Chapter 21: Lord of the Sea Abyss x Researcher (21)

Ji Qingzhu had just been kissed by him for a long time, and her body felt weak as she lay in his arms.

She thought, perhaps this is not bad either.

He chose to stay by her side willingly, didn't he?

Usually, Ji Qingzhu didn't like to get too close to any one human. She instinctively kept her distance from the crowd.

But it was strange, she didn't reject Shen Rongyu. Maybe it was because he was only half-human. Well, she didn't really have much resistance in that case.

For Ji Qingzhu, not rejecting meant almost liking someone very much.

Her body relaxed, and she said, "Okay."

Shen Rongyu lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. "Jiu Jiu, I never force anyone. If you don't want to..."

He rarely sounded so firm. Most of the time, he would quietly stand there, waiting for prey to walk into his trap.

It wasn't until Ji Qingzhu agreed that he realized he might have been a bit forceful just now.

"I said yes," Ji Qingzhu repeated her words, "I'm calm."

"I don't know what love and emotions are like," she whispered, "Xiao Yu, no one has ever treated me the way you do."

"How so?" Shen Rongyu lowered his gaze, playing with her hair.

Ji Qingzhu thought that someone had pursued her before - she didn't lack suitors. She didn't need to do anything, just stand there with her face being attractive enough to draw people in.

But... Did they really understand her? Did they know what kind of person she was?

If they only liked her appearance, it was just an empty shell, not the real her.

Ji Qingzhu covered her long lashes and, as for love, she wasn't interested and didn't want to get involved.

Shen Rongyu was different. He was cunning, and every word from his mouth seemed unreliable.

Such a person seemed more difficult to be around, but Ji Qingzhu happened to like that sense of adventure.

She was used to being in control, rarely losing control. And Shen Rongyu seemed to be the source of that loss of control.

Moreover, he had such a beautiful tail, Ji Qingzhu thought.

She pondered for a long time on her own, forgetting to answer Shen Rongyu's question.

Shen Rongyu asked his question again, "Jiu Jiu, how do I feel to you?"

Ji Qingzhu tilted her head and thought for a long time before answering objectively, "You're bad."

He laughed again, a deep laughter that resonated in his chest. "Jiu Jiu, bad boys aren't popular anymore these days."

Ji Qingzhu couldn't describe the feeling. She furrowed her brows slightly, "You're a bad guy..."

"I know I'm bad, no need to repeat it," Shen Rongyu said in a generous tone.

Ji Qingzhu tilted her head for a long time. Slowly, she said, "Many people will dislike you, hate your true self... I think, perhaps except for me, no one will be able to accept you."

"Why?" Shen Rongyu paused for a moment, surprised by her answer. Ji Qingzhu had precisely touched the core of the matter.

Yes, he could deceive and deceive many people, but his heart was truly dark.

He didn't like to hear those cheesy love declarations like "No one in the world loves you, so I'm willing to love you." It was boring and childish. He didn't need love to survive. Emotions were even consumable for him.

"You don't have to choose me, I won't be sad." Ji Qingzhu opened her lips and said softly, "It's just a choice."

"It seems you haven't stepped into my trap yet," Shen Rongyu said, lowering his gaze and placing a gentle kiss on her hand.

Ji Qingzhu's fingers gently hooked, as she focused on his thin lips, and a different kind of joy rose in her heart.

Indeed, love could bring joy.

After agreeing to Shen Rongyu's request for a relationship, Ji Qingzhuo didn't feel any changes in her life.

She ended her research on Shen Rongyu, but she didn't publish the research report in a scientific journal because Shen Rongyu's identity needed to be kept secret.

Ji Qingzhuo now had more time to earn money. She took on outsourcing projects for several large companies, which paid well - of course, she hid her identity, otherwise An Kun would still be restricting her various channels of earning money.

She didn't forget about earning money to repay her loan and then returning ownership of Ye Lanhai to Shen Rongyu.

On the other hand, Shen Rongyu had other things to do. He suddenly rose to power in the political arena of the Independent City as a newcomer. Just a while ago, he was even involved in accusations from An Kun, and no one expected that the vengeful chairman of An Kun would let him go.

He had a highly charismatic personality and within a few months, he obtained a seat in the City Council.

As a demon who played with people's hearts, he was now even more in his element being involved in politics.

Of course, there were also many rumors about him in the Independent City, and a certain piece of information from the City Council's office was the most true.

"Hey, our new congressman seems to have a girlfriend..."

"Everyone knows that, okay? He announced it in various ways on his first day in office."

"It's a pity, if he were single, he could attract a large portion of female voters."

"He can still attract them even if he's not single - but that's not the point. Look, this new congressman may look elegant, but he doesn't seem to have his own house. He has been living at his girlfriend's place."

"His girlfriend is that famous chief researcher from Ye Lanhai Company. She's formidable. I didn't expect the new congressman to also be living off her."

"Well, that's also a kind of investment." In the office, the secretaress of the elite class smiled, her lips pursed. "In just a few months, he has shown such leadership, truly like a devil who bewitches people."

At this moment, inside the An Kun Group, An Kun sat at the top floor of the office building, watching the image of Shen Rongyu participating in political activities on the electronic screen.

"Damn." An Kun finally realized why Shen Rongyu let him go back then. He was very clever and knew what Shen Rongyu wanted to do.

He grabbed his electronic device, intending to call his subordinates and quickly sell off An Kun Group's industries in this Independent City. He needed to escape from here as soon as possible.

This was his last chance.

But before he could dial the phone, an unknown call came in.

An Kun answered with trembling hands.

Shen Rongyu's deep and pleasant voice came through, "Chairman An, you left in quite a hurry earlier, so I wanted to remind you."

"After you leave the boundaries of the Independent City, the bullet inside your stomach will explode."

"Don't think you can protect yourself with some device. Do you think it will be useful?"

An Kun's hand holding the electronic device trembled. He knew that he could only wait for death in this final trap.

"Why didn't you just kill me from the beginning?" An Kun asked. He felt that Shen Rongyu was torturing him, playing with him in this roundabout way, letting him taste despair in his final moments.

"Of course, it's because my girlfriend wanted me to treat you in a more civilized manner."

Shen Rongyu's cold voice came through the electronic device, "Enchanting mind, exquisite looks, a perfect collection?"

"She doesn't belong to you," Shen Rongyu said.

"If it's just her, if you want her, I can bind her and send her to you anytime." An Kun shouted at Shen Rongyu on the other end of the call.

"I really want to kill you right now," Shen Rongyu sighed softly.

"Please enjoy the remaining time." He hung up the phone.

At this moment, on Shen Rongyu's side of the electronic screen, the chat interface between him and Ji Qingzhuo was still visible.

Shen Rongyu: I'm getting off work now. Will you accompany me tonight?

Ji Qingzhuo: If it's just shopping, why don't you go by yourself? I still have an unfinished report.

Shen Rongyu: Qingzhuo, don't you know that "going on a date" is an important part of a relationship?

Ji Qingzhuo: Ah?

Ji Qingzhuo: A date?

Shen Rongyu: I'll pick you up in my car.

After chatting with Shen Rongyu, Ji Qingzhuo searched online for a long time about "what to wear on a date." In the end, she chose a lotus pink long dress with a straight silhouette that reached her ankles, cinched slightly at the waist to accentuate her figure.

Her clothes were all bought from the same store every season, with similar styles and muted colors that didn't attract much attention.

Ji Qingzhuo draped a warm knitted cardigan over herself and then stuffed various items into her large pockets. Finally, her fingers rested on the notebook she used to record Shen Rongyu's condition. The development of their relationship had been somewhat unexpected for her.

Ji Qingzhuo put the notebook in her pocket and prepared herself. She turned and opened her front door. She had intended to wait outside the courtyard for Shen Rongyu, but as soon as she stepped out, she saw him leaning against the car, waiting. She didn't know how long he had been waiting.

The car lights were glaring, so Ji Qingzhuo took out her glasses from her pocket and put them on, lowering her head.

Ji Qingzhuo got into the car, but before she could do it herself, Shen Rongyu leaned over, his tall figure covering her as he fastened her seatbelt for her.

"Thank you." Ji Qingzhuo lowered her head and said softly.

"Why are you so polite?" Shen Rongyu turned around, lightly kissing her lips before pulling back.

He really enjoyed kissing her because he knew it was the most audacious thing he could do at this stage of their relationship.

Ji Qingzhuo held onto the seatbelt, saying, "It's just basic etiquette."

"Why do you have to follow basic etiquette with me?" Shen Rongyu had both hands on the steering wheel as he backed the car out. "You're my master now, you can...do whatever you want with me."

Ji Qingzhuo's face instantly turned red, and Shen Rongyu enjoyed saying things like this. She didn't understand the deeper meaning behind these words at first, but Shen Rongyu insisted on whispering the "profound implications" of these words in her ear.

"Qingzhuo, I'm not joking." Shen Rongyu glanced at her flushed cheeks.

"Let's go out for dinner." He said, "I've booked a restaurant."

Ji Qingzhuo whispered, "You seem to be adapting to modern society better than I am."

"Isn't this how a date should be?" Shen Rongyu drove into the underwater tunnel.

As soon as they entered the tunnel, a humming sound came from outside the car window, accompanied by the buzzing of Shen Rongyu's voice.

He already looked like a responsible boyfriend: "Was work busy today? How much longer until you completely buy me and rid yourself of the responsibility?"

"I still need some time." Without An Kun's obstruction, Ji Qingzhuo was actually able to earn money quite quickly. She didn't use any shady methods, just her own abilities, so she had been busy.

"You can trust me, I will return ownership to you." Ji Qingzhuo looked at the lights ahead and said softly.

"No." Shen Rongyu said.

"Why not?" Ji Qingzhuo was confused. "We haven't broken up."

"In that case, there won't be any obligation to restrain you." Shen Rongyu's tone was playful. "Qingzhuo, you'll be able to leave me at any time."

"Don't you want to be free from this restraint?" Ji Qingzhuo still didn't quite understand.

Shen Rongyu remembered, a long time ago, he did think that way, but...

If it was Ji Qingzhuo herself who proposed it, he didn't want her to remove this restraint. It was a strange thought, even though the result would be the same.

"I don't know," Shen Rongyu rarely told the truth as he entered this unknown territory after starting this relationship. 

Ji Qingzhuo found it difficult to understand her boyfriend's thoughts. She was not the type of person who would abandon things easily. The things she used and the books she read as a child were still neatly stored in her house, let alone a living person... or maybe not even a person. 

"Get off the car." Shen Rongyu's car stopped on the second floor of the floating parking lot, and the entrance to the restaurant was just downstairs. 

He opened the car door for Ji Qingzhuo, and her hand fell into his palm. 

Shen Rongyu held her hand tightly, exerting a strong force, and Ji Qingzhuo felt a slight warmth where their skin touched. 

She didn't quite understand the thoughts of people in a relationship, and she was confused. She just scratched Shen Rongyu's palm. 

"Are you unhappy?" Ji Qingzhuo said, finally realizing when she was feeding a piece of steak into her mouth. 

"Qingzhuo, you're going to leave me," Shen Rongyu lowered his head and took a sip of his pale golden wine. 

"You..." Ji Qingzhuo felt helpless. 

He lifted Ji Qingzhuo's chin with one hand, looking at her with a gaze that carried an indeterminate expression. "I don't like being tied down." 

"That's right," Ji Qingzhuo said softly. 

"But I like being tied down by you," he added. 

Ji Qingzhuo pushed the piece of steak she had cut into his mouth. "For me, making a commitment in a relationship is a promise." 

She felt a bit helpless because her boyfriend - this rising star in the independent city who recently became a new councilor - had become quite childish. 

Shen Rongyu had an admission he was unwilling to make... It seemed like he wanted to deceive Ji Qingzhuo before, to lure her into his carefully woven trap, but now it seemed that he had fallen into the trap himself. 

In the end, he came to a conclusion that he believed Ji Qingzhuo's verbal promises were not really promises. 

"I think I prefer written agreements, with legal validity," Shen Rongyu said. 

"Well... that's a reasonable suggestion," Ji Qingzhuo spread her hands and said softly, "but currently, there are no such regulations in the independent city." 

"There will be soon," Shen Rongyu said. 

Ji Qingzhuo knew that he was about to participate in the election for the new council chairman soon. She finally understood the meaning of his previous words, "Use a more indirect... method that you can accept... to kill him." 

Many departments in the independent city were protecting Ankun due to the tempting tax incentives and certain financial transactions he had created over the years. Shen Rongyu planned to use the city's laws to punish him - Ankun's actions over the years were enough to warrant a death sentence. 

To prevent him from actually making ridiculous regulations like "You must be responsible for your lover when in a relationship," Ji Qingzhuo surrendered, "I won't return it for now, and I'll give it back to you when you need it. Is that okay?" 

"You don't need to give it back to me," Shen Rongyu said. 

"I've told you before that you're a bad guy," Ji Qingzhuo replied. 

Shen Rongyu shook the glass in his hand and smiled softly. 

After Ji Qingzhuo left the restaurant with him, Shen Rongyu bought her a balloon on the first floor of the mall. He made it himself, twisting a long balloon into the shape of a dragon... or maybe not quite like a dragon, more like a twisted snake. 

She took the little dragon from him, and Shen Rongyu said, "It doesn't look like me." 

"Yes, your tail is much better looking," Ji Qingzhuo never hesitated to praise his dragon tail. 

"If you like it, I can let you touch it tonight," Shen Rongyu said. 

"The last time I touched it, you wrapped it around me for a long time," Ji Qingzhuo tugged on the string attached to the balloon dragon. 

"I've already told you, it's a normal physiological reaction," Shen Rongyu's answer was straightforward. 

"You're bad," Ji Qingzhuo repeated her evaluation of him. 

Shen Rongyu reached out and hugged her waist, pulling her close to him. "You knew it from the beginning."

Actually, Ji Qingzhuo felt a bit embarrassed to be so intimate in public, but she later noticed that other couples passing by were also being intimate. So she took a deep breath and accepted the close proximity between them in front of others.

On the way back, Ji Qingzhuo sat in Shen Rongyu's car, with the balloon dragon placed on the back seat. It floated up and touched the car roof.

As they left the undersea tunnel and drove on the empty wide lane, Shen Rongyu looked towards Ji Qingzhuo's house in the distance and suddenly remembered something funny.

"There's a rumor going around the office," Shen Rongyu suddenly chuckled softly.

Ji Qingzhuo was lost in thought, but she was still listening to Shen Rongyu. So she subconsciously responded, "What rumor?"

"They say I'm living off you, that I don't even have my own house and am living in yours. They say you, being the smartest person in the independent city, chose me as an investment," Shen Rongyu shared the rumor.

Ji Qingzhuo took three minutes to contemplate the meaning of this sentence, and finally said, "Regarding the living off part... I admit they have a point, but... it's not an investment for me."

"What is it then?" Shen Rongyu held her hand and they got out of the car.

"I don't know..." Ji Qingzhuo finally admitted her lack of understanding in this area. "I don't really understand human emotions. All I can say is, I don't dislike you."

"If you don't dislike me, do you like me?" Shen Rongyu suddenly asked softly.

His tone was different from usual, without the usual confidence and seductiveness. Shen Rongyu finally admitted that he was anxious because of the unknown answer.

They stood in the dimly lit courtyard of Ji Qingzhuo's house, and in the darkness, Ji Qingzhuo tilted her head, feeling the strands of hair falling on her forehead. She noticed that Shen Rongyu's tone was different, so she was seriously thinking about it.

After a long while, she spoke softly, "Xiaoyu, if not disliking is equivalent to liking, then I like you very much."

They had already been so intimate with each other, and she didn't feel any resistance. In fact, with each interaction, she could feel a previously unknown... and unnecessary emotion, making her feel pleasant and happy. Feeling his body gently touching hers, his kisses landing on her lips one after another, each one filled her with joy and made her heartbeat faster.

Shen Rongyu didn't say anything else because he knew he had fallen into the trap he had originally prepared for Ji Qingzhuo.

He heard his own uncontrollable, increasingly fast heartbeat.

In the darkness, he leaned towards Ji Qingzhuo, effortlessly picking her up. Ji Qingzhuo softly exclaimed as she landed in his arms.

She was cradled in his arms, almost lifted entirely off the ground, her feet losing balance.

Subconsciously, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and she could feel the raised scale contours around his waist.

Shen Rongyu tilted his head, his lips against her ear, and in a seductive tone, he whispered, "Do you like this tail?"

"Tonight, I'll let you touch it to your heart's content," he said.

Ji Qingzhuo rested her chin on his shoulder. At this moment, she felt like prey carried back to its nest by a fierce beast.

She held onto his waist and softly murmured, her cheeks already blushing.