Chapter 24: Nestled in His Embrace

Qin Yichi did not hesitate to lift her into his arms, his hands gentlemanly and restrained.

Once upon a time, Qiao Zhen had done the same for him, carrying him to the infirmary without a second thought, her face full of worry and fear...

Without Qiao Zhen, he would never have survived so many cold winters.

The path from here to the exit seemed endlessly long, so long he never wanted to let go.

It was as if the whole world had fallen silent.

Qiao Zhen’s small face was tense, a hint of embarrassment in her eyes. She nestled obediently against Qin Yichi’s left chest, feeling the heat radiating from him.

It was as though she was lying on a warm, comfortable cloud, her heart suspended high in the air.

Thump—thump—

The steady, powerful heartbeat echoed from the man’s chest into her ears, clear and strong.

Qiao Zhen held her breath, quietly curled up in his embrace, silent, obedient, and docile.

The faint scent of grass and mint lingered at the tip of her nose, gently enveloping her, making her relax without realizing it.

Ahead, the light grew brighter and brighter, almost blinding. Qiao Zhen had to close her eyes.

How troublesome.

Her mind failed to respond, freezing once more...

A group of boys had already scrambled out of the haunted house, anxiously peering in.

“Huh? Why haven’t Brother Chi and Qiao come out yet?”

Niu Yifeng, who had just landed on his rear and nearly faceplanted, couldn’t help but worry. “Did they fall too? I feel like I might’ve kicked someone just now.”

Zhang Yu put his hands together, hoping, “Let’s just hope they’re okay.”

Before long, shadows appeared at the haunted house’s exit.

Everyone stared in shock, rubbing their eyes in disbelief, utterly petrified.

“What the—?!”

“Am I seeing things...”

Qin Yichi—the aloof, arrogant, untouchable Qin Yichi, the one whose face read “Owe me five million” or “Get lost”—at this moment was—

He was carrying Qiao Zhen in a princess carry? A princess carry!

It was as if they’d stepped straight out of a shoujo manga!

The atmosphere grew ever more delicate, seven or eight pairs of eyes riveted on them. Only then did Qin Yichi carefully set Qiao Zhen down.

“Did you hurt your knee?”

The group thought: Whether Qiao Zhen’s knee was hurt, they didn’t know, but one thing was certain—they were all “smitten.”

Qiao Zhen quietly turned away, dodging the curious stares, and mumbled, “I’m fine.”

She said she was fine.

But in truth, she’d been in agony just moments before.

The staff hurried over to check if anyone was hurt, and seeing there were no serious injuries, finally relaxed and pulled up footage from the last section.

Everyone crowded around to watch.

At the end, Boy A deliberately scared Boy B by acting like a ghost; Boy B jerked back and accidentally knocked over C; C fell, inadvertently tripping Niu Yifeng; Niu Yifeng then accidentally kicked over Qiao Zhen...

A chain reaction.

Boy A was immediately given a good-natured beating by the group; they exchanged a few playful punches, quickly making peace.

After it all, the most seriously injured turned out to be Qiao Zhen.

They all apologized, faces earnest. “Uh... Qiao Zhen, sorry about that. Next time, milk tea’s on us! Promise!”

Niu Yifeng, unable to ease his conscience, promptly stuck out his foot. “Qiao, I’m really sorry. Why don’t you kick me back?”

Qiao Zhen waved her hand calmly and said earnestly, “It’s all right. I’m fine.”

It wasn’t anyone’s fault.

She’d just been a little unlucky.

Seeing Qiao Zhen with her head down, looking dispirited, Niu Yifeng grew even more flustered, as if facing a great enemy. “No, no! Qiao, come on, just kick me. I’m tough as nails, I can take it! Come on!”

Otherwise, he’d probably wake up in the middle of the night, wracked with guilt: “Why did I kick her over like that?”

Before he’d finished, he’d already made everyone laugh.

Niu Yifeng was on the verge of tears, his foot still suspended, eager to be kicked.

But in the next instant, Qin Yichi stepped in between them, decisively extending his leg to break the spell.

He said in a low voice, “Go away.”

It looked heavy, but Niu Yifeng barely felt anything, grinning, “All right!”

The group was ready to play again, pointing excitedly at the giant 360-degree pendulum ride.

Qin Yichi, however, led the injured Qiao Zhen away, slowly taking her to sit on a bench.

“Rest here and wait for me,” he said.

Qiao Zhen nodded, answering softly, “Okay.”

She sat quietly, reliving all the rides she’d tried today, unable to help smiling, her eyes curving into crescents.

She wanted to come again next time.

She wanted to try them all.

“Mommy!” Not far away, a little girl in a yellow princess dress, eyes red and brimming with tears, cried, “My tummy hurts.”

A woman hurriedly picked her up, wiping away her tears and soothing her with gentle pats. “There, there, don’t cry. Mommy will buy you a balloon, okay? Which one do you like?”

The little girl buried her face in her mother’s shoulder, her voice muffled. “I want the glowing one, the yellow kitty.”

The two walked farther and farther away.

Qiao Zhen lowered her head to look at her own shadow, drawn out long, long by the sunlight.

Her shadow stood alone, keeping her company.

The next moment, an even longer shadow appeared beside hers, as if leaning close in affection.

Qiao Zhen immediately turned her head, and something was pressed into her hand.

Qin Yichi handed her a balloon twinkling with starlight—a popping balloon, inside the round transparent sphere a little bunny clutched a heart, adorable and dreamy.

It looked anything but cheap.

Qiao Zhen stood frozen. “This... is for me?”

From the moment she entered the park, she’d been peeking at it now and then, finding it oddly familiar, inexplicably drawn to it.

She wanted to buy one.

But then she thought—she wasn’t a child anymore. Was it worth waiting in line and spending money on a little balloon?

So she simply admired the ones in other people’s hands, never expecting she’d end up with one herself.

And it just happened to be her favorite—the bunny with the heart.

Qin Yichi, one hand in his pocket, replied lazily, “Yeah, it’s an apology gift.”

“An apology?” Qiao Zhen echoed.

Qin Yichi shrugged nonchalantly, a slight curve at his lips. “Came out to play and ended up getting you hurt. I should make it up to you with a little gift.”

He paused, then asked in a flat tone, “I just picked one at random. Do you like it?”

Qiao Zhen couldn’t help but smile, a genuine, heartfelt smile, stars glimmering in her eyes. “I do.”

She really did.

She looked up at the familiar balloon, the little bunny smiling sweetly as it hugged its heart.

In that moment, Qiao Zhen’s fingertips trembled. Suddenly, she remembered.

In her previous life, during their honeymoon after marriage, they’d gone to an amusement park, and Qin Yichi had given her a beautiful balloon.

It was exactly the same as this one.

Qiao Zhen stiffened, a sense of unreality washing over her as she stared at Qin Yichi.

The same balloon.

The same scene.

It was as if, in this pivotal moment, the two Qin Yichis from past and present had overlapped...

Thunk.

Qin Yichi reached out and flicked her forehead, mood lifted. “What are you daydreaming about? Getting this happy over a silly little balloon?”

Qiao Zhen snapped out of it, her tone sulky, “Don’t flick me...”

Noticing her expression, Qin Yichi’s gaze grew dark and deep.

No matter how much rougher he was with her, she would probably just look at him with reddened eyes, pitiful and obedient, begging him not to bully her.

Qin Yichi’s throat went dry, the tips of his ears flushing red. He wanted to ruffle her hair, but in the end, forced himself to hold back.

Because she’d been shown so little kindness by others, now even a balloon could leave her stunned and lost in thought. She was far too easy to deceive, too easy to steal away.

So, from now on, he would have to treat her even better...