Chapter 48: Drunken Zhenzhen Calls Out "Husband"

Qiao Zhen’s head spun with dizziness, her eyes closing involuntarily. In the haze, she could only faintly hear the sounds of a fight, something being slammed mercilessly against a wall.

Immediately afterward, a blood-curdling scream tore from Yu Wenjian’s throat…

Qin Yichi’s rage was impossible to contain. The mere thought of Qiao Zhen nearly suffering those vile things ignited all his bloodthirsty impulses, his veins burning with fury.

With a series of thuds, he gripped Yu Wenjian’s head and smashed it hard against the wall, each collision sharp and crisp.

Yu Wenjian collapsed to his knees, forehead nearly split open and bleeding, desperately begging for mercy. His face was streaked with tears and blood, hands raised in surrender, wide-eyed with terror.

If he had truly laid a finger on Qiao Zhen, that mad dog Qin Yichi would surely drag him down to hell together!

Bang—

“You want to die?” Qin Yichi’s entire presence was menacing and wild, like a blade poised to plunge deep into the heart at any second. The veins in his hands bulged as he struggled to rein in his violent emotions, finally closing his eyes and taking a deep, steadying breath.

Meanwhile, a stunned boy, phone in hand, quietly slipped away from behind a tree. As he fled, he sent the video he’d just recorded of Yu Wenjian and Qiao Zhen to Ji Xian.

Especially those explosive lines:

—“Is that icy deadpan Ji Xian really worth your affection?”

—“Be good and give me a few chubby sons at home, and I’ll guarantee you a lifetime of wealth and honor…”

Damn, wasn’t Yu Wenjian always the one who despised Qiao Zhen, mocking her for being poor every day? And yet, he actually secretly liked her?!

But what really took the cake was him calling Young Master Ji an ‘ice block’—was he insane?!

The boy darted away like a startled animal in a melon patch, nearly struck dumb with disbelief. He’d merely been curious about why Yu Wenjian was acting so strangely today, his gaze glued to Qiao Zhen. After following them, he was left utterly shaken to his core…

Hotel. Eleven-thirty at night.

The darkness swallowed the sky, moonlight shimmering faintly, countless stars gathered in a brilliant display.

Qiao Zhen, having drunk strong liquor, was lost in a drunken stupor. When she finally opened her eyes, she found herself lying on a soft bed, tightly wrapped in blankets with not a single gap left open.

Moments later, a familiar voice drifted to her ears, tender and lingering, at odds with its usual low, rough timbre:

“Awake?”

Qin Yichi had pulled a chair to the edge of the bed, staring at her unblinking, who knows for how long.

Qiao Zhen’s wide, doe-like eyes glistened with a misty sheen, gazing intently back at him.

She nodded, quiet and obedient, like a delicate porcelain doll.

Qin Yichi said nothing, simply watching her in silence. The two of them sat there, big eyes meeting small, shrouded in stillness.

Qiao Zhen blinked her misty eyes, inching closer out of curiosity.

The man before her looked a little fierce, but there was something wild and magnetic about him, an inexplicable pull drawing her in.

He wore a plain black T-shirt, its loose collar revealing a hint of his sculpted collarbone.

After a long, long moment, Qiao Zhen tilted her face up, reached out, and timidly tugged at his shirt, her voice soft and tentative:

“Hug… I want a hug.”

Her words were slurred. The man didn’t react at first, letting out a questioning hum.

With a serious expression, Qiao Zhen pondered for a moment, her eyes blank: “Can you… hug me?”

This time, Qin Yichi understood. He swallowed, leaned over, and gently gathered her into his arms, his movements cautious and gentle.

Qiao Zhen sat on the bed, nestling her head against his chest, her eyes curving sweetly, twin dimples appearing at the corners of her lips.

She was being hugged at last.

His embrace was warm and comforting, the scent of fresh grass enveloping her, his breath hot and steady, as if she had become part of his very being.

She really loved being in his arms.

With some effort, she wrapped her arms around his waist, rubbing against him, occasionally nudging him with her head like a spoiled little animal.

Qin Yichi looked down at the girl in his arms, gradually realizing how intimate their posture had become. He reluctantly released her, unable to stop himself from asking, “Qiao Zhen, do you know who I am?”

She swayed slightly atop the bed, her face blank as she lowered her dazed gaze and tilted her head in silence.

Qin Yichi’s eyes lingered on her for a long time, his expression dimming, lashes casting shadows over the disappointment welling in his eyes.

It was as if he’d bitten into a bitter, sour orange, the taste spreading through his mouth and veins.

Of course, a drunken little rabbit wouldn’t remember him at all.

Suddenly, Qiao Zhen awkwardly tugged at his shirt again, her voice anxious and halting: “I… I do know.”

A faint light flickered in Qin Yichi’s eyes as he gently took her hand. “Then who am I?”

His lashes trembled like the wings of a raven, his heart thundering uncontrollably in his chest.

A little dazed from the alcohol, Qiao Zhen’s cheeks were flushed pink, her voice soft and sweet: “You’re my husband~”

So innocent, so melodious.

It was as though a single pebble dropped into a tranquil lake, yet it sent shockwaves through his soul.

Qin Yichi’s breath caught, his heartbeat skipping a beat as if the entire world had frozen in that moment.

After a long pause, he finally heard his own voice above the pounding of his heart: “What did you say?”

Qiao Zhen’s fair cheeks were stained with a rosy blush. Gazing at him in a haze, she stretched out a delicate finger, pointing at his face, enunciating each word:

“Qin Yichi.”

She took a small breath, lowered her hand, looking somewhat nervous as she asked in a fragile voice: “What’s wrong? Aren’t you my husband…?”

Her eyes brimmed with tears, her gaze shimmering. She looked so aggrieved, it seemed as though she might cry at any moment.

Qin Yichi stared at this little drunkard, so pitiful and forlorn before him.

After a long silence, he breathed heavily and finally murmured, “Mm.”

Receiving his affirmation, Qiao Zhen lit up like a little rabbit who’d found a carrot, smiling with pure joy, her eyes sparkling with radiant stars.

“Husband,” she said in a voice full of tender affection and anticipation, “let me tell you a secret!”