Quick Transmigration: The Sweetheart Everyone Loves Is Stuck in Romantic Chaos Every Day - Chapter 106

While Qi Xiu was still frozen in place, Ruan Tang suddenly let out a choked cry, her tone full of sorrow and despair.

Qi Xiu immediately gripped her shoulders in alarm.

“What’s wrong?! Where does it hurt?”

“My midnight snack—wuwuwu…”

Only then did she realize the bag she’d been holding had fallen to the ground, spilling delicious skewers all over the pavement.

Ruan Tang’s heart ached so badly she could barely breathe.

Qi Xiu, despite himself, felt an untimely urge to laugh.

How could she be this adorable?

His voice, laced with a smile, rang clear and pleasant.

“Sorry, it’s all my fault. I know that shop—I’ll bring you the same skewers tomorrow.”

“It’s fine… no need…” Ruan Tang’s little face drooped pitifully as she spoke in a small voice.

“Maybe Ji Jing-ge was right. I really shouldn’t be eating things like this…”

Qi Xiu’s chest tightened at once.

Ji Jing?

Her boyfriend?

And he wouldn’t even let her eat barbecue—

His lips pressed together in silent displeasure.

If it were him, he would let her eat whatever she wanted.

The thought no sooner surfaced than Qi Xiu sank into self-reproach.

What was he even thinking?

How could he ever be worthy of her?

His lashes lowered in quiet dejection, his tall frame tinged with a trace of loneliness.

Ten minutes later.

Qi Xiu stared in disbelief at the luxury high-rise before him.

Downtown. Riverside. In one of the priciest districts…

She really was a wealthy young miss.

He looked down at his dusty T-shirt and scuffed sneakers, and a pang of regret twisted in him for having followed her this far.

“My place is on the top floor. The elevator’s fast—come on!”

Ruan Tang turned back when she realized he had stopped on the landing, tilting her little head in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”

Qi Xiu’s eyes reddened slightly as he turned away, hiding his embarrassment and inferiority.

“Forget it. It’s just a scratch. I’ll be fine after some sleep…”

“How can you say that!”

Ruan Tang hurried back to him, her soft, delicate hand gently clasping his long, slender fingers. She looked up at him with a sweet smile.

“You have to take care of yourself, okay?”

Qi Xiu froze.

The girl was so petite—her head barely reached his chest.

Looking down at her from this angle, he saw her soft hair spilling across her shoulders, her long curled lashes, and the tiny mole at the corner of her eye, both innocent and enticing.

His heartbeat suddenly went wild.

It was as if something heavy pressed against his chest, an unfamiliar emotion crashing uncontrollably through him.

No sooner had Ruan Tang led Qi Xiu into the living room than the doorbell rang.

She stiffened. Who could that be?

Could it be—

Her phone lit up on the table.

A new message from Ji Jing.

【Still awake? I’m at your door.】

Ruan Tang’s vision went black.

If her manager found out she’d secretly brought a man home, she would be scolded to death!

Qi Xiu also caught sight of the name on her screen. The sour bubbles in his chest burst one after another.

Her boyfriend, right?

Coming to see her this late at night… in such a familiar tone—he must have been here plenty of times before.

Qi Xiu saw Ruan Tang’s shock and panic and felt a sharper stab of pain in his chest.

Of course—she must be terrified of being misunderstood by her boyfriend.

Which meant… he was nothing more than a third wheel.

Pain pooled in his eyes, and his hand at his side clenched hard.

Just as he opened his mouth to apologize—

“Sorry, but I need you to hide for a moment—”

Ruan Tang spun in circles in her panic, then spotted the tall cabinet in the corner of the living room. In a flurry, she shoved Qi Xiu inside.

“I’m sorry! Please bear with it—I’ll be right back!”

Qi Xiu tried to call out, but stopped—he didn’t even know her name yet.

So he bit down on his lip, unwilling and helpless.

All he could do was peer through the crack in the cabinet door, listening to the sounds outside.

“Strange… why isn’t she answering my messages? Is she really asleep?”

Ji Jing glanced at his watch. Not even ten yet.

Ruan Tang was a workaholic—she never slept this early.

Just as he reached to press the bell again, the door opened.

Ruan Tang leaned against the frame, still a little out of breath, her hair messy, her eyes guilty and evasive.

“Good evening.”

Ji Jing studied her with suspicion.

“Miss Ruan Tang, did you go out? Why are you still wearing a mask?”

Ruan Tang instantly raised her right hand like swearing an oath.

“I just went out for a walk! Just to get some fresh air! I definitely didn’t buy any barbecue snacks—”

Ji Jing was silent for a beat, then brushed past her into the apartment.

He was going to check for himself.

But the living room really held no trace of barbecue.

Relieved, Ji Jing set down the carefully packed desserts he’d brought from a high-end restaurant.

“I brought you a late-night snack.”

Ruan Tang’s peach blossom eyes lit up at once.

“Thank you, Ji Jing-ge!”

Ji Jing froze.

She had always addressed him formally, surname included—this was the first time she had ever called him ge (t/n: a familiar, affectionate term for “older brother,” often used by younger women toward close male figures).

Hearing her soft, sugary voice call him that sent his heart racing.

He was about to speak when he turned and froze.

In the bright living room light, the bruises on Ruan Tang’s arms stood out starkly. Even her cheek bore a thin scratch.

His chest tightened, his expression darkening at once.

“What happened? Who hurt you?”

Ruan Tang quickly hid her slender, injured arm behind her back, lowering her gaze guiltily.

“It’s nothing. I just tripped and fell…”

Ji Jing was normally calm and composed, but fury now battered the walls of his restraint.

He stepped forward, carefully tucking her hair behind her ear, his long, pale fingers brushing over the scratch at her eye.

Ruan Tang shivered—the touch was both ticklish and painful, making her let out a muffled whimper.

“…Don’t… don’t touch…”

Her eyes shimmered with mist, gazing up at him pitifully.

Ji Jing’s throat bobbed heavily.

He hadn’t come here with any ulterior motive, but in this moment… his mouth felt dry, his body tense.

His voice was rough when he spoke.

“Let me see your injuries.”

He gently removed her mask.

One hand circled her slender waist, preventing her escape.

The other tilted her chin upward as he leaned down, slowly closing the distance—

The way he moved, it looked as though he were about to kiss her.

Ruan Tang’s lashes trembled. She didn’t know what to do.

But from inside the cabinet came a muffled thud.

Like someone had clenched a fist and struck the door, unable to hold back any longer.

The sound snapped Ruan Tang awake.

She quickly stopped Ji Jing from checking.

“Something just fell—no big deal! Anyway, it’s late, I should rest now! You should head home! Bye!”

She rattled off the words in one breath, not even pausing.

Then, before Ji Jing could react, she pushed him all the way to the door and shut it firmly behind him.

Left standing in the hallway, Ji Jing could only blink slowly, a giant question mark forming in his mind: ?