IMGH Chapter 69

We Will Always Be Together

Jiang Yi mentally reviewed the entire plan once more in his mind, and only after convincing himself there were no flaws did he finally set his heart at ease.

Sensing the sharp, piercing gaze boring into his back, Jiang Yi turned his head. The dark, brooding expression he had worn moments before had long since vanished, replaced by crinkled, smiling eyes as he looked toward the approaching figure. He said with a grin, “Rui’er, are you hungry?”

Qiu Rui stood before him with a sullen face, his cool eyes slanting sideways at Jiang Yi as he huffed, “Twenty minutes and thirty-eight seconds! I wonder what Mister Jiang and Miss Chen were chatting so happily about!”

Jiang Yi blinked in mild surprise, then laughed, “Rui’er, you’re jealous!” He finally understood what Chen Yuhe had meant by her earlier words.

So his Rui’er had gotten jealous!

Jiang Yi was so overjoyed he nearly wanted to rush over and pull Qiu Rui into a full embrace on the spot. How could his Rui’er be so adorable?

“Jealous? Who’s jealous of you!” Qiu Rui gave a cold snort and turned his face away, though the flush creeping up the tips of his ears betrayed his true feelings.

Jiang Yi stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and lowered his head, his bright, crystalline eyes gazing into Qiu Rui’s. “Rui’er, don’t you trust me?”

The two of them were very close — so close that if Qiu Rui had just tilted his head up, his lips would have grazed Jiang Yi’s chin. Such a dangerous proximity made Qiu Rui deeply uneasy. He retreated half a step back and huffed coldly, “The things you do make it very hard for me to be convinced!”

“Then what would it take to convince you?” Jiang Yi said, stepping forward as he spoke. The gap that had just been created vanished without a trace with the movement of his foot.

Qiu Rui made to retreat again, but this time Jiang Yi gave him no opportunity. He pressed close against Qiu Rui, his dark, deep eyes locked onto Qiu Rui’s handsome face.

That gaze carried so much tenderness and affection that it left Qiu Rui’s heart in utter disarray, completely without defense.

“Rui’er, why aren’t you saying anything?”

Jiang Yi’s tone was slow and unhurried, like a gentle murmur — like the hushed whispers shared between lovers.

The distance between them was too close. The warm breath that spilled from Jiang Yi’s parting lips made every muscle in Qiu Rui’s body tighten, leaving him so stiff he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Qiu Rui silently cursed himself for being useless — always letting this infuriating man gain the upper hand.

The indignation welling up from the bottom of his heart drove him to forcefully look away, shooting Jiang Yi a fierce glare.

The glare appeared sharp, yet Jiang Yi was not the least bit intimidated. Instead, he found Qiu Rui’s gaze impossibly captivating — alluring in a way that defied description.

The look made his heart itch with unbearable longing. Jiang Yi lowered his head, drawing close to Qiu Rui with a roguish smile, his lips nearly crashing into Qiu Rui’s.

They hadn’t actually touched, yet somehow Qiu Rui still felt as though scorching heat was surrounding him. He couldn’t help but recall the lingering kiss from that night — the soft, warm sensation as they had exchanged each other’s breath, intoxicating beyond all restraint.

Qiu Rui’s body began to heat up against his will, and his cheeks flushed red along with it.

“Rui’er, what are you thinking about? Your expression looks so indecent!”

Jiang Yi’s soft laughter rang out beside his ear. Qiu Rui was so mortified he wished he could dig a hole and bury himself in it.

He snarled indignantly, “What nonsense are you spouting?!”

Seeing Qiu Rui ruffled into such a state, Jiang Yi said soothingly, “Alright, alright — I’m the indecent one. I’m the one who wants to kiss you.”

Such a blunt, straightforward declaration of affection came out of Jiang Yi’s mouth as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

The man even slightly puckered his lips in the posture of seeking a kiss, his gently curved lips slowly drawing closer to Qiu Rui.

Just as they were about to make contact, Jiang Yi heaved a lamenting sigh and stopped. The defeat and regret in his eyes spoke for themselves.

Seeing the man deflated — after having the upper hand taken from him for so long — was an instant and thorough relief to Qiu Rui’s long-suppressed mood.

Qiu Rui curled the corner of his mouth, laughing with a sly edge, “Jiang Yi, you’re willing but unable right now!”

When he finished, he didn’t forget to give Jiang Yi a playful wink. That look — hardly what one would call a coquettish glance — nevertheless succeeded in thoroughly muddling Jiang Yi’s mind.

He stared blankly at Qiu Rui before him as a wave of sweetness welled up from deep within his heart, slowly spreading, soaking through his entire chest.

Jiang Yi lowered his eyelids. The resolve in his heart grew even firmer. He and Qiu Rui would definitely be alright!

Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion according to his plan, and Qiu Rui had already fallen for him.

Just a few more months to hold on. Once the formation was broken, he and Qiu Rui could be together forever.

Jiang Yi lifted his head and smiled at Qiu Rui. “Rui’er, I’m not afraid of waiting — however long it takes is fine. As long as I can be with you, even if you made me wait until the next life, I would still be willing!”

Qiu Rui suddenly felt that something was a little off about Jiang Yi today. In a fleeting moment, he caught a glimpse of fear and unease hidden beneath that smile.

Qiu Rui laughed it off, figuring Jiang Yi was probably fretting again over gains and losses.

“Don’t worry — I won’t abandon you after leading you on. You, my dear, are a Qiu family person in life and a Qiu family ghost in death!”

Qiu Rui glanced down at Jiang Yi with a lofty air, his eyes seeming to say, “Be grateful that this master deigns to want you.”

Jiang Yi was rendered speechless for a long while. Shouldn’t those have been his lines?

Watching the man take a loss for once greatly pleased Qiu Rui. The feeling of turning defeat into victory was incredibly satisfying — smiles and energy radiated from the corners of his eyes and brows.

Still dazed, Jiang Yi lost his wits once more, his whole heart inexplicably set aflutter by the man standing before him.

“What’s that smell?”

Qiu Rui glanced around in confusion, and when his eyes landed on the thick smoke rising from the wok, he cried out in alarm, “Jiang Yi, your dish!”

“Good heavens!” Jiang Yi snapped back to his senses at once and strode over to the stove in a few large steps, shutting off the gas.

The inside of the wok was a charred, blackened mess — it was completely impossible to make out what had been in it.

Jiang Yi let out a defeated sigh. Catching sight of Qiu Rui grinning mischievously beside him, he bared his teeth in a mock-fierce expression. “You really are a little vixen!”

He looked as though he wanted nothing more than to swallow Qiu Rui whole.