Chapter 96: Battle at the Center of the Lake

The night wind swept past, lifting the hem of Shen Yijue’s black shirt.

He stood by the lake with an expressionless face, those eyes dark as the night itself meeting Mo Qi’s stare without the slightest trace of feeling.

“Awake yet?” Shen Yijue asked, his tone cool and indifferent.

The sight of him made Mo Qi grind her teeth.

Was there really no better way to deal with the drug than to throw her into a freezing lake?

Mo Qi suddenly seemed to lose consciousness and tipped backward into the water.

With a splash, water flew half a meter high. It gurgled for a few moments before settling back into stillness.

Shen Yijue watched the black surface of the lake. One minute. Three minutes. Five minutes. Ten minutes.

The water had long since gone still, and after Mo Qi sank beneath it, she never surfaced again.

Frowning, Shen Yijue stepped into the water in his leather shoes.

The bottom of the lake was paved with blue stone slabs, cleaned at fixed intervals. It was very clean, with no mud at all.

Shen Yijue walked toward the spot where Mo Qi had gone under.

Suddenly, someone seized his ankle.

Shen Yijue let out an almost imperceptible sigh. He had known Mo Qi was the sort to repay a slight tenfold, and that she had deliberately lured him into the water.

Mo Qi clutched his ankle and yanked hard.

With a heavy thud, Shen Yijue’s tall body crashed down on top of her.

Mo Qi had not actually expected to pull him under, and when he fell, she froze for an instant, forgetting to dodge.

The water gave way beneath him, so when Shen Yijue struck her, it did not hurt much.

He reached out with one long arm and caught the back of her neck. “Having fun?”

Mo Qi curled her lip. “Not really.” Her plan had been to press Shen Yijue into the water, but the result was completely different.

“I meant the party.”

“That’s even less fun.” Mo Qi stared into his eyes and twisted her neck a little. “Let go.”

Not only did Shen Yijue not release her, he tightened his grip and leaned in with narrowed eyes. “Funny. I seem to think the opposite.”

“What do you mean, the opposite?” Mo Qi pressed her hand against his chest and arched her upper body back as far as she could.

Shen Yijue advanced step by step. “At a party you found boring, you still got drugged? Looks to me like you were having too much fun.”

By the time he said that, the anger in his heart was almost impossible to suppress.

If the one by Mo Qi’s side today had not been him, would it have been the same?

That was exactly why he had not used the most direct method to neutralize the drug.

He was sober, while Mo Qi, under the influence of the substance, could have been handled by any man.

If he had taken her at such a moment, it would have been an insult to his own feelings.

“Of course not!” Even if she would have, she had to insist that she would not now.

Mo Qi stared unblinking into Shen Yijue’s eyes. “Being drugged was purely an accident. But I know very well that apart from you, Xie An was there too.”

As she spoke, she lifted a brow. “Did I make a pass at him?”

That was also the part that gave Shen Yijue some measure of comfort.

Lin Zheng had said that even under the drug’s control, Mo Qi remained guarded and refused to let others near her. Only he could approach her.

The chill in Shen Yijue’s eyes faded considerably, though he still did not loosen his hold on Mo Qi. “Will you still go to these boring parties in the future?”

Mo Qi’s eyes darted around shrewdly. “They may be boring, but normal social obligations can’t be skipped.”

His hand on the back of her neck tightened a little more, and Mo Qi immediately changed tack. “But next time, Heavenly King Shen, could you time it better and come take me home?”

Back then, he had only seen Mo Qi’s effort and resolve. How had he failed to notice the cunning hidden beneath it all?

Shen Yijue was helpless, and the chill in his eyes vanished completely. “They go to parties to meet people and secure more opportunities for themselves. You have me. There’s no need for you to do the same.”

Mo Qi hurriedly took the hint and flattered him shamelessly. “Yes, yes, yes. No matter how many people they meet, they still can’t compare to having Heavenly King Shen and Master Shen looking after me.”

“Smooth-talking little rogue.” Shen Yijue used a little force to pull her up, and the only thing left in his eyes was resignation. “Let’s go.”

“Leaving already?”

Hearing that, Shen Yijue turned back to look at her. Mo Qi had only asked on a reflex, without thinking.

Meeting the suddenly deepened look in his eyes, she knew at once she had asked the wrong thing.

Damn it. Given this setting and that tone, no matter how you heard it, it sounded like she was unsatisfied!

Mo Qi was inwardly flustered, but Shen Yijue had already turned around. He stretched out an arm, circled her waist, and pulled her entire body into his embrace.

“You seem disappointed we didn’t do something?” Shen Yijue bent his head and lightly bit the tip of Mo Qi’s small nose in a manner that was almost enchanting. In a low voice, he asked, “Do you still want to act shameless with me?”

“I wasn’t trying to—mmph.”

Before Mo Qi could even get her protest out, Shen Yijue silenced her with a kiss.

His warm tongue brushed over her lips, and the electric shock of it rushed straight to her brain.

Perhaps because the drug still lingered in her body, Mo Qi had become extremely sensitive.

In any case, she wasn’t the one at a disadvantage. If she wanted something, she could take it herself.

Having made up her mind, Mo Qi lifted both arms to hook around Shen Yijue’s neck and tipped her chin up to kiss him back.

Gone was the awkwardness of their first kiss. This time, she deftly twined her tongue with his, teasing and tempting, seizing the initiative.

“You learn quickly,” Shen Yijue praised sincerely. If he had not known from their first kiss how inexperienced she had been—so inexperienced she did not even know how to part her lips or breathe—he would never have believed she was a novice in matters of the heart.

“Only because Master taught well.” Mo Qi curved her lips into a smile, then provocatively flicked the tip of her tongue over Shen Yijue’s smooth chin.

Shen Yijue pinched her chin. “How did I never realize you were such a rogue?”

“There are plenty of things you haven’t realized about me.” Mo Qi gave a smug little hum.

“And what about me—”

“Haah-choo!”

Shen Yijue fell silent, staring at Mo Qi, unable to say another word.

Mo Qi reached up and wiped at his face twice, then gave an awkward little laugh. “It seems a bit cold.”

Shen Yijue sighed helplessly, took her wrist, and led her toward the shore.

Mo Qi followed behind him, looking at his broad, upright back, and the smile on her face vanished in an instant.

The more Shen Yijue cared about her, the harder things would be afterward.

Mo Qi could already imagine how dark and furious he would be once she disappeared without a word.

Her head ached.

She let out a nearly inaudible sigh and followed Shen Yijue back to the car.

Their clothes and trousers were all wet, so once they got in, Shen Yijue turned on the heater.

Sitting in the front passenger seat, Mo Qi asked, “Didn’t you still have two night scenes to film after recording today? How did you finish so quickly?”

“My scenes were done,” Shen Yijue replied lightly, eyes on the road as he drove.

Mo Qi nodded and said nothing more.

Shen Yijue glanced at her. When the traffic light turned red, he reached into the back seat, took out his suit jacket, and placed it over her.

Mo Qi couldn’t help but smile. “If I remember correctly, I’ve ruined three or four of your suits by now, haven’t I?”

And every one of them had been custom-made by hand at a steep price.

There was a faint smile in Shen Yijue’s eyes.