Chapter 172: Chapter 169: I Can Barely Breathe
Ye Xiao’s eyes twitched slightly. She lifted her chin and gazed at his softened jawline, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes.
The elevator opened on the first floor.
Ying Jingyao finally let go of Ye Xiao, pursing his lips in silence as he led her out.
Ye Xiao took a gentle breath, secretly relieved that there was no one outside the elevator.
Upon reaching the car Ye Xiao had parked outside the apartment building, she tried to withdraw her hand but failed, looking somewhat surprised at Ying Jingyao.
Ying Jingyao squeezed her hand, "Call me after the evening is over, I’ll come pick you up."
"No need, I’ll drive myself over," Ye Xiao replied.
Ying Jingyao considered for a moment, then nodded, "Be careful on the road. If it gets too late, make sure to tell me, I’ll come to get you."
Ye Xiao looked at his serious expression, smiling slightly, "Alright."
Only then did Ying Jingyao relax his furrowed brows, and after holding Ye Xiao’s hand a bit longer, he let go, "Go on."
Ye Xiao noticed the frown reappearing on his face as he spoke, cherry blossom eyes glinting with traces of amusement, "Should I leave now?"
Ying Jingyao pursed his lips, "Mm."
Ye Xiao blinked playfully at him, "Am I really leaving?"
Ying Jingyao gazed at the rare mischievous look on Ye Xiao’s face, and finally chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair, playfully huffing, "If you don’t go now, you might not get to leave!"
Ye Xiao curled her lips, and before leaving, she reached out to squeeze his hand, opened the car door, got in, and drove toward the villa address provided by Zhong Qin, since it was getting late.
Ying Jingyao grasped the hand she had held, a soft smile on his lips, and looked in the direction Ye Xiao departed for a long time, chuckling quietly to himself before turning back into the apartment building with light steps.
Ye Xiao arrived at Zhong Qin’s villa at almost seven o’clock. As soon as she got out of the car, she saw Zhong Qin standing at the villa entrance, looking this way. Seeing her, Zhong Qin’s face lit up with joy as she briskly walked over.
"Ye, you’re here." Zhong Qin held Ye Xiao’s hand, her expression excited.
Ye Xiao looked down at her hand, "Teacher Zhong, your hands are so cold."
Zhong Qin smiled sheepishly but did not let go of Ye Xiao’s hand, pulling her towards the villa, "It’s nothing, I’m always like this in winter."
Ye Xiao followed her into the villa.
"Ye, you sit here first. I’ll go cut some fruit." Zhong Qin pointed to the sofa in the living room.
"Let me help you." Ye Xiao offered.
"No need, you’re a guest at my house, you shouldn’t lift a finger, just sit down."
Zhong Qin seated her on the sofa and hurried into the kitchen.
Ye Xiao watched Zhong Qin’s retreating figure, feeling a flash of doubt. Something didn’t seem right about her current demeanor...
Zhong Qin emerged from the kitchen with a delicate fruit platter, looked around the living room but saw no sign of Ye Xiao, her hands trembling fiercely with the tray in her grip.
"Teacher Zhong." A soft, delicate female voice came from behind.
Zhong Qin’s eyes widened as she turned around to see Ye Xiao standing at the bathroom door, looking at her with a puzzled expression.
Exhaling lightly, Zhong Qin quickly adjusted her expression and smiled, "Come, have some fruit."
Ye Xiao walked over.
Zhong Qin handed the fruit platter to Ye Xiao, "I’ll go check if the crabs are done."
"Mm." Ye Xiao took the platter, placed it on the living room table, then followed her into the kitchen, "Teacher Zhong, let me help you."
"It’s all pretty much ready, just need to serve." Zhong Qin said.
Ye Xiao glanced at the delicate dishes covered with a thermal lid on the counter, her brows knitting slightly as she looked at Zhong Qin, "Teacher Zhong, are there other guests coming?"
"..." Zhong Qin’s eyes flickered, carrying two dishes towards the dining room next to the living room, her voice low, "No."
Ye Xiao pursed her lips, saying nothing more.
All the dishes were served.
At the rectangular dining table, only Ye Xiao and Zhong Qin sat facing each other.
The table was laden with a variety of exquisite dishes, none of which seemed like home-cooked meals, more like something packed from a hotel.
Ye Xiao kept her hands on her lap under the table, her half-lowered eyes skimming over the five sets of tableware laid out, her long eyelashes drooping even lower.
Zhong Qin faced Ye Xiao with tension and guilt, finding it hard to even speak at this point due to shame.
Ding...
The villa’s door swung open with a sound from outside, causing Ye Xiao’s brow to twitch slightly as she raised her head slowly to look at Zhong Qin opposite her.
Zhong Qin gave Ye Xiao a complex look before quickly standing up and heading to the living room.
Ye Xiao’s hands, resting on her lap, clenched slightly before she too slowly rose to her feet.
"Mr. Rong, Mr. Gu, please come in." A middle-aged man’s deep and respectful voice rang in her ears.
Ye Xiao clenched her palm tightly, her long eyelashes trembling nervously for a brief moment before settling into calm.
Steady footsteps approached step by step, and a thin sheen of sweat appeared on Ye Xiao’s smooth and elegant forehead. She swallowed gently, raising her eyes softly.
In an instant, Ye Xiao locked eyes with a pair of deep, cold black eyes, akin to dead water; her heart pounding uncontrollably, oblivious to the fingertips digging into her palm.
Ye Xiao slightly parted her lips, but all sound was trapped in her throat.
Zhong Qin looked at Ye Xiao’s ashen face, her heart filled with deep guilt, her hands clasped together, as she stepped forward to support Ye Xiao’s arm, her voice weak, "Xiao Ye, I’m sorry, I didn’t know..."
Ye Xiao didn’t know what Zhong Qin said, but she knew she was speaking by her ear, her face pale and wooden.
"And who is this?" Wan Liwei pretended not to know as he looked at Ye Xiao.
Zhong Qin glanced at him, frowning,
Wan Liwei, embarrassed, twitched his mouth looking at Rong Mochen.
Rong Mochen gazed at Ye Xiao, his black eyes enigmatic and mysterious, betraying no emotion as he calmly walked to the dining table and sat down.
And the place he sat was coincidentally where Zhong Qin had previously sat, opposite Ye Xiao.
Zhong Qin’s face twitched a few times, she looked at Ye Xiao, her lips moving, about to speak when Ye Xiao spoke first, "Teacher Zhong, since your husband is back, I think there’s no need for me to stay. I have things to do, so I’ll leave now."
As Ye Xiao spoke, she turned to walk out.
"Xiao Ye." Zhong Qin hurriedly held her back, "Xiao Ye, you need to eat even if you’re busy. Besides, weren’t we just about to eat?"
"Miss Ye absolutely can’t leave; if she must go, she should at least have dinner first. I’ll personally see Miss Ye off afterwards. Otherwise, if Miss Ye leaves like this, I’d be in a huge fault. Miss Ye coming to my house as a guest and not even having a meal would be a joke on me if spread around," Wan Liwei also joined in persuading, fearing Ye Xiao truly left.
"Xiao Ye, you promised to stay with me tonight." Zhong Qin pleaded, holding Ye Xiao’s arm.
"..." Ye Xiao frowned, looking at Zhong Qin, her eyes so clear that Zhong Qin dared not meet them.
Ye Xiao curled her lips without emotion, withdrew her arm, and sat down.
Seeing this, both Wan Liwei and Zhong Qin breathed a sigh of relief.
The meal was so quiet that even each other’s breath could be heard distinctly.
Zhong Qin sat next to Ye Xiao, Wan Liwei sat next to Rong Mochen, Gu Yan sat on the other side of Rong Mochen.
Throughout the meal, Gu Yan barely moved his chopsticks, staring at Ye Xiao the entire time.
Ye Xiao seemed unaware, eating with refined movements.
Across from her, Rong Mochen also ate gracefully, unhurried.
Wan Liwei and Zhong Qin were tense, darting looks at each other, the food in their mouths feeling more like poison than a delicacy.
"I’m finished; please take your time." Ye Xiao put down her chopsticks, picked up the napkin by her hand to wipe her mouth, and stood up to go wash her hands in the bathroom.
"Enjoy."
Ye Xiao had not reached the bathroom when she heard a low and cold voice from behind her.
A slight shiver ran down her spine, prompting Ye Xiao to quicken her pace.
She quickly entered the bathroom and was about to close the door when a force suddenly braced against the door.
Ye Xiao’s pupils slightly dilated, staring at the cold, chiselled face reflected in the mirror above the sink, her heart once again pounding wildly.
With almost no effort, the door was pushed open by him.
Ye Xiao took a few steps forward, clenched her hands tight, and turned to leave, "I’ll go to another bathroom."
Bang—
The bathroom door slammed shut in front of her with a click and locked.
Ye Xiao bit her lower lip, raising her eyes to maintain composure as she faced the severe, cold face above her, "Sir, what advice do you have?"
Sir?
Rong Mochen sneered coldly, his upright frame standing before her like a sturdy tree trunk, his black eyes cold as he eyed her, his voice seemingly seeping from the ground, chilling to the bone, "Miss Ye, is it?"
Ye Xiao’s lips trembled twice, using all her strength not to avoid his sharp gaze, "If this gentleman wants to chat, we can do so outside. After all, this place is really not suitable."
"Last name Ye, what’s the full name?" Rong Mochen seemed not to hear, his cool fingers tilted Ye Xiao’s petite chin, black eyes coldly staring at her trembling pupils.
His fingers only tilted her chin, but the chill seemed to penetrate into her heart.
Ye Xiao’s heart felt cold, her palms unknowingly clammy with cold sweat. She moved her throat, "Ye Xiao."
"Ye Xiao, Ye Xiao..."
Rong Mochen held Ye Xiao’s chin between two fingers as he spoke, his sharply defined face showing no emotion, but those deep black eyes that stared tightly at Ye Xiao were suddenly fathomless, like a swirling cold vortex.
As he murmured her name with his thin lips, each syllable seemed to be slowly ground within his mouth before being gently uttered, the tone crisp cool, yet seemingly entangled with tenderness, pervading to the bone.
Ye Xiao’s hands and feet were cold, her head slightly tilted to evade his long fingers, but the next moment, her entire body was swept up by a strong force.
"..." Ye Xiao was shocked, instinctively struggling fiercely.
Yet the disparity in strength between a man and a woman was extraordinarily apparent at that moment; with each struggle of hers, he tightened his hold a degree more, constricting her so tightly her bones ached faintly.
Ye Xiao was held tightly against him, panting, the faint mint scent mixed with nicotine on him enveloping her, leaving her no escape.
Ye Xiao felt somewhat flustered, amid the chaos was a profound anger, she shouted lowly, "Mr. Rong, you..."
"What did you call me?" Before Ye Xiao could finish, he cut her off, leaning down, bringing his extraordinarily handsome face close to her, his cold black eyes now brimming with heat, burning as they fixed upon her.