Chapter Forty-Nine: My Time of the Month Has Come

I pressed the doorbell at Qiu Jieqin’s apartment, and the door opened swiftly. There she was, dressed in plaid pajamas, her hair still slightly damp, greeting me with a radiant smile and welcoming me inside.

The sight of her made me feel like a lonely wanderer returning home to family after a long journey; the warmth and excitement flooding my heart defied all words. Wearily, I collapsed onto the sofa, spreading my arms wide, and called out to her with heartfelt affection, “Jieqin, come here.”

She answered sweetly and, in one swift movement, straddled my lap. But just then she noticed the bandages wrapped around my hand. Her voice was filled with both surprise and concern as she asked, “Tang Qian, what happened to your hand?”

I sighed, unsure of how to answer. Instead, I wrapped my arms tightly around her slender waist, holding her close, as if she might dissolve into the air.

She rested her forehead against my chest, the scent of her freshly washed hair drifting up between us. She seemed to sense the weight of unspoken troubles in my heart, but when I remained silent, she chose not to press me.

Lifting her chin, she whispered, “Qian, kiss me, and hold me even tighter.”

Looking at the only woman in this world who loved me so deeply, tenderness overwhelmed me. With her, I didn’t have to feign pride, didn’t need to second-guess, never worried that she’d harm me, nor ever felt diminished.

Regret swept over me. How could I have been indifferent to her before? Such a wonderful woman, who loved me so much—what was there to hesitate about? Was it really just her playful and restless temperament that made me hold back?

Her fair chin tilted, lips parted slightly, as if calling to me: “Tang Qian, come to me.”

This time I didn’t hesitate. I lowered my head and caught her lips, determined not to let go of any part of her…

I don’t know how long we kissed, only that we were both breathless and our tongues numb by the end. I slumped back on the sofa, and she slipped from my lap, nestling against my chest, her long legs draped across the cushions. With one arm around her and my uninjured hand gently caressing her cheek, I finally let out a quiet sigh and smiled, “Jieqin, from now on, I’m free. I can see you whenever I want, without having to call you every day to report in.”

She giggled, feigning annoyance. “What do you mean, report in? I was worried about you! So, what—your lady boss isn’t after you anymore?”

“I quit,” I replied. “I won’t be seeing her much anymore. She can’t push me around. That’s why I said I’m free.”

Jieqin was surprised, but also delighted. “You quit your job?” Then she smiled, “Well, that saves you from your vixen boss always clinging to you. From now on, I want you here with me every night. Your free time belongs to me, and me alone.”

I laughed, “Fine. From now on, everything I have—including my body—belongs to you. Satisfied?”

She giggled softly, “Of course. It always has. From now on, no other woman can touch you—not even shake your hand—unless I allow it.”

I feigned exaggerated distress, “Why do I feel like I’ve lost my freedom again? It’s worse than being in jail!”

She laughed, “Freedom? Don’t even think about it. I’m going to—” Her flirtatiousness was irresistible, and before she could finish, I sealed her lips with another kiss.

Thanks to her guidance, my kissing skills had improved considerably—I could hold my own against her now. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind: since she was so adept at kissing, she must have learned from plenty of experience before. The idea made my heart ache with jealousy, and I regretted not cherishing her sooner. How could I have been so foolish as to let her slip through my fingers before realizing how precious she was?

Jealousy burned through me, and her teasing tongue only fanned the flames of my desire. The barriers that once held me back had fallen; even my old fantasies faded into irrelevance. I stopped restraining myself. Lifting her up, I set her completely on my lap.

Jieqin gasped as my hand slipped under her shirt, realizing instantly what I was about to do. Flushed and flustered, she broke our kiss and shot me a glare. “Don’t get handsy! Behave yourself!”

In the past, when I refused to touch her, she’d beg and coax me to do so. Now, when it was me reaching for her, she acted coy and demure? I wasn’t buying it.

I figured she was just teasing, tempting me, and ignored her words. My hand slid beneath her pajama top, discovering only a single thin undergarment separating my fingers from her warm, delicate skin. I slipped beneath that as well, pressing my palm to the place that set my heart racing.

She’d just bathed, and wasn’t even wearing a bra—or perhaps she never wore one to bed? I had no time to wonder. I cupped her full, shapely breast, caressing it with eager affection.

She cried out, her body flushed and burning. Pressing her face to my chest, she gasped, “Be gentle… If you make a mess, I’ll… I won’t let you off…”

Her words barely registered, and I no longer cared what she said. Aside from that one time she’d seduced me, I’d never been this close to a woman before, and now, for the first time, I could claim her body without fear or guilt.

As I fondled her, my other hand began unbuttoning her pajamas—one button, then another…

Jieqin was breathing fast, her skin aflame, every sensitive spot already trembling under my touch. She could only submit, though she kept murmuring warnings between gasps, “Tang Qian—don’t make me lose control… Ah… Not there… I can’t take it…”

Her protests only fueled my frenzy. I undid the last button and slipped her pajama top off, my hands sliding beneath her undergarment, pushing it up along her sides. Without thinking, she raised her arms to help me remove it.

Right before my eyes, her snowy, generous breasts sprang free, trembling in the open air. One rosy, hardened peak quivered invitingly, so lovely and tempting that I buried my face in the warmth of her chest, drawing in her scent—a blend of bathwater and her own delicate fragrance—until I felt utterly refreshed and intoxicated.

Suddenly, I pulled her upright to sit astride my lap, simply to admire her. Jieqin’s breath was ragged, her eyes hazy with desire. She pressed my head gently, guiding one trembling breast to my mouth.

Triumph and excitement surged through me—this bewitching woman belonged to me alone. I took her into my mouth, holding her tight in my arms, my hands roaming her bare skin—her arms, her neck and shoulders, her slender waist, her delicate back… Her skin was satin-smooth and warm as flowing water. This was my first time caressing a woman so thoroughly, and I missed not a single inch.

Jieqin was exceptionally sensitive; whenever I touched a ticklish spot, she’d squirm and giggle, only to resume her breathless moans as I continued my assault on her breasts.

But it wasn’t enough. My hand slid down her back, inside her pajama pants, tracing the curve of her firm, round hips.

Suddenly, though weak with passion, Jieqin caught my wandering hand, whispering, “No! Don’t touch me there.”

She saw the confusion in my eyes and blushed, embarrassed. “I… I have my period. I’m wearing a pad. It’s not convenient.”

I was dumbfounded, “Your period?”

She rolled her eyes at me, thinking I was feigning ignorance, but when she saw my genuine bewilderment, she burst into giggles. “You’re not serious, are you? Don’t tell me you’re so innocent you don’t know about a woman’s cycle?”

Realization dawned, and I laughed at myself. Of course I knew, even if I’d never experienced it so directly before. Embarrassed, I withdrew my hand.

She snorted, “Who told you to act like a saint the other day? I offered myself and you didn’t want me—now you regret it, don’t you? Serves you right!”

I could only shrug, pretending not to care, as I helped her settle on the sofa and draped her pajamas back over her. Jieqin let me fuss over her, but her gaze kept drifting to my bandaged hand.

Suddenly, she took my injured hand in hers, gently stroking it, her voice full of concern, “Does it hurt? I can see you’re unhappy—will you let me share your burden?”

Her genuine worry moved me deeply, and I held her close, stroking her cheek. I hesitated, longing to pour out my troubles, but the words caught in my throat. After all, those were memories buried deep, and I felt more shame than comfort in recalling my youthful naivete.

Though I trusted Jieqin completely, I couldn’t bring myself to confess that I’d once been infatuated with a singer, only to be humiliated by her that very night. I just couldn’t say it.

Sensing my struggle, Jieqin’s face briefly fell, but she quickly regained her smile and gently changed the subject. “See? This is your fault! I told you not to get me worked up, not to touch me, and now here I am, all hot and bothered, stuck halfway and miserable. You have to take responsibility!” With a laugh, she threw her arms around my neck and pressed herself to me once more.

I sighed, “Jieqin, give me some time. Once the pain fades, I’ll tell you everything, all right?”

She pretended not to care, nodding once, then leaned in, her lips brushing my ear. “But you have to tell me—just now, did you… get turned on?”

I grinned, “I am a normal man, after all.”

She kept teasing, “And now you can’t feel ‘normal’ at all, can you? Are you… uncomfortable?”

“What can I do? Isn’t it your ‘time of the month’?” I replied.

With a sly smile, she let her hand slide down my stomach, her voice barely more than a breath in my ear, “Well then… do you need me to take care of you… in a special way?”