Chapter 13 Confessions and Misunderstandings
The supermarket was right downstairs, so I grabbed everything quickly and headed back.
As I reached the door, I heard Lin Yan’s voice inside. “Lin Qi, are you hiding something?”
I froze.
Lin Qi’s voice came low. “No.”
“But you’ve been acting strange lately.” Lin Yan sighed. “Always asking Huo out, and insisting on dragging me along…”
“Sis.” Lin Qi cut her off, his voice hoarse. “I just wanted…”
He stopped suddenly and turned toward the door.
His eyes met mine through the crack.
Lin Qi’s expression twisted in an instant, and Lin Yan followed his gaze, freezing when she saw me.
“I got the stuff.” I lifted the bag in my hand.
Later, I slipped into the bathroom. I didn’t catch what the siblings said after that, but Lin Yan kept giving me this weird smile.
Lin Qi wouldn’t look at me.
Lin Yan glanced between us, then laughed. “It’s getting late. I should head home.”
“I’ll walk you out,” I said.
“No need.” She winked at me. “You two talk.”
The door clicked shut, leaving just me and Lin Qi in the apartment.
The room was silent, save for the sound of our breathing.
Lin Qi finally looked up. “You heard me talking to my sister just now, didn’t you?”
I shook my head. “No.”
He smiled faintly. “But I saw you.”
I had heard everything.
Lin Qi said he liked me.
My heart pounded, but I played it cool. “I didn’t hear anything. Say it to me yourself.”
He stepped closer—close enough that we were almost touching—and stared straight into my eyes.
“Huo Chichen.” His voice was low, his breath hot against my skin. “I like you. Do you like me?”
My throat tightened. Before I could answer, his lips came down on mine.
I turned my head at the last second. “Not trying to set me up with your sister anymore?”
His cheeks flushed red. “My sister has a boyfriend. And she said you like me. Is that true?”
He looked at me, waiting, eyes wide.
I laughed softly and brushed a quick kiss against the corner of his mouth. “Would I kiss you if I didn’t?”
The second the words left my mouth, he cupped the back of my head and kissed me properly.
When we finally broke apart, I collapsed against him, breathless.
I glared up at him. “Gentlemen use words, not hands.”
He pecked my lips again. “But you’re already hard. If I don’t help, you might explode.”
I glanced down and smirked. “You’re not exactly calm yourself. Want me to take care of you?”
He didn’t answer—just stared.
I sighed. “Fine.”
Lin Qi moved in with me. His razor sat next to mine on the bathroom counter.
Mornings smelled like mint aftershave mixed with shower gel, thick and warm in the steam.
I was fixing my tie in the mirror when a warm body pressed against my back.
“So formal today?” His chin settled on my shoulder, voice rough from sleep.
“Board meeting.” I tilted my head so he could adjust the knot, but he nipped my earlobe instead. “Stop. We’ll be late.”
He grumbled, but his fingers worked the tie perfectly.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains, catching the red marks on his collarbone—the ones I’d left on purpose last night, payback for ignoring me when I told him to stop.
The gala that night was all clinking glasses and fake smiles.
Then a stranger appeared.
“Young Mr. Huo, long time no see.”
I blinked. Lin Yan leaned in. “That’s Zhu Dashi, partner from the foreign company.”
Zhu Dashi.
The original host’s foster parents’ friend.
What was he doing here?