi had a very good impression of Ji Chenyang, thus she approached everything with great caution, fearing that she might say or do something wrong that could affect the relationship between Ji Chenyang and Fu Qingquan. Now that she knows the strong bond between Ji Chenyang and Fu Qingquan, Nanxi has become unreserved, no longer feeling the need to answer every question, nor fearing making mistakes, as no matter what she does, the goal that Fu Qingquan wishes to achieve will never change.

You were just so eloquent, why are you not speaking now

Nanxi originally wanted to expose him, but then thought, why bother? If Ji Chenyang cannot keep an eye on her, Fu Qingquan will have her own plans. After thinking this over, she smiled and said, "Rehearsals have been quite exhausting lately"

Nanxi suddenly woke up, her eyes revealing a look of terror. Fu Qingquan seemed quite pleased with her reaction, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth: "Now you know fear? Just a moment ago downstairs, weren't you quite proud?" Only then did Nanxi understand why Fu Qingquan chose to humiliate her in this manner—he was punishing her for her transgressions that night. He was merely using a different method to convey to her that if she sought to embarrass him in front of her parents, he had countless ways to make her feel utterly humiliated.

The next day, Ji Chenyang came to pick her up for work as usual. His company was located in Binjiang to take advantage of the many favorable policies in the development zone. The Kunqu study society where Nanxi was located was also in Binjiang, primarily due to the low rent. Although Kunqu seems to have gained popularity in society over the past two years, the vast majority of Kunqu study societies are still hovering on the brink of survival.

Perhaps one day when Fu Qingquan is in a good mood, he will fish her out like a street vendor selling fish, and put an end to it with a one-time execution.

She merely made a joke with him, and now he is punishing her like this

As the hair dryer blows through the hair, my hand inadvertently brushes against my cheek, only to realize that at some unknown moment, tears have already meandered down my face.

Achoo! A sudden cool breeze swept by, and Nanxi let out a loud sneeze, abruptly awakening from all the illusions. The once warm and hazy moonlight had instantly turned pale and desolate, and even the sounds of insects in the valley now seemed eerie and terrifying to the ears

Fu Qingquan's current gaze resembles that of looking at a fish on a chopping board, no matter how hard you struggle and leap, you cannot escape the fate of having your scales gradually stripped away