IMGH Chapter 64

We’re a Couple Now, Right?

Jiang Yi’s heavy, helpless breaths fanned across Qiu Rui’s cheeks, causing Qiu Rui to instinctively shrink back toward the inner side of the bed. He looked up at the man above him with both wariness and flustered unease, his expression even carrying a hint of helplessness.

In Jiang Yi’s memory, Qiu Rui had always been cool and detached — sometimes even cold-hearted. He had seen many sides of Qiu Rui, but never this one.

The Qiu Rui before him now held an overwhelming allure, like something that invited one to reach out and take. Jiang Yi suddenly found himself admiring his own restraint — that he had managed to stop at a moment like this. Though he felt a pang of regret in his heart, he did not feel sorry. He would not take Qiu Rui so hastily. He would wait for the day Qiu Rui truly opened his heart.

The bright gleam in Jiang Yi’s eyes gradually deepened, shining like the most distant stars in the vast sky. Qiu Rui became lost in that gaze, his mind drifting for just a moment — and in that brief lapse, the man quietly drew closer and lowered himself to his ear, murmuring softly, “Rui’er, don’t worry. I won’t go all the way tonight.”

All the way — what that meant, Qiu Rui understood, even though he had never been involved in such matters.

Qiu Rui’s already burning cheeks grew even hotter, and at the same time, he quietly let out a breath of relief. If Jiang Yi had truly gone all the way — what would have become of him?

He would probably have been completely powerless to resist.

Qiu Rui’s thoughts wandered chaotically. Then his vision suddenly darkened as the man leaned down again, pecking lightly at his lips again and again — steady and unhurried, like a woodpecker tapping at a tree for grubs.

Jiang Yi’s actions left Qiu Rui torn between embarrassment and the urge to laugh.

Reassured by the man’s earlier promise, Qiu Rui gradually let his guard down. He kept his face stern and gave Jiang Yi a push, saying sharply, “Get off me!”

Jiang Yi pursed his lips and gazed down at the person beneath him with an aggrieved look. He let his head droop and nestled it into the crook of Qiu Rui’s shoulder, nuzzling against him. “I don’t want to get up. Rui’er feels so comfortable to hold like this — holding the real person would be even better!”

The man’s voice came out muffled, his lips moving against Qiu Rui’s skin with every breath, making that patch of skin tremble and quiver.

Qiu Rui shifted uncomfortably and nudged the man above him with his shoulder. “Hey, get off me already!”

“No.” Jiang Yi shook his head. Having failed to get any further with his Rui’er, his mood had already sunk to rock bottom — if he didn’t even have a hug to console himself, he would surely die of frustration.

“Get up!” Qiu Rui snapped, his voice rising several notches.

Being looked at like that, Qiu Rui felt a surprising twinge of guilt rise in his chest — as though refusing Jiang Yi so firmly was somehow wrong. The moment that thought surfaced, Qiu Rui startled himself. He really had been so thoroughly bewitched and muddled by this infuriating man.

The more Qiu Rui thought about it, the more irritated he became, and he took it all out on Jiang Yi. He pulled his arm free and shoved the man away forcefully, warning, “If you dare try anything again, don’t blame me for being rude!”

After Qiu Rui spoke, a long silence followed with no response from the man. He turned his head to look — the man was staring at him, and even in the darkness, the deep gleam in those eyes was unmistakable.

Being gazed at like that gave Qiu Rui an overwhelming sense of having nowhere to hide. He turned his face away in a panic — and then the man suddenly lunged forward and kissed him hard on the lips. This time the man only pressed down without going any further, and released him quickly.

Qiu Rui was infuriated by Jiang Yi’s reckless behavior and was just about to flare up, when the man’s low, unhurried voice reached him first. “Right now, even a single kiss, a single embrace, is something precious beyond measure. Rui’er, the next time I hold you — I’m afraid it won’t be until after the formation is broken.”

“By then… will you still let me hold you?”

The man’s voice carried a reluctance to let go, and toward the end, a thin thread of vulnerability. The anger that had been rising in Qiu Rui suddenly dissipated like smoke. He understood what Jiang Yi was worried about — there were so many gaps between them, and each one felt so impossibly difficult to bridge.

But Qiu Rui was not afraid. Since he had fallen in love, he would love without holding back.

Since he wanted to be with him, he would not give up so easily.

Qiu Rui suddenly smiled — a smile filled with a sense of open, unburdened ease. He reached out and ran his hand along the man’s strong, defined jaw. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as he said, “What’s this? Are you afraid?”

Jiang Yi gave a slight shudder. He reached up and covered the hand resting on his cheek, his gaze locking with Qiu Rui’s in an adoring tangle. “Not afraid. If I were afraid, I would never have loved you.”

“Ha?” Qiu Rui let out a soft laugh and deliberately needled Jiang Yi. “If you’re scared, you’re free to bow out early — there’s no shortage of people lining up to take your place.”

“You dare.” Jiang Yi’s voice turned abruptly cold. He declared his claim with overbearing certainty. “You are mine. Anyone who dares lay a hand on you — I will show no mercy.”

Qiu Rui was amused by the earnestness and anxiety written all over Jiang Yi’s face. The corner of his mouth curved up into a faint smile, though he still said, as if unwilling to concede. “Who said I was yours? Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Oh? So you want to go back on your word?” Jiang Yi reached out with one long arm and pulled Qiu Rui into his embrace, lodging a most aggrieved complaint. “We’ve already hugged. We’ve already kissed. Rui’er, are you really going to pretend none of it happened?”

The man wore an expression that said you owe me an explanation, and Qiu Rui was at a complete loss for words. Wasn’t he the one who had been taken advantage of here?

Trying to reason with a scoundrel was like playing music to a cow. Qiu Rui gave up with an exasperated roll of his eyes and stopped arguing.

But the scoundrel refused to let it go, pestering relentlessly. “Rui’er, we’re a couple now, right?”

Qiu Rui said nothing — neither confirming nor denying.

“Rui’er, we’re a couple now, aren’t we?”

Qiu Rui remained silent. Jiang Yi began to panic, but no matter how many times he asked, Qiu Rui kept quiet.

Unable to get the answer he wanted, Jiang Yi was so anxious he could barely keep still.

The flustered, frantic man failed to notice the faint smile tugging at the corner of Qiu Rui’s lips — brilliant and tender, a soft pink sweetness blooming like early cherry blossoms in the warm days of late spring.

The urgent voice in his ear fell silent, and then a lightness spread through his body. Qiu Rui turned his head in a daze and found that Jiang Yi, who had been right beside him, had vanished.

From not far away came the man’s low, sullen muttering. “That cursed Soul-Departure Talisman — why did it have to fail now of all times!”

So close. He had been so close to getting the answer he wanted.

Qiu Rui watched the man clamber back onto the bed in a sorry state and laughed with unrestrained delight.

Jiang Yi drooped the corners of his eyes in defeat, pounding the mattress to vent his frustration. He grumbled under his breath for quite a while before finally settling down.

Once the man had finally calmed down, he still refused to give up and returned to his earlier question.

“Rui’er, give me a clear answer, will you? I can’t feel settled without one!”

“What do you think?”

Qiu Rui sat up from the bed and leaned slightly toward Jiang Yi. From Jiang Yi’s angle, he could just catch a glimpse — through the open collar — of the temptation hidden within.

Jiang Yi was drawn in by that glimpse, already having forgotten to answer Qiu Rui’s words.

Silver moonlight filtered through the half-drawn curtains and lit up the darkness of the room, casting a soft and gentle glow over that expanse of fair skin.

Jiang Yi’s pupils contracted. His throat moved. The inside of his mouth felt as though it were on fire.

The beauty before his eyes was like cool, quenching water to a burning flame — Jiang Yi lunged forward, and this time, he grabbed nothing but air.

He lifted his head in disappointment and caught the sly, wicked smile dancing at the corner of Qiu Rui’s eyes.

Qiu Rui had done it on purpose — deliberately lit the fire, deliberately made him anxious.

You little imp. One of these days, I’ll have you begging for mercy.

Jiang Yi ground his teeth. His face was dark and foreboding with suppressed desire and frustration, his mind running wild with vivid imaginings.

Qiu Rui, however, was completely unfazed. He raised one eyebrow and gave Jiang Yi a haughty smile.

“Go to sleep. Stop thinking about nonsense,” Qiu Rui said as he turned over and lay back down on the bed. His voice drifted over lightly, carrying an unmistakable undercurrent of amusement.

Jiang Yi placed his right hand on his left shoulder and gave a bow. “As you command, my master.”