Chapter 34: She Held Qin Yichi Tightly

Qin Yichi wore a deep gray scarf, the soft, warm fabric brushing against his skin and drawing an involuntary smile to his lips. His mood soared to the highest peak, as if the most tender part of his heart had been touched. It was as though something invisible had nipped at him, leaving his heart flushed, tingling, and faintly swollen with sensation.

They continued climbing the mountain together, seeking the perfect spot to watch the sunset. The grass was lush and green, wildflowers blooming in vibrant competition, and the air was filled with a fresh, delightful fragrance. Qiao Zhen inhaled deeply, letting the clean air relax her whole body. She bent down, intending to sit on the grass.

Suddenly, something thin and long slithered to her feet. Its back shimmered with blue-green scales, blending almost seamlessly into the lawn.

What was that?

Qiao Zhen froze, rubbing her eyes, barely able to register the writhing thing at her feet before, in the next instant, a small green snake lifted its head and flicked its tongue toward her with a chilling hiss.

A terrified scream tore from her lips as her body went rigid, every hair standing on end. “Help… There’s a snake! Please, help me!” Her face turned ghostly pale, her mind buzzing in panic, cold sweat instantly soaking her back.

The memory of a childhood trauma crashed over her like a suffocating net, threatening to engulf her completely. Instinctively, she recoiled, jumping into Qin Yichi’s arms, her slender legs winding around his waist, refusing to touch the ground. She clung to him as if he were her only lifeline, holding on for dear life.

They ended up face-to-face, Qiao Zhen pressed against his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his neck, their bodies almost perfectly aligned.

The sudden press of her soft, fragrant body stunned Qin Yichi; acting on instinct, he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her firmly in his embrace. “Don’t be afraid,” he murmured, his voice low and soothing, his hand gently patting her back. He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear, repeating, “It’s not venomous. It won’t bite you, Qiao Zhen. Don’t be afraid.”

But Qiao Zhen was still deathly pale. Her eyes lowered, teeth biting into her lip, her voice and body trembling uncontrollably as she nestled closer to him. In the grip of terror, shame and decorum were forgotten.

She held him tighter, her voice muffled and plaintive near his ear. “Don’t… Don’t let go of me…”

Her voice was especially sweet, the ends of her words lifting slightly, as if she were pleading with him. Her gentle scent enveloped them, winding like a spell through every pore of Qin Yichi’s skin. His expression remained composed and solemn, but his neck and ears flushed a soft pink.

The veins in his arms stood out, tense with excitement, as he reassured her in a husky whisper, “Alright, I won’t let go.”

Her eyes shimmered with tears, like spring water ready to overflow, her gaze fixed solely on him. Qiao Zhen had once told him that, as a child, she’d been sent to the countryside. While working in the fields, a large snake had coiled around her calf and bitten two bleeding holes into her skin. Crimson blood had trickled down her leg until a neighbor saw her, rushed over to hack the snake apart with an axe, and took her to the hospital, saving her life.

Qin Yichi remembered how, upon hearing the story, his heart clenched painfully. He’d asked her, “Did it hurt?”

Little Qiao Zhen, hugging her knees beside him, had looked up with a bitter smile, calm and clear-eyed. “Of course it hurt.”

“How could it not hurt…” she’d murmured, disappointment lacing her voice.

Every time he recalled it, Qin Yichi felt suffocated, as if Mount Tai pressed on his chest. Her pain became his own.

Now, he kept one hand on her lower back to keep her from slipping, while Qiao Zhen obediently lay against his shoulder, her pale arms wrapped around his neck, her breath shallow and tense. “Qin Yichi, hurry…”

He reached for a stick, intending to shoo the snake away. Normally a simple task, but with Qiao Zhen clinging to him like a koala, every movement became an ordeal—especially as she nearly choked him in her terror.

They were so close—so close he could feel the soft curves of her body trembling lightly against his chest. Qin Yichi’s ears grew hot, a flush creeping over him as if a handful of mints had been dropped into a bottle of cola, causing it to fizz and threaten to overflow.

Heat surged in his eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing as his breath grew rough. “Qiao Zhen, don’t move,” he managed hoarsely.

He was frozen, barely able to think, his mind thrown into chaos. Qiao Zhen whimpered by his ear, her eyes brimming with tears, looking so pitiful he thought he’d lose his resolve.

“I’m not moving…” she whispered, her voice trembling sweetly, as if dipped in honey.

Qiao Zhen felt she might go mad from fear. But Qin Yichi was even closer to the edge. Each word, each shiver from her, struck his heart like a bullet.

He took a deep breath, gritting his teeth as he reached his limit. “Easy… Relax, or you’ll strangle me,” he gasped.

Her grip was so tight it was hard to breathe. If he died, he’d die in the embrace of Qiao Zhen’s warmth.

Startled, Qiao Zhen loosened her hold slightly, her voice choked with tears. “I’m sorry…”

She was close to breaking down, feeling faint. And just then, the little green snake, prodded by the stick, looked up at the pair entwined on the grass and seemed instantly annoyed, hissing sharply.

The sound, like nails scraping a chalkboard, made Qiao Zhen shudder, burying her face in Qin Yichi’s shoulder. She clung to him, her voice trembling. “Qin Yichi, Qin Yichi…”

Because, deep down, she believed—Qin Yichi was the safest, most reliable person in the world.

Ironically, at that moment, Qin Yichi felt he was far more dangerous than any little green snake. The snake was harmless, gentle, and wouldn’t bite; but he—he was poisonous, fierce, capable of losing all restraint and devouring her completely.

Especially now, as Qiao Zhen called his name again and again, her voice a delicious, forbidden temptation brushing against his ear, sweet and warm, seeping into him.

His heart melted at the sound.

Qin Yichi gritted his teeth, his blood surging like boiling water, bubbling hotly beneath his skin. He fought to suppress the wicked impulse rising within him, mercilessly sending the snake tumbling down the slope.

The snake seemed to protest, but Qin Yichi paid it no mind.

When all was quiet, Qiao Zhen finally lifted her head. “Is it gone?”

Qin Yichi, his earlobes red as blood, patted her back gently as he set her down, striving for composure. “Mm. It’s gone.”

Her gaze was full of lingering fear, like a startled little fawn caught in the open. She exhaled shakily, beginning to calm down.

A faint, clean fragrance lingered at her nose, mingling with the intense, heated scent of him—male hormones, strong and invasive. Only now did she realize how close she’d been to Qin Yichi, how shamelessly she’d clung to him, nearly choking him in her panic.

Her heart hammered in her chest, loud and wild. Surely, she told herself, it was just the fright.

Qin Yichi’s throat was dry, a restless heat kindling inside him that he could barely contain. He unscrewed a bottle of water, draining it in a few gulps. His neck flushed red, his body feverish, as if he might burst into flames at any moment.

After a moment to compose himself, he scanned the area for any other snakes or insects, then shrugged off his jacket and spread it flat on the grass.

“Sit,” he said, his tone languid as he glanced at Qiao Zhen, deliberately keeping his distance and settling on the grass nearby.

Qiao Zhen rubbed her eyes, steadying her breath after the earlier panic. She perched on the edge of his jacket, hugging her knees, curling into a small bundle, occupying only a third of the space—meek and reserved.

She patted the empty space beside her, her eyes clear as crystal as she looked at him earnestly. “Come sit with me.”

Qin Yichi hesitated, frowning slightly, torn between desire and restraint. He wanted to keep his distance, afraid he might lose control.

His mind screamed warnings—“Don’t go over there,” “Stay away”—but in the end, his body betrayed him, moving closer until they sat side by side, close and intimate.

A gentle breeze swept past, dissolving the lingering tension and confusion between them. Yet the memory of her soft touch remained imprinted in Qin Yichi’s mind.

She really was, unbearably soft.