"To clean you."

You're so dirty, I need to clean you.

Before Jiang Yi could fully process his words, his lips were on hers again. His tongue delved into her mouth, this time with a slow, deliberate tenderness that swept through her. She lost herself in the kiss, and by the time he pulled away, her eyes were glazed over.

Zhong Cheng remained close, his gaze dropping to her dazed expression, a tightness in his throat.

He sat back, resuming his usual aloof composure.

He tilted his chin, gesturing to his lap.

"Come here," he commanded.

"I…" Jiang Yi hesitated, afraid to move.

Zhong Cheng raised his chin, his eyes fixed on her, his expression cool but his aura demanding.

Jiang Yi closed her mouth, swallowing her unspoken words.

Slowly, she shifted closer to Zhong Cheng, her eyes nervously fixed on his lap. "S-sit…sit there?"

Zhong Cheng's gaze remained steady on her. "Yes."

Jiang Yi bit her lip, lifting herself and adjusting her position before slowly lowering herself onto his thigh. The closer she got, the more tense she became. Finally, her bvttocks made contact, a jolt of electricity shooting through her. She settled fully onto his lap.

Once seated, Jiang Yi clasped her hands in her lap, sitting stiffly with a forced composure.

Zhong Cheng deliberately bounced his thigh, watching with satisfaction as her eyes widened in alarm. She swayed, instinctively seeking support, falling against his chest, her hands gripping his shoulders.

The movement stopped, their eyes meeting.

"S-sorry!"

Jiang Yi snatched her hands back as if burned, quickly righting herself.

She had barely settled when she heard him say, "Hold me."

Like "Come here," this command was delivered with a quiet intensity that brooked no argument.

He bucked his thigh again, sending her tumbling back into his arms. "Hold me," he repeated, his face close to hers.

Blushing, Jiang Yi turned her head, slowly reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck.

She leaned her head against his chest, one ear pressed against him, the other facing outwards.

She could hear his heartbeat, strong and steady yet rapid, a stark contrast to his cool exterior.

Then, her other ear caught his voice from above.

"Closer," he said.

He meant her hips. She had sat tentatively, as far back as possible, practically perched on his knees.

Zhong Cheng's arm tightened around her, his hand on her thigh, pulling her closer.

Now she was fully nestled against him.

Holding her breath, she listened as her heartbeat synchronized with his. He held her tightly, his left hand on her waist, his right free to pick up his phone and continue whatever he had been doing.

Silence fell between them, a thick blanket of unspoken tension.

Jiang Yi didn't dare move, but the heat in her cheeks intensified, her heart racing, the skin beneath his touch burning.

She squirmed, trying to pull away.

"Don't move," he said, his voice cold.

Jiang Yi's chin wrinkled, her lips pouting in a look of a mixture of grievance and pitifulness.

She shifted again. "I…I want to get down."

Zhong Cheng tossed his phone aside, his hand seizing her restless bottom, giving it a squeeze. He leaned down, his voice low and cold. "Weren't you quite happy sitting on Qin Zezhou's lap? What, my legs aren't good enough for you?"

Surprise flared in Jiang Yi's eyes, a silent question: How do you know?

Zhong Cheng scoffed, bouncing his thigh twice, pressing her closer. "You're completely filthy."

His arms tightened around her, pulling her against him.

He says I'm filthy, but why is he holding me so tight?

Jiang Yi was enveloped by his scent, clean and cool.

She remembered his words - "to clean you" - and a sudden understanding dawned on her.

Her cheeks flushed, a warmth spreading through her. Her body went limp, melting against him.

Zhong Cheng glanced down at her, something shifting within him. His hand moved to her waist, caressing her skin.

So soft.

He couldn't stop himself, his fingers tracing the soft flesh of her waist.