Chapter 156 It Is Time for a Romance

Raquel recounted her experience at the theater to April, and the mention of the human bomb still made April let out a gasp of astonishment. Everyone, including Raquel, had all along believed that the FBI had discovered the human bomb in a timely manner and successfully halted the incident; they were unaware of the specific details.

While they were talking, Qiu Fengyu came upstairs carrying a bowl of noodle soup with a few vegetable leaves floating on top. April, feeling rather famished, caught the fragrant aroma of the soup and swallowed hard.

"Let me help you!" Raquel took the bowl from Qiu Fengyu's hands and picked up a spoon to feed April.

April smiled, reached out, and took the bowl herself. "I'm not completely incapacitated yet. Give it to me, I can manage." With that, she held the bowl and, forgoing the spoon altogether, gulped down the entire serving of noodle soup in one go. She then cast a lingering look at Qiu Fengyu and licked her lips.

A napkin was handed over. April wiped her mouth and smiled, saying, "You're quite considerate."

"Did you just realize that?" Qiu Fengyu chuckled. "Get some good rest; I'm going to sleep too. Uh... Raquel, if you're tired, you can go to sleep as well. Actually... these are just superficial injuries and don't require twenty-four-hour bedside attendance. She can even get up and go to the restroom on her own."

April laughed at Qiu Fengyu for lacking human warmth. Raquel agreed with a smile, though she had no intention of sleeping in another room; she actually wanted to stay here and keep April company a bit longer.

Carrying the bowl and holding the napkin, Qiu Fengyu went back downstairs. April and Raquel exchanged a smile. Everything this fellow did seemed thoughtful and even heartwarming, making one feel all cozy inside. Yet he always managed to say something that completely ruined the mood. He truly had no knack for pleasantries or smooth talk.

However, wasn't a man like this the one who seemed more genuine, honest, and reliable?

Naturally, Qiu Fengyu had no idea what the two women were thinking. After heading downstairs, washing the soup bowl, and taking a shower, he went straight to bed. The three fellows downstairs had already retreated to their respective rooms to sleep.

The room was not very large, serving as a guest bedroom, but it was arranged quite warmly, clearly bearing the touch of a woman—evidently decorated by April's own hands. Qiu Fengyu was not particular about such things; he collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep instantly, never dwelling on complicated thoughts when it was time for rest. Within minutes, a faint sound of snoring filled the room.

In the middle of the night, he suddenly felt a warm, slippery body slide into his bed. The fragrance was familiar; having smelled it once, Qiu Fengyu would never forget it. Subconsciously, he wrapped his arms around her slender and resilient waist. The woman mounted his hips and began to ride, but Qiu Fengyu was clearly unwilling to remain merely passive. With a swift roll, he pinned the smooth body beneath him, charging forward like a warrior storming the most impregnable city gates.

Unable to suppress her surging emotions, the woman bit her lip and cried out, though the sound was somewhat muffled. Yet she was soon overwhelmed by wave after wave of intense pleasure, until she was drenched in sweat and could only pant with her mouth open, like a dying fish. She loved the sensation of being conquered by this formidable man, the feeling of dying a bone-deep death in the embrace of this male. The sensation was utterly wondrous—indescribable, yet driving her to the brink of death and back every single time.

Well, not quite every time; they had only experienced this twice in total. The first time had involved a hint of pain and lacked the sheer intensity of this occasion. Afterward, she clung to Qiu Fengyu's body like a soft-bodied creature, gently wiping the sweat from his chest with her hand, and whispered softly, "Qiu, I am not a greedy woman."

"I know. If you were, you wouldn't be here right now," Qiu Fengyu's voice was calm. "You know my principles. We are good partners."

"I know!" Ryoko Yonekura's voice carried a hint of languid sweetness. She, too, wanted to define her relationship with Qiu Fengyu strictly as a partnership, repeatedly cautioning herself not to cross the line or complicate matters. It was just that... every single time she went through this experience, her resolve seemed to crumble and turn fragile.

After sleeping a bit longer, once Qiu Fengyu had drifted off, Ryoko quietly dressed, placed a kiss on his forehead, and left barefoot. The moment the bedroom door clicked shut, Qiu Fengyu's eyes snapped open. He sat up, looked toward the doorway, and drew a deep breath.

Early the next morning, Qiu Fengyu got up. Wearing a tank top, he stepped out first, followed closely by Tim. Just as they emerged, Ryoko also came out. She was dressed in short, tight athletic wear that exposed her firm, slender waist, while the form-fitting outfit accentuated her striking curves.

"Whoa—" Tim let out an admiring whistle.

*Whack!* Qiu Fengyu delivered a swift palm strike to the back of his head. "Start running!"

Ryoko laughed behind them. The three of them began their morning run, setting off from April's house and looping around the streets for a distance of about ten kilometers. After finishing the run and doing some cool-down exercises, Qiu Fengyu began preparing breakfast. By this time, Raquel and April had woken up.

April was already able to get out of bed and walk around. Just as Qiu Fengyu had predicted, her injuries were merely superficial and posed no serious problem, though her gait was still a bit unnatural, with her left foot favoring a slight limp. Moreover, much of the swelling on her face had subsided, revealing her distinct facial contours, save for some lingering puffiness around her cheekbones and the corner of her mouth.

Overall, she looked to be in fine shape. Together with Raquel, she walked downstairs, and Qiu Fengyu called everyone to breakfast. The meal consisted of Chinese noodles, freshly made by Qiu Fengyu using the flour he found at April's place.

"This is yours." After distributing a bowl of noodles to everyone, Qiu Fengyu specially carried a bowl of clear soup noodles over and placed it before April, complete with a poached egg floating inside.

This time, April did not say thank you. She unceremoniously took the bowl of noodles and began to eat, as if all of these actions were the most natural things in the world. Throughout the meal, a smile lingered at the corners of her mouth—a smile that came straight from the heart. Perhaps Qiu Fengyu himself did not realize what kind of devastating impact such seemingly ordinary actions of his had on this young woman.

Indeed, Qiu Fengyu had always been this way. That was why, whether in Ukraine or the United States, he was remarkably popular with women. A considerate man, a fiercely capable man, a man who could cook delicious food, a man who was reasonably handsome, and a man with a near-perfect physique—if all these attributes were combined in a single man, then for him not to hold a fatal attraction for women, there could only be one explanation: he was a homosexual.

Qiu Fengyu was not a homosexual. Therefore, even when he felt he had done nothing out of the ordinary, he was already delivering a gentle blow to the hearts of women. Well, perhaps it should be called a gentle slash, striking straight at a woman's heart.

After finishing the meal, Qiu Fengyu cleaned up and turned to Raquel. "I have a request. That car... could we temporarily drive it back to Abilene? I really don't want to take the bus back again." The events that had transpired on the bus were enough to give Qiu Fengyu a headache.

He preferred to avoid trouble whenever possible, unless forced into it by circumstances. Therefore, driving back was preferable to taking a bus. As for Ryoko and the others, the car they had arrived in was a stolen vehicle, not their own, and had long since been disposed of and destroyed.

"You can go ahead and use it. I'll find an opportunity to go to Abilene and drive it back later," Raquel agreed readily. "Is there really a need to rush back so early? April's injuries haven't fully healed yet..."

"No, Raquel, I'm fine!" April shook her head with a smile. "I feel great. I just ate a whole bowl of noodles—have you ever seen someone who's still sick eat that much? My stomach feels round and full."

"This isn't funny, April. You are definitely still a patient!" Raquel insisted on her opinion.

Qiu Fengyu looked at April, then at Raquel, and shook his head. "No, her injuries will heal quickly enough, and having you here is already more than enough. Alright... damn it, Davis, stop fooling around, pack your things, we're leaving." With that, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked toward the door.

April saw them out to the doorway. The car was still parked on the lawn; Qiu Fengyu climbed into the driver's seat, followed one by one by Ryoko and the others carrying their luggage. Once the doors were closed, Qiu Fengyu rolled down the window, waved goodbye to the two women, started the engine, and slowly drove away.

"I thought you'd say something!" Raquel shook her head, gritting her teeth as she spoke to April. "I wanted to make him stay, but you acted like you couldn't wait for him to leave. Are you really just going to let things drift along with him so plainly?"

April smiled. "I understand this man. I won't force him to do anything he doesn't want to do. It's simple... things between us cannot be rushed; they must be taken step by step. Just like the Chinese cooking he talked about: simmering slowly over low heat until the final flavor turns out magnificent."

"Why didn't I hear about this theory?" Raquel asked, looking completely bewildered.

"That... is a secret!" April giggled, turned, and walked back toward the living room, calling out as she walked, "Raquel... actually, you should start a romance too. You can't just always stick with me like this; you should try to be independent, find a boyfriend, and enjoy the sweetness of love."

"No, I think this is quite nice. If you ever fall in love, just bring me along on your dates," Raquel joked with a grin. "Aren't you afraid people will think you're a lesbian?"

"If you want, I'd be very interested to give it a try. How about it?" April turned around, cast a mischievous grin at Raquel, and lunged forward with both hands to tickle her chest. A shriek escaped Raquel as she bolted upstairs, while April chuckled wickedly, giving chase with her uneven, limping stride.