With Love, To You

Chapter 7: The Rough Kiss

The mattress sank deeply under their weight, and Jingcheng Gu's gritted voice broke the silence.

"Qi Nianyun!"

Qi Nianyun quickly straddled his waist, pinning him down.

"What now? Gonna hit me?" she taunted, oblivious to the fire flickering in his eyes. She patted his face smugly. "Be a good husband. It's bad for our relationship if we sleep in separate rooms. Don't worry, we won't do anything tonight. I'll be very gentle—ah!"

Jingcheng Gu suddenly flipped them over, pressing her beneath him and capturing her lips in a fierce kiss.

It was a kiss of sheer dominance.

Like a wild storm, it overwhelmed her senses. Qi Nianyun felt a jolt of electricity run from her lips to her spine, making her toes curl in response. Though not entirely inexperienced, her one brief encounter was no match for this. She soon found herself breathless, her head spinning.

"Jingcheng Gu…" she managed to murmur as he pulled back slightly, giving her a moment to breathe. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him.

His large hand slid along her side, lifting her dress. His touch was like wildfire, sending shivers through her body.

His dark eyes bored into hers, his voice husky. "Still want to mess around? Hmm?"

Qi Nianyun trembled, a mix of fear and resolve coursing through her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice soft and pleading. "Husband."

Jingcheng Gu's breath hitched, his body taut like a tightly wound string, ready to snap at any moment.

She called again, "Husband, don't push me away. I truly want us to have a good life together."

Something broke silently within him. Jingcheng Gu kissed her again, this time with a gentleness that contrasted starkly with his earlier aggression.

Despite the tenderness, Qi Nianyun couldn't help but tremble. When pain shot through her body, she cried out, "It hurts."

His movements stilled, and he cursed under his breath. He got up and headed to the bathroom, where the sound of running water soon followed.

Qi Nianyun sat up, her face burning with embarrassment. She pulled the covers over herself, feeling a mix of emotions. Last night, Jingcheng Gu had been too furious to control his strength, unintentionally hurting her. Given her inexperience, it had caused some injury.

Thinking about him enduring a cold shower to douse his desire, she couldn't help but smile sweetly.

When Jingcheng Gu returned, Qi Nianyun had already moved her belongings to his bedroom.

This time, he didn't object. He merely watched her with an inscrutable expression, lost in his thoughts.

Qi Nianyun knew her sudden change in behavior would arouse suspicion. But she had no choice. The events that had befallen her defied explanation, and she couldn't risk giving anyone an opportunity to exploit her again.

When she awoke the next morning, she found herself sprawled atop Jingcheng Gu.

He was already awake, lying still to avoid disturbing her.

Embarrassed, Qi Nianyun slid off him discreetly, smiling awkwardly. "Good morning."

Jingcheng Gu replied with a nonchalant "Hmm" and got up to wash.

Qi Nianyun quickly checked herself for any signs of drooling or other embarrassing sleep habits. Satisfied that she hadn't done anything shameful, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Her sleep had always been restless, which was fine when she slept alone. Now, sharing a bed with someone she liked made her feel self-conscious.

Breakfast was prepared by their housekeeper, Aunt Li. As Qi Nianyun was about to eat, she received a call from her father, Fan Yun.

She glanced at the caller ID, frowned slightly, and said to Jingcheng Gu, "I'll take this call from my dad."

Jingcheng Gu nodded, and Qi Nianyun stepped out to the terrace to answer.

As soon as she answered, Fan Yun's accusatory voice bombarded her.

"Did you have anything to do with that news online? And last night, did you know Zesun was going to target your Aunt Lin?"

Qi Nianyun's expression remained neutral, her tone equally detached. "No, I didn't."

She didn't bother with unnecessary words.

Fan Yun was momentarily stunned, feeling increasingly agitated.

"You think you're above everyone else just because Jingcheng Gu supports you? Do you still remember your own name?"

Qi Nianyun's fingers tightened around the phone, her eyes misting.

She would never forget how, in her past life, Fan Yun had treated her after Qian Yuyun had manipulated her. Neglected because of Qian Yuyun and her mother, Fan Yun had completely abandoned her when she fell into scandal.

Instead of investigating the truth, he saw her as a disgrace and publicly disowned her.

Even when she was imprisoned and desperately sent him messages for help, he chose to ignore them, preferring to enjoy a vacation with Qian Yuyun and her mother. All her cries for help ended up discarded like trash.

Qi Nianyun's feelings toward Fan Yun were complicated. Though not exactly hatred, the father-daughter bond had long since frayed.

When the ranting subsided, she brought the phone back to her ear.

"If there's nothing else, I'll hang up," she said coldly.

As she was about to end the call, Fan Yun spoke again.

"If you have time, come home. Your mother left some things for you. You should collect them."

Qi Nianyun paused, then replied, "Okay."

After breakfast, Jingcheng Gu prepared to leave for work. Qi Nianyun saw him to the door, adjusting his tie before he left.

As he stepped out, she called him back. "I might go to the Yun family home later. My dad asked me to pick up some things."

Jingcheng Gu paused, frowning slightly.

"You never used to tell me about these small matters."

Qi Nianyun smiled. "That was then. Now that we're working on our relationship, we should keep each other informed, right?"

Jingcheng Gu seemed taken aback but then nodded thoughtfully.

"Alright. I understand."