Beijing-Hong Kong Rosemary

Chapter 140 I love you

Qu Yanci turned her shoulders and stared at her, "Not everything has to be a choice between two options. Relationships aren't just yours alone. Shouldn't you discuss it with me before making a decision?"

Shen Guining pursed her lips. "I was just worried about putting you in a difficult position."

Qu Yanci corrected her, "It's your failure to tell me that's putting me in a difficult position."

“I will never ask you to give up your career. You can choose to live the way you like, and I have no right to interfere. What you need to do is be honest with me and trust me.”

A quiet warmth spread through their gazes.

Shen Guining twisted her hands together. "What if your family doesn't agree?"

“This is a problem I need to solve, and I will communicate with them.” Qu Yanci raised his fingertip and stroked her cheek. “I don’t ask you to put love first, but I hope that I can be included in your future plans. If there’s anything, we can solve it together.”

Perhaps it was only now that Shen Guining realized that Qu Yanci loved her far more than she had imagined.

He was such a proud man, yet he repeatedly yielded and bowed his head in matters of the heart.

Shen Guining admitted that she was immature in handling her relationship, that she did not consider his feelings, and that she had indeed underestimated the relationship.

Qu Yanci has always been tolerant and guiding towards her, not holding her against her initial deliberate approach and deception, and understanding and respecting her thoughts.

Shen Guining lowered her eyes and apologized to him, "I'm sorry, I didn't think it through."

She reached out and grabbed his shirt, clutching it tightly in her hand. "But don't think I don't love you. I'm also very sad to be separated from you."

When you've invested your emotions and are then forced to withdraw, your heart aches, as if it's being torn apart.

Qu Yanci lifted her chin, his gaze burning as he looked straight into her eyes. "Say it again."

Shen Guining paused for a moment, then spoke more directly: "I love you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he lowered his head and kissed her, capturing her lips in his mouth.

Breath enters the mouth.

His large hands gripped the back of her neck, and their lips met tightly.

Heartbeats of different frequencies drew ever closer, each one faster than the last.

Between erratic breathing, he said in a hoarse voice, "I know."

The tie clip she gave me had a line of letters engraved on it.

—I love you, Mr. Qu
Qu Yanci put his arm around her waist, and with his other hand he went under her knees and carried her back to the bedroom.

Ruby was left alone on the carpet, staring intently at their departing figures.

Inside the bedroom, heavy breathing filled the air.

The curtains were drawn, and a warm orange sleep lamp was on by the bedside, its light spilling out from the glass lampshade.

Two figures intertwined, their expressions ambiguous and tender.

Shen Guining bit her slightly swollen lower lip, her legs wrapped around his waist, and a soft voice escaped her throat, "Be gentle... Aci..."

A soft, coquettish voice will only further stimulate the nerves.

Qu Yanci kissed her deeply, and his actions reflected that.

Each "A-ci" is like a catalyst, sparking a chemical reaction.

Beads of sweat trickled down his skin, down his muscle lines, and dripped onto Shen Guining's body.

The pectoral muscles bulged and bulged, hormones bursting forth.

A deep, sexy voice filled my ears, "You're mine, baby."

His possessiveness grew stronger with each passing year.

Shen Guining was almost unable to bear it.
-
11 p.m.

The master bedroom finally returned to calm, and the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

Inside the crystal-inlaid marble bathtub, steam rises, and warm water infused with essential oils covers the body, relieving fatigue.

Shen Guining rested against Qu Yanci's chest, her head nestled against his chest. Her skin was flushed a light red, and her eyes were still moist, as if she had been badly bullied.

She turned her gaze to the man beside her.

He showed no signs of fatigue; his brows were relaxed, and he appeared only at ease and content.

She had read online that men's sexual function declines after the age of thirty, but she didn't feel it at all. In fact, her needs were even greater.

Shen Guining was a little curious about the limits of his physical strength.

"Why are you looking at me? Haven't you had enough?" Qu Yanci raised his hand and gently pinched her cheek.

Shen Guining blushed and denied it, "No."

"I'm hungry." Afraid he might misunderstand, she added, "My stomach is growling."

I didn't even have dinner when I got home from get off work; I've been up and about until now.

Qu Yanci smiled and asked, "What would you like to eat?"

"Anything is fine with me." She wasn't picky.

"How about I cook some noodles?"

"Ah."

Stepping out of the bathtub, Qu Yanci loosely put on a bathrobe, took another bath towel to dry her body, and gently rubbed the red marks on her skin with his fingertips. "Why are you so delicate? You turn red as soon as I touch you?"

Shen Guining looked up at him and glared at him, complaining in a low voice, "It's all your fault."

Qu Yanci pressed the back of her head and pecked her lips. "Fine, it's my fault."

Shen Guining retaliated by biting his chin, leaving a shallow tooth mark that would probably fade away in a while.

Qu Yanci chuckled lightly, "Have you had enough? Want to continue?"

"No." Shen Guining wriggled out of his arms, wrapped herself in a towel, and ran out of the bathroom.

Qu Yanci followed slowly and leisurely, fastening his belt with his fingers, his movements languid and relaxed.

Two long scratch marks were faintly visible beneath the open collar of the bathrobe.

The little girl likes to scratch people; it's become a habit she can't break.

Fortunately, he didn't mind.

Shen Guining went to the dressing room to change into her pajamas, and left the room after getting dressed.

Qu Yanci was preparing ingredients in the kitchen.

I rarely see him cook; a busy person like him doesn't have time to waste on that.

Under the light, he stood in front of the sink washing vegetables, his tall figure and noble bearing undiminished.

With hands of well-proportioned joints, she is also adept at doing kitchen chores.

Shen Guining rolled up her sleeves and went over to help.

She only reached Qu Yanci's shoulder when she stood next to him, even though she was 169 cm tall.

However, this height difference is just right and they are a perfect match.

The noise from the kitchen woke Ruby up, and she came running over, wagging her tail, "Awooo..."

Shen Guining turned around. "Ruby, you're awake."

Qu Yanci placed the washed vegetables on the cutting board and said, "Go and play with it."

"Don't you need my help?"

"No need, wait outside."

"Oh, okay." Shen Guining wiped her hands clean and led Ruby out.

Qu Yanci was busy in the kitchen, and sounds from outside occasionally drifted into his ears.

"Ruby, come and have some yogurt."

"Wipe your mouth after you finish eating, don't rub it around."

"Don't lick my roses, they're not for you to eat."

"Ruby, could you fetch the tissues from the cabinet for me?"

"Good boy/girl, here's a little jerky for you."

"I've just recovered from being sick, so I can't eat too much..." He has always been a quiet person, but at this moment, a sense of satisfaction arose within him.

So this is what "life" is all about.

This is the first time I've felt this word being brought to life.

Shen Guining smelled the delicious aroma wafting from the kitchen, which made her even hungrier. She went over to check if it was ready.

Qu Yanci turned off the fire at the perfect moment.

The pot is filled with steaming hot seafood noodles, a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Shen Guining thought he was just casually cooking a bowl of noodles. "It smells so good, let me have a bite first."

Qu Yanci picked up his chopsticks and put some food on her plate. "It's hot."

Shen Guining opened her mouth to accept the food, her eyes lighting up as she tasted it. "Delicious! How can you do everything!"

She always provides emotional support, though I don't know if it's because she's really enjoying the food or because she's just too hungry.

Qu Yanci put down his chopsticks and picked up a spatula. "I'll scoop it out."

Shen Guining helped carry two plates.

She was really hungry, and the noodles Qu Yanci made were really to her liking. She hadn't eaten this much in a long time, and she was very satisfied with filling her stomach.

It's late at night, I've just finished eating, and I can't fall asleep, so I can only watch TV on the sofa.

Shen Guining randomly picked a historical costume drama.

There haven't been any good TV shows lately, so she got bored and started to feel sleepy after half an hour. She lay on her side with her head on Qu Yanci's lap, her eyelids drooping from time to time.

He gently stroked her face with his palm, "Go to bed."

"Hmm." Shen Guining suddenly remembered something and casually asked, "When is your friend getting married?"

Qu Yanci moved his hand to her earlobe and kneaded it. "You mean Ye Zeming?"

"Ah."

"next month."

He didn't remember the exact date; he had too many commitments and wouldn't pay attention to unimportant things.

Shen Guining opened her eyes wide. "Why does he suddenly want to get married? Is his family pressuring him?"

"Ah."

The Ye family is quite complicated. Ye Zeming's father had three wives. Ye Zeming's mother was his second wife. Her family had no background and could not help Ye Zeming. Therefore, she could only hope that her son would find a wife from a high-class family so that he could secure his position in the Ye family in the future.

Qu Yanci heard that Ye Zeming's mother threatened suicide in order to force Ye Zeming to marry the daughter of Rongsheng Real Estate.

"Why don't your family members urge you to get married?" Shen Guining asked.

Qu Yanci said calmly, "We've urged them before."

If he doesn't agree, who can force him to get married?

Shen Guining blinked. "Is it because you've been disobedient?"

Qu Yanci pinched her cheek, his eyes narrowing into a dangerous arc. "What, you want me to marry someone else?"

"No." Shen Guining pushed his hand away. "I was just asking."

Qu Yanci touched her lower body, his fingertips gently rubbing her with varying pressure, "This marriage can only be between you and me."

Shen Guining was taken aback.

Marriage seems a long way off for her, after all, she's only twenty-four.

She was lost in thought and completely ignored the man's hands groping her.

"If you insist on being with me, won't your grandfather be so angry that he kicks you out of the Qu family?"

Qu Yanci looked into her eyes. "What if I do?"

“If it happens…” Shen Guining pondered for a moment, “then I’ll support you. I have savings, and I’ll work hard to earn more money in the future to support the two of us, and Ruby too. It shouldn’t be a big problem.”

Qu Yanci smiled and raised his lips, "Alright, I've never been a kept man before, I can give it a try."

Shen Guining knew, of course, that even if such a day came, Qu Yanci would not need her to support him. With his abilities, he did not need family background to stand at a high position. Family background was just icing on the cake for him, not essential.
-
The next day, Qu Yanci returned to the old house.

As expected, the two elders should already know about the news online.

The car drove along the stone-paved road into the front yard.

The servants were tending to the flowers and plants by the pavilion. When they saw Qu Yanci return, they stopped what they were doing and greeted him, "Mr. Qu, you're back."

Qu Yanci nodded slightly and stepped into the inner courtyard.

The maid informed us that the old lady was still taking a nap, and the old man was writing in his study.

In front of the ebony carved table, several sheets of Xuan paper were laid out on the tabletop.

The brush is dipped in ink and falls onto the paper. The brushstrokes are sharp and the force is too heavy, resulting in uneven characters.

I wrote on more than a dozen sheets of Xuan paper, but none of them were satisfactory.

If your mind is not at peace, you cannot write well.

The old man lost his patience, put down his pen, picked up the teacup next to him, took a sip, and vented his anger.

He doesn't usually go online, let alone browse Weibo. He only learned about the trending topics that were causing a stir online from his maid.

Qu Yanci was really something, using the trick of acting first and informing later.

I was planning to settle scores with him anyway, but I didn't expect him to arrive so quickly.

The study door was not closed. Qu Yanci stood by the door and raised his hand to knock on the walnut folding door.

Old Master Qu was furious, his brows furrowed. "You still know how to come."

Over the years, Qu Yanci has never caused him any trouble, whether it's his studies or career. I never expected that he would do something so unconventional because of his feelings.

"Are you doing this because you think the Qu family is too comfortable?"

Qu Yanci said frankly, "I will bear the consequences of what I have done, and it will not implicate the Qu family."

The old man questioned in a deep voice, "You are a member of the Qu family. Your every word and action represents the entire Qu family. Do you think you can just say you won't be implicated? There are countless eyes watching from the shadows!"

Before Qu Yanci could speak, the old lady's voice suddenly came from behind, "What are you arguing about?"

Ms. Tan, leaning on her cane, slowly walked into the study.

Qu Yanci went over to help her up, saying, "Grandma."

Ms. Tan glared at the old man, "I tacitly approved of this, why are you taking your anger out on him?"

The old man became even more displeased, "Do you even know what's going on that you're protecting him?"

"Of course I know, it's about that girl from the Shen family." Mrs. Tan scolded, "Aci finally found a girl he likes, and you're still meddling in his affairs."

The old man retorted angrily, "I'm doing this all for the sake of the Qu and Tan families! Do you think I enjoy getting involved in these matters?"

"I'm practically halfway to the grave, do you think I still care about other people's opinions and comments?" Ms. Tan paused, then continued, "I was bound by so many constraints when I was young, what do I have to worry about at this age?"

The old man remained silent with a sullen face.

Qu Yanci didn't want the two elders to quarrel over this matter, so he took the old lady back to her room to take her medicine.

Ms. Tan sat on the edge of the bed and sighed softly, "Aci, don't take what your grandfather said to heart. He was just worried that I would be criticized."

Qu Yanci reassured him, "I didn't take it to heart, don't worry about it."

Ms. Tan thought for a moment and said, "When should we bring that girl back for a meal? Your grandfather's decision to talk to her alone was indeed inappropriate. The girl did nothing wrong; she couldn't have chosen where she was born."

"There may be more to the story about her parents than meets the eye; I'm still investigating."

“The things of the previous generation are not really important. What I’m afraid of is that people will dig them up and make a big deal out of them. In that case, the young girl will be the one who gets hurt the most.”

Qu Yanci nodded, "I will be careful."

Ms. Tan then worried, "Won't that girl be scared by your grandfather and dare not come to our house?"

Qu Yanci smiled and said, "I don't know either. I'll go back and ask her for her opinion."

Ms. Tan joked, "Hurry up, or they'll get away again."

"They can't escape." Qu Yanci said confidently.