Daily Intelligence System: Financial Independence

Chapter 558 - 264: Yuan Mengqi’s Kiss

Counting from around 2 PM, it’s about an hour away.

In such a short time, Jiang Tao didn’t find it worthwhile to go back home for a nap.

After going home to nap, he’d still have to drive back to pick up Yuan Mengqi’s family.

All that back and forth for nothing.

Yuan Mengqi suggested:

"Why not take a nap in my room, or else it’s easy to get sleepy driving in the afternoon."

"Ranran and I will wash the dishes in a bit. Once we’re done, it’ll be almost time to head out."

Zhao Huilan also chimed in:

"Qiqi is right, Xiao Jiang, you should take a rest. The experts on TV say even a half-hour nap can keep you energized for the afternoon."

"Alright, I won’t go back then, to save the hassle."

Jiang Tao didn’t want to bother with going back and forth either. It’s more important to take a quick nap to ensure a safe drive to Beijing in the afternoon.

"Come with me, I’ll take you to the room."

Yuan Mengqi smiled and motioned to Jiang Tao, then turned and led him out of the living room.

They walked from the outside balcony to a room on the west side of the main house.

In Ping County, rural folks customarily regard the east house as the most important, usually reserved for elders.

Juniors typically stay in the west house.

"Come in."

At the west house doorway, Yuan Mengqi gently pushed open the door, turned to Jiang Tao, and smiled, inviting him inside.

Jiang Tao didn’t stand on ceremony with Yuan Mengqi. He stepped into the room and took a glance around.

It was clean and tidy, with a slight, indistinct fragrance in the air.

Probably the scent of some brand of laundry detergent.

Yuan Mengqi entered the room, kneeled by the bed, and began arranging the pillows and blanket.

Halfway through laying the blanket, her mind began to wander.

She imagined Jiang Tao and herself sleeping on the same bed, under the same blanket, sharing the same pillow...

With those thoughts, Yuan Mengqi’s heart started racing.

Her complexion flushed a bit, like she had a fever.

Yuan Mengqi’s mind was a mess.

Meanwhile, after surveying the room, Jiang Tao naturally found his gaze falling on Yuan Mengqi as she made the bed.

From his angle, he had a perfect view of Yuan Mengqi’s enticing silhouette.

Her slightly raised and shapely hips, her slender waist, and the subtle sway of her movements drew his attention.

Recently, since Xu Li returned to Beijing ahead of schedule, Jiang Tao had been left alone.

His temper had indeed grown significantly compared to when Xu Li was around.

At this moment, seeing Yuan Mengqi’s alluring figure, he was understandably a bit distracted.

But Jiang Tao remained composed; he wasn’t driven by his lower instincts.

A task that should’ve taken just over ten seconds took over two minutes as Yuan Mengqi’s thoughts ran wild.

"Ahem, the bed’s made, Jiang Tao, you should rest a bit. I’ll go wash dishes with Ranran."

Having finished setting up the bed, Yuan Mengqi, looking a bit flustered, said and then hastily headed for the door as if to flee.

"Oh no!"

In her turmoil, Yuan Mengqi didn’t notice what was underfoot. As she brushed past Jiang Tao, her right foot snagged on an undone shoelace, causing her to lurch forward!

As she was about to fall, her mind went blank, and one thought remained.

Oh no!

She was about to make a big fool of herself in front of Jiang Tao, ruining her reputation!!!

In that split second.

As Yuan Mengqi let out a cry, Jiang Tao reacted quickly.

He reached out with his right arm, wrapping it around Yuan Mengqi’s waist, and with a slight effort, saved her from hitting the ground.

"Huff... huff..."

"Huff... huff..."

Still shaken, Yuan Mengqi was tightly held by Jiang Tao.

Facing each other, their bodies pressed closely, they could distinctly feel each other’s warmth, echoing heartbeats.

From the moment they entered the room, a hint of an intimate vibe had begun to fill the air.

Now, that long-held tension erupted like a volcano.

"Gulp..."

Seeing Squad Leader Yuan, breathless and flushed in his embrace,

Jiang Tao felt his rationality being hungrily gnawed away by a beast within.

Looking directly at Jiang Tao, so close, taking in his sharp, handsome features, Yuan Mengqi’s mind flooded with recent memories of their time together.

Her eyes slowly clouded over with a peachy haze.

Almost as if guided by some unseen force, she stood on tiptoe, her soft lips meeting his.

The next second, she was met by Jiang Tao’s fervent response.

A passionate kiss lasted a full five minutes.

Yuan Mengqi felt as if Jiang Tao had drained all her strength.

Her entire body went soft, collapsing into his arms.

"I need to go out now; Xiao Jie and Ranran are going to start wondering..."

After the kiss, Yuan Mengqi blushed deeply, hurriedly adjusting her disheveled shirt.

Jiang Tao’s big hands hadn’t been idle; he had taken quite a bit of advantage.

"Stay with me for a little longer."

Jiang Tao suddenly hugged Yuan Mengqi from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, whispering softly in her ear.

Hearing Jiang Tao’s words, feeling the warm breath and strange sensation behind her,

Yuan Mengqi’s legs nearly gave out, almost sending her to the floor.

Luckily, Jiang Tao’s arms wrapped around her waist provided the support she needed.

This was the only reason she could barely stand.

...

In the kitchen.

Washing dishes, Lin Ranran glanced through the window at Yuan Mengqi’s room, and whispered gossipingly:

"Brother Jie, our sis took Brother Jiang into the room, why hasn’t she come out yet?"

"Hehe, it’s better if she doesn’t. If Brother Jiang becomes our brother-in-law, we could really hit it off!"

As Yuan Mengjie washed the tools and cutting boards, his mind had already started envisioning his sister and Brother Jiang’s wedding!

"True! Brother Jiang is so handsome, such a good guy, and so capable. Way better than your sister’s previous..."

"Don’t bring up that jerk! That scumbag, I even called him brother-in-law for years, as soon as mom’s illness was confirmed, he divorced my sister immediately."

"And after the divorce, he even hid winning the lottery from us! If it weren’t for Brother Jiang reminding my sister, we’d have been left in the dark!"

"That scum isn’t even human, just pure trash!"

Mentioning his sister’s ex-husband, Yuan Mengjie felt his liver ache with anger, wanting to chop him up with his knife.

"Alright, Brother Jie, don’t be angry, don’t be angry, things are in the past, don’t bother with that scumbag anymore."

Lin Ranran, noticing Yuan Mengjie’s anger, quickly dropped the dishcloth to console him.

After a while of comforting, Yuan Mengjie’s fury subsided, and the two of them looked toward the window of the sister’s room.

"Eh? When did they pull the curtains? Ranran, weren’t they open just now?"

Yuan Mengjie suddenly noticed something significant.

The curtains in the sister’s room had been drawn at some point.

Although nothing inside could be seen from the kitchen’s angle, the act of drawing curtains was quite suggestive!

Lin Ranran nodded, "They were definitely just drawn."

"Where’s your sister? Has she come out yet?"

"No, she hasn’t."

Yuan Mengjie and Lin Ranran exchanged a glance, the fire of gossip burning in their eyes was practically cooking!

A man and woman in a room together, and the curtains drawn!!

Yuan Mengjie and Lin Ranran had been living together for a while, both knew exactly what this meant.

"Hey, where’s your sister, Ranran? Didn’t she say she’d do the dishes with you?"

Zhao Huilan entered the kitchen, not seeing her daughter, and couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity.

"Ahem..."

"My sister, she’s..."

Yuan Mengjie and Lin Ranran exchanged a glance, knowing it wasn’t easy to explain the situation between their sister and Brother Jiang to mom!

Zhao Huilan, seeing the gossipy expressions on her son’s and soon-to-be daughter’s-in-law’s faces, followed their gaze toward the outside at her daughter’s room window.

As soon as she saw the midday drawn curtains, she was baffled for a moment, then suddenly, a realization hit, a few wrinkles on her face smoothed out contentedly.

"Stop looking, get the dishes done!"

"Once you’re done, go rest quickly and don’t disturb Brother Jiang."

The old lady cheerfully instructed her son and soon-to-be daughter-in-law, then happily returned to the living room.