After becoming a widow, I became the apple of a rough man's eye.

The room was small, containing only a double bed, a table with a missing leg, and a chair.

The air was filled with a musty smell, and large bulges were visible on the plaster in the corners of the walls.

Li Dongye put down his bag, turned around, and opened the window.

"Well..." He scratched the back of his head with his back to Lin Qingqing, "How about we squeeze in tonight? I'll sleep on the floor. It's not cold outside, I can just lay my coat on the floor."

Lin Qingqing was sitting on the edge of the bed tidying up her things when she heard this, and she stopped what she was doing.

She looked up at Li Dongye.

Fourth Brother.

Li Dongye slowly turned around, feigning ignorance: "W-what's wrong? Are you hungry? I'll go get you some hot water to soak some flatbread."

Lin Qingqing shook her head, stood up, and walked to him.

She was a head shorter than him, and had to look up to see his expression. She reached out and gently tugged at his sleeve.

"The floor is cold," she said softly, like a feather brushing against your heart. "And the floor isn't even; how can I sleep?"

"It's okay, I'm tough..." Li Dongye was interrupted by Lin Qingqing before he could finish speaking.

Lin Qingqing stared intently at him with her large, watery peach blossom eyes. "Fourth Brother... how come I only just realized how good you are at pretending!"

Li Dongye was stunned for a moment, then laughed in exasperation.

"Okay." He grabbed her hand in return. "Then I won't pretend to be a gentleman."

Having gone through so much, Lin Qingqing has come to terms with things and understands them better, no longer being timid and hesitant.

She reached out to unbutton Li Dongye's wallet, wanting to help him relax and catch his breath after his long journey.

The leather jacket still felt the chill of the night, but Li Dongye suddenly grabbed her hand. His palm was burning hot, and the calluses on his fingertips made Lin Qingqing's hand itch.

He looked down at her intently, his Adam's apple bobbing, and then leaned down to bite her lips.

This was hardly a gentle kiss; it was forceful and rushed, as if he wanted to pour out all the weariness of his journey, the anxiety of being away from home, and the joy of finally being able to possess her peacefully and exclusively through this kiss.

Lin Qingqing felt weak all over from his kisses and could only instinctively cling to his shoulders for support.

"Well……"

A soft groan escaped her throat, and the two of them had just touched the bed when the wooden bed, missing a leg and propped up, let out a creaking scream.

The sound was especially clear in the quiet night. Lin Qingqing was startled and instinctively pushed him, panting as she said, "The bed... the bed is going to collapse."

Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were wet and filled with panic.

"If it collapses, just pay him a new one. What's there to be afraid of?"

Li Dongye was nonchalant, leaning one hand on Lin Qingqing's side, looking down at her with an undisguised possessiveness in his eyes.

He felt like he was going crazy.

Even at home, during the most intimate moments, there are always people next door. It's a constant reminder that Lin Qingqing isn't just his.

Even that time on the roof, though crazy, was filled with the haste of stealing...

But things are different now. In this run-down guesthouse, it's just the two of them, and no one comes to bother them.

"Qingqing".

Li Dongye called her name in a low voice, his hand gently resting on her waist, pressing her down through her clothes with an undeniable force, "Tonight you are mine, and only mine."

Before Lin Qingqing could respond, he lowered his head and buried it in the crook of her neck, gently rubbing his teeth against her delicate neck, leaving a few light red marks. The warmth of his palm seeped through her clothes, his grip tight yet deliberately restrained.

Lin Qingqing tilted her head back, her fingers unconsciously digging into his stiff, short hair, her body trembling slightly.

Li Dongye quickly became dissatisfied with such intimacy, straightened up, unbuttoned his leather jacket, and then reached out to untie the belt of Lin Qingqing's cloth pants—the pants were the most ordinary style with belts, and he was in such a hurry that it took him a while to untie them.

"Lift your foot."

He patted Lin Qingqing's thigh, his tone carrying a hint of roguishness and impatience.

Lin Qingqing obediently lifted her leg, and Li Dongye pulled her trouser leg down, but the posture was really awkward. He couldn't reach the trouser leg when he was standing and bending over, and he couldn't get the strength when he was squatting. So he simply knelt on one knee and put one of Lin Qingqing's feet on his knee to help her take off her shoes and socks.

Her ankle was so white it was dazzling, and it looked so delicate in my hand that it seemed like I could crush it with the slightest pressure. A mix of tenderness and playfulness welled up inside Li Dongye, and he lowered his head and gently kissed her ankle bone.

When he switched to the other leg, he lost his balance and with a "thud," the other leg also went down.

The posture at this moment is incredibly subtle.

He knelt on the ground, his knees positioned between Lin Qingqing's legs. Lin Qingqing sat on the edge of the bed, her feet dangling down, helplessly stepping on his thighs.

Li Dongye was stunned for a moment.

He's always been arrogant and domineering in public; he's never knelt before any woman in his life.

He looked up and met Lin Qingqing's surprised and embarrassed eyes.

The blush on her face spread all the way to her ears, and her toes curled up tightly, trying to pull back, but Li Dongye grabbed her ankle.

From this angle, the shyness and helplessness in her eyes were clearly visible, and that soft, delicate appearance struck Li Dongye's heart hard.

Li Dongye suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with a roguish charm and barely concealed excitement:

"So Qingqing likes this?"

As he spoke, he didn't intend to stand up. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, gently grasped her knees with both hands, and said in a deep voice, "Don't move."

"Fourth Brother, get up quickly..." Lin Qingqing's voice trembled as she reached out to pull him up, her eyes filled with helplessness and embarrassment.

Li Dongye didn't move, but looked down at her. The possessiveness in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a softer look. He reached out and brushed the stray hairs from her forehead, his fingertips gently tracing her flushed cheeks.

"What are you afraid of? It's just the two of us tonight, no one will bother you."

Seeing the seriousness in his eyes, Lin Qingqing's shyness and embarrassment gradually subsided. She obediently stopped what she was doing, but her toes were still curled up and her cheeks were burning hot.

Looking at her soft and cuddly appearance, Li Dongye's impatience completely disappeared. He slowly stood up, reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

He held Lin Qingqing and lay down on the bed. The old wooden bed creaked a few times, but thankfully it didn't actually collapse.

Li Dongye held her protectively in his arms, pulled over the slightly musty-smelling blanket, and wrapped them both up tightly. His arm was wrapped around her waist domineeringly, refusing to let go for a second, as if he was afraid that she would run away if he let go.

"Go to sleep."

His voice was terribly hoarse, but his tone was soft, and the fierceness in his eyes had completely disappeared, leaving only an overwhelming tenderness. "We still have to keep going tomorrow."

That night, Li Dongye didn't sleep on the floor as usual. Instead, he held Lin Qingqing tightly in his arms, feeling her body temperature and heartbeat, and didn't let go of her hand all night.