Shen Yi remained pinned against the door, his back pressed hard to the wooden surface as Jiang Qi stood close, his gun raised and unwavering. The space between them was filled with tension, heavy and sharp, as Jiang Qi's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Who sent you?" Jiang Qi asked, his voice calm but laced with threat.
Shen Yi didn't answer nor flinch either. He stayed still, his gaze very steady and breath even, showing no signs of fear despite the barrel of a gun aimed at his head.
Jiang Qi wasn't a patient person. His grip on Shen Yi's wrist tightened suddenly, twisting it hard enough to inflict pain. A strained look passed over Shen Yi's face, but he didn't make a sound. He simply stared back, the tension in his jaw the only sign of his discomfort.
Jiang Qi leaned in slightly. "I'll count to three. If you don't answer by then, I'll blow your brains out."
He gave no room for Shen Yi to consider—his lips moved again.
"One—"
Before the second number could leave his lips, Shen Yi moved.
With a swift motion, he brought up his free hand, his left elbow cutting through the air and slamming hard against the side of Jiang Qi's head. The strike forced Jiang Qi's head sideways, and before he could recover, Shen Yi twisted his body, lifting a leg and delivering a roundhouse kick that sent the gun flying out of Jiang Qi's hand.
Without pause, Shen Yi followed up with another kick, this one aimed directly at Jiang Qi's chest, but Jiang Qi stepped back quickly, dodging the attack. Unfortunately for him, his heel caught the edge of a mat near the door, and he stumbled, falling backward.
His back hit the floor with a dull thud, but luck favored him. The gun had landed just inches from where he fell, its black frame visible against the carpet.
Shen Yi noticed this too immediately. His eyes narrowed as he lunged forward, aiming to kick the pistol away before Jiang Qi could reach it. But his foot caught the edge of the same mat, and his balance faltered. He fell forward, and in a sudden collapse of momentum, he landed directly on top of Jiang Qi. His body was pressing down against the man, his head tucked just above Jiang Qi's shoulder.
Jiang Qi let out a low groan from the impact, the breath knocked out of him.
Shen Yi froze for a moment, the closeness unexpected. His face hovered beside Jiang Qi's neck, and he blinked as if the proximity jarred him. A flicker of something unexplainable passed through his eyes, but it was gone in an instant.
Then his gaze dropped to the side.
The gun!
Jiang Qi's hand was already gripping it. Shen Yi reached for it too, but Jiang Qi's hold was firm, his fingers refusing to loosen. Their hands clashed over the weapon, tension flaring between them again.
Jiang Qi gritted his teeth, then shifted beneath Shen Yi. Using all the strength he had, he rolled them over. Now, he was on top.
Shen Yi stared up at him, his chest rising and falling from the scuffle, his face a mixture of surprise and determination. But Jiang Qi's expression shifted.
His breath caught in his throat when his eyes fully met Shen Yi's face.
The person he'd fought off, this assassin, this stranger who had tried to kill him not once or twice, but six times—was no longer unknown.
Jiang Qi's eyes brightened as realization dawned, and suddenly, his lips curved into a quiet, breathless chuckle. Without thinking, without hesitation, he leaned down and wrapped his arms around Shen Yi, pulling him into a hug.
Shen Yi stiffened instantly, taken off guard. Weren't they fighting? What's with this sudden shiw of affection? Or was he trying to weaken him?
Shen Yi's arms moved as if to resist, but then stopped midway, hanging uncertainly. The grip on the pistol loosened from both sides, the weapon slipping from their hands and landing on the floor beside them.
Jiang Qi's continuous laugh was low and warm, and it vibrated against Shen Yi's neck. The sound and the closeness sent a tremor through Shen Yi's body, as if his nerves couldn't make sense of what was happening.
"What are you doing?" Shen Yi asked, his voice soft but laced with confusion. He placed a hand on Jiang Qi's shoulder, meaning to push him away, but Jiang Qi's arms only tightened.
"Little Black…" Jiang Qi murmured, the name escaping his lips like an old memory. Then, he buried his face deeper into Shen Yi's shoulder.
Shen Yi didn't move. He didn't respond, not immediately. His brows drew together slightly, as if unsure how to feel, yet strangely, he didn't pull away either. The warmth against his body didn't make his skin crawl like it should have. In fact, it felt oddly… comforting.
And he didn't understand why.
Silence filled the room. Time seemed to stretch, until Jiang Qi slowly lifted his head again and met Shen Yi's eyes. Their faces were close, breath mingling between them.
Jiang Qi's gaze held nothing but clarity, and a soft smile played on his lips. He lifted a hand and gently touched Shen Yi's cheek, his palm cold but careful, as though touching something precious.
"It's really you," he whispered.
Shen Yi's lips parted slightly at the touch, a flicker of emotion behind his eyes. He didn't speak or rather couldn't speak, but he didn't turn away either.
They looked at each other, caught in a moment that neither of them fully understood, until–
Knock knock.
The sound jolted through the room like a slap.
Then a voice followed.
"Boss, the wine's here," Xu Bo called from the other side of the door.
Shen Yi blinked and immediately tried to push Jiang Qi off, snapping out of the daze. But before he could move further, Jiang Qi pinned him back down again and brought a finger to Shen Yi's lips.
"Shh," Jiang Qi whispered, his index finger resting gently against them.