Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Taming the Leopard: Female Master, I Want to Kiss

Jiang Qingli was lifted up and placed on the seat.

Setting the window to one-way, Qin Muye braced his hands on either side of her. His tall frame cast a shadow, enveloping her completely.

The silver-haired young man pursed his lips, glanced at Jiang Qingli, and then lowered his head again.

Qin Muye was very handsome, but overly cold. His features were sharp and defined, and when he furrowed his brow, he looked like he was about to rob someone.

If anyone else had seen this scene, they’d have probably called the police.

But only Jiang Qingli knew that when Qin Muye had picked her up and set her down just now, his movements had been both clumsy and gentle.

Jiang Qingli wasn’t scared at all. Leaning against the wall, she raised an eyebrow. "What is it you want to tell me? If you don’t say it, I’m leaving—"

As she spoke, she made to stand up.

Qin Muye grew anxious. He propped a hand beside her, his breathing a little unsteady.

He opened his mouth, and the words that had been stuck in his throat, spurred on by her threat, came tumbling out. "I didn’t mean to do that just now!"

Jiang Qingli sat back down and tilted her head. "When you say you ’didn’t mean to,’ are you referring to glaring at me in class, or touching my leg in public?"

"I wasn’t glaring at you!" Qin Muye’s voice rose. "I was just..."

He lowered his head again, his ears flushing bright red as he stammered, unsure of what to say.

Although Qin Muye acted uncivilized, he had studied etiquette for a few years and knew it was rude to stare at a female.

He wanted to lie and say he was just zoning out, but for some reason, he didn’t want to lie to Jiang Qingli.

His face burning, Qin Muye chose to skip that topic and answer the second one.

"I wasn’t trying to touch your leg, I wanted to..." Qin Muye paused as waves of shame washed over him. He gritted his teeth against it for a moment, afraid Jiang Qingli would actually leave, before finally admitting, "I wanted... to t-touch your hand..."

Jiang Qingli understood what he meant. "You wanted to hold hands with me?" she asked.

’H-hold hands... it wasn’t that... that intimate, was it...’

The girl leaned a little closer as she asked, and Qin Muye caught her uniquely sweet scent.

His mind felt like it had fallen into a vat of syrup, besieged by sweetness until he couldn’t even think straight.

In a daze, Qin Muye nodded.

"Then you should have just said so." Jiang Qingli couldn’t understand how this person could be so awkward.

She couldn’t help but laugh.

’If this were a game, Qin Muye must have taken all the points that should have gone into his ’culture stat’ and dumped them into his ’tsundere stat’ instead.’

Hearing her laugh, Qin Muye felt his skin flush hot, and he grew flustered.

As his head spun, the girl’s clear, bright voice rang out. "Qin Muye."

Qin Muye looked up instinctively.

Jiang Qingli looked at him and said, "Say it yourself."

"Say what?" Qin Muye asked, bewildered.

"That you want to hold my hand."

As she spoke, she held her palm out to him.

Her soft, snow-white palm faced him. Qin Muye instinctively reached for it, but she pulled her hand away.

"I’ll only let you hold it after you say it," Jiang Qingli said sternly.

Qin Muye: "..."

The young man furrowed his brow, looking resistant.

’He felt like Jiang Qingli was treating him like a dog.’

’Is this for real?’

’He was a snow leopard, of the noblest Imperial Family bloodline, a top-tier male!’

But—

The command in Jiang Qingli’s voice reminded Qin Muye of that unfinished dream.

He couldn’t help but wonder if she, like the woman in his dream, would give him anything he wanted, as long as he was good.

His Adam’s apple bobbed. In a hoarse voice, Qin Muye began, "I... I want to hold hands."

"Hold hands with who?"

"You."

"And who am I?"

Jiang Qingli pressed him at every step.

An invisible heat seared Qin Muye.

He opened his mouth. "You’re Jiang Qingli, my..." He paused, then added, "female master."

This time, without any further prompting from Jiang Qingli, Qin Muye said very smoothly, "Female master, I want to hold hands."

"Good boy." Jiang Qingli reached out to pat his hair. "Now, shake."

’Fuck, she really is treating me like a dog.’

’Yi Nuo’s your dog! I’m a leopard, get it?’

Qin Muye gritted his teeth, cursing inwardly.

Yet his hand moved on its own, closing around her slender, fair fingers.

As if by instinct, his long, calloused fingers slid between hers, lacing their hands together.

They had never been this close before.

Jiang Qingli pinched his cheek, a smile playing on her lips. "That’s right. From now on, just be honest and tell me what you want. Your female master will satisfy you."

After all, their agreement stated that for the duration of their marriage, she was responsible for him.

If Qin Muye remained this difficult, it would be hard for them to get along.

Living under the same roof, it was better to be clear about everything.

「-」

As his hair was gently stroked, Qin Muye’s earlier frustration vanished in an instant.

Seeing the clear amusement in her eyes, Qin Muye felt an unprecedented sense of validation and satisfaction welling up from the depths of his soul.

Jiang Qingli saw him—truly saw him—and acknowledged his desires.

In that instant, Qin Muye’s heart felt full.

But afterward came an even deeper emptiness.

He wanted more...

More from Jiang Qingli, more that belonged to Jiang Qingli.

The hand on his head stopped stroking his hair. "I’m getting a little hungry," Jiang Qingli said. "Should we go get lunch?"

"Mm," Qin Muye grunted noncommittally, but didn’t move an inch.

He stared at her intently, like a fierce beast eyeing its desired prey.

Jiang Qingli instinctively sensed an unfamiliar danger.

She tried to shrink back, but the wall was right behind her.

There was nowhere to retreat.

"Tell me what you want."

Qin Muye repeated Jiang Qingli’s words softly, it was unclear if he was saying them to her or to himself.

He lowered himself, bringing his gray-blue eyes level with Jiang Qingli’s.

Qin Muye looked at her and said, word by word, "Female master, I want to kiss you."

"With you."

Before she could answer, his lips came crashing down on hers, fierce and forceful.

Her breath hitched.

He had no experience, kissing her with nothing but raw instinct.

The force was so strong it made Jiang Qingli’s lips go numb, her scalp tingling.

"Mmph..."

She raised a hand to push his face away, but he caught her wrist and continued kissing her.

Qin Muye leaned in, cupping the back of Jiang Qingli’s head with one hand as he lost control, conquering her every breath, storming her defenses.

His heart hammered wildly in his chest. An unprecedented jolt of electricity shot up his spine, stimulating every one of Qin Muye’s nerves.

After an unknown amount of time, when the girl in his arms stopped struggling, Qin Muye finally let go.

He straightened up slightly, but before he could even come to his senses, a slap landed on his cheek.

She had been kissed until she was weak all over, so the slap had no force behind it.

It was soft, almost like a flirtatious gesture.

Qin Muye lowered his gaze.

The girl’s pretty cheeks were flushed pink. Her eyes, glaring at him, shimmered with unshed tears. Her lips were parted helplessly, giving her a fragile appearance, as if she were at anyone’s mercy.

She was clearly trapped between his arms, at a disadvantage, able only to look up at him.

And yet, Qin Muye felt as though an invisible rope had appeared around his own neck.

The other end of that rope was held in her hand.

If she gave it the slightest tug, he would bow his head in surrender.

「-」

It was strange. He didn’t feel like himself in front of her.

Yet, the slow lowering of his head and the frantic pounding of his heart told Qin Muye—

—that only in front of her was he truly himself.