Marry by Relying on Favor: Chapter 17 - Hold Her Hand
Chapter 17: Hold Her Hand
He called her so affectionately on the phone that He Qingchi’s ears turned red. Her gaze dropped to the rose on the coffee table—its petals layered thick and delicate, glistening with freshness. She reached out to gently touch it, her fingertips glowing with a soft pink hue in its reflection.
She really liked it, though her tone carried a trace of restraint: “Thank you for the rose.”
Wen Shuchen’s usually calm and reserved voice held a smile: “I was originally going to have my secretary deliver it, but I was worried it might make you uncomfortable.”
He hadn’t forgotten that He Qingchi didn’t want anyone on set to know about their relationship. His thoughtfulness showed in every detail, and he took this chance to explain that having the flower shop deliver it wasn’t a perfunctory gesture.
It was—a sincere pursuit.
He Qingchi took in his words, her emotions growing more complicated.
She gently caressed a petal with her pale fingertips, her lips moving slightly. She wanted to ask to see him but didn’t know how to bring it up, so instead, she asked softly, “Have you eaten dinner yet?”
“Not yet,” Wen Shuchen replied, reporting his day to her. “I just got back to the hotel after a bidding meeting this afternoon.”
Hearing he hadn’t eaten, He Qingchi naturally followed up: “I don’t have any night scenes to shoot tonight…”
“I’ll have my secretary pick you up.”
Wen Shuchen gently completed the thought she hadn’t finished, not letting her be the one to do the asking.
He Qingchi, instead, felt relieved, and quietly said, “Okay.”
After hanging up, she held the phone for a long while, feeling like it was burning in her hand.
She wasn’t sure if it was the slight dampness of her palm—or the rising heat in her chest.
He Qingchi sat quietly on the sofa for a while before getting up to wash her face with cold water in the bathroom.
Lifting her head, she looked at her pale face in the mirror. Due to the early morning filming schedule, there were faint shadows under her beautiful eyes.
She frowned and reached for her makeup bag to do a light touch-up.
She didn’t go out of her way to dress up—just more thoughtfully than usual—choosing a lotus-pink V-neck maxi dress.
Her fair skin and graceful figure paired well with the color.
Half an hour later, He Qingchi took the suit jacket Wen Shuchen had left in her room and deliberately avoided the film crew as she left the hotel. A discreet private car was already waiting by the roadside.
He Qingchi spotted Wen Shuchen’s long-unseen secretary, Song Chao, smiling brightly as he waited.
“Miss He, please get in,” Song Chao said politely, opening the back door for her.
She got in.
Aside from the middle-aged driver, Wen Shuchen had sent only Song Chao to pick her up. The atmosphere on the road wasn’t awkward.
Song Chao, ever the smooth talker, took the opportunity to apologize and explain the previous incident where he had brought the wrong medicine without permission at the hotel: “Miss He, please don’t misunderstand our President Wen. That bag of things… was all me acting on impulse.”
He Qingchi had calmed down afterwards and had guessed that Wen Shuchen hadn’t been the one who told him to buy those things.
Her anger had already passed. Now, she was more relaxed, and asked with some confusion, “Do you often prepare that kind of stuff for Wen Shuchen?”
Song Chao’s eyes widened as he vigorously shook his head. “No! President Wen has never used anything I’ve prepared!”
He looked like he wanted to swear an oath to the heavens—terrified of saying something that might upset He Qingchi and earn himself a suspension from President Wen.
She watched as Song Chao dramatically zipped his lips shut and chuckled softly.
“You can tell me quietly. I won’t snitch on you to Wen Shuchen.”
“I really didn’t!”
Song Chao babbled on nervously: “The most I’ve ever done is deliver a room card and a one-pack of the ultra-thin kind when you and President Wen had your first private dinner on the second floor.”
He Qingchi stared at him, stunned. Why didn’t I know about that?
Song Chao paused and, with a tone of disappointment, muttered, “And President Wen still sent you home before 9 PM!”
He Qingchi turned her head and silently looked out at the night view through the car window, losing the desire to continue chatting.
This time, Wen Shuchen had booked a luxury hotel not far from Hengdian.
He Qingchi followed Song Chao into the VIP elevator to the top-floor suite. The hallway was heavily guarded, and all the hotel staff were of managerial level. The suite had two levels and felt more like a private penthouse mansion.
As she stepped inside, she saw a number of sharply dressed, elite-looking men standing on the panoramic balcony outside the living room.
Wen Shuchen was among them, wearing a custom gray suit that exuded subtle elegance. His side profile looked tall and refined. Since he was apart from the group, she didn’t make a sound or draw attention to herself.
It was Song Chao who went over and whispered a few words in Wen Shuchen’s ear.
The next moment—
Wen Shuchen’s deep gaze landed on her, sharp and unerring.
He Qingchi stood beneath the lights of the living room, her fingers nervously clutching the suit bag.
She watched as Wen Shuchen put down his wine glass and said a few words to the other men—likely excusing himself. This caused the entire group of elite men on the balcony to look her way at once, seemingly amused.
Wen Shuchen handled it calmly and led He Qingchi upstairs.
“Were you still entertaining guests?” she asked.
If she had known it would be such a lively scene, she wouldn’t have come to disturb him.
Wen Shuchen, in a good mood, had a gentle smile in his eyes: “They’re not as important as you.”
He Qingchi turned her gaze away, suddenly feeling he really did know how to make a woman happy.
When they reached the second floor, she handed the suit back to Wen Shuchen. “I brought this for you.”
Wen Shuchen gazed at her for two seconds, as if he'd just lost an excuse to visit her on set.
“Would you prefer to eat here, or go out?” he asked, taking the suit and respecting her choice. He was considerate.
She chose to go out. After all, there was a group of very noticeable men downstairs, and since her relationship with Wen Shuchen wasn’t official yet, staying alone with him upstairs felt awkward.
Ten minutes later—
Wen Shuchen instructed his secretary and driver to follow at a distance and took her to a private restaurant on a nearby street.
Private cuisine again.
He seemed to know every well-hidden, hard-to-book private dining spot in Jiangcheng. Even if the owners hadn’t met him, they certainly knew his name.
“Window seat?”
Wen Shuchen pulled out the chair for her in a gentlemanly manner, his voice calm and smooth, like the gentle night breeze outside the window.
She sat down slowly. The soft mauve V-neck dress she wore was fitted, subtly revealing at the neckline. A delicate golden necklace shimmered against her collarbone—it was an exquisite sight.
Wen Shuchen was polite and didn’t stare at her.
He ordered a few signature dishes. The restaurant quickly served them, along with premium tea.
Tonight, He Qingchi had planned to ask about the red string bracelet—but never figured out how to bring it up.
They ate in silence. She had a good appetite.
Across from her, the handsome man mostly just sipped tea, quietly watching her eat with an intense, focused gaze.
As the meal neared its end, He Qingchi put down her chopsticks and held her breath before looking at him. “I want to ask you something.”
Wen Shuchen poured her a cup of tea with his slender hands, his voice unhurried and soft with a hint of a smile: “No rush. Have some tea first.”
The emotion she had just gathered was effortlessly dispersed by him.
So she had to drink the tea first. Then just as she was about to speak again, Wen Shuchen gently chuckled and suggested, “The street view outside is lovely. Want to take a walk downstairs?”
He seemed to be in a very good mood tonight—smiling often.
That left He Qingchi without the heart to argue. She swallowed her words again.
Wen Shuchen stood up first, his deep eyes curved with a gentle smile, the kind of expression that easily drew people in.
He might be a formidable figure in the business world, someone feared by competitors, but he had a refined, clear-cut appearance and treated women with utmost grace.
He Qingchi followed half a step behind, waiting for him to lead the way.
Unexpectedly, Wen Shuchen’s cool, slender hand naturally reached out and took hers. The warmth of his palm pressed clearly against her skin, making her whole body freeze. She forgot to pull away and just stared blankly at his profile.
Wen Shuchen didn’t let go. His palm was dry and warm, fully wrapping around her hand as he led her downstairs.
She followed him step by step, feeling his grip heating her fingertips, the heat spreading up to her chest, messing with her heart.
Outside, a breeze blew as they walked down the street.
Her black, silk-like hair was swept across her face by the wind, covering the flush on her cheeks.
They walked quietly for a while. Suddenly, Wen Shuchen turned to her, standing close enough that their breaths almost met, and asked intently, “What was it you wanted to say to me?”
He Qingchi pressed her lips together and gave a slight tug at her hand. “Let go first.”
But Wen Shuchen, thicker-skinned than usual tonight, smiled gently at her. “If you don’t want to say it, we’ll just keep walking.”
He Qingchi found it hard to look at him when he smiled like that—too enchanting. She almost nodded without thinking.
She lowered her head, and her eyes landed on their intertwined hands. The red Buddhist bead bracelet dangled between them, as if some invisible thread of fate tightly bound them together.
Wen Shuchen waited patiently, lowering his head to watch her quietly.
After a long pause, He Qingchi looked up at him again, her eyes clear and dark. “The Buddhist prayer bead bracelet you gave me—is it important to you?”
Under the soft glow of the streetlight, Wen Shuchen curved his lips slightly, as if he’d guessed her thoughts. “I’ve worn it for a few years.”
She already knew the answer, but still couldn’t help being surprised.
If what Shu Tongyi said was true, this blessed bead bracelet was essentially Wen Shuchen’s personal talisman.
Even the hotels he stayed in were always guarded. He never went anywhere without a driver or a secretary. This wasn’t just caution or awareness of personal safety—it was experience.
Because he had been kidnapped as a child. Her mind raced, and she blurted out what she was thinking. “When you were kidnapped as a child… were you treated very badly?”
Wen Shuchen paused for two seconds, then smiled slightly. “Where did you hear that?”
“You weren’t kidnapped?” He Qingchi widened her dark eyes.
“There were a few times. After I turned sixteen, no one dared try again for money.” Wen Shuchen’s voice was calm and understated as he summarized his youth.
“…” A few times?
Apparently, Shu Tongyi had understated it!
He Qingchi was momentarily speechless, her expression crumpled.
Wen Shuchen's eyes softened with a smile as he looked at her. The streetlight cast a golden halo over her pale skin, her snow-like complexion, and her hair—messed up by the night breeze—clung to her cheeks.
He lifted two fingers and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. The gesture was intimate and natural.
The warmth from his hand left her skin. The spot he’d touched on her cheek immediately flushed hot.
“I’m fine. The red string is yours now. Don’t overthink it.” Wen Shuchen’s voice was low and soft, his lips barely moving.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly as the two of them continued walking down the street.
Wen Shuchen reached out and took her hand again. His slender fingers occasionally brushed against her palm, carrying a subtle, silent tenderness.
He Qingchi, for some reason, no longer resisted.
Since she had decided to wear the Buddhist bead bracelet tonight, she wouldn't doubt Wen Shuchen’s feelings toward her anymore.
Even the Buddhist beads he had worn for years were given to her—that was essentially the same as handing over a family heirloom.
He Qingchi took a quiet breath, suppressing the chaos in her heart, and followed him to a nearby park by the roadside.
Wen Shuchen, worried she might get tired, said considerately, “Want to rest a bit?”
There was a wrought iron bench in the park. From there, you could quietly enjoy the night view and city lights. He Qingchi nodded and sat down first, turning to look at the handsome man beside her.
Wen Shuchen had a strong presence. Even just sitting next to him on a bench made her heartbeat feel out of sync.
“Do you have more questions?” he asked, not letting the silence linger too long.
He Qingchi blinked her dark eyes. She didn’t know Wen Shuchen well and didn’t know where to start.
“Can I ask anything?”
Wen Shuchen was open: “Anything.”
He was still holding her fair hand, her fingertips curling slightly as she hesitated. “In your pocket…”
She recalled the words from Song Chao and started wondering whether Wen Shuchen really kept something like a hotel keycard—or maybe even a single ultra-thin condom—in his pocket.
She pressed her lips together, then forced herself to ask calmly, “You’re not hiding anything, are you?”
Wen Shuchen let go of her hand for the moment and pulled out an ID from his pants pocket. “You mean this?”
He Qingchi’s gaze dropped lower to his suit pants.
She happened to see his long, pale hand reaching into his pocket. Because of the tight space, the fabric around his belt area pulled slightly taut, outlining the expensive material with clear lines.
It was only a quick, accidental glance—but she quickly averted her eyes in embarrassment.
There was only an ID and a White Rabbit candy in his pocket. Nothing else.
He Qingchi turned her eyes back, not daring to glance at his suit pants again. She focused on his clearly defined fingers instead.
“Why do you have White Rabbit candy?”
Wen Shuchen unwrapped the candy slowly and held it to her lips. “A kid gave it to me.”
Earlier, when she had called, a business associate had brought his child over, and the kid had been counting pieces of White Rabbit candy in his living room. Wen Shuchen had tricked one piece out of the child, intending to give it to He Qingchi tonight.
Now that she’d asked what was in his pocket, he fed the candy to her.
He Qingchi carefully took the candy into her mouth, making sure not to touch his fingers. The sweet, creamy flavor began to spread across her tongue.
She lowered her eyes and noticed his ID.
“Want to see it?”
Wen Shuchen handed it to her, his deep voice tinged with amusement: “You can check whether I’m a bad guy.”
He Qingchi blinked in surprise, staring at the young face on the card.
He looked younger in the photo, with soft and handsome features—clean and refined.
His looks were practically flawless. He Qingchi couldn’t help but sigh with envy: “If I could have a son as good-looking as you one day, that’d be amazing.”
Wen Shuchen was momentarily stunned, then his eyes curved with an even deeper smile.
With the candy still in her mouth, He Qingchi glanced over and saw him smiling. That’s when she realized what she had just said.
Wen Shuchen lifted a hand and gently touched her soft cheek.
Tonight, his actions had already far exceeded what was considered normal—holding her hand, touching her face…
“It’s getting late. I’ll take you back,” he said.
His voice, mingled with the night wind, flowed into her ears with a clear and mellow warmth.
He Qingchi looked up and met his eyes, her gaze full of emotion. Even though nothing had been explicitly said, it was obvious—something between them had begun to change.
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