The next day, Zhan Ruoqing met Ye Zhi for shopping. She couldn't help but complain to Ye Zhi about Cen Ya's visit.
"Is she trying to extort me?" Zhan Ruoqing was furious. "Do I look easy to bully?"
"Not exactly," Ye Zhi smiled faintly. "I heard she approached everyone she knew before coming to you. She was probably just trying her luck."
"I'm still so mad," Zhan Ruoqing pouted. "She made me wonder if my face was written with 'sucker'! Will she stop bothering me now?"
Ye Zhi paused. She thought for a moment and said, "Probably not? My brother mentioned that she seemed to have suffered a significant blow and is now hiding at Gu Sheng's place, refusing to come out."
Zhan Ruoqing blinked in surprise. She considered, "Even if she can't repay the two hundred million debt, if she's willing to live properly with Gu Sheng, his salary should be enough to support them both. That wouldn't be a bad option."
Ye Zhi mused, "It's hard to say..."
"Huh?" Zhan Ruoqing was very surprised. "You don't mean to say that even though Ou Minghan took her as a hostage, Cen Ya still can't forget Ou Minghan and even rejected Gu Sheng for him, do you?"
Ye Zhi felt a little awkward. Although she thought that a normal person wouldn't make such a choice, the choices of abusive novel heroines were truly hard to predict.
"Alright, let's stop talking about her. We rarely get out to shop, so let's enjoy it." Ye Zhi smiled faintly.
"That's true." Zhan Ruoqing readily agreed with a grin.
*
In the evening, Ye Zhi returned to the hillside villa. As she walked into the living room, she saw Qi Xuan playing with the cat.
After the incident of almost losing control last time, they both tacitly pretended that nothing had happened.
"Why are you back so late today?" Qi Xuan asked as he stood up.
"Mmm," Ye Zhi handed him the bags she was carrying. "Ruoqing was in a bad mood today, so I went shopping with her. I bought quite a few things for myself too."
Qi Xuan took the shopping bags. Suddenly, his brows furrowed slightly. "Did you drink?"
"We had a little, not much..." Suddenly, Ye Zhi's legs went weak, and Qi Xuan quickly supported her.
"I'm not drunk, I just walked too much while shopping, my feet are sore..." Ye Zhi leaned into his arms, explaining awkwardly.
"Mmm," Qi Xuan said calmly. "Then I'll carry you upstairs."
As he spoke, his arms went under her armpits, and he picked her up in a princess carry.
"Wait a moment!" Ye Zhi suddenly said.
"What?" Qi Xuan was slightly startled.
"I suddenly feel like I should do something to make the atmosphere more intimate." Ye Zhi grinned mischievously.
"What?" Qi Xuan's heart warmed.
Ye Zhi exerted some force and kicked off her shoes, one after the other.
"There!" Ye Zhi smiled faintly. "Let's go up!"
Qi Xuan: "...That's it?"
"Ah?" Ye Zhi hugged his shoulders, looking a little confused. "I've seen it in romance dramas before. When the male lead carries the female lead, the female lead kicks off her shoes. Did I do anything wrong?"
Qi Xuan looked at her with a mournful expression. Was Ye Zhi pretending to be oblivious or genuinely not understanding?
When it's shown in dramas, it's a subtle hint. The female lead kicking off her shoes signifies that they are about to engage in the 'great harmony of life'. Wait, could Ye Zhi be hinting that he...
"Hurry up and go upstairs. It must be tiring for you to hold me like this," Ye Zhi urged.
Qi Xuan's expression became even more mournful. Ye Zhi's remark had completely ruined the atmosphere.
He sighed helplessly and carried Ye Zhi upstairs.
Upstairs, Qi Xuan found the foot bath Ye Zhi had hidden. He filled it with water and brought it to her to soak her feet.
Ye Zhi comfortably soaked her feet and said with a grin, "Qi Xuan, I actually wanted to give you a foot bath a long time ago."
"Then why didn't you?" he asked calmly.
"You're so handsome, I can't imagine what you look like when you're soaking your feet. I feel like it would ruin your image!" Ye Zhi exclaimed.
Qi Xuan was slightly taken aback. "Why would it ruin my image? I'm human, I go to the bathroom normally..."
"Stop! That's enough!" Ye Zhi interrupted him with a serious expression. "A handsome man like you doesn't go to the bathroom!"
Qi Xuan was left speechless and amused. "Ah Zhi, only receiving and not giving is a Pixiu."
"I don't care, I don't care!" Ye Zhi hugged him directly. "In my heart, you are perfect!"
Qi Xuan paused for a moment. Smelling the faint scent of alcohol on her, he suddenly understood. Ye Zhi was a little drunk today.
"Ah Zhi, no one is perfect," Qi Xuan chuckled lightly. "Even I have flaws..."
"I know," Ye Zhi blinked. "You have a flaw in me!"
Qi Xuan's heart softened. He chuckled and said, "Is the drunk Ah Zhi so sweet-mouthed? Let me try."
He circled her waist and kissed her.
After the kiss ended, Qi Xuan did not continue.
The water in the foot bath had become a bit cool. Qi Xuan helped her empty the water, then dried her feet. Seeing the bruised and purple marks on her feet from walking, Qi Xuan found some ointment and gently applied it.
A cool sensation spread from her feet, and Ye Zhi looked at him dotingly. Yes... even if Qi Xuan had to use the toilet, he was still perfect.
"Alright," Qi Xuan whispered after applying the ointment. "Get a good night's sleep, and it shouldn't affect you tomorrow."
"Oh..." Suddenly, Ye Zhi hooked her arms around his neck. She leaned closer to him and asked with a smile, "Qi Xuan, do you like me?"
"Yes," he chuckled.
"Do you want to complete the great harmony of life with me?" Her smile was faint, her eyes alluring.
"...Yes." Qi Xuan felt a warmth spread through his chest.
"Then why did you suddenly stop last time?" Ye Zhi pushed him away.
She had actually been bothered by what happened last time. It was quite natural for their relationship to progress to this point and for something to happen.
But Qi Xuan's sudden stop made her wonder if he was a conservative person. Fortunately, she had been busy during this time, so she hadn't brought it up.
"It's because of this." Qi Xuan took out a medical examination report and handed it to her. "Ah Zhi, I am very healthy and have no infectious diseases."
Seeing the medical examination report, Ye Zhi was shocked. So, Qi Xuan had stopped because he was considering her perspective and thinking on her behalf?
Her heart warmed slightly. The next moment, she said happily, "Okay, then you can go back!"
Qi Xuan: ???
Was this woman so quick to abandon him after he'd helped her? Did she no longer want him after he'd helped her wash her feet and apply medicine?
"I've decided!" Ye Zhi took the initiative to kiss him on the cheek. "I'll give you a medical examination report too. It's only fair to exchange reports. Until then, we need to maintain our distance."