Chapter 316: She Was Taking Some Stuff and Tripped On The Cabinet Leg
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Qi Chenglin was dressed in a way that revealed his social class. His presence was a stark contrast to the bare-looking street.
Qi Chenglin had one hand in his pocket while the other held a cigarette. As Ruan Danchen was approaching, she saw him smoking—the smoke he exhaled clouded his polished face.
Hearing Qi Youxuan’s voice, Qi Chenglin turned in their direction but his eyes were fixated on Ruan Danchen.
She was wearing a hoodie, zipped up to her chest with a white tank top underneath. Her shorts matched her hoodie’s design—both were athletic wear.
The gym shorts were very short, revealing the sinews of her pale, long legs. Qi Chenglin’s gaze slowly moved up to Ruan Danchen’s face. There was a faint blush on her face, likely due to the exercise session. Her breathing was still heavy despite the effort to control it.
Skin as fair as jade 1, face as beautiful as the morning bloom.
The words appeared in Qi Chenglin’s mind without warning.
Ruan Danchen’s lips were parted as she panted softly. The action made Qi Chenglin think of that night, seven days ago. A flame was burning in the pit of his stomach and his eyes darkened involuntarily.
“Dad, why are you here so early?” Qi Youxuan did not like that his dad was picking him up early.
“To take you home. I don’t want you to waste other people’s time and leave a bad impression,” Qi Chenglin said coolly.
“No worries about that. Youxuan has been good,” Ruan Danchen quickly replied. She was met with Qi Chenglin’s gaze. The blush on her face became a shade darker.
Qi Chenglin was staring deeply into her eyes when Qi Youxuan took his hand and swung both their hands. “Dad, I have not eaten. After the run, we went to buy breakfast. Can we finish breakfast first before leaving?”
“Yes, we’ve already bought breakfast,” Ruan Danchen said. She wanted to spend more time with the little boy as well.
Qi Chenglin saw packed breakfast in her hand and said, “I’ve not had breakfast too.”
Ruan Danchen more or less understood his intentions despite their infrequent interactions. “This might not feed all three of us. I’ll go and buy more.”
As she said that, she fumbled with her house keys to open the door. Qi Chenglin swept in and took the package from her hands. When his fingers brushed against her, Ruan Danchen could feel a rush of electricity pass through her and her fingers twitched in response.
“No need for that. You can cook some breakfast if it’s insufficient,” Qi Chenglin spoke. He stood aside with the food, waiting for Ruan Danchen to open the door.
‘He really doesn’t treat himself as a stranger,’ Ruan Danchen thought.
She felt like her scalp was on fire. She took a quick glance at Qi Chenglin—he wore a collared shirt and long pants but did not come off as too formal. With a cigarette in one hand and a plastic bag in another, he looked like a husband coming home with the family. Ruan Danchen felt her heart race.
Qi Chenglin stood near her, almost touching her shoulder. She could smell the attractive and masculine scent of tobacco on him. When it came to Qi Chenglin, even the scent of cigarettes smelled elegant on him.
“Smoking before breakfast. Isn’t that bad for the body?” Ruan Danchen mentioned in passing when she saw the lit cigarette still in his hand.
The sides of Qi Chenglin’s lips twitched. Wordlessly, he walked past her to the nearby trash can. A loud clattering sound could be heard. When he came back, the cigarette was gone.
Ruan Danchen’s throat was dry so she said nothing.
It was only a passing comment. She did not think he would actually take her words seriously.
Suddenly, Qi Chenglin leaned forward. He whispered in her ear in a husky tone, “So, this is what it feels like to be bossed around by a woman.”
A full-on blush immediately spread across Ruan Danchen’s face. The tips of her ears were burning at this point. Her shoulders and neck were tense as she avoided eye contact. She felt like she would combust if she were to look into his eyes now.
“I wasn’t trying to boss you around,” Ruan Danchen said softly, worried that she might have crossed the line.
Qi Chenglin raised his eyebrow and let out a huff. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and placed a stick between his thin lips. He got his lighter out, ready to light the cigarette.
Ruan Danchen rushed forward to tug his arm. “Don’t smoke. Secondhand smoke is bad for Youxuan.”
“I thought you didn’t want to boss me around?” Qi Chenglin said sarcastically with a stony expression.
A second before, she was burning under his gaze. Now, she shivered.
“So, do you care or not?” Qi Chenglin asked with the cigarette between his lips. He cocked his eyebrows questioningly.
He had that rebellious and defiant look. She was conversationally forced into a corner.
Ruan Danchen was unhappy with the situation. She had no ties with this man, yet she was forced to handle him.
She gritted her teeth and said, “I care.”
Qi Chenglin smiled. He immediately removed the cigarette and kept the lighter.
“Dad, the wonton is getting cold. Can you guys continue to talk inside the house?” Qi Youxuan wondered if he was the only person who was worried about their breakfast.
The two adults were dilly-dallying at the entrance, and yet the door remained unopened.
Qi Chenglin gave him the stink-eye for breaking the tension.
Normally, it was Qi Youxuan who was rushing to find a stepmother. Now that the opportunity had risen, Qi Youxuan was being a hindrance.
Ruan Danchen’s face burned up. She quickly unlocked the front door to let them in.
Once inside the house, she did not bother to change her attire and hurried into the kitchen. She poured the wontons, sesame balls, and fried cakes onto some plates.
The young boy was full after having one fried cake, one sesame ball, and some wontons. The rest was left for Ruan Danchen.
There was another bowl of wontons for Qi Chenglin. Although Qi Youxuan could no longer eat the remaining fried cakes and sesame balls, he did not want to share the food with his dad. He only agreed to let Qi Chenglin have some after Ruan Danchen explained that the food would not be tasty if it had gotten cold.
There was a sense of incompatibility when watching someone from the upper class munch on these street food.
Qi Chenglin did not seem to care. He gulped down the soup that came with the wontons and ate in abundance. Ruan Danchen was stunned to find that Qi Chenglin looked good even while eating.
Distracted, she vaguely heard the calls of the young boy.
Ruan Danchen snapped out of her trance and looked at the kid. With an innocent face, Qi Youxuan asked, “Aunt Ruan, why are you staring at my dad? I was calling you and you didn’t even notice. Well, I guess my dad is quite handsome so your reaction is pretty normal.”
Ruan Danchen tensed. She could hear the blood rush in her ears as embarrassment filled her. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Qi Chenglin’s smug face. He must be laughing at her!
She got up from the table. Her sudden reaction made her appear even guiltier.
She piled up all the empty plates and bowls and mumbled under her breath, “I’ll wash these.”
She carried the dishware and left with her head down.
Qi Chenglin noted the redness that colored the back of her neck.
Once Ruan Danchen closed the kitchen door, Qi Chenglin said, “Control yourself. If you scare her away, don’t come crying to me.”
Qi Youxuan sucked at his oily fingers before taking a piece of tissue to clean his hand. “Aunt Ruan was truly staring dreamily at you.”
A smirk appeared on Qi Chenglin’s face but he replied in a serious tone, “Okay, go wash your hands. Don’t stir things up.”
Qi Youxuan climbed off the chair and walked to the bathroom. “He’s clearly happy but wants to act tough, even his lips are twitching. I don’t know who he’s trying to fool.”
Qi Chenglin turned to the plate that previously held the sesame balls and fried cakes. In her hurry to escape, Ruan Danchen missed out that plate.
He slowly got up and picked the plate up with his slender fingers. Then, he headed for the kitchen.
The sink was near the doorway. As Ruan Danchen was washing the dishes, the kitchen door suddenly opened. Qi Chenglin walked in and placed the plate into the sink. He stayed back in the kitchen.
Ruan Danchen was scrubbing the plates so she could not hide from him.
“So, you were staring while I was eating. Am I that good-looking?” Qi Chenglin’s deep voice echoed above her head. There was a teasing tone to his words.
His voice was like electricity arcing from the top of her head to the back of her neck. Ruan Danchen felt her ears go numb. The dishes were abandoned—she put down the bowl and turned off the tap. She took two steps back and said, “My mind was occupied and it just so happened that I was spacing out in your direction.”
Qi Chenglin grinned mirthfully and took a step forward. “Try looking at me now and think about something.”
Ruan Danchen noticed that Qi Chenglin had been bugging her all the time recently. He was like a chewing gum that was stuck to the sole of her shoe.
She put on her best fake smile and spoke in a polite tone, “Young Master Lin is hilarious. If you keep this up, I’d think that you’re trying to seduce me with your roguish ways.”
“Didn’t I say that I wanted to seduce you yesterday night? Have you already forgotten?” Qi Chenglin gave her a charming smirk. As Ruan Danchen retreated, he inched forward.
“Young Master Lin, don’t joke. You… It’s improper.” Ruan Danchen took a step back and bumped into the kitchen cabinet. She was cornered.
The edges of his lips curled upwards. He put his hand out onto the cabinet door, effectively boxing her in.
That clean-shaven and handsome face slowly inched nearer. Grazing past her face, he whispered in her ear, “Not joking. I’m seducing my son’s mother. How is that improper?”
Ruan Danchen went still. Even though she had had confirmation beforehand, the sudden admission by Qi Chenglin still surprised her. “Youxuan is my son, isn’t he?”
Qi Chenglin leaned back. Those indecipherable, black eyes gleamed at her.
There was a heavy silence between them. Ruan Danchen felt her scalp go numb under his scrutiny; even her stomach was twisted into a knot.
A moment later, Qi Chenglin spoke in a low voice, “If it’s true, will you let me seduce you?”
What was the man even thinking about?
Ruan Danchen made herself even smaller. “Young Master Lin, I am a commoner who comes from a low standing family. I don’t want to get involved with your games. I just want to treat Youxuan well. Even if I can’t take care of him myself, being able to see him is enough. If you want some woman to toy with, I’m not the one.”
“What if I said I was serious? That I want to marry you? Will I be a suitable partner then?” Qi Chenglin cocked his eyebrows at her.
Ruan Danchen blushed. The way he phrased the questions made it seem like she was the one with the higher ground, as if she wanted to marry him. “I didn’t mean it that way. Don’t twist my words. It’s so difficult to talk to you.”
Qi Chenglin placed one hand against the cabinet while the other snaked around Ruan Danchen’s waist. He tugged her forward, pressing his body against hers.
“For men and women to communicate without reservations, there’s only one obvious way,” he spoke against the corners of her lips. The infinitesimal distance between their lips made Ruan Danchen panic.
His hot breath was scalding her. He must be laughing at her weak resolve, yet she could not control the trembling of her lips. With such a dashing countenance and attractive body, even models might not be on par with a man like Qi Chenglin. He was a capable person who came from a prestigious family—every path he took was without obstacles.
No woman could resist a man like him, especially when he was actively pursuing her. The more mature and stable the man was, the more attractive he became. It was hard for a woman to keep her heart from falling for his charm.
All Ruan Danchen could do now was to cautiously guard her heart. She knew her place in the world, she never considered getting into a relationship with someone of a higher social class. Before she knew of Qi Youxuan’s existence, her marriage goal was just to find a man who would treat her well. Perhaps a man from the working class, someone who was diligent. They could work hard for their future together—buy a house, have kids, toil for a brighter tomorrow. She had never thought of marrying the rich to climb the social ladder.
Ruan Danchen did not believe that she had the necessary criteria to walk that path. She was different from Song Yu. Qi Chengzhi had had his eyes on Song Yu since a long time ago. Ruan Danchen only wanted a normal and happy marriage even though there might be some limitations in life.
However, now that she found out about Qi Youxuan, she figured that she might not marry after all. She wanted to look over him as he grew up. Occasionally, he could come over to her place and they could bond.
He would never know Ruan Danchen as his birth mother, but just as the kind and fun Aunt Ruan. It hurt her but this was better for Qi Youxuan.
As Ruan Danchen dwelled on the thought, the pain in her chest throbbed.
Qi Chenglin noticed that Ruan Danchen was staring off into space. He did not know what she was thinking but those clear, big eyes were clouded with sadness. She was no longer looking at him.
His heart clenched at the sight of her sadness. He leaned in closer and pressed his body on hers.
Ruan Danchen let out a startled breath and leaned further back. She stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Qi Chenglin.
He… This was harassment!
“Qi Chenglin, what are you doing?” Ruan Danchen called out his full name in a shocked and embarrassed tone, his social standing forgotten.
“I want to get to know you better.” Qi Chenglin dared to say something so shameless with a straight face. Those lips were getting nearer to her face, grazing past the edge of her mouth.
Ruan Danchen trembled. The spot that he grazed past tingled. She immediately pushed him away. “Qi Chenglin! Don’t you care about your pride?”
The man replied nonchalantly, “No.”
Ruan Danchen was speechless after that. She could feel his hand on her waist. Even though her shirt was preventing direct contact, she felt the heat radiating from his palms. Her abdomen clenched tightly. Her house was not big and the kitchen door was transparent. Anytime, Qi Youxuan could wander in and see them.
Ruan Danchen was agitated and frustrated at this point. She said in a low tone, “Let go of me. What if Youxuan sees us? I don’t want him to misunderstand and think that I’m using him to get close to you.”
“Don’t worry. He will be quite happy if that were true.” Qi Chenglin smirked. Passion burned behind the dark eyes that stared at Ruan Danchen’s soft lips. His breath was hot on her skin.
Ruan Danchen was silent.
“Dad, Aunt Ruan,” Qi Youxuan’s voice echoed from afar.
Cold sweat dripped across her back. Ruan Danchen was worried that Qi Youxuan would come into the kitchen. She tried to push Qi Chenglin away. “Let go of me before he comes in.”
“He would be happy if he saw us,” Qi Chenglin said with a grin.
“Dad, Aunt Ruan, you guys haven’t finished washing the dishes?” The childish voice was getting closer to the kitchen.
This made Ruan Danchen even more nervous and distressed. She struggled against Qi Chenglin, and as she opened her mouth to say something, her lips were caught in a kiss. Wide-eyed, she let out a ragged breath as she was pressed hard against the cabinet door.
Using both her arms, she slapped his back but her blows were nothing compared to his firm and solid muscles. He hugged her even tighter. Pressed up against him, she felt that his chest was even more solid than it was seven years ago. The masculine scent on his body stimulated her senses and made her heart beat faster. After a while, she was unconsciously snuggling into his embrace, the hands that were initially pushing him away clutched tightly at his shirt. The arms gradually moved up to his neck. With her resistance withering away, she allowed him to kiss her senselessly as she rested comfortably in his arms.
Qi Chenglin was enamored by her surrender. He tightened his embrace and breathed in the faintly sweet scent coming from Ruan Danchen. His member was unusually active—a feeling that had eluded him for the past seven years. He felt like a brand new person again. Although he had accepted his fate a long time ago, this renewed vigor reminded him how great the feeling was.
The fire in Qi Chenglin’s heart burned brighter with every passing second. Suddenly, Ruan Danchen found herself in the air with her feet dangling. Qi Chenglin had carried her in a moment of passion. She was starting to feel dizzy in his arms.
During that incident seven years ago, he was not in the right state of mind, yet his actions were gentle as always. To be honest, she never did forget Qi Chenglin—especially now that he was dropping in on her life so often. Every time Ruan Danchen saw him, her feelings only intensified.
“Dad, Aunt Ruan.” Qi Youxuan opened the kitchen door. He blinked his eyes and read the situation. Qi Chenglin was standing by the sink with the dishes in hand while Ruan Danchen was on the floor with her back against the kitchen cabinet. He was confused.
Qi Chenglin turned around and gave the child a bored look. “What’s wrong?”
Qi Youxuan’s mouth was agape. Never in his life had he ever seen his father washing the dishes.
“Dad, what happened to Aunt Ruan?” Qi Youxuan asked after he recovered from the initial shock. Ruan Danchen’s head was lowered and her long hair prevented him from seeing her face.
“She was taking some stuff and tripped on the cabinet leg,” Qi Chenglin said in a steady voice. His face gave nothing away.
Free mini-scene:
ChengYu Mini Scene 1
One day, Song Yu went into the study room to find a book to read. She saw a leather-bound book standing out in the crowd of other books that had no covers, so she took it out.
The title of the book was ’48 Styles for A Happy Sex Life’.
Song Yu was speechless. She flipped open the book with some suspicion. Inside, there were drawings of couples in sexual positions and written explanations.
Song Yu narrowed her eyes at one of the drawings. It looked familiar.
