Mad Dog

Chapter 70: Always – The betrothal gift.

Jiang Qi officially visited the Zhi family on the day of the Frost’s Descent festival.

In late October, Lin Lan experienced continuous rain, making it a bit chilly. Zhi Qi had been resting at home for two months, and her established routine of waking up at seven-thirty had vanished; she was sleeping in late.

Feeling a bit cold, she wrapped herself tighter in her thin blanket.

Her small face unconsciously rubbed against the silk pillow, drifting in sweet dreams.

The next moment, the bedroom door was knocked on twice, and Zhi Qi frowned, not wanting to respond as she continued to sleep.

Then the door was pushed open with a loud bang, accompanied by Mei Ran’s hurried voice, “Hurry up and get up! Jiang Qi is here!”

……

Jiang Qi?

Zhi Qi drowsily opened her eyes, pulling her soul from the hazy dream state.

Startled, the young girl sat up straight, her nightgown’s straps slipping down with her sudden movement, exposing her tender shoulders like fresh snow.

“Mom,” Zhi Qi sleepily asked, “Are you joking with me?”

How could Jiang Qi come to her house so suddenly?

Besides, they had just video chatted on WeChat last night, and he hadn’t mentioned coming over today at all.

Seeing her dazed and confused daughter, Mei Ran felt both amused and exasperated. She walked over and gently patted her little head.

“Why would I lie to you? He’s downstairs right now, sitting with your dad and brother. He even brought a pile of things… So, hurry down!”

From Mei Ran’s vague yet troubled tone, Zhi Qi seemed to realize something. Her previously sleepy eyes slowly brightened.

After she went out, the girl couldn’t help but smile and picked up her phone to send Jiang Qi a WeChat message: “Are you here to propose?”

He must have made it quite formal.

Otherwise, Mei Ran’s earlier expression wouldn’t have been so awkward.

—But the bold little girl’s guess wouldn’t reach Jiang Qi.

Jiang Qi sat upright in the living room, every movement carefully rehearsed a thousand times in his mind, making it impossible for him to be rude enough to look at his phone. So Zhi Qi’s message went unanswered.

However, she didn’t mind this; after teasing the boy a bit, she quickly got up to change and do her makeup.

Zhi Qi didn’t neglect Mei Ran’s earlier advice to “dress nicely.” She wore a set of early autumn haute couture—a khaki wool knit dress that hugged her slender figure, exposing a small section of her delicate calves, paired with fluffy slippers.

As for makeup, Zhi Qi typically didn’t wear much.

After a simple base, she lightly defined her eyebrows, but her lips were well-done with a milky tea-colored gloss, making them look soft and supple.

Once she finished getting ready, she opened the door to head downstairs.

On the staircase, Zhi Qi saw Jiang Qi’s straight back. He was sitting on the sofa in the living room, facing away from her, sitting up straight—while Mei Ran and Zhi Minglin in front of him also sat rigidly, clearly feeling a bit awkward.

Among the people in the living room, the most relaxed was surprisingly Zhi Yu.

He lazily leaned back in a sofa, nonchalantly fiddling with his phone.

Zhi Qi’s leg had mostly healed. She jogged over, climbed onto Jiang Qi’s shoulder from behind, and quietly asked, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

Having not heard the girl’s soft voice so close for a long time, Jiang Qi was momentarily taken aback, then stood up to let her sit down beside him.

……

“Little Jiang.” Zhi Minglin had to speak up. He looked at the pile of luxury items at the door and hesitantly asked, “What brings you here today?”

In fact, he had already asked this question once before, to which Jiang Qi had replied that he was “specifically visiting uncle and aunt.” Now, Zhi Minglin was asking again in front of Zhi Qi, clearly wanting a genuine answer.

So Jiang Qi fell silent for a moment and took out a thin card from his suit pocket.

Under the astonished gazes of everyone, he placed the card on the thin table.

“This card has one million yuan in it. I want to use it as a betrothal gift…” Jiang Qi took a deep breath, looking straight into Zhi Minglin’s eyes, and said firmly, word by word, “to marry Zhi Qi.”

He didn’t understand much beyond that; he only knew that after signing the contract for the new movie and company, the first thing he wanted to do was this.

In the midst of silence, Jiang Qi added, “I know this isn’t enough. I just really want to marry her, and I’ll make up for it later…”

“Jiang Qi.” Zhi Qi’s face flushed bright red, quickly grabbing Jiang Qi’s hand to quietly stop him. “Don’t say anymore.”

Her parents’ expressions were dark, like the bottom of a pot.

Even though she was mentally prepared, she didn’t expect Jiang Qi to be so straightforward and blunt.

Zhi Minglin was a government worker and usually quite cultured, but now he felt at a loss for words.

Indeed, their family didn’t lack money, but they couldn’t deny that the betrothal gift Jiang Qi offered was generous enough to make them believe Zhi Qi would have a good life with him. It was just… he had shown up without any preparation!

Zhi Minglin suppressed his anger and politely said, “Little Jiang, we need to discuss this at home.”

After speaking, he recalled how Jiang Qi had ignored everyone while keeping watch over Zhi Qi in the hospital and quickly added, “Internally.”

This was the implication of a dismissal.

Jiang Qi smiled and calmly stood up to bid farewell.

“Dad, Mom, Brother, you all discuss first.” Zhi Qi stood up as well, smiling, “I’ll go see him off.”

It had been a while since they last met; she really missed him.

As soon as they stepped out of the Zhi family’s detached house, Jiang Qi bent down and picked her up.

“Ow.” Zhi Qi was taken by surprise and then couldn’t help but laugh. “My foot is fine now.”

She didn’t need Jiang Qi’s constant “princess-carrying service” anymore; Zhi Qi wiggled her legs, signaling that she could walk on her own.

“Be good.” Jiang Qi’s cool voice was slightly husky, his light-colored eyes like they were gathering flames. “I’ll carry you.”

……

Fine, but it was a bit embarrassing.

Zhi Qi’s fair face turned rosy. After thinking for a moment, she extended both hands to cover the boy’s face.

Although their home was in a detached area without paparazzi, Jiang Qi was still too eye-catching.

She should help him “cover up.” Understanding Zhi Qi’s intention, Jiang Qi complied but couldn’t help but chuckle softly. The warmth from his breath hit the girl’s palms, causing her to shrink back slightly in ticklish surprise.

He carried Zhi Qi all the way to the parking lot, placing her in the passenger seat. With a bang, he closed the car door. Just as the girl was about to ask, “Is this car provided by the company?” she was impatiently pinned against the car seat by Jiang Qi, who grasped her chin.

Jiang Qi bit the corner of her lip, his tongue probing inside, instantly turning what Zhi Qi wanted to say into a muddled mess.

Perhaps because they hadn’t seen each other for so long, Jiang Qi’s demeanor was clearly restless and urgent.

He craved a kiss from Zhi Qi, as if proving something with all his strength, until the girl’s lower lip felt sore from being sucked. Only then did she wrap her small, pale hands around Jiang Qi’s shoulder and slowly pat him, allowing him to calm down.

Then, he began to kiss her carefully, as if treating her like a rare treasure.

The underground garage was dim and shadowy, and in the silent space of the car, only their ambiguous breaths intertwined until Zhi Qi felt the hem of her knit dress slowly pushed up, the coolness touching her bare legs made her snap back to reality.

“No.” She felt embarrassed, and in the dark, she playfully nipped Jiang Qi’s ear and whispered, “We still have to go home.”

Things were different now; they could “fool around” at any time, but if they returned home disheveled, who knew how Mei Ran would interrogate her.

Jiang Qi knew this too. The boy rested his forehead against her shoulder, seemingly trying to sort out his restless emotions.

After a long while, he took a deep breath and raised his head. Then, he politely helped Zhi Qi straighten her disheveled clothes. His long fingers brushed against a certain part of her, causing him to pause briefly.

It was just that in their youth, after months of abstinence, seeing the lively girl in front of him made him want to disregard everything and carry Zhi Qi home, to possess her fiercely.

To satisfy his hunger, quench his thirst, and do whatever he wanted, but just thinking about it made the sounds in his veins almost like a flowing river.

Yet Zhi Qi’s soft and sweet voice awakened him—now wasn’t the time.

He was still seen as a “person under evaluation” in her parents’ eyes.

He really missed her.

“Qi Qi.” Jiang Qi held the girl’s shoulder with one hand, his voice barely audible. “When can you come back?”

Zhi Qi pouted and smiled, “When I go back to class.”

It wouldn’t be long.

Jiang Qi closed

his eyes and held her even tighter.

Just like every sleepless midnight when he longed for her at home, struggling to fall asleep, dreaming of the girl’s graceful figure. He knew it was Zhi Qi, and he couldn’t help but hold her tightly. The tighter he embraced her, the greater the sense of loss upon waking up.

But no matter what, he had taken this step today.

“Qi Qi.” The boy repeated, “I will marry you. I’ll make it happen.”

“Mm, I know.” Zhi Qi responded softly. After a moment’s thought, she whispered something in his ear, looking obedient and shy.

Jiang Qi was somewhat surprised as he lifted his head. In the dim light filtering in through the car window, a hint of astonishment flashed in his eyes.

He hadn’t misheard.

Just now, the girl said…

“If next spring, my dad and mom still don’t agree.”

“I’ll have to steal the household registration book.”

After all, parents wouldn’t truly break their child’s legs.

Taking advantage of being the “family darling,” Zhi Qi confidently asserted her thoughts, wanting to tease the boy.

But what Zhi Qi didn’t know was that after she said this, Jiang Qi’s “spring” had already arrived in his heart.

Flowers bloomed everywhere.