It fell from his fingertips

Tang Luoqing wasn't worried that Zhou Jinbai's feelings for her would fade so quickly. After all, they weren't really together yet, so how could they fade so fast?

Nevertheless, she couldn't help but pick up her phone to send Zhou Jinbai a message to ask him something.

After thinking about it, forget it.

I made myself a quick bite to eat and then continued drawing.

Meanwhile, in the Zhou family villa, the atmosphere in the huge living room was tense and stagnant.

Zhou Jinbai knelt before his parents, whose usually kind faces were filled with disbelief, anger, and helplessness.

"Tang Luoqing is your brother's girlfriend. Why do you have to like her of all people? Jin Bai, are you out of your mind?"

Zhou's mother sighed heavily in anger, and unable to hold back, she slapped Zhou Jinbai across the face.

Zhou Jinbai remained kneeling on the ground, his words utterly serious: "They broke up a month ago. Yan Chen went to see Miss Tang, but she refused to get back together. So why can't I pursue him?"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou's father, enraged beyond measure, grabbed the whip that he had the servant bring him not long ago and lashed it hard across Zhou Jinbai's back.

Instantly, a bloody gash appeared on the white shirt, and blood oozed from the skin.

Startled, Zhou's mother frantically pushed Zhou's father away and went around to Zhou Jinbai's back. Looking at the whip marks on her eldest son's back, she burst into tears, heartbroken: "You silly child, why didn't you dodge?"

Zhou Jinbai's forehead was covered in cold sweat from the pain, but he didn't utter a sound. He just squeezed his eyes shut and when he opened them again, his eyes were filled with a determined look.

"Dad, Mom, I've said it before, I want to pursue Miss Tang. Whether you agree or not, I'm going to pursue her. Of course..."

Before Zhou Jinbai could finish speaking, he changed the subject: "Miss Tang is unaware of this matter yet. I do not wish for either of you to use any means to see her, to persuade her to accept Yan Chen again, or to reject me, or... to leave Beijing. If I find out, no matter which one happens, I will never return to this home, and I will no longer care about the Zhou Group."

Are you threatening us?

Zhou's father became even angrier and raised his whip again, lashing Zhou Jinbai hard.

This time, even more force was used, and the whip was more lethal, tearing Zhou Jinbai's skin open on his back.

Zhou Jinbai hissed in pain. His mother's crying voice rang in his ears. He raised his head, sweat dripping from his forehead and around his eyes. He blinked hard to wipe the sweat away so that it wouldn't drip into his eyes.

Then, Zhou Jinbai got up from the ground, enduring the pain in his back, took a breath, and slowly said, "I have already said what I wanted to say, Dad, Mom. I hope you two can support my choice. I did not regret giving up painting and returning to the Zhou Group back then. So now... please support me this once, just this once."

After Zhou Jin finished speaking, he turned around, bent down to pick up his suit jacket from the sofa armrest, and walked out of the villa.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhou were shocked by his last words.

Back then, the eldest son gave up a promising career in oil painting and chose to return to the Zhou Group. Over the years, he has made many sacrifices and never mentioned his past choices or sacrifices. But now, he is using this one thing to get his parents to support him in pursuing his younger brother's ex-girlfriend.

Why aren't they allowed to go find Tang Luoqing?

The couple looked at each other, both angry and helpless.

On the other side, after driving out of the residential area, Zhou Jinbai first went to the hospital, had his back bandaged, changed into a new shirt and a suit, before driving back to Tang Luoqing's residential area.

Tang Luoqing had just finished washing up and was lying in bed, forcing herself not to think about why Zhou Jinbai hadn't sent any messages so late when her phone rang with a short WeChat notification. It was a message from Zhou Jinbai with only two simple words: [Are you asleep? If not, I'm at the door.]

Tang Luoqing quickly got out of bed, walked out of the bedroom, and headed straight for the door.

When she arrived at the door, she didn't open it immediately. Instead, she took a breath before opening it.

"Sorry I'm late, I hope I didn't disturb your rest."

Tang Luoqing was wearing pajamas, and it was already a bit chilly standing at the door in the late November night.

She stepped aside and said, "Would you like to come in and sit down?"

Zhou Jinbai walked in, closed the door, bent down, and hugged Tang Luoqing.

"I miss you so much."

Zhou Jinbai spoke in a low voice, his eyes closed as he held the girl in his arms.

Tang Luoqing had been hugged by Zhou Jinbai many times, but this time, she raised her hand and hugged the man who was hugging her back.

"Is work tiring?"

For some reason, Zhou Jinbai seemed inexplicably tired at this moment, even more so than when he came to see her last night, more than half a year ago.

"It's alright, I just missed you, Luo Qing. Did you miss me... or even just my hand?"

Tang Luoqing was immediately embarrassed: "What are you talking about? Don't talk nonsense."

"Oh... I was planning to come and serve you tonight, then go home, but if you don't want to..."

Zhou Jinbai slowly released Tang Luoqing, and the fatigue in his eyes visibly dissipated.

Seeing Tang Luoqing's flushed cheeks, a smile appeared in his eyes: "But what do I want to do? I really want to, and if it can't be realized, I'll worry... Is all of this just an illusion?"

Hearing this, Tang Luoqing couldn't help but wonder if she had been too harsh in her rejection before? Was that why Zhou Jinbai was so insecure? But she really hadn't thought of that, and she couldn't always expect Zhou Jinbai to serve her like that, could she?

"Then...would you like to serve me personally?"

As soon as Tang Luoqing finished speaking, her cheeks turned even redder. However, she did not avoid Zhou Jinbai's astonished gaze and looked directly into his eyes: "Zhou Jinbai, I want you... to serve me personally."

Both of them knew perfectly well what "personally serving" meant.

A dark undercurrent surged in Zhou Jinbai's eyes, his deep gaze intense and passionate.

"No regrets?"

Tang Luoqing shook her head: "No regrets."

Before she could finish speaking, Tang Luoqing stood on tiptoe and kissed her.

After a brief moment of surprise, the man returned the kiss.

Breaths mingled, stars twinkled outside the window, and the indoor lights were bright and intense.

Tang Luoqing raised her hand and began to unbutton Zhou Jinbai's suit jacket. Just as she was about to unbutton the last button, her hand was grabbed.

Tang Luoqing was taken aback, released Zhou Jinbai's lips, and looked at him blankly.

Zhou Jinbai's breathing was erratic, his chest heaving, but he raised the girl's hand to his lips, his voice low and husky: "Time is tight today, so let me serve you first. After we're done with this, I'll serve you myself, okay?"

Tang Luoqing was taken aback, not understanding the significant difference in the timeframes between the two, when Zhou Jinbai picked her up and carried her into the bedroom and then into the bathroom.