Teasing the Icy President - Chapter 19 - Heartbeat

The journey was silent, and Mu Qingtian’s drowsiness crept in, leading her to fall asleep gradually. Her head naturally leaned against Ye Ziqian’s shoulder. Initially, Ye Ziqian wanted to move her head away, but for some reason, his mind said one thing while his hands did another. He thought, “Let her lean; after all, she shielded me from the flowerpot.” This thought kept resurfacing, disturbing his peace.

It felt like he owed her something, a feeling he found quite annoying. He scoffed quietly, then settled back into calmness. Mu Qingtian remained unaware, continuing to sleep peacefully. Ye Ziqian couldn’t resist glancing at her; her eyelashes were long, though usually hidden by her single eyelids. The car was dark, with occasional flashes of light from outside, creating a dreamy atmosphere.

Her full chest appeared particularly enticing at this moment, stirring a physiological reaction in him. Realizing his lapse, he muttered, “Damn it,” clearing his mind slightly, feeling somewhat better.

Once home, he had to carry her upstairs again. Mu Qingtian was deep in her dreamland, oblivious to her surroundings. Carrying her up, he thought about her weight-she definitely needed to lose some kilos. Unconsciously, he dropped her onto the bed, only realizing afterward about her arm.

“Ouch…” Mu Qingtian murmured softly, then drifted back to sleep. Fortunately, he hadn’t touched her injured arm. Ye Ziqian sighed in relief, thinking she might have screamed like a pig if he had woken her.

Sitting by the bed, he caught his breath, drank a glass of water, and set it down. Suddenly, he felt a wave of loneliness, gazing out the window at the myriad lights. He imagined couples laughing, spouses supporting each other, a warmth he felt he would never understand.

Yet, there was a pig sleeping on his bed. Mu Qingtian turned over, muttering, “Uncle, idiot.” He was furious, glaring at the sleeping Mu Qingtian, ready to lash out. Then she murmured, “Why didn’t you dodge the flowerpot?” His anger dissipated instantly. He paused, realizing she seemed to care about him. A faint smile appeared on his lips, so subtle even he didn’t notice it.

Unconsciously, he lay beside her, observing her. Mu Qingtian’s skin was surprisingly good, fresh and lovely. Despite being chubby, her skin was so nice-how had he not noticed before? Ye Ziqian wondered if his hormones were acting up, causing these feelings. He couldn’t understand it, so he chose not to.

Yet, he felt a strange heat, an inexplicable restlessness. He thought he was losing his mind, even his tastes seemed to change, making him angry at himself. As he got up from the bed, Mu Qingtian’s leg hooked onto him, murmuring, “Chicken wing, don’t run, don’t run.”

When did he become a chicken wing? Ye Ziqian looked at Mu Qingtian with disdain-she was a complete foodie. He pushed her away, thinking if he shared a bed with her, she’d probably eat him like a chicken wing.

Frustrated, he sat up and lay back down repeatedly, unable to sleep. He watched the little fatty beside him sleep soundly. Several times, he wanted to kick her off the bed but restrained himself. “I endure,” he thought, slowly closing his eyes in exhaustion.

Mu Qingtian slept for a long time until her stomach growled, waking her. She rubbed her eyes, surprised to find a man beside her. She almost screamed but quickly covered her mouth upon realizing it was Ye Ziqian, her stomach still growling.

She got up slowly, unsure why she was in his bed. Her clothes were intact, unlike his, who was only in his underwear. She frowned, thinking he was a self-absorbed egotist, always exposing himself in front of her. She cursed him quietly, only audible to herself, then carefully got out of bed, despite the inconvenience.

Outside the window, the sky was still gray, nearing dawn, she thought. She was starving, having skipped dinner the previous night. Now was the time to find something to eat while he slept. Excited by the thought of food, she forgot about Ye Ziqian.

She went downstairs to the kitchen, finding it empty. She took some food from the fridge and sat at a small table near the window. Her right hand was inconvenient, but after some effort, she managed to bring over what she wanted to eat and sat down to enjoy her meal.

“What is this?” She looked at a cylindrical object with a button. It looked peculiar, and she couldn’t resist pressing the button. Soft music flowed from it, a saxophone piece titled “Jasmine¹.”

The music was beautiful, captivating her. When the music ended, she pressed again, and Shan Seling’s “Testing Your Tenderness²” played. The sound of waves crashing against rocks, the raspy male voice, the beautiful trembling female voice deeply moved and attracted her, making her pause her meal to listen quietly. Such music always brought sadness.

Her mind searched for the men in her life, and suddenly a face appeared-uncle? Odd uncle? She paused, shaking her head. How could this be? Why was she thinking of him? She must be losing her mind. She bit into her bread forcefully, pressing the button to stop the music, switching to a waltz.

Good music, but it had nothing to do with her, just like beautiful love had nothing to do with her.

Mu Qingtian smiled bitterly, shaking her head, deciding to turn off the music altogether. She quickly ate her meal and cleaned the house, despite her injured hand. She couldn’t change her habits or neglect her work.

Though Mu Qingtian was a bit foolish, she was diligent, taking responsibility seriously. Her right arm occasionally ached, but she continued cleaning, thinking excitedly about money. “Come into my pocket,” she thought, happier than eating chicken wings.

Ye Ziqian woke with a headache, his stomach empty, indicating his gastric issues were acting up again. It always happened when he didn’t eat enough. He got up to find medicine and water, realizing the person beside him was gone. He shouted, “Mu Qingtian-”

“Here-” Mu Qingtian responded loudly from downstairs. Ye Ziqian leaned over the railing to look at her, saying, “Why are you shouting like a pig? Can’t you lower your voice?”

Seriously, you call me, I respond, if I’m quiet you complain you can’t hear, if I’m loud you say I’m shouting like a pig? Mu Qingtian gestured wildly below, but when Ye Ziqian looked at her, she quickly returned to normal, smiling broadly, “Hey, uncle.”

“Don’t call me uncle-” Ye Ziqian threw back, disappearing upstairs again. He drank the glass of water, dressed, and came downstairs, seeing Lu Zizhong and Mu Qingtian whispering. They returned to normal upon seeing him.

He paused, glaring at Mu Qingtian, asking, “What did you say?”

Mu Qingtian giggled, “When will you raise my salary?”

Seeing his confused expression, she quickly added, “I got up at four today to clean. Can you return the two thousand you took from me?”

“When did I take your two thousand?” Ye Ziqian sat at the table, looking like a rogue in Mu Qingtian’s eyes.

Mu Qingtian gritted her teeth, about to speak, when Ye Ziqian said, “You mean the two thousand I deducted? Depends on my mood.” He picked up a piece of bread with jam, eating slowly.

“Your mood is like the weather, unpredictable. How would I know? When will you give it to me?” Ye Ziqian found her troublesome, pointing casually, “Clean all the glass in the house this morning, and I’ll give it to you.” Then added, “Two thousand, paid daily.”

“Really?” Mu Qingtian’s heart almost leaped with joy. Lu Zizhong, however, looked worried, frowning, “There must be at least a hundred pieces of glass. Can you finish it?”

Mu Qingtian was initially happy, but hearing this, she was speechless, black lines appearing on her face… “This… this is too much…”

“If you want money, work hard.” Ye Ziqian said expressionlessly, wiping his mouth with a napkin and leaving gracefully. Before leaving, he turned back, “No one is allowed to help.”

Lu Zizhong glanced at Mu Qingtian, who was dumbfounded, and silently mourned for her before following Ye Ziqian out. Mu Qingtian was left standing there, pitifully dazed.

After a while, Mu Qingtian snapped back, looking at the empty house, shouting, “Forget the two thousand!” She sat at the table in frustration, grabbing a plate full of bread and began eating, stuffing her mouth.

At that moment, Ye Ziqian suddenly appeared. She was drinking milk, not expecting her boss to show up. Ye Ziqian initially wanted to tell her she didn’t need to go to the office for now, but seeing Mu Qingtian eating voraciously, he was stunned. “Pfft…” Milk, cream, and bread splattered onto Ye Ziqian’s face and shirt.

Both were stunned, eyes locked, neither speaking.

The next moment, Ye Ziqian’s voice echoed throughout the house, “Mu-Qingtian!”

Mu Qingtian bolted for the door but stopped, returning with a sheepish smile, grabbing a napkin to wipe his face, “Boss, uncle, handsome, hehe, sorry about that.” Apologizing while wiping.

Ye Ziqian was about to explode, his face dark enough to scare Mu Qingtian. Knowing she was at fault, Ye Ziqian pushed her away, heading towards the bathroom, the sound of water rushing.

Mu Qingtian glanced at Lu Zizhong by the door. Lu Zizhong was secretly relieved he was just following the boss; otherwise, he’d be the one in the bathroom now.

Seeing Mu Qingtian’s guilty expression, he shrugged, “Little girl, you’re really in trouble this time.”

Mu Qingtian frowned, thinking of a place to hide. Where should she go? Right, I’ll go find Nie Shuangshuang. Yes, go find her.

Footnote:

1. Jasmine(茉莉花):In Chinese culture, jasmine flowers are often associated with purity, elegance, and beauty. The name “茉莉花” also refers to a famous traditional Chinese folk song, which is widely recognized both within China and internationally.
2. Testing Your Tenderness(试探你的温柔):A song by Shan Seling (单色凌), a Chinese singer known for her emotionally evocative and soothing music. The song explores themes of vulnerability, tenderness, and emotional connection, resonating deeply with listeners.