His Addiction - Chapter 44

Xu Zhi didn’t understand. “What?”

“I’m not leaving tonight,” Liang Jinmo walked over and sat down on the other end of the sofa. “I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Xu Zhi stared at him, bewildered. “Why?”

Tears still clung to her lashes, shimmering in the light. Liang Jinmo’s hand clenched slightly. How could he leave her like this?

He said, “I can’t discuss work now anyway. Zhou He is drunk.”

Xu Zhi thought it wasn’t a valid reason to stay, but…

He had found this place for her. She couldn’t just kick him out.

He would sleep on the sofa, and she would sleep in the bedroom. It was similar to the arrangement at the hotel suite, nothing to be awkward about, but it felt subtly different.

Liang Jinmo gestured towards the paper bag on the coffee table. “I bought some takeout on my way out of the city. I haven’t tried it. There’s a microwave here. You should eat something.”

He guessed she hadn’t eaten anything because of all the drama with Chen Jing.

The kitchen and living room were open plan. Xu Zhi took the takeout container and went to heat it up, her chaotic thoughts slowly settling.

With Liang Jinmo here, she no longer felt like crying. And…

The feeling of being abandoned had also disappeared.

Having another person in the room made all the difference.

The microwave beeped. Xu Zhi opened the door and reached inside absentmindedly.

“Careful!” Liang Jinmo stood up and hurried over, but it was too late.

Xu Zhi’s fingers brushed against the hot plastic container and quickly recoiled. She gasped, almost screaming in pain.

Liang Jinmo frowned, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the sink, running cold water over her reddened fingers.

The cold water soothed the burning pain. After a moment, Xu Zhi realized how intimate their position was.

He was standing behind her, his right hand holding hers under the running water, his left arm reaching around her to adjust the flow.

She was enveloped in his embrace, so small in comparison.

She immediately tensed, memories of that drunken night flooding back.

All other thoughts vanished. She remembered how she had been unable to sleep after returning that night, how she had had a dream…

A dream in which she was on the sofa, with Liang Jinmo on top of her, and this time, he had kissed her…

She hadn’t dared to revisit that embarrassing dream in the past few days. She had never realized she had such hidden desires.

Her heart pounded, and she couldn’t even feel the pain in her fingers anymore. All her attention was focused on where he was touching her—

His hand holding hers, the fabric of his clothes brushing against her skin, his chest almost pressed against her back.

She could smell his cool, woody scent, mixed with the faint smell of tobacco.

It was a scent that made her heart race.

“Does it still hurt?” he suddenly asked.

His deep, magnetic voice was so close to her ear. Xu Zhi’s cheeks flushed. She mumbled, “It’s… okay.”

But Liang Jinmo didn’t let go of her hand.

The water was still running.

She heard him say, “You should be more careful.”

She could feel the slight vibrations of his chest as he spoke.

She didn’t respond, instinctively shrinking back, only to press herself closer against him.

She had nowhere to go. She should tell him to let go.

But she didn’t. Her mind was blank, unable to think.

He suddenly asked, “Do you still want to be with Liang Mushi?”

The question didn’t require any thought. She shook her head. “No way.”

He turned off the water with his left hand.

Silence fell in the room. His grip on her hand tightened slightly. He asked again, “Then are you considering anyone else?”

Xu Zhi felt her right hand burning where he was touching it. She didn’t know how to answer.

Her heart was pounding, as if it would jump out of her chest.

Just as she was about to reach her breaking point, the sudden ringing of her phone broke the silence.

Liang Jinmo released her hand and stepped back.

Xu Zhi felt that familiar pang of disappointment. She froze for a moment before realizing it was her phone ringing.

She hurried to the sofa, grabbed her bag, and retrieved her phone.

It was Xu He Ping.

The call brought her back to the harsh reality. She knew what her father wanted to ask: whether she had made any progress with Liang Mushi.

Not only had there been no progress, but their relationship had deteriorated to an unprecedented level.

She didn’t answer, silencing the phone.

Looking back, she saw Liang Jinmo had brought the takeout container and placed it on the coffee table. Seeing that she wasn’t going to answer the call, he said, “Eat something first.”

There was only one portion. He hadn’t expected to see her when he came back.

The plastic container had two compartments. Xu Zhi divided the food into two portions, pushing one towards him. “Let’s eat together.”

Liang Jinmo didn’t refuse.

They sat on the sofa, sharing the takeout meal.

They ate in silence. Xu Zhi’s anxiety from the afternoon gradually subsided.

After they finished eating and cleaned up, it was late. Xu Zhi took her toiletries from her bag, preparing to wash up, when she remembered something.

Liang Mushi still had her luggage from school. He had promised to return it to her.

She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her eyes were swollen again.

Liang Mushi used to be her source of comfort, but now he only made her cry.

Their friendship seemed to have truly reached its end.

But now, calmer, she felt grateful that she had met Liang Jinmo at this time, at least she wasn’t completely alone.

After washing her face, she said goodnight to Liang Jinmo and went to the bedroom.

Closing the door, she changed into her pajamas and got into bed, pulling up the covers, when she remembered something.

Liang Jinmo was sleeping on the sofa. He didn’t have a blanket…

She hesitated for a few minutes, then got out of bed, opened the door, and went to the living room. Liang Jinmo had also finished washing up and was about to lie down on the sofa.

The sofa was small, only about 1.5 meters long. She estimated Liang Jinmo was over 1.8 meters tall. It would be uncomfortable for him to sleep there.

She suggested, “Why don’t you sleep on the bed? I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Liang Jinmo was about to cover himself with his trench coat. “It’s not necessary.”

“It is. Because…” Xu Zhi gestured at the sofa. “You’re longer.”

Liang Jinmo froze, looking at her, his expression complicated.