Shi Qing had successfully gained the favor of a military officer.
With everything at his fingertips, he only needed to lie comfortably every day, and Qin Yunsheng, the always dependable man, would take care of everything.
On a typical day, Professor Shi would sit next to him, testing the waters. The military officer, with sharp features and a handsome face, would feed him with utmost seriousness.
During these moments, Shi Qing would usually place a bedside table by the bed, open his computer, and concentrate on it.
The spoiled Marquis would finish reading a page and then imperiously request the officer to turn the page for him.
"Why don't you turn the page yourself? Haven't you seen that my hand is not feeling well?" The officer would willingly comply with Shi Qing's request, even though it was just a simple task like turning a page.
Qin Yunsheng had inadvertently glimpsed at the computer screen before. It was filled with various technical terms he couldn't understand.
With a glance, he confirmed that it was beyond his comprehension. Although he was here to protect Shi Qing, he had realized from the second day that this Marquis involved in C-research was nothing but an incompetent fool. Thus, while maintaining his professionalism, he didn't remain overly vigilant.
Now that he knew Shi Qing had genuine abilities, Qin Yunsheng immediately became cautious. Whenever they moved around, he discreetly observed their surroundings, ready to neutralize any potential threat.
For Qin Yunsheng, this task was relatively easy. Having served in the military for so long, he had completed various dangerous missions. Protecting a young Marquis in a relatively secure research institute was a walk in the park.
However, the biggest obstacle to completing this task was the Marquis himself.
Click!
A metallic sound echoed from outside, as if metal had touched the door. The officer, who had been feeding Shi Qing, instinctively tensed up.
His sharp gaze swiftly focused on the direction of the door. His slender hand, without letting go of the bowl, quickly reached for his waist where his gun was holstered. He maintained his gun-holding posture while slowly getting up.
The young Marquis, who was completely unaware of the tense atmosphere inside the room, was dissatisfied. "What are you doing? Continue feeding me."
Qin Yunsheng furrowed his brows, slowly drawing his gun, and positioned himself protectively in front of Shi Qing. His voice was grave as he said, "Someone's outside."
"So what if there's someone outside? This is a rest area; it's strange if there's no one around." The pampered Marquis, who had hands of his own but refused to use them, pouted. "Hurry up and feed me; I'm starving today."
Though his tone was unusually good, the officer remained unaffected.
He gestured for silence and continued to focus on the door, his gaze unwavering.
Shi Qing wasn't the first person Qin Yunsheng had been assigned to protect. He had protected many individuals before—criminals, politicians, businessmen. However, even with his protection, his clients weren't always one hundred percent safe. When someone had enemies who were determined to see them dead, no amount of protection could guarantee their safety.
Therefore, even though he knew that the metallic sounds outside probably had a ninety percent chance of being an accident, the handsome officer was prepared to give his full attention to the remaining ten percent.
Just as he was concentrating on the door, he suddenly felt his clothes being tugged from behind.
Without turning around, Qin Yunsheng, with a hint of helplessness in his voice, said, "I'm sorry, Professor Shi, but could you wait a moment?"
Shi Qing's voice, tinged with laziness, came from behind, "Turn around."
Qin Yunsheng replied, "Professor Shi, I know you can't defend yourself in a dangerous situation, but this is no time to joke around."
The young Marquis behind him spoke in a cheerful tone, "Qin Yunsheng, I told you to turn around."
The officer sighed inwardly.
Originally, he had intended to turn around for just a second and then return to his position, but when he saw that Shi Qing had pushed his computer screen toward him, he froze.
Clearly visible on the screen was a surveillance image showing a young man in a lab coat, holding a round metal object, hesitating in front of the door. It seemed like he wanted to knock on the door but changed his mind after a moment, lowering his hand.
After putting his hand down, the young man, Tan Mingyi, nervously rotated the metal ball in his hand. Obviously, the clicking sounds that Qin Yunsheng had heard earlier were produced by the rotation of this metal ball.
Qin Yunsheng: "..."
He silently put his gun back, picked up the bowl and spoon, and sat back on the edge of the bed. Seeing the young Marquis comfortably closing his eyes while being fed, he asked, "How can you see the entrance door's surveillance from here?"
When he had familiarized himself with the institute earlier, he knew that only the surveillance room had access to the camera feeds.
Shi Qing replied, "I hacked into the system."
Qin Yunsheng: "You hacked into the institute's surveillance system?"
Even though he didn't understand much about it, he knew for sure that hacking into the institute's system was no easy task. It wasn't just a matter of legality but also a question of technical expertise.
The young Marquis didn't consider it illegal at all and responded with a cold snort, finishing his food with gusto before saying, "What's the matter? Is it not allowed?"
Qin Yunsheng replied, "This is illegal."
Shi Qing retorted, "It's only illegal if you get caught. I won't tell anyone."
As he spoke, he raised an eyebrow and looked meaningfully at the man sitting on the bed.
"Just a reminder, you're my accomplice now. If you let anything slip, I have my father to protect me, but you'll be in trouble."
If Shi Qing had just asked him politely, Qin Yunsheng might have preferred to avoid any involvement. However, this pampered and arrogant young Marquis was attempting to threaten him.
The officer gently placed the spoon back in the bowl. His free hand rested on Shi Qing's arm, and he gave it a gentle squeeze.
The Marquis, who had moments ago displayed an attitude of "I'm a second-generation noble and I'm amazing," immediately lost color in his beautiful face. He looked rather panicked and nervously blinked his eyelashes while glancing at Qin Yunsheng's hand.
"What are you doing?"
Although he was clearly scared, he still tried to maintain his noble demeanor, scolding Qin Yunsheng with a stern tone, "I didn't give you permission to touch me. Let go!"
Ignoring him, Qin Yunsheng continued, and even moved his hand up Shi Qing's arm. He felt the softness and delicacy of the skin and gently pressed his index finger against it.
Though his touch was light and gentle, when he lifted his finger, a red mark had appeared on the originally fair arm.
If someone didn't know better, they might think he had used excessive force. However, only the officer himself knew that with each press, he had carefully calculated the force to both startle Shi Qing and avoid causing any real harm to the delicate young man.
"Qin Yunsheng! How dare you!"
The young Marquis didn't realize that the officer was teasing him intentionally. He was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, furious and unwilling to admit defeat. He clenched his teeth and stared angrily at the man sitting on his bed.
Qin Yunsheng couldn't help but smile slightly. It was as if he had discovered an amusing toy. He continued to hold Shi Qing's arm gently.
He could clearly feel the trembling body under his touch.
Shi Qing obviously wanted to break free, but he remembered the previous incident. Even if he cursed up a storm, he dared not move a muscle, afraid of causing himself any accidental pain.
Though the Marquis had the option to escape, he was clearly afraid, yet he could only obediently remain within the officer's grasp.
This was something Qin Yunsheng had never encountered before.
Originally, he had only intended to scare Shi Qing a little. However, at this point, he found himself somewhat addicted to the situation.
But he knew he should stop before it escalated. If he truly angered this Marquis, who had such a proud personality, he might not cause any significant trouble now, but he would likely create obstacles in the future.
Although it might be a trivial annoyance, Qin Yunsheng disliked unnecessary trouble.
Deciding to stop while he was ahead, he continued to hold Shi Qing's soft arm in his palm and said in a deep voice, "Professor Shi, we'll have plenty of time to get along in the future. I hope you can understand my job better, so our interactions can be more enjoyable."
"Enjoyable my foot!"
The angry young Marquis was seething with frustration as his arm remained in someone else's grip. He was so furious he wished he could strike the person right there.
"Qin Yunsheng, I suggest you apologize to me right now, or I won't let this slide!"
Qin Yunsheng's face remained impassive, and he even wore a faint smile that made the young Marquis feel belittled.
"You must be mistaken. While my job is to protect you, I am not bound by your constraints."
Shi Qing was now visibly infuriated. He put on the airs of a second-generation noble and declared, "You're not bound by my constraints? Qin Yunsheng, you're still just a person. Everyone has something they fear. If you dare cross me, I will make sure you regret it!"
His tone was full of excitement, his expression angry, and his words reeked of teenage melodrama.
Looking at Shi Qing in this state, while the circumstances weren't quite appropriate, Qin Yunsheng couldn't help but find it amusing. He hadn't heard such melodramatic language since high school.
"Do you still dare to laugh?"
Clearly, his slight smile had successfully provoked the already-angry Marquis even further.
He raised his other hand as if to strike, but the handsome officer was quick to intercept it. Even in this unexpected situation, Qin Yunsheng remembered the fragility of the person in front of him, and when he raised his hand to meet the Marquis's, he gently grasped his wrist.
This way, he could restrain Shi Qing without causing harm.
Now, both of Shi Qing's hands were held by the officer. They faced each other, and Qin Yunsheng lowered his gaze slightly, looking at the young Marquis who was glaring at him with anger in his eyes.
"I apologize, Professor Shi. Although I hate to say this, there's really nothing to be afraid of. If you intend to retaliate against me, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."
Shi Qing gritted his teeth and raised his foot to kick, but Qin Yunsheng instinctively pushed him back slightly to prevent causing harm. His body weight suppressed the young Marquis.
Shi Qing's hands were held, and he couldn't move at all.
Before the Marquis could get any angrier, a voice from outside suddenly interrupted.
"Xiao Tan? What are you doing standing at the door?"
Tan Mingyi's nervous voice could be heard, "Last time, last time, I misunderstood Professor Shi. Today, I made a little something and wanted to give it to him as an apology gift."
"Why don't you just go in? I saw you standing at the door for quite a while."
Tan Mingyi stuttered, "I feel a bit embarrassed. I don't know if Professor Shi is resting right now."
"Don't worry, it's still early. Professor Shi doesn't rest at this hour."
As the person spoke, he kindly knocked on the door, saying, "Professor Shi, are you there? We're coming in."
The doorknob turned, and the door opened. The two men stood at the door, dumbfounded by the scene inside.
Here's what they saw:
Qin Yunsheng was lying on top of Shi Qing, holding his wrists firmly, and most of his body was above the young Marquis. Even his usually impeccable military uniform had wrinkled due to this position. Meanwhile, Shi Qing, lying on the bed, had a face that was blushing, making his already stunning face appear even more enchanting.
This posture, this situation...
Bang!
The iron ball in Tan Mingyi's hand fell to the ground.
"Professor Shi, you two, what is this..."
Qin Yunsheng was initially puzzled by their strange expressions, but soon he realized. He turned his head and looked at his own hand holding the Marquis's wrist, then at their compromised position and intimate closeness.
Qin Yunsheng: "..."
As if scalded, he quickly sprang up.
Facing the two onlookers with their peculiar expressions, the usually composed officer found himself blushing and stumbling over his words, attempting to explain, "It's not what you think, it's..."
Suddenly, a pair of fair, tender arms reached around him from behind and clasped around his neck. The young Marquis intimately rested his chin on the officer's shoulder, revealing a faint smile on his face, still tinted with a blush.
"Yes, it's exactly what you think," he declared.
With that said, he slowly lowered one of his hands to Qin Yunsheng's side, taking hold of his stiff and unresponsive hand.
Their ten fingers intertwined.
Shi Qing raised his chin arrogantly and lifted their clasped hands, his lips slightly curved, as he announced, "Qin Yunsheng and I are a couple."
Qin Yunsheng: "???"
Qin Yunsheng: "..."
He stared in disbelief as Shi Qing ushered the two observers away, saying, "Alright, don't disturb our intimacy. Go on, go on."
With that, the young Marquis tiptoed and, right in front of the two witnesses, planted a kiss on Qin Yunsheng's cheek.
"Mwah!"
The sound was quite audible.
Qin Yunsheng: "..."
He was completely dumbfounded.
As someone who had never been in a romantic relationship, the officer remained stiff, his mind completely blank.
After the two at the door left, Tan Mingyi came back, cautiously closing the door.
As soon as they were alone, Shi Qing released Qin Yunsheng's hand. He looked at the officer who was still rigid and raised his eyebrows with a triumphant smile.
"Back to reality now."
Qin Yunsheng, like a machine without oil, awkwardly turned his head and looked at Shi Qing beside him.
"Why did you say that just now?"
The young Marquis looked back, his beautiful eyes filled with satisfaction.
"Scared?"
"You claimed there was nothing to fear, but you look pretty scared now."
Shi Qing did a graceful spin, sitting comfortably on the bed, leaning back with ease. His tone was filled with mischief.
"Starting from today, the entire Institute of Technology will know that we're a couple."
"How about that? Happy or surprised?"
Qin Yunsheng: "..."
Forgive his old-fashioned mind; he couldn't understand why Shi Qing could so casually use himself as a chip in their mental battles.
His heart was still pounding, unsure whether it was due to that kiss or the hand they had held moments ago. His adamantine face now carried a hint of a blush.
"This isn't something to joke about. Get up now and come with me to explain."
"I won't go."
The young Marquis stretched his long legs lazily. "Anyway, you didn't deny it just now. It's too late to change your mind."
"And from now on, you're my boyfriend. As my boyfriend, you have to pour me water when I'm thirsty, feed me when I'm hungry. If you don't, hmph."
Qin Yunsheng: "Not do it?"
Shi Qing playfully pouted his rosy lips.
"Not doing it? Then I'll kiss you in front of everyone."
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