After Breaking Up, I Shared an Apartment With My Best Friend and Her Boyfriend (H) - Chapter 25: Heavy Panting Sounds

Chapter 25: Heavy Panting Sounds

Xu Yanqi had thought that when Chen Qiao’s lips came close, they would ignite his soul, and he would meet her in a passionate embrace.

But when that gentle sensation brushed over him like a spring breeze, their breaths mingling in that moment, Xu Yanqi instinctively turned his head away.

What he didn’t expect was that as he turned aside, Chen Qiao’s approaching lips weren’t aiming for his. Instead, she lowered her head slightly and stopped at his left collarbone, landing on the fine fabric of his suit.

He watched as she delicately extended her tongue, lightly touching the spot, and deliberately rolled a breadcrumb—stuck there somehow—into her mouth.

Xu Yanqi’s reflexive dodge made Chen Qiao lift her eyes slowly to meet his. In that instant, the stars in their gazes collided.

A subtle tension filled the air.

“You knocked. Is something up?”

Chen Qiao stepped back, her hand resting on the doorframe as she asked him.

Xu Yanqi watched her retreat and cleared his throat awkwardly. “I wanted to say I spoke out of turn earlier.”

Chen Qiao shook her head. “No, it’s fine. If there’s nothing else, I’m going to sleep.”

She finished speaking and closed the door without waiting for his reply.

Xu Yanqi stood outside. He looked at the shut door, adjusted his breathing slightly, and walked away.

He didn’t know why he had instinctively turned his head from Chen Qiao.

After all, he had already shot his c0ck off in her shorts.

And yet, though Chen Qiao hadn’t intended to kiss him, he had misjudged it as her trying to make a move.

That evening, Xu Yanqi came home early from work. To be precise, before his usual quitting time, he finished his tasks ahead of schedule and returned.

Chen Qiao hadn’t left yet. Her shoes sat by the door.

After Xu Yanqi prepared dinner, Chen Qiao emerged from her bedroom, makeup done. He greeted her主动ly.

“Want some dinner?”

Chen Qiao shook her head and replied politely, “No, I have to head to work early today. There’s stuff to do.”

She treated him as usual—gentle, her words and actions perfectly courteous.

She was like a tame little lamb.

Or perhaps, to Chen Qiao, the morning’s events either never happened or were easily forgotten.

The next morning, Chen Qiao returned right on time. After removing her makeup in her room, she grabbed her pajamas to wash up in the bathroom. But she found the door shut tight, with heavy panting sounds coming from inside.

When Xu Yanqi finally finished jerking off and stepped out of the bathroom, wiping his damp hair with a towel, Chen Qiao stood outside waiting.

“You…”

Xu Yanqi’s hand paused mid-wipe. Normally, he was steady as a rock, but in that moment, caught in this atmosphere, he felt suffocated.

It was Chen Qiao standing before him. Her clear, bright eyes looked at him, saying more without words.

“Have you been waiting long?”

Xu Yanqi asked her.

“Not really, just a bit.”

Chen Qiao shook her head. As she spoke, she let down her hair, which had been tied up after removing her makeup, right in front of him.

She did it naturally. Xu Yanqi watched her glossy black hair fall cleanly over her slim shoulders. Her delicate nose and rosy lips stood out more, framing a fairly captivating face.

“I’m going in.”

Chen Qiao said it, brushed past him, and pushed the door open to enter.

As they passed each other, Xu Yanqi distinctly felt a fleeting shiver when her slightly curled fingertips grazed the outside of his thigh.

Later, Chen Qiao washed up as usual and returned to her room.

She slept from morning until afternoon. After waking up, she ordered takeout and video-called Wen Sui. Wen Sui talked about her work, saying she had joined the core teams for several top-tier singers’ concerts. Her schedule was packed, her pay kept rising, and her social media followers were growing too.

She spoke with enthusiasm, and Chen Qiao listened attentively.

Then she mentioned Xu Yanqi. Wen Sui said they were still in a cold war. She swore to Chen Qiao that this time she wouldn’t back down.

Chen Qiao asked why they fought. It turned out a colleague Wen Sui rehearsed with out of town had quit her high-paying job to go home and make videos as a content creator.

Wen Sui said she couldn’t limit herself to a screen—she always aimed for bigger stages. Xu Yanqi had commented on it.

“They’re all dreams under the spotlight. I don’t think there’s a difference.”

Wen Sui felt their values clashed. Their perspectives never aligned, always leading to conflict.

And he never compromised for her.

At that point, Chen Qiao didn’t know what to say. She just asked Wen Sui when she’d be back.

Wen Sui said she might return next week for her father’s birthday.

Chen Qiao was grabbing a mineral water from the fridge then. She set her phone on the dining table on speaker, sipping water as she talked to Wen Sui.

“Cool. When you’re back, I might head to my hometown too. A friend’s getting married.”

After she spoke, Xu Yanqi unexpectedly returned. He opened the door and stepped in, catching her words.

Chen Qiao took her half-drunk water bottle and headed to her bedroom. She chatted with Wen Sui a bit more before hanging up.

Just as she was about to close her door, Xu Yanqi walked up and raised a hand to hold it open.

“Chen Qiao, I want to talk.”