Jiang Cheng's large hands were no longer satisfied with the "peripheral" achievement of brushing away her wet hair.
"Now I'll show you if I was just bluffing..." Jiang Cheng's voice dropped, carrying a raspy magnetism as his breath brushed against her ear. "Don't disappoint me; don't be the first to raise the white flag when the time comes."
"Hmph, you talk big!"
Under the light, Big Secret was like a wild rose, covered in dew but full of thorns, enchantingly beautiful.
She was also full of the wild beauty of an active aggressor.
Meanwhile, he was like a lazy cheetah that had been provoked, waiting for the right moment to strike back, his eyes sharp but his posture remaining composed.
The flames of provocation from before had long since turned into a misty, watery gaze.
At the beginning, she still tried to fight back.
By the end, she no longer had any strength left, her arms feeling limp.
Just as Jiang Cheng had said, she was the one who raised the white flag first in the end.
Looking at Big Secret in his arms—her face like peach blossoms, her eyes rippling with emotion, and too tired to even move a fingertip.
A victor's smile curled at the corners of Jiang Cheng's mouth.
His deep voice carried a hint of playfulness:
At the start, Big Secret could still roll her eyes and retort a few times.
But by the end, she didn't even have the strength to glare at him.
She only buried her burning cheeks deeper into the hollow of his neck and gave a vague mumble.
"...I'll give it to you, you're good." After the two of them went back to the room to wash up, Jiang Cheng walked straight to the mini-fridge in the corner of the room, took out a bottle of ice water, and tilted his head back to gulp it down.
His Adam's apple bobbed powerfully, and a few stray drops of water trailed down his jawline, slid past his neck, and disappeared into his well-defined chest muscles.
At this moment, only a dim, yellow bedside lamp was lit in the room.
The soft light made the lingering flush on Big Secret's face look even more captivating.
With her eyes half-squinted, she watched Jiang Cheng's back under the light; his broad shoulders and back had smooth lines, damp with sweat from the exertion, shimmering under the light and full of masculine hormonal power.
Big Secret couldn't help but swallow hard.
After finishing the water, Jiang Cheng turned around and met her somewhat dazed gaze.
"Staring blankly?"
Walking back to the bedside, Jiang Cheng's fingers gently brushed away a few strands of hair stuck to her forehead by sweat.
For once, Big Secret didn't retort; she only gave a soft "mm" through her nose, filled with deep dependence.
She grabbed his hand before he could pull it back and pressed it against her still-burning cheek.
"Now you know I wasn't bluffing?" Jiang Cheng chuckled, bringing up the old topic.
Big Secret gave him a reproachful glare, but unfortunately, that look was limp and lacked any power, instead looking more like she was acting spoiled. "...Indeed, you really are something..."
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng was clearly taken aback.
This was the first time someone had praised him like this.
While he was stunned, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but start to turn up.
Perhaps the pent-up emotions had finally found an outlet.
Gradually, the tune became clear and melodious; it was a beautiful folk song, ethereal and graceful.
Her voice no longer carried any hint of provocation or confrontation; it was a pure flow of emotion.
Like a clear spring in a mountain stream, gurgling under the moonlight in the forest.
The singing echoed in the quiet room, intertwining with the lingering romantic atmosphere in the air, creating a strange and moving scene.
Early the next morning, when Jiang Cheng woke up, Big Secret had already finished washing and dressing.
The room was quiet and peaceful, with only the slight sound of the air conditioner's airflow.
Outside the window was the unique scenery of Beijing during the Qingming Festival; the sky was a pale gray after the rain, the crabapples in the courtyard were in full bloom with petals still damp from the overnight rain, and the air carried a hint of crisp chill.
She sat on the agarwood sofa chair by the window, her profile facing him, her expression not as charming as last night, but instead showing a trace of loneliness and fatigue.
Hearing Jiang Cheng get up, Big Secret adjusted her expression and stood up.
Seeing Jiang Cheng looking at her with a smile in his eyes, she gave him a coy, reproachful look, which served as a silent protest.
She walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, her hand naturally moving to touch Jiang Cheng's well-defined abs, her tone carrying a hint of genuine melancholy:
"Sigh, I could have rested for another day, but I just got notice that we're leaving the Capital soon."
"Hmm? So urgent?" Jiang Cheng responded lazily, his palm casually stroking her smooth back.
"The release date for 'Fu Yao' has been set, and that's just one thing," she explained, her voice heavy with the pressure she was under. "There's a whole bunch of things waiting for me after this."
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly: "The filming is over?"
Seeing that Jiang Cheng was so unconcerned about her recent situation, Big Secret gave him a frustrated roll of her eyes.
With a bit of grievance and dissatisfaction, she said, "It seems President Jiang really hasn't been paying any attention to me at all. It's been nearly three months since the New Year; never mind not staying in touch, but I've done so many commercials and been on the trending searches so many times. You're someone who owns a film and television company, yet you don't even know my basic work schedule?"