Chapter 174 - 173: Shi Yin, will you always be with me?

Words : 1218 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

Chapter 174: 173: Shi Yin, will you always be with me? When Ruan Yuan woke up, the night had already deepened. She stared blankly at the ceiling for a while, gradually pulling her thoughts away from the abandoned building in the suburbs. "Hungry?" A man’s gentle voice suddenly sounded by her ear. She turned her head and immediately met those worry-filled eyes—the eyes of the man she adored. Ruan Yuan suddenly smiled, a smile as brilliant as the scorching sun, radiant and piercing: "When did you arrive?" "This afternoon." Shi Yin adjusted the hospital bed higher and placed two pillows behind her back to make her more comfortable. He opened the insulated container on the bedside table, scooped out a spoonful of plain congee, tested the temperature, then brought it to her lips. Ruan Yuan stared intently at him; the man was still wearing the suit he had put on in the morning, but its hem now bore a few unseemly creases. If this were any other day, he would never tolerate such creases. But now, he didn’t seem to notice at all, focusing all his attention solely on her. "Not eating?" Shi Yin raised an eyebrow, thinking she might not like something so bland. Just as his hand was about to pull back, she leaned forward and swallowed all the congee from the spoon. "Shi Yin, hold me." Ruan Yuan stretched out her arms toward him. More than filling her stomach, what she needed at this moment was the man’s embrace—a haven she could lean on. "Eat first." Shi Yin lowered his head, his expression calm as he continued to scoop more congee from the container, but the tips of his ears were tinged with blush. Ruan Yuan refused and even threatened that if he didn’t hold her, she wouldn’t eat anything. For a long while, the two remained at an impasse. Shi Yin sighed lightly, placed the container back in its spot, and leaned forward to wrap his arms around her waist. The woman’s waist was slender yet startlingly soft, as if the slightest exertion from him would leave marks on her fair skin. Shi Yin’s cheeks grew warm as he lowered his eyes to gaze at the woman nestled in his arms, stubbornly unwilling to let him go. His heart felt as though it had been brushed by feathers. "Shi Yin, will you always stay with me?" Ruan Yuan’s voice was very quiet, with a hint of longing if one listened closely. The man responded with a gentle hum, his hand on her lower back curling slightly. After a pause, he added, "Don’t worry, the doctor said you’ll recover after some time." Ruan Yuan said nothing, greedily savoring every moment in his embrace—the comfort and warmth of this fleeting instant of peace. "Bring the congee over." She withdrew her hands and leaned back against the headboard. When the softness left his arms, Shi Yin felt a moment of discomfort. After pausing for a few seconds, he set aside the emotion in his heart and picked up the container again. With his gentle feeding, Ruan Yuan finished every last drop of the congee. Perhaps exhausted, she fell asleep again shortly after. The tall, slender man stood by the bedside, gazing at her for a long time under the cover of night. His hand, resting by his side, instinctively brushed against her lashes. In that instant of contact, he retreated as if electrified, stepping back half a pace and clenching his fists before fleeing in flustered panic. For several consecutive days, Shi Yin rushed straight to the hospital after finishing work, sometimes bringing his laptop along in case there wasn’t enough time. The gentle tapping of the keyboard echoed through the ward as Ruan Yuan bit into an apple he had peeled for her, her gaze indulgently fixed on him. Today, the man was dressed in all black again. It seemed his wardrobe consisted only of dark colors—perhaps because they conveyed an air of rigor, or perhaps simply out of long-standing habit. He focused intently on his laptop, occasionally lowering his gaze to contemplate or lightly furrowing his brows. His perfect side profile made every expression alluring. After finishing her apple, Ruan Yuan licked her lips and tiptoed behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning against his broad shoulders. The woman’s sudden movement caused Shi Yin’s typing to pause, but he made no move to pull away. In these days spent together, she often hugged him or stole kisses. Over time, this constant intimacy had led him to adapt. If the woman suddenly stopped hugging or kissing him, he might even start doubting whether he had lost his charm. "When will you finish?" Ruan Yuan’s breath danced across his ear as she spoke. The tingling sensation spreading from his earlobe made Shi Yin’s heartbeat slow a beat—she was too seductive, her actions far too alluring. When he didn’t respond, Ruan Yuan arched a brow and, in the next second, made an even bolder move: "I’m asking you." The warmth spreading from her lips to his ear sent waves of heat through Shi Yin’s heart, muddling his thoughts. The tips of his ears burned as if scorched by fire, red as blood. "Don’t do this." Shi Yin shifted forward uneasily, his voice trembling with nervousness. The calm demeanor he had earlier while working completely vanished, replaced by the flustered awkwardness of a young boy. Ruan Yuan let out a soft laugh: "Do what?" After testing the waters so carefully for so long, she finally felt confident enough to act more freely. She tightened her hold around his waist again, her lips trailing from his earlobe to his jawline and down to his neck. "Ruan Yuan... stop messing around." Shi Yin’s entire body stiffened, his thoughts blank as he somehow forgot to dodge. The blush from his ears extended across his handsomely sculpted face, and his deep eyes were filled with confusion. Ruan Yuan, however, didn’t heed him, her lips sealing over a patch of his neck until a red mark remained that couldn’t be erased. Satisfied, she admired her handiwork, a trace of sweetness flickering in her eyes. She smiled: "Now no one will dare make a move on you." Don’t think she didn’t know—many of his coworkers harbored unseemly intentions toward him. But she absolutely wouldn’t let anyone succeed. This man belonged to her, and only her. Shi Yin stayed frozen in place for a long time before recovering, his fingers instinctively brushing against the spot on his neck. His eyes flickered with a hint of helplessness. He turned to face her, his flushed face serious and solemn as he met her gaze: "No one’s making a move on me—except you." "Doesn’t matter. I’ve marked my territory now." Ruan Yuan cupped his cheeks and planted a kiss on his lips. She pinched his face with pretend fierceness: "When I’m not at the office, you have to stay away from other women, got it?" The woman’s possessiveness was blatant, as though they had already established their relationship, becoming the closest of romantic partners. Yet he still hadn’t agreed to her pursuit. Shi Yin gazed into her eyes, an inexplicable sense of grievance stirring within him. He lowered his gaze: "We’re not even together yet."

Chapter 174 - 173: Shi Yin, will you always be with me?

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