The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

Meng Jiangyu strode towards her, his well-defined hands opening the large black umbrella, which steadily sheltered Shen Qingyao from the falling snow.

The umbrella was pulled down slightly, enclosing the two people in a secluded world, where the rustling sound of snowflakes hitting the umbrella surface became clear.

He carried a cool, crisp aura. As he approached, his fingertips brushed against her hair, gently removing the snowflakes.

"Are you cold?" His voice was low, mingling with the soft sound of falling snow.

Shen Qingyao looked up at him. The light under the umbrella was dim, but she could see the smile in his eyes, gentler than falling snow.

"It's not cold." Shen Qingyao looked up at him, her eyelashes still covered with a few unmelted snowflakes, shimmering in the twilight.

Meng Jiangyu's gaze fell on the tip of her slightly red nose. Just as he was about to say something, his chin was gently hooked.

She tiptoed, her soft lips brushing against the corner of his lips, carrying a slightly cool temperature.

The mere touch slowed the sound of the falling snow around them by half a beat.

Meng Jiangyu paused, and as he looked down, he met her smiling eyes.

"A kiss on the first snow is a good omen." Her voice was soft, with a hint of mischief at the end.

He chuckled softly, cupped the back of her neck with his palm, and leaned down to slowly deepen the initial, tentative kiss.

The snow piled up thicker and thicker along the edge of the umbrella, while the temperature under the umbrella gradually surpassed the chill of the falling snow.

Lu Ying laughed and joked, "We won't keep you all from your time together, we'll head out first."

"Me too, let's leave first," Xiang Yu chimed in.

"I think you two are just eager to have some alone time," Shen Qingyao said with a smile. "Bye."

Gu Xizhou nodded to Meng Jiangyu and then left with Lu Ying.

Jiang Chen led Xiang Yu to say goodbye to everyone, then got into the car and left.

Shen Qingyao looked up at Meng Jiangyu, the crisp scent of cedar lingering around her nose, mixed with a faint tobacco aroma—a scent unique to him.

"Give me the luggage." He took the suitcase handle from her hand and held her hand with his other hand.

The two walked side by side toward the Maybach, with Meng Jiangyu deliberately slowing his pace to match hers.

"Did you miss me?" He lowered his head, brought his voice close to her ear, and whispered something very low, with a seductive, slightly hoarse tone.

Shen Qingyao's cheeks flushed slightly. She turned her head away, avoiding his burning gaze, but couldn't help but smile: "Guess."

Meng Jiangyu chuckled softly, gripping her hand even tighter, his words echoing clearly in her ear: "I guess you miss me a lot."

Meng Jiangyu gently closed the door of the Maybach, shutting out the noise outside the airport.

The carriage was covered with soft cashmere carpets, and the air was filled with his usual cedar scent.

He didn't rush to tell the driver to start the car; instead, he leaned over to adjust the seat back for her, raised the partition, and pressed the soundproof button.

As he moved, his warm breath brushed against her ear, and Shen Qingyao subconsciously shrank her neck, her ear tips turning a thin blush.

"Baby." His voice was low, with a touch of lazy magnetism, his fingertips gently brushing against the faint dark circles under her eyes, "You can't sleep well without me."

Shen Qingyao unconsciously picked at the leather texture of the seat with her fingertips, her gaze falling on his shirt collar. "No."

He chuckled softly and pulled her into his arms.

Shen Qingyao's nose bumped against his chest, filled with a refreshing and pleasant scent. She struggled for a moment, but he held her even tighter.

"Baby, let me hug you." His chin rested on the top of her head, his voice husky with a sigh, "It's been half a month since I hugged you."

Warm palms pressed against her back, gently stroking it with a reassuring pressure.

Shen Qingyao gradually relaxed, pressing her cheek against his shirt, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat.

She raised her hand and wrapped it around his waist, her fingertips tracing the firm lines of his waist, her voice barely audible: "I brought back mangoes, they're very sweet."

"Mmm," he responded, his fingertips catching a strand of her hair, twirling and playing with it between his fingers. "I'd like to try something else."

Shen Qingyao didn't react in time. When she looked up at him, she met a pair of deep eyes.

The smile inside, with its scorching heat, burned straight into her heart.

Before she could speak, he leaned down and gently placed his thin lips on the corner of her lips, like a feather brushing against her, with tenderness.

The light in the carriage dimmed slightly, and an ambiguous atmosphere quietly spread in the silent stillness.

Meng Jiangyu led Shen Qingyao into the entryway, where the motion-sensor light on the cabinet turned on, casting a warm yellow glow over their clasped fingers and spreading tenderness across the floor.

He half-squatted down to change her shoes, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against the delicate skin of her ankle, causing her to tremble slightly.

"Shall we take a shower first?" Meng Jiangyu pushed his suitcase.

Shen Qingyao nodded, turned and walked towards the bathroom, while Meng Jiangyu put the suitcase in the dressing room.

The bathroom was filled with steam, carrying a faint scent of white tea.

When Shen Qingyao came out wrapped in a bath towel, her hair was still dripping wet.

Meng Jiangyu appeared to have finished showering; he was wearing a bathrobe and holding a dry towel. When he saw her come out, he walked straight over and pulled her to sit down in front of the dressing table.

He stood behind her, wiping her wet hair.

The fingertips moved through the hair with a light touch, carrying just the right amount of gentleness.

The mirror reflected the two figures as Meng Jiangyu skillfully used a hairdryer to dry Shen Qingyao's hair.

After drying her hair, he slid his hand down her shoulder, gently wrapped his arm around her waist, rested his chin on the crook of her neck, and said in a hoarse voice, "Baby, I missed you so much."

Shen Qingyao's heart skipped a beat, and she reached out to put her hand on his shoulder.

The warm yellow light spilled over the dressing table, falling on the intertwined shadows of the two people, spreading over silent longing, brewing a perfectly sweet night.

As dawn broke through the sheer curtains, a few soft golden rays filtered down and fell upon the figures embracing in bed.

Shen Qingyao was awakened by the crisp birdsong outside the window. When she opened her eyes, the cool, snowy scent of Meng Jiangyu still lingered around her nose.

His arms were firmly wrapped around her waist, his chest pressed against her back, and his warm breath brushed against the nape of her neck, carrying a hint of the lazy, husky breath of early morning.

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling on his well-defined jawline.

A few stubble peeked out, giving him a slightly wild look that softened his usually hard features.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Meng Jiangyu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes.

His deep eyes shimmered with tenderness in the morning light. He raised his hand, his fingertips gently caressing her cheek, his voice still hoarse from just waking up: "Awake?"

Shen Qingyao nodded, snuggled closer to him, and said in a soft voice like cotton candy, "Good morning."

"Good morning." Meng Jiangyu chuckled softly, leaning down to plant a light kiss on her forehead. "Want to sleep a little longer? Or do you want breakfast?"

"I want to eat what you make." Shen Qingyao looked up at him, her eyes filled with a sly smile.

Meng Jiangyu raised an eyebrow and pinched the tip of her nose: "Okay."

As he spoke, he slowly got up, tucked her in, and turned to walk into the dressing room.

Shen Qingyao lay on the bed, looking at his tall and straight back, and couldn't help but smile sweetly.

When she finished washing up and came to the living room, an enticing aroma was already wafting from the kitchen.

Meng Jiangyu, wearing a black apron, was standing in front of the stove frying pancakes. The sunlight fell on him, outlining the sharp lines of his broad shoulders and narrow waist.

He turned to look at her, a smile in his eyes, "It'll be ready soon."

Shen Qingyao walked over and gently hugged his waist from behind, her cheek pressed against his back, her voice muffled: "Meng Jiangyu, I feel like... I can't live without you anymore."

Meng Jiangyu paused for a moment, then turned around, reached out and pulled her into his arms, lowering his head to kiss her lips.

"That's perfect," he said, his forehead pressed against hers, his voice low and earnest, "Me too."

The aroma of waffles filled the room, and the morning light fell perfectly on their clasped hands. Time seemed to be incredibly gentle at that moment.