Chapter 45: He Has Truly Lost His Mind

Qin Yu’s hand, which had been resting on her cheek, moved to the back of her neck, gripping it roughly with one hand and yanking her closer as he bit down hard on her lower lip. Their lips pressed together, sealed tight, his breath mingling with the heavy scent of alcohol as he relentlessly stole her air.

Lin Xi’s pupils trembled violently, her mind going utterly blank; for a moment, she even forgot to resist. It was as if fireworks were exploding in her head, over and over, and all she could hear was his clear, hurried breathing by her ear.

Insane…

That was the only thought left in Lin Xi’s mind.

Qin Yu had truly lost his mind.

When she finally came to, she tried to push him away, but as soon as her hand lifted, he caught it, twisting her wrist behind her back. The movement forced her body against his, leaving her completely under his control, with no room to struggle.

The scene was picturesque, like an oil painting bursting with color—a cold, proud young woman kneeling before the altar, tilting her head back in willing surrender, offering herself devoutly to the god before her.

But there was nothing gentle in him; the atmosphere was neither tender nor ambiguous—if anything, it felt like a beast’s vengeance, tearing ruthlessly into its prey, without the slightest mercy.

His lips burned hot, as fierce as a gale, invading, not allowing her a single breath.

Every whimper she made was swallowed by the man—he was truly out of control. This was a turn of events Lin Xi had never imagined.

Her body trembled uncontrollably. Always so clear-headed, she found her reason scattered by his sudden onslaught, her heartbeat utterly out of rhythm.

A voice called from the hallway—her grandmother’s, “Xi Xi?”

Lin Xi’s eyes widened, as if waking from a dream, and she struggled violently.

“You... let go of me!” Hearing the approaching footsteps, her scalp prickled with dread as she desperately tried to dodge his kiss, her voice breaking between their lips.

He still showed no restraint. Eyes red, Lin Xi bit down on his lip, not holding back in the least. The taste of blood filled their mouths.

As he froze in surprise, Lin Xi managed to turn her head, gasping as she demanded, “Let go! Qin Yu, now!”

She glared at him, voice low and furious.

Across from her, the man’s dark eyes were cold and unreadable, betraying no emotion, as if it hadn’t been him who had just crossed the line.

Taking advantage of his distraction, Lin Xi tore herself free from his grip, stumbling as she hurried to open the door.

In the hallway, her grandmother paused when she saw Lin Xi emerge from the guest room. “You’re still in Xiao Qin’s room? I was wondering why you didn’t answer when I knocked on your door.”

“Third Brother…” Lin Xi’s breathing was unsteady. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. “He wasn’t feeling well just now, so I stayed with him a little longer.”

She angled her body away, keeping her distance, afraid her grandmother would notice anything amiss.

“Is he alright? Your grandfather, honestly—once he gets happy, he can’t control himself. He can’t hold his liquor but always insists on getting others to drink.” Her grandmother handed her a glass of milk. “Go back and drink your milk, then get some rest. Don’t worry about Xiao Qin.”

With that, her grandmother was about to check on Qin Yu.

“It’s fine, I’m not tired yet.” Lin Xi took the milk and, looping her arm through her grandmother’s, walked her downstairs. “You and Grandpa go rest. I’ll take the hangover soup to Third Brother later, so you don’t need to worry.”

After coaxing both elders back to their room, Lin Xi looked up at the stairs, then turned into the kitchen.

Leaning against the door, she slid down to the floor, exhaling heavily. The frenzied scene just now replayed in her mind in a relentless loop every time she closed her eyes.

She touched her cheek, unsurprised to find it hotter than when she’d had a fever. She scrubbed at her lips, frowning at the sight of blood on her skin. “Insane,” she muttered.

It was the first time she’d seen this side of Qin Yu.

With alcohol in his veins and her taunting words, he truly had gone mad. She’d meant to “get back” at him, but now, she’d only succeeded in dragging herself into the mess without warning.

Since adulthood, Lin Xi had never felt such deep regret. She wished she could go back ten minutes and refuse Qin Yu’s invitation to stay with him. Or slap herself the moment those words left her lips.

It wasn’t just Qin Yu who was out of his mind—she was too.

Wasn’t this simply a lunatic meeting a madman?

She even wondered if she was the one intoxicated tonight, not Qin Yu. She was usually so composed—why had she lost her head at this moment?

It really felt like being drunk, muddled, with no idea what she was doing or saying. Remembering the humiliating words she’d spoken, Lin Xi felt a tightness in her chest.

Fingers tangled in her hair, she smacked her head in frustration. Was her mind filled with water tonight?

Crouching in the kitchen, lost in self-recrimination, she didn’t know how long she stayed there—long enough for her legs to go numb. Finally, she pushed herself up with the wall.

In the guest room upstairs, Lin Xi glanced at the bowl of hangover soup in her hand, sorely tempted to dump it on the plants. The door was closed tight; just standing there, the vivid, feverish scene from before flashed before her eyes again, impossible to shake off.

In the end, she went in anyway.

The bed was empty. Her gaze instinctively drifted to the bathroom, where the light was still on. Through the frosted glass, she could hear the rush of water and make out the faint silhouette inside. Whoever was in there seemed to have noticed the movement outside, because the water abruptly stopped.

Lin Xi realized this too. She set the bowl on the nightstand and fled in panic.

She didn’t even know why she was running. By the time she came to her senses, she was already in her own room.

—

That night, even after drinking the milk, Lin Xi couldn’t sleep.

It was as if she were trapped inside an airtight balloon, suffocated by waves of anxiety and agitation. She clutched her blanket, tossing and turning, unable to find a shred of drowsiness.

She stared blankly out the window, lost in thought, until dawn finally crept in.

Her grandparents, both elderly, didn’t sleep much. Her grandfather, especially, had the habit of rising early to practice tai chi—he was usually out the door by five. Lin Xi ran into him as she came downstairs.

“Xi Xi, up so early?” he asked, assuming she was hungry. “What would you like for breakfast? I’ll bring it back for you.”

“No need, Grandpa. I… I have something urgent at work today. I need to head back.”

“That’s awfully early. Why not wait and go back with Xiao Qin?”

“Third Brother drank so much last night, I bet he’ll sleep until noon. There’s no need to wait. Besides, this is the perfect time—if I wait any longer, I’ll get stuck in traffic. You know how it is in Beijing.”

Her grandfather nodded. “That’s true. How are you getting back?”

“I called a car,” Lin Xi said, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she walked out. She smiled. “Tell Grandma I’ll come visit again this weekend.”

Returning to Beijing, Lin Xi didn’t even go home. She went straight to the office to catch up on sleep.