Kyoto Night Kiss

Qu Yun was carried horizontally to the shore, where she walked barefoot on the soft, wet grass.

My whole body was shivering with cold.

Lu Junhe brushed a stray hair from her cheek, wrapped his arm around her waist, leaned down, and kissed her lips again.

His breathing quickened, and he asked hoarsely, "Still with my hands?"

Qu Yun pressed her fingertips against the man's chest, turned her head slightly, and broke free from his kiss.

Her voice rose slightly at the end: "Lu Junhe, I want some hot water."

"I just came out of the water... I'm so cold."

Upon hearing this, Lu Junhe chuckled softly. He raised his hand, his fingertips caressing Qu Yun's flushed earlobe, and then pulled her closer into his arms.

"Okay, I'll go boil some water. You go back to your room and wait for me."

The footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

The hint of coquettishness in Qu Yun's eyes vanished in an instant. She avoided the courtyard corridor and tiptoed into the study.

The door was left slightly ajar.

Qu Yun turned on her phone's flashlight and carefully rummaged through the drawers and cabinets, quickly reviewing one document and file after another.

But she couldn't find what she needed, neither on the bookshelf nor in the desk drawers.

Qu Yun's heart began to race, fearing that she would be caught in the act at any moment.

Suddenly, her gaze fell upon a leather-bound bag lying flat on the mahogany desk, with no extra markings on it.

Could this be the only one?

Qu Yun stepped forward quickly, her fingertips trembling slightly as she picked up the sealed bag and opened it.

It was clearly written in black and white, detailing the equity structure for the acquisition of Lanting and the flow of funds.

Qu Yun's heart tightened, and she subconsciously looked towards the calligraphy gate. The courtyard was quiet, and she had not yet heard Lu Junhe's footsteps returning.

This is a rare opportunity; if you miss it, you may never have another chance.

After biting her lower lip, Qu Yun quickly stuffed the document back into the sealed bag and then walked back as if nothing had happened.

She had just returned to her room and changed into dry clothes when Lu Junhe came over with a cup of hot water.

"I'm going back now. My flight is tonight." Qu Yun slung her backpack over her chest, suppressed the panic in her heart, and walked out of the house as if nothing was wrong.

As she passed Lu Junhe, the man reached out and grabbed her arm.

Qu Yun froze, afraid of being seen through.

She didn't know how to start the conversation.

Lu Junhe's gaze fell indifferently on her face, his tone completely calm, "You haven't drunk your water yet."

"I'm not drinking anymore, I'm not thirsty anymore." Qu Yun lowered her eyelashes. "I really should go, or I'll miss my flight."

She had just taken a step forward when Lu Junhe turned to the side, blocking her against the wall.

A half-smile played on his lips as he stared intently at Qu Yun's evasive eyes, teasingly asking, "Weren't you being a little too obvious about what you were doing?"

Qu Yun wanted to retort, but Lu Junhe brought his lips close to her ear: "Do you know that the guilty look on your face right now makes you look like a thief who has stolen something?"

Qu Yun's heart was pounding in her throat, but she pretended not to understand the deeper meaning behind the man's words.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she raised her hand to push Lu Junhe away.

The moment her fingertips touched the man's arm, instead of pushing him away, he grabbed her wrist.

Lu Junhe's palms were burning hot as he stared at her flustered and dodging manner, a few indescribable emotions surging in his eyes. "Why are you running away? I didn't say you weren't allowed to take advantage of me."

One sentence made Qu Yun raise her head instantly.

So he already knew?

Was it intentional to bring her back to this house?

The purpose was simply to see her like this, or to tease her.

Lu Junhe's fingertips caressed Qu Yun's wrist bones, his gaze seemingly able to see right through her.

He said, "What I said when I was pursuing you still stands."

"You can climb over me all you want."

Qu Yun met the man's gaze.

She still clearly remembers the second half of what Lu Junhe said at that time.

"But don't think you can get there without working hard. How far you climb depends on your abilities."

Lu Junhe was willing to do all of this.

He just didn't expect Qu Yun to laugh out of character.

She stopped struggling to pull her hand out of his palm and stared at him quietly for several seconds.

Qu Yun said, "So, this is how you've always seen me?"

"You think I'm staying by your side just to use you and climb the social ladder, is that it?"

Lu Junhe's eyes paused.

Before he could ask any more questions, his grandmother walked into the room.

The old lady's gaze swept coldly across the crowd, and when she saw her grandson instinctively step in front of the woman beside him, she narrowed her eyes.

She said slowly, "It seems you already knew."

As soon as she finished speaking, the old lady raised her hand and slapped Lu Junhe across the cheek.

Lu Junhe stiffened slightly, neither dodging nor retreating, silently accepting the blow.

He refused to bow his head.

And that earned him another slap.

The old lady was still furious and raised her hand to deliver a third slap, but Qu Yun came to her senses and quickly stepped forward to stop her.

She said, "Stop hitting me, stop hitting me."

However, the other party acted as if she were invisible, ignoring her and cursing Lu Junhe: "You know perfectly well that outsiders have designs on you, yet you not only fail to take precautions but also indulge them at every turn, even personally bringing them back to the old house. What are you trying to do?"

Lu Junhe slowly raised his eyes, his voice low and calm: "Grandma, things aren't as you think."

"Not what I think?" The old lady sneered, her eyes sharp as knives. "She's already sneaked into the study to rummage through confidential documents, and you're still here protecting her and defending her?"

"I think you've been blinded by love, and have completely forgotten about family rules and the consequences!"

Qu Yun thought to herself, "She doesn't seem to be invisible after all."

The old lady stopped speaking Cantonese, probably because she wanted to speak it to her on purpose.

The next second, the old lady's gaze returned to her.

"I have always disliked Junhe's mother's way of dividing people into different classes and using their family background to manipulate others."

"But some things really can't be said too definitively. Poverty breeds cunning, and this saying doesn't come from nowhere. The lower one's origins, the more likely one is to have impure thoughts and dishonest actions."

Qu Yun almost laughed.

She spoke calmly, "You don't need to stand on your moral high ground and accuse me of being dishonest. You know the true owner of Lanting, yet you still took advantage of the situation and secretly plotted against me."

Before the old lady could even react with anger, Lu Junhe snapped, "Qu Yun, that's enough."

"Stop talking."

A hint of grievance flashed across Qu Yun's eyes.

Seeing Lu Junhe's angry expression, she insisted on speaking: "In terms of questionable methods, how much cleaner are the things you and the Lu family have done than mine?"

Lu Junhe's face had darkened considerably, and he no longer allowed Qu Yun to continue her defiance.

He declared directly, "Stealing is stealing. There's no need to make a fuss about this. You even dared to talk back to your elders. Behave yourself."

The melody made my heart ache.

She said, "Okay, I won't bring that up."

In front of everyone, Qu Yun opened the backpack on her chest and dumped all the contents onto the ground.

There is no such document.

She looked at Lu Junhe and felt her heart slowly calming down.

"Do I need you to check my phone?"

"Or should I take off all my clothes and let you see if I stole anything or not?"