43: Chapter 43 without

With everything settled at home, Jiang Chen prepared to return to school.

For the past two days, that little vixen Su Wanqing had been pestering him on WeChat every day about when he would return.

She even sent voice messages saying something about the drain at home being a bit clogged and needing to be cleared.

The hints between the lines were practically overflowing; Jiang Chen saw through her little schemes clearly and could not help but chuckle at the screen every time.

He knew that this Teacher Su, who was usually dignified and aloof on the podium, had begun to crave the taste of intimacy.

After packing his bags, Jiang Chen took out his phone and dialed Wang Hao's number.

As soon as the call connected, Wang Hao's impatient shouting came through.

"Chenzi! You're finally done! If you didn't leave soon, I would have had to take the bus back to school myself! I'm about to grow mold from staying at home!"

Jiang Chen chuckled, his tone relaxed: "All set. I'm coming to pick you up now, and we'll head straight back to Jiangcheng."

"No problem! I'll wait for you at the usual spot. I get to ride in your luxury car back to school again!"

Wang Hao was so excited he almost jumped, agreeing immediately.

After hanging up, Jiang Chen did a final check of his parents' new home; the utilities, appliances, and daily necessities were all perfectly arranged.

Jiang Jianjun hugged those two bottles of 1980s Moutai, grinning from ear to ear, repeatedly urging him to take care of himself while away and not to work too hard.

Liu Mei, on the other hand, stuffed his car full of cured meat, pickles, fresh fruit, and all sorts of local specialties, as if she wanted to move the entire house into his car.

"Dad, Mom, I'm leaving. Take care of yourselves, and call me anytime if you need anything."

Jiang Chen hugged his parents, then turned and sat in the driver's seat of the panamera.

The engine roared softly, and the car slowly drove away from the new residential complex.

Looking at his parents standing at the door through the rearview mirror, Jiang Chen felt a wave of warmth in his heart.

Now that his parents could enjoy their later years without worry about food or clothing, he could finally start his own life without any burdens.

After picking up Wang Hao, the panamera smoothly drove out of Qingxi County and merged onto the highway back to Jiangcheng.

The sky outside shifted from the bright daylight into a deep, dark twilight; the streetlights along the way were stretched into streams of flowing light by the car's speed, winding forward on the pitch-black road.

Jiang Chen rested one hand on the steering wheel, his knuckles distinct; soft, relaxing music played in the car, making the cabin quiet and cozy.

Wang Hao sat in the passenger seat; at first, he was excitedly chatting about everything and anything, gossiping about the latest news at school, but after a while, he could not resist the drowsiness.

His head tilted to one side from time to time, dozing off, while he mumbled about playing games with his roommates to rank up when he got back; he looked quite adorable.

Jiang Chen slowed down, making the car ride even smoother.

The journey was smooth and unimpeded; by the time the panamera entered the Jiangcheng area, it was already past nine at night.

Jiangcheng at night was brilliantly lit, with the neon lights of skyscrapers outlining the bustling contours of the city.

The area around the campus was even more lively, with university students in small groups moving in and out of snack streets, milk tea shops, and convenience stores; laughter and chatter rose and fell, full of vibrant youthful energy.

Jiang Chen drove straight to the boys' dormitory building and killed the engine steadily.

Wang Hao rubbed his sleepy eyes as he got out of the car, picked up his backpack, and turned back to wink at Jiang Chen with an expression of knowing complicity.

"Well, I'm going up first. See you in class tomorrow! By the way, you... take care of yourself tonight!"

Saying this, he did not wait for Jiang Chen to respond, chuckled, and dashed into the dormitory building, disappearing into the stairwell.

Jiang Chen shook his head helplessly, restarted the car, hit the gas, and sped off towards the apartment where Su Wanqing lived.

His phone screen lit up; the WeChat message from Su Wanqing was still on the screen, her tone soft and alluring.

"Where are you? I've been waiting for you for so long."

"If you don't come to clear the drain, I won't be able to sleep tonight."

At the end, there was a pitiful, teary-eyed kitten emoji.

Jiang Chen tapped his fingertip on the screen and replied with two words: "Coming now."

These two simple words made Su Wanqing's heart beat faster on the other end of WeChat, and a faint blush spread across her cheeks.

Half an hour later, the panamera stopped steadily downstairs at the apartment building.

Jiang Chen pushed the door open and got out; the night air was slightly cool, and the gentle evening breeze brushed against his cheeks, sweeping away the fatigue of the journey.

He looked up at the familiar high-rise residential building and instantly locked onto Su Wanqing's window, which was glowing with warm yellow light.

The elevator ascended steadily and arrived at the target floor with a ding.

As soon as he reached the door, before he could even raise his hand to knock, the door was gently pulled open a crack.

Su Wanqing stood behind the door, wearing a loose, thin, beige silk loungewear dress, her long hair loosely tied behind her head.

A few soft strands of hair hung by her neck, making her skin look delicate and glowing white under the warm light, like warm, moist white jade.

Her eyes held unconcealable smiles and anticipation, as well as a bit of longing from not seeing him for a few days; the moment she saw Jiang Chen, her whole demeanor softened; her usual aloof, intellectual air vanished, leaving only pure tenderness.

"You're finally here."

She spoke, her voice soft, carrying a hint of coquettish laziness, like a feather brushing against his heart.

Jiang Chen closed the door behind him, his fingertips clicking the lock shut.

Before she could say anything else, he leaned down, extended his arms, and firmly wrapped them around her slender waist, pulling her gently into his embrace.

Su Wanqing let out a soft cry, subconsciously raising her arms to wrap them around his neck; her cheeks instantly flushed slightly, and her heart beat so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest.

After not seeing each other for a few days, the long-accumulated longing, like a spring compressed to its limit, erupted completely at this moment, surging and passionate.

The room was dimly lit with warm light, the illumination soft and just right; the air was filled with the faint scent of gardenia aromatherapy, fresh and alluring.

Outside the window was the dazzling night view of Jiangcheng, with traffic and neon lights flickering; inside the window, however, was a private world belonging only to the two of them—quiet, warm, and filled with an ambiguous atmosphere.

Jiang Chen lowered his head, his nose gently brushing against her smooth forehead, his voice deep and magnetic, carrying a hint of teasing amusement: "Where is it clogged? Let me help you clear it."

Su Wanqing's cheeks flushed red, as if her little scheme had been exposed; she raised her hand and gently punched his chest, her eyes darting, looking intoxicatingly charming, both shy and coquettish.

"Smart aleck... you're the only one who teases me."

Before she could finish, her lips were gently sealed by Jiang Chen as he leaned down.

The passion of their reunion was instantly ignited in the small space, becoming unstoppable.

In class, Su Wanqing was usually cold, intellectual, dignified, and elegant—the Teacher Su whom students revered, the goddess who was unreachable in the eyes of many.

But right now, in front of Jiang Chen, she completely shed all disguises and defenses, soft like a pool of spring water, yet filled with undisguised passion and attachment, showing her truest self to him without reservation.

Clothes scattered on the floor, the warm light gently outlining their clear silhouettes, the ambiguous atmosphere flowing slowly in the air.

"Don't rush, let me put on some gear!"

"It's fine, you don't have to wear it tonight! I'll take medicine tomorrow!"

Breaths intertwined, heartbeats synchronized; the noise of the city outside the window was completely blocked out; the whole world seemed to be left with only each other, only the scorching temperature and genuine love.

All night long, the light in the apartment did not turn off.