Chapter 30: The Milk Trap

A fine rain fell steadily.

Beneath the black umbrella was a world cut off from everything else.

Wei Qingxuan’s kiss came fast and deep. The hand clasped around Wen Qi’s neck felt her pulse beating beneath his palm.

Thump. Thump.

As if it were plotting to escape from his grasp.

The umbrella was held low. Raindrops dripping from its edge formed a curtain, but it could not hide Jiang Tinghao’s suddenly frozen figure across from them. Even the umbrella in his hand tilted to one side.

He had guessed it before.

But seeing it with his own eyes was still a shock.

Wei Qingxuan’s entire attention was focused on Wen Qi. As his fingers caressed her carefully, he thought:

‘Maybe I should just knock her out and take her home.’

He had a basement.

It had begun being renovated on the very day after Wen Qi escaped.

The walls were painted the pink-blue color she liked. Inside was a huge, soft bed.

He could do anything he wanted with Wen Qi on that bed.

But Qiqi liked sunny places.

So in Wei Qingxuan’s plans, the basement had eventually been abandoned.

After he started thinking about marriage, he bought a villa overseas.

He had personally inspected it.

Every morning, sunlight would flood in the moment the curtains were opened. The master bedroom balcony overlooked a vast stretch of ocean.

‘Perfect.’

He and Qiqi could watch the sea together.

The villa was still under renovation.

Wei Qingxuan knew every one of Wen Qi’s preferences. He spent more than a month on the design plans alone.

Of course, he had slipped in a few selfish details.

Handrails.

Mirrors.

Lots of them.

No matter where they were, he would be able to see every expression on her face clearly.

During those two months, Wei Qingxuan had not appeared before Wen Qi.

Partly because he wanted her to relax.

Partly because he had been busy.

Busy creating a beautiful, secure place.

The house still wasn’t exactly what he envisioned.

But soon.

Very soon.

His palm tightened slightly.

Her pulse beat even more clearly beneath it.

“Wei Qingxuan…”

Wen Qi tilted her head back.

His tongue moved deliberately through her mouth, leaving her unable to swallow. Moisture spilled from the corners of her lips.

Wei Qingxuan smiled.

Only smiled.

He had no intention of letting her go.

His thoughts continued.

Over there, nobody would know them.

Those irrelevant people.

Those irrelevant matters.

None of them would ever disturb him and Wen Qi again.

‘Soon.’

If everything went smoothly, next year he would give her a very big surprise.

As long as he could keep her steady for this period of time, then in the days to come she would belong only to him.

And he would belong only to her.

At that point he would no longer be merely a lover.

He would be Wen Qi’s rightful husband.

But when exactly should he take her away?

Wen Qi could feel his heartbeat through the thin fabric of his shirt.

Faster than the rain.

Hotter than his breath.

Then suddenly, his kiss slowed.

A flash of relief rose in her chest as she opened her eyes.

Only to find Wei Qingxuan watching her carefully, one eyebrow slightly raised.

Her heart lurched.

For an instant, she felt as though everything she had discussed with Jiang Tinghao in the café had already been discovered.

But that was impossible.

He wasn’t a god.

How could he know everything?

Unless…

Unless he had hidden something on her again.

Even though she checked herself carefully every time she went out, she still worried she might have missed something.

That thought made her tense under his gaze.

She forced herself to stay calm.

Maybe Wei Qingxuan was monitoring her all the time.

But it didn’t matter.

Only about a year remained.

If she hid things well enough…

If she kept up the deception…

She would definitely escape him.

As they looked at each other, both were plotting frantically in their hearts.

Yet on the surface, neither revealed anything.

They looked like the most ordinary couple in the world.

Tender.

Affectionate.

Wei Qingxuan finally left her lips.

Without any unnecessary movement, he simply tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly. “You seem nervous.”

“I am nervous,” Wen Qi replied, half truth and half lie. “What if you really lose control later? It’s raining. I don’t feel like wasting energy trying to stop you.”

Wei Qingxuan raised an eyebrow.

“Hm?”

Then he continued,

“Is that really why?”

“Or are you thinking about how to run as far away as possible so I can never find you?”

Wei Qingxuan’s gaze was far too perceptive.

And he knew her far too well.

Wen Qi knew that if she so much as blinked at the wrong moment, he would see straight through her.

‘Damn bastard. Why did he study computer science? He should have studied psychology.’

“No,” she said. “As long as you don’t suddenly go crazy, why would I run?”

She leaned slightly closer against him.

“I was just wondering why your body feels so hot.”

“Are you coming down with something?” she continued. “Let me check your forehead.”

Wei Qingxuan obediently lowered his head for her inspection.

His eyes never left her face.

Qiqi always called him crazy.

He didn’t agree.

He simply needed her to be the master of his world.

And for him to be the only person in hers.

For that goal, he didn’t mind using a few methods.

His temperature felt perfectly normal.

Wen Qi guessed the sudden heat in his body was probably because of…

Forget it.

No point dwelling on those thoughts.

“Why are you suddenly worried about me?” he asked.

Gentle concern, inserted into the middle of everything, was often the most alarming thing of all.

Wei Qingxuan suddenly regretted making the villa’s design so complicated.

Even the elite construction team he’d hired needed a long time to finish it.

Otherwise…

“Suddenly?” Wen Qi replied. “Your body really is hot.”

His gaze was dangerous.

So dangerous that she had no doubt that if they were indoors right now, he would already have started something.

“Wei Qingxuan, you-”

He kissed her again.

Unlike before, when desire had overtaken him, this kiss was restrained.

His lips remained controlled.

No fierce plundering.

No urgency.

The entire man seemed to slow down.

Every movement became deliberate.

He was thinking.

Calculating.

Judging.

That was all Wen Qi could tell.

She had no idea what conclusions he was reaching.

Under these circumstances, anger would have been easier to understand.

But he was quiet.

Aside from making her kiss him earlier, he had done almost nothing.

The behavior felt strangely familiar.

She just couldn’t remember why.

Until he suddenly said:

“You’re too cold. When we get home, take a bath and drink some milk.”

The mention of milk immediately made Wen Qi tense.

The last time he’d locked her up, she’d drunk a glass of milk beforehand.

Afterward, she’d fallen into an unnaturally deep sleep.

The confinement.

Her grandmother’s departure.

Aunt Sun’s departure.

Later she learned that before leaving for her retreat, her grandmother had even knocked on her door.

At that time, Wei Qingxuan apparently hadn’t locked it yet.

But she had been sleeping.

She never heard a thing.

It had to be because of that milk.

And back then…

He had been acting exactly like this.

Harmless.

Calm.

Thoughtful.

That subtle sense of calculation beneath the surface.

It was too familiar.

“Are you thinking about locking me up again?” she asked.

What a sharp little Qiqi.

Wei Qingxuan’s racing thoughts paused for a moment.

“How could that be?”

“You’ve been very good lately. Haven’t you been going out normally these past few days?”

“I’ve already accepted being your lover.”

“Why would I lock you up again?”

“That wouldn’t be ethical.”

His voice sounded completely sincere.

Until the villa was finished, he intended to remain a well-behaved dog who followed human rules and respected moral standards.

“If I fail,” he thought, “you’ll only drift farther and farther away.”

Wei Qingxuan narrowed his eyes.

Which was why failure wasn’t an option.

“I don’t want to take that risk.”

He even let a trace of anger enter his voice to reassure her.

“But if there’s someone around you…”

“I’ll want to do something.”

“There’s nobody around me-”

Then she remembered.

She technically still had a boyfriend.

When she looked back toward the alley, Jiang Tinghao was already gone.

Sparring mentally with Wei Qingxuan required all of her concentration.

She hadn’t even noticed when Jiang Tinghao left.

Wei Qingxuan smiled faintly at her lack of awareness.

Taking her hand, he led her toward the alley’s exit.

“Let’s go home.”

“Take a bath.”

“Drink some milk.”

“And then…”

Wen Qi followed him in a daze before suddenly asking:

“You definitely knew when Jiang Tinghao left.”

“Mhm. I knew.”

Wei Qingxuan guided her into the car.

“What? Did you expect me to remind you he was leaving so the two of you could have a touching farewell?”

“Qiqi.”

“If you don’t want to see me lose control, it’s best if he stays away from you.”

“If you choose to distance yourself from him, I’ll be even happier.”

“And then I’ll give you a surprise.”

“What surprise?”

“If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise anymore.”

Wen Qi turned her head toward the window and said nothing.

Wei Qingxuan couldn’t even tolerate her exchanging a greeting with Jiang Tinghao.

If he learned what she actually intended to discuss with him, the reaction would probably resemble a volcanic eruption.

Honestly.

Why hadn’t he been this possessive before?

Kindergarten and elementary school didn’t count.

Back then, Wen Qi’s entire focus had been figuring out how to beat Wei Qingxuan in a fight.

There had never been any romantic thoughts involved.

In middle school, she’d had crushes.

Just not on Wei Qingxuan.

That period of her life had been a disaster of constantly changing infatuations.

She’d fall for a different person every few weeks.

None of them ever went anywhere.

And she’d happily tell Wei Qingxuan about all of them.

Yet he had never exploded back then.

Could it really be that the title of boyfriend was just too stimulating for him?

Seeing Wen Qi remain silent, Wei Qingxuan remembered Jiang Tinghao’s devastated expression from earlier.

His mood darkened even further.

Expressionless, he leaned over and fastened her seatbelt.

Expressionless, he kissed the corner of her mouth.

Expressionless, he drove home.

Meanwhile, Wen Qi spent the entire ride thinking about how to raise her request.

She didn’t notice his silence at all.

Before a storm arrives, the sea often becomes unnaturally calm.

Experienced fishermen notice subtle changes in the sky and hurry home.

But Wen Qi had very little experience dealing with this side of Wei Qingxuan.

And no nets left to gather.

So when Wei Qingxuan said:

“Take it off.”

She instinctively answered:

“Oh.”

Then she walked toward the bathroom while removing her coat.

By the time she realized what she was doing, she was already standing inside.

Wei Qingxuan stood by the door with his arms folded, watching her.

When he saw her finally come back to her senses, he spoke with obvious jealousy.

“Who were you thinking about?”

If she dared say that name, he was absolutely going to make her take several days off.

Disobedience deserved punishment.

“I was thinking…”

Wen Qi swallowed.

Their relationship had been so confrontational for so long that any sudden softness from her immediately made him suspicious.

But if she didn’t give him a little sweetness, how would he ever agree?

She froze.

Should she answer the way she normally would?

“What’s it to you?”

Or should she say,

“I was thinking about you.”

Maybe she could try acting cute?

Though that would probably be like a shriveled tree producing shriveled fruit, one bite and everyone would choke.

‘Damn it.’

She really wasn’t good at this sort of thing.

If only she’d studied it beforehand.

****

Wen Qi looked at him. It was obvious he had no intention of leaving.

She yawned deliberately.

“I’m sleepy. Seriously, I’m exhausted.”

While combing her hair, she watched his expression through the mirror.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“You don’t have classes tomorrow,” Wei Qingxuan said. “You don’t need to get up early, and you don’t need to go out.”

“What about you?”

“It’s the weekend tomorrow.”

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

“We have an entire day.”

“An entire day?!”

“Mhm.”

His chin brushed her shoulder.

“From morning until night. Have you ever tried that before, Qiqi?”

His arms tightened around her waist.

As if the moment she gave an affirmative answer, he would lift her onto the sink without hesitation.

“That would drive anyone insane,” Wen Qi protested.

She tried hard to ignore his implications.

Just standing there already felt threatening enough.

Forced to create some distance, she stepped forward.

Unfortunately, because Wei Qingxuan was holding her, he moved with her.

His stride was longer.

One careless movement brought them even closer together.

The situation immediately became worse.

At least before, things had been relatively calm.

Now she felt as though she had accidentally found a very warm, very noticeable support behind her.

“Behave yourself.”

“I haven’t said anything.”

He rubbed his cheek against her neck.

“I wasn’t talking about your mouth.”

Wen Qi squeezed cleansing oil into her hand and began removing her makeup.

After a moment’s thought, she applied some to her neck as well.

There were too many marks left behind.

She’d have to cover them carefully before going out.

As the makeup came away, the scattered traces on her skin became more visible.

She clicked her tongue.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

“I told it to behave.”

“Then why hasn’t it listened?”

The situation seemed to be getting worse rather than better.

That worried her a little.

Earlier, even when Wei Qingxuan had left her completely dazed, she’d still been able to feel how careful he was trying to be.

So she hadn’t suffered too much.

Later, however, she’d realized that had only been the beginning.

The memory alone made her scalp tingle.

His movements might have been gentle.

His patience might have been impressive.

But his determination had been another matter entirely.

“Give it a minute.”

Wei Qingxuan sounded perfectly confident.

Unfortunately, Wen Qi no longer trusted his definition of a minute.

He’d used the exact same phrase before.

“Just a minute.”

And somehow it had felt like half a lifetime.

“It had better.”

After removing her makeup, she lifted her head and examined her reflection.

Without cosmetics, her features looked clean and sharp.

The edge in her brows remained.

The slight lift at the corners of her eyes remained.

Even her relaxed expression carried a hint of cool arrogance.

Wei Qingxuan couldn’t stop looking at her.

His gaze traced every detail of her face.

Finally he sighed.

“Qiqi.”

The way he said her name sounded absurdly clingy.

Almost like a dog begging for attention.

Wen Qi laughed.

She flicked the water from her fingers onto his face.

Seeing him wrinkle his nose only made her smile wider.

“You don’t like it when I touch you?”

“I do.”

He sounded completely serious.

“Could you touch somewhere else?”

Turning around in his arms, Wen Qi poked his cheek again.

“No.”

Her fingers wandered across his neck, chest, and stomach.

Everywhere except the place he clearly wanted her attention.

The teasing only made things worse.

Eventually Wei Qingxuan caught her hand.

“Qiqi.”

His voice was almost pleading.

“Have some mercy.”

“You weren’t obedient.”

She pulled away and walked toward the bathtub.

“I told you to calm down.”

Wei Qingxuan followed behind her.

His tall figure practically swallowed hers whole.

“It only listens to you.”

Wen Qi tested the water temperature.

‘Perfect.’

Turning around, she saw he was still standing there.

Clearly, he wasn’t leaving voluntarily.

Since arguing would accomplish nothing, she simply pulled the shower curtain closed and began preparing for her bath.

Wei Qingxuan remained where he was.

The bathroom gradually filled with steam.

The sound of water echoed softly.

And beneath it all, she could hear his breathing.

The curtain offered very little concealment.

Every movement she made was visible as a silhouette.

Wen Qi was trying to punish him.

Wei Qingxuan, however, preferred rewarding himself.

After warming his cold hands beneath the faucet, he approached.

A moment later, he had lifted her effortlessly.

Sat down himself.

And settled her against him.

The entire sequence happened with absurd efficiency.

“I’ll help you wash.”

Wen Qi immediately pinched him.

Unfortunately, the gesture had almost no effect.

If anything, it only amused him.

“You wish.”

She shot him a glare.

Wei Qingxuan laughed.

“Then we’ll negotiate.”

Water lapped gently against the sides of the tub.

Ripples spread across the surface.

Steam drifted upward through the room.

Time passed in a blur.

Eventually Wen Qi found herself resting against the edge of the bathtub.

Her head felt light.

The air was saturated with Wei Qingxuan’s familiar scent.

Gathering what remained of her concentration, she finally spoke.

“You know who that person was today, don’t you?”

The moment Jiang Tinghao was mentioned, Wei Qingxuan’s mood visibly darkened.

“Mhm.”

Wen Qi closed her eyes.

Her chin rested against the edge of the tub.

“I need some time.”

Wei Qingxuan narrowed his eyes.

“What kind of time?”

His tone sounded casual.

Too casual.

Immediately, Wen Qi opened her eyes again.

The anger beneath his calmness was becoming increasingly obvious.

She swallowed.

“You know what his position is.”

“I need to spend some time with him.”

“Anyway, I can’t stay with you every minute of every day.”

Wei Qingxuan said nothing.

Encouraged only by necessity, she continued.

“Every Thursday.”

“Every Friday.”

“And weekends.”

“I won’t be able to come here.”

Still nothing.

The silence felt increasingly dangerous.

“I have a lot of things I need to do, and you-”

She stopped abruptly.

Without warning, Wei Qingxuan turned her around so she was facing him.

The movement was firm enough to make her lose her train of thought entirely.

‘He actually dares.’

For a while, he continued rubbing her waist as though nothing were wrong.

Yet the atmosphere around him grew colder and colder.

Not the superficial kind of coldness people showed on purpose.

Something deeper.

Something that even the heat filling the bathroom couldn’t soften.

It pressed against her from all sides.

Then suddenly, he stopped.

His hand tightened slightly.

He lifted her a little higher.

A startled sound escaped her.

Only then did he finally speak.

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

“Qiqi.”

“Did you forget?”

“I’m still right here.”

“And you’re choosing now to negotiate terms with me?”

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