85: Chapter 85 A Certain Signal

When the car drove into the downtown area of Jiangzhou City, it was already dark.

The streetlights were just coming on, and the plane trees on both sides of the street cast mottled shadows under the lights.

Zhao Yang slowed the car down and rolled down the window, letting the late autumn evening breeze rush in, carrying the distinct, lively atmosphere of the city.

Jiang Nan leaned against the passenger seat, watching the flowing lights outside the window, and suddenly said softly:

"I really didn't expect to be back so soon."

Zhao Yang turned his head to look at her and smiled, "What, not happy about it?"

Jiang Nan didn't speak, just turned her face slightly, the corners of her mouth curving up.

The car wound through several turns and finally stopped at the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection bachelor dormitory building.

Jiang Nan followed him upstairs. After entering the room, she looked around, her eyes curving into crescents as she said:

"Not bad. The room is tidied up nicely. Did you have this planned all along?"

Zhao Yang waved his hands repeatedly, "That's not it. I just couldn't bear to be apart from you, so I decided on the spur of the moment to bring you here."

He looked slightly smug, "One shouldn't lower their standards in life. I'm a person with aspirations."

"What aspirations?"

"The aspiration to marry a wife."

Jiang Nan shot him a glance, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl upward.

Just at that moment, her stomach let out a rumble.

"Hungry?" Zhao Yang asked.

"Yeah!" Jiang Nan nodded, her voice carrying a hint of coquettishness.

"Wait here, watch me show off my skills today." Zhao Yang rolled up his sleeves and walked toward the kitchen.

Jiang Nan followed, wearing a smile, and leaned against the doorway to watch him.

Zhao Yang opened the refrigerator, but it was empty, containing only a few eggs, a bunch of greens, and half a bag of dried noodles.

He turned back and gave an awkward smile, "Um... I don't really cook at home. How about we go out to eat?"

"No, I want us to cook together." Although she was opposing him, Jiang Nan's voice sounded as if it had been sprinkled with sugar.

This made Zhao Yang's heart flutter.

Cold and serious at work, sweet and soft in life.

Versatile and sweet, he really had struck gold.

Zhao Yang stared at her blankly, imagining their happy life after marriage.

Seeing him dazed, Jiang Nan walked over and took out the eggs and greens.

"You're tired from driving the whole way, let me handle it," she looked back at him, "Where's the apron?"

Zhao Yang quickly took the apron off the wall and handed it to her.

To be honest, he really wanted to see Jiang Nan's cooking skills.

Jiang Nan took the apron and tied it around herself, but couldn't reach the strings in the back halfway through.

"Help me with this."

Zhao Yang walked over and stood behind her.

They were so close that he could smell the faint fragrance in her hair.

Zhao Yang's hands paused for a moment, and his heart skipped a beat.

The warm yellow light shone on her; her profile was soft, and her eyelashes cast faint shadows under her eyelids.

When cutting vegetables, she lowered her head slightly, and a strand of hair slipped from behind her ear, hanging by her cheek.

Zhao Yang watched in a daze.

Jiang Nan noticed his gaze, turned her head to glance at him, "What are you looking at?"

"Looking at you."

Jiang Nan didn't stop working, but her earlobes turned red.

Twenty minutes later, two steaming bowls of egg noodles were served on the table.

The greens were vibrant green, the fried eggs were golden, and the noodles were chewy.

Zhao Yang picked up a chopstick full, slurping it up with great relish:

"My wife has great skills, this is delicious!"

Jiang Nan sat opposite him, eating the noodles in small bites. She looked up at him and said haughtily:

"It's not certain whose wife I'll be in the future."

Zhao Yang: "I don't care, I'm sticking with you anyway."

Jiang Nan didn't speak, the corners of her mouth curling up.

After finishing the noodles, Zhao Yang cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks and saw Jiang Nan standing on the balcony, admiring the night view outside.

He walked over and stood beside her.

The November night breeze was a bit chilly, blowing the clothes hanging on the balcony and making them sway gently.

In the distance, thousands of lights flickered like stars.

Jiang Nan hugged her arms and said softly:

"The night view of Jiangzhou City is better than Tongan."

Zhao Yang took off his jacket and draped it over her, "Come often in the future."

Jiang Nan pulled the jacket closer; it carried his scent.

The two stood on the balcony for a while, and Zhao Yang said, "You go sit for a bit, I'm going to take a shower."

After showering and coming out, he had changed into clean loungewear and said to Jiang Nan:

"You've been busy all day, go take a shower to relax."

Jiang Nan stood up, walked to the bathroom door, then suddenly turned back and pouted:

"I was tricked into coming here without thinking, and I didn't bring any change of clothes."

Zhao Yang scratched his head and chuckled:

"How about... you wear mine for now?"

Jiang Nan hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Zhao Yang went to the closet, dug out a clean set of pajamas and an unworn T-shirt, and handed them to her.

Jiang Nan took the clothes and slipped into the bathroom.

The moment the door closed, Zhao Yang suddenly felt his heart beating a bit fast.

The water was splashing, and through the door, he could faintly hear her humming.

Don't know how long it had been, the water sound stopped.

After a while, the bathroom door opened.

Jiang Nan walked out.

Zhao Yang looked up and was stunned.

His light blue cotton pajamas were far too loose for her.

The neckline was too big, sliding to one side and revealing half of her fair collarbone.

The sleeves were too long, and she had rolled them up several times, revealing a section of her slender wrists.

The pants were slightly long, making her look even more slender and tall.

With such a slender figure, yet the parts that should be ample were not small at all.

The loose pajamas couldn't hide her undulating curves; the fabric at her chest was slightly stretched, rising and falling gently with her breathing.

Her hair was still wet, draped over her shoulders, with water droplets dripping from the tips and dampening her shoulders.

Jiang Nan's face had a flush from just showering, and her eyes were wet, as if veiled in mist.

Zhao Yang felt his throat go dry.

Jiang Nan felt uncomfortable under his gaze and looked down at herself:

"What's wrong? Does it not look good?"

"It looks good," Zhao Yang's voice was a bit hoarse, "Too good."

Jiang Nan blushed again, walked to the sofa, and sat down, pretending to watch TV.

Neither of them paid any attention to what was playing on the TV.

She sat there with her legs crossed, the hem of her pajamas sliding up to the middle of her thighs, revealing a section of smooth lower legs.

She reached out to tidy her hair, her wet hair slipping through her fingers—a casual gesture that made it impossible to look away.

"Jiang Nan," Zhao Yang called her softly.

"Hmm?" She turned her head.

Zhao Yang leaned over quickly and kissed her.

Jiang Nan was stunned for a moment, then closed her eyes and reached out to wrap her arms around his neck.

His lips felt slightly cool, yet scalding hot.

She responded.

Zhao Yang tightened his arms, pulling her into his embrace.

She could feel his heart beating violently, thumping like a drum.

She was the same, her face burning incredibly hot, her mind a complete blank.

The kiss deepened, and their breathing became rapid.

His tongue tip gently pried open her lips and teeth; she trembled slightly, then responded clumsily.

Before they knew it, they had fallen onto the sofa.

Zhao Yang propped himself up above her, looking down at her.

Jiang Nan's eyes were watery, veiled in mist, and her red lips glistened with a moist sheen under the lights.

Her hair was scattered on the sofa like a blooming ink lotus.

The neckline of her pajamas had slipped open further during their entanglement.

Revealing more fair skin, as well as the soft curves just below her collarbone that were now faintly visible.

His gaze fell there, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

Jiang Nan noticed his gaze and blushed even more, but she didn't pull away, only biting her lower lip gently.

Zhao Yang lowered his head.

Kissing her forehead;

Kissing her eyes;

Kissing the tip of her nose.

Moving downward, finally landing on the side of her neck.

Her body carried the fresh scent of a post-shower clean, mixed with her own natural fragrance, making him almost lose control.

His lips pressed against the side of her neck, and he could feel her pulse, fast and rapid.

She tilted her head back slightly, a very soft sound escaping her throat.

That sound was like some sort of signal.