Chapter 62

Chapter 62: Kiss Me, Just One Kiss When a girl gets drunk, her words come out soft and sticky, with a slight upward lilt at the end, like a little tilde, impossibly alluring. Jiang Shixu's body went rigid in an instant. A fire ignited with a sudden whoosh. Yu Jiaojiao's eyes lit up from below the stage as she filmed away with her phone, practically vibrating with excitement. She nudged a female colleague beside her. "Oh my god, they're a real couple! We're saved!" She was an avid internet surfer in her daily life and always had a quip ready. Her colleague nodded vigorously. "What a stunning pair—so perfectly matched! Kill me to celebrate them!" Qin Yan, sitting in the back, slapped his own forehead with an exasperated look. "God, I'm pathetic! Following them up here just to eat dog food. I must be starving." Jiang Shixu was frozen in place for a full ten seconds by Chu Tang's two calls of "hubby" before he snapped back to reality and realized he needed to get her off the stage. He scooped Chu Tang up in a princess carry and started walking off the stage. Chu Tang instinctively looped her arms around Jiang Shixu's neck, leaning against his chest as she tilted her head up and stared at his face without blinking. How could he be so handsome? Like he'd stepped right out of a comic book. Chu Tang gazed at him in a daze, then started spouting nonsense again: "Stay with me tonight... I... I'm really rich. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you, hehehe." As she said this, Jiang Shixu happened to be walking right past Qin Yan. Qin Yan couldn't hold back and burst out laughing. "HAHAHAHAHAHA, little sister, are you saying you want to hire him for the night?" Jiang Shixu's face darkened, his gaze slicing over like a blade. Qin Yan immediately mimed zipping his lips with his fingers, signaling he wouldn't say another word. Before Jiang Shixu could speak— Chu Tang, still in his arms, stared straight at him with a goofy, adorable smile and continued to drop bombshells: "Handsome, name your price." Even Zhou Zheng'an, who rarely cracked a smile, couldn't help but laugh out loud this time. Qin Yan covered his mouth with his hand, shoulders shaking with laughter. He stealthily circled around behind Jiang Shixu and pulled out his phone to secretly record a video. A scene this rare and spectacular—he had to capture it to watch during the Spring Festival Gala! Jiang Shixu's face was dark as he looked down at the girl in his arms, his voice sounding like it was squeezed through clenched teeth. "Ruan Chutang, who taught you this?" Chu Tang blinked her lashes, seeming cowed by his harsh tone. She pouted, looking aggrieved. "If you don't want to, then don't. Why are you yelling at me?" Her body was impossibly soft, like she had no bones at all, and her voice was just as sweet and syrupy. Jiang Shixu had no defense against it—his face had barely been dark for two seconds before it softened again. "Handsome, I want a kiss." Chu Tang was completely drunk, using her grip on Jiang Shixu's neck to hoist herself up slightly, leaning in to press her lips toward him. Qin Yan, Zhou Zheng'an, and Yu Jiaojiao all widened their eyes at the sight, terrified of missing a single moment of this show. Asking for a kiss in front of everyone—this was something Chu Tang would never do sober. Even Jiang Shixu was stunned. Drunk Tangtang was so forward it felt foreign to him! "Kiss me..." Chu Tang's flushed face pressed up against his, her scorching breath making his blood run hot, his heart surge, his whole body tingle until his legs nearly gave out. He pressed his lips together tightly, struggling to restrain himself, averting his gaze to avoid looking at her alcohol-flushed face. "Tangtang, don't be silly." Chu Tang rubbed her cheek against his, then suddenly let out a tinkling laugh. Her crisp, clear voice rang out: "Shixu-gege, you're Shixu-gege. Only you say my name so gently." Jiang Shixu's heart melted beyond words. His Adam's apple bobbed. His voice came out hoarse as he surrendered. "Kiss me, then. Just one." The next second, a warm, soft touch landed gently on Jiang Shixu's cheek. A red lipstick mark was imprinted on the man's fair, handsome face, adding a touch of disheveled beauty. Jiang Shixu's steps faltered abruptly. His pupils contracted, his heart racing so violently it felt like it might burst from his chest. The skin where the girl had kissed him tingled, an electric sensation spreading through every limb and fiber of his being. She was too close. The smell of alcohol on her mixed with her sweet fragrance, drilling straight into his nose. Jiang Shixu felt like he couldn't breathe properly. He gasped for air, emotions churning in his eyes, his voice even hoarser now. "Tangtang..." Chu Tang was too drunk to know how tormenting she was being. Jiang Shixu was a healthy, red-blooded man—how could he withstand her teasing like this? Emboldened by the alcohol, Chu Tang did whatever she pleased, tormenting him relentlessly. One kiss wasn't enough—she grabbed Jiang Shixu's shirt collar and kissed his chin again. "Shixu-gege..." Chu Tang's voice trailed upward at the end, dripping with coquettishness. Her kisses fell like fine rain. Jiang Shixu held his breath. It felt like ants crawling across his heart, like a feather brushing lightly over it—an unbearable itch. Qin Yan declared he couldn't watch anymore, covering his eyes with his hand—then spreading his fingers apart to peek through the gaps. Zhou Zheng'an glanced at him from the side, a half-smile playing on his lips. "If you want to look, just look openly. This is my first time seeing Ah Xu like this too—it really is a rare sight." Qin Yan's tone was one of disbelief. "Is this really the Ah Xu we know? Honestly, in all those years past, when women tried every trick in the book to pursue him and he remained completely unmoved, I actually thought he wasn't interested in women at all. But today I've seen it with my own eyes—one little tease from Sister Chu Tang and Ah Xu can't even walk straight." Jiang Shixu was completely dazed from Chu Tang's kiss. His voice hoarse and low, he coaxed her gently: "Tangtang, be good, stop messing around." Even as he said this, his feet never stopped moving. Jiang Shixu's long legs carried him out of the bar at a quickened pace. He had to get Chu Tang home before he lost his composure. ... The Cullinan sped along the road. Chu Tang whimpered and fussed the whole way, calling Jiang Shixu's name one moment, then throwing a coquettish tantrum demanding kisses and hugs the next. Jiang Shixu's heart was in complete disarray. His deep, husky voice sounded in the car: "Baby, stop calling out like that—if you keep going, I'll really lose my mind." The light inside the car was dim, neon lights from both sides of the road flashing rapidly past the windows, casting shifting shadows of light and dark within the vehicle. Jiang Shixu drove while Chu Tang curled up in the passenger seat, her head tilted to one side, a few strands of loose, tousled hair falling across her fair, beautiful face, veiling the hazy drunkenness in her eyes. When they reached the building, Jiang Shixu parked the car, got out, opened the passenger door, unbuckled her seatbelt, and lifted Chu Tang into his arms in a bridal carry. Perhaps she had tired herself out from all the fussing—now Chu Tang lay quietly in his embrace, her breathing even and long, as if she had fallen asleep. Jiang Shixu was tall and slender, nearly 1.9 meters, while Chu Tang was petite and delicate, looking small and fragile in his arms, like a bird nestling against him. Seeing that the girl had fallen asleep, Jiang Shixu slowed his pace, walking with great care, afraid that a quicker step might jostle her awake. At the apartment door, Jiang Shixu unlocked it with Chu Tang's fingerprint and pushed it open, then switched on the living room lights. The living room was spacious and bright, the windows clean and gleaming. Jiang Shixu carried her into the bedroom and gently, carefully laid her down on the bed.