Under the Cheongsam Skirt - Chapter 1- Stay

The sky darkened slowly as a Ford sedan stopped at the street corner of Zhongqing Street Alley 13. Pedestrians, rarely seeing luxury cars here, couldn’t help but glance at the car. The next moment, a man with a handsome face, wearing a pair of gold-framed glasses, got out of the car.

The man was dressed in a well-tailored suit, holding a briefcase, and his shirt cuffs were neatly buttoned at his wrists, looking refined and elite, a stark contrast to the shabby alleyway.

The car window rolled down, revealing another middle-aged man’s face. He wore a polite smile and said, “Lawyer Xu, I’ll leave this case in your hands. Thank you for your efforts.”

Xu Xing said, “No need to thank me. Just drop me off here.”

“Ah, alright.”

The middle-aged man, named Fan Jide, was a businessman. Recently, he had transported a shipment of goods to Shanghai by sea but unexpectedly had it seized by the Qingshan Society. The issue had not been resolved for a long time, so he had to find Xu Xing, hoping he could try to mediate, as Xu Xing had some influence with the Qingshan Society, thanks to some private connections.

After saying goodbye to Fan Jide, Xu Xing turned and walked into the alley.

He was handsome, and even without a smile, he didn’t appear overly aloof or unfriendly. Moreover, the twilight softened his sharp jawline, making him seem less aggressive. The residents of the alley would often glance at him, especially the young women.

Tomorrow, he was scheduled to have a meal with the captain of the criminal police team from the East Fuchu Police Station. The trial for the fight involving the eldest son of the Dragon Yang Department Store’s chairman was set to take place the day after tomorrow, and he needed to familiarize himself with the case materials…

Xu Xing walked while thinking about work. When he opened the door to his home, he realized that light was on inside.

The light bulb wasn’t very bright, and the warm yellow glow barely illuminated the area around the dining table. Looking to the left, a woman was curled up and lying sideways on a rattan bench.

She had already fallen asleep. The position she was in made her already slender waist, accentuated by the cheongsam, appear even more delicate, with her curves flowing gracefully. The skin at the slit of the cheongsam’s hem was snow-white, as if the whiteness stretched all the way up to the skirt’s hem, leaving much to the imagination.

Xu Xing froze for a moment.

He set his briefcase down, not bothering to take off his suit jacket first, and walked straight over. He bent down to pick up the blanket from the floor. However, he didn’t cover her with it.

Instead, Xu Xing casually tossed the blanket aside and couldn’t help but squat down in front of her. In this position, he leaned in to kiss her eyelid.

The slight touch made Zhao Ciqin stir a little.

She groggily opened her eyes, and before she could fully wake up, Xu Xing’s lips, carrying a refreshing scent, were already pressed against hers. His tongue gently pried open her teeth. The kiss seemed full of endless tenderness, making her heart race.

Zhao Ciqin felt dizzy and disoriented.

Then she heard Xu Xing ask, “How did you get here?”

She paused for a moment before replying, “Aunt Zhou made porridge. I couldn’t finish it by myself, and I thought you hadn’t had dinner, so I came to find you.”

Xu Xing could almost picture Zhao Ciqin coming here alone, waiting for him to return from work.

He hooked his arm around Zhao Ciqin’s shoulder and helped her sit up. “I really haven’t eaten. Stay with me for a while. Don’t rush to leave.”

Xu Xing was the kind of person who, despite seeming a bit aloof when they first met, could speak such natural words like “stay with me” once they got to know each other, making it impossible to refuse.

Zhao Ciqin hadn’t planned on leaving anyway. She sat at the other side of the dining table, watching Xu Xing eat.

The porridge was seafood porridge, a recipe Aunt Zhou had specifically learned from Hong Kong. It was fresh, fragrant, and rich. Zhao Ciqin brought it over in a thermos box when she came, and it was still slightly warm. Xu Xing ate slowly, and with every movement, there was an elegant, handsome quality to him.

After finishing the meal, Xu Xing got up to clean the dishes.

Zhao Ciqin quietly followed behind him, standing outside the narrow kitchen, watching his figure.

This was their way of interacting—few words between them, but Zhao Ciqin liked it. Even Aunt Zhou had remarked that she had been smiling more lately.

However, Xu Xing was always quick with his movements, but for some reason, today, with just one thermos box and a set of dishes, he took a long time washing them under the water, as if he was waiting for something.

Suddenly, holding the damp chopsticks in his hand, he turned around and said seriously,
“It’s raining.”

The alley had weak moonlight, so nothing was clearly visible. But if one listened carefully, the sound of water could indeed be heard.

Zhao Ciqin thought for a moment, then asked, “Should I go out and hail a cab now?”

Xu Xing replied, “Do you want to stay?”

Their voices sounded at the same time.