Chapter 3213: Saving the Zero‑Protein Bai Ze Love Story 14

After he thought the misunderstanding about the adulterer was cleared up, Yi Qi's mood was as clear as a cloudless sky, and he lived quite happily.

He and Bai Ze had become quite intimate; although they had only slept platonically, at least they shared a bed—this was no small progress. Consequently, during this time he wished to cling to his fiancé all day: they would eat together in the morning, exchange messages at noon, and meet in the evening.

But Yi Qi was an idle scion, while Bai Ze was not.

Bai Ze also had to oversee his business in Didu, and this period he was especially busy—leaving early and returning late, so busy his feet never touched the ground.

Although Yi Qi felt a bit disappointed, he wasn't the type to stay idle. As a typical Didu scion, he had no proper occupation, but hanging out with his fair-weather friends eating, drinking, and playing kept him busy.

As the weather improved, it was again a good time to go racing. Yi Qi went several times to the club his friends had formed, and each time he rode with great exhilaration—the feeling of speed like wind and lightning let him recapture a bit of the feeling from Area Ten.

This time the club also properly brought in a professional.

That day, after Yi Qi finished a lap and returned, he parked his motorcycle at the track edge, took off his helmet, and swept his slightly sweaty bangs back. Club boss Wang Tu stood beside the track talking with a few riders; seeing Yi Qi approach, he smiled and greeted him.

"Young master, come say hello—this is our newly hired coach, Claire."

Yi Qi took a look at the new coach—tall, with green eyes, appearing to have some Eastern European ancestry.

Wang Tu also told the others, "You usually hold back, but Claire is someone I scooped up from Area Six at great expense."

Not only were Yi Qi's fellow second-gen heirs surprised, but Yi Qi himself was a bit surprised. Unlike other areas rife with chaos and killing intent, Area Six is a hotbed for dangerous races and all kinds of competitions—there, there is no law, no rules, only speed, passion, and death.

Having grown up in the fringe areas, Yi Qi instantly felt his competitive spirit ignite.

He held his helmet, lifted his chin at Claire, and said, "One lap?"

Claire raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest flashing in her green eyes, and said, "Good."

They each mounted their motorcycles, waited side by side on the track for the signal, and the moment the flag fell, both vehicles shot out simultaneously.

Yi Qi's skill among the Didu second-gen heirs was already top‑notch; normally he could crush his fair‑weather friends with ease. But this time, for the first time in a race he felt a dangerous hormone surge—he could barely cling to the opponent's slipstream in the first half, but after the second turn the gap began to widen.

Yi Qi gave it his all to chase, yet he still trailed by a full few seconds.

He stopped near the finish line, lifted his leg, took off his helmet—sweat soaking his hair. Claire also stopped her bike, turned to him, and said, "You're impressive; to have such skill at your age is rare."

Yi Qi held his helmet, feeling unconvinced, thinking mutedly, "Hmph, he's basically saying I'm no good, huh!"

Wang Tu and the second-gen heirs still had to hold a welcome banquet for Claire; a crowd gathered around the new coach, buzzing with excitement. Some shouted to go drink, some said to book the best private room; Yi Qi took off his racing gear, put on his own clothes, and intended to leave first.

Claire and Wang Tu stood together, seeing Yi Qi leave, and asked, "Isn't he coming along?"

Wang Tu laughed and said, "You wouldn't have guessed—our young master just loves to play; after having his fun he still has a date, so he has no time to join us for drinks."

Claire's gaze lingered on Yi Qi's back for a moment, then she said nothing more.

——

After that, in order to win Claire over, Yi Qi started going to the club more often.

Jin Chen found it strange; one day in the hallway he ran into a sweat‑drenched Yi Qi and asked why he kept running out.

Yi Qi answered solemnly, "Defend my title as Didu's racing king."

Jin Chen: "?"

He didn't understand, but let the kid play if he wants—after all, there isn't much plot to go through right now.

After Yi Qi and Claire became acquainted, they discovered they had many common topics.

Claire also came from the fringe areas; she knows the survival rules there, as well as its cruelty and excitement.

Those topics were beyond the comprehension of Yi Qi's fair‑weather friends in Didu—raised in a greenhouse, they had never known real danger, never heard the whine of a bullet grazing an ear, nor tasted hunger and despair.

One evening after training ended, Yi Qi and Claire sat on the grass beside the track to rest. The sunset dyed the sky orange‑red, and the distant city outline gradually blurred in the twilight.

Claire suddenly asked, "Then why don't you go back to Area Ten?"

Yi Qi was taken aback; he propped himself up on the grass with both hands behind him, gazing at Didu's sunset. The sunset here is different from that of Area Ten.

The sunset in Area Ten always carries a grayish dust, as if stained by gunpowder, setting at the horizon's end and burning the whole sky blood‑red.

But here the sunset is clean and pure, warm and soft.

His expression was somewhat wistful, but thinking of Bai Ze turned that wistfulness into a smile.

"Because after weighing the options, I have reasons I cannot but stay, and also concerns that keep me from returning to Area Ten."

The fringe areas are too dangerous; if he went back, Bai Ze would surely worry.

Quite simply, it's a sweet burden.

Yi Qi didn't dwell on the past, cheered himself up, stood from the grass, and patted off the grass clippings stuck to the back of his pants.

Claire also stood up and said, "Another lap?"

"Not coming." Yi Qi brushed off the grass clippings on his body, feeling a bit eager, and said, "I have a date tonight—goodbye."

Claire: "……"

He had a bit of a headache. Since receiving the organization's order to come to Didu to get close to Yi Qi, after much effort he had found racing as an in‑road, but this guy is still a love‑brain—aside from racing he has no chance to score a date.

At the same time.

Bai Ze ended the secret communication from Area Nine, took off his earphones, and leaned back in his chair.

He sat in the unlit study, windows shut tight, curtains drawn, not a ray of light getting in—only the faint glow of the computer screen lit his face, and the coldness and sharpness he usually restrained when facing Yi Qi were now unleashed without restraint.

From that recent communication he recalled many past events, and recollection is most likely to breed resentment.

Bai Ze sat alone in the darkness for a long time before he gradually reined in those emotions.

He came to, then nonchalantly tidied up the computer, shut off the communication equipment, cleaned up all traces, and returned to being the seemingly gentle and calm youth.

The kitchen lights soon came on. Bai Ze tied on his apron, opened the fridge, and took out the ingredients Yi Qi liked to eat; the butter melted in the hot pan, sputtering and giving off a sweet aroma.

Yi Qi arrived earlier than usual; he was already very familiar with Bai Ze's home, so he entered, changed shoes, placed his slippers beside Bai Ze's, and then followed the scent all the way to the kitchen, peeking in from the doorframe with half his body.

"Bai Ze!"

"Huh?" Bai Ze was busy at the stove; hearing the voice he turned around, as if from this moment he was infused with vitality, and even the empty, dead‑still house grew warm.

A smile rose at the corner of his mouth, the apron tied at his waist, he still held a spatula, and the kitchen was filled with the rich aroma of butter mixed with the fragrant char of fried meat.

Yi Qi stepped close, took a deep breath, and said, "So fragrant."

He even felt that this pleasant butter scent was emanating from Bai Ze's body—not to mention Bai Ze was also wearing a gray cotton tight‑fitting top that clung to his physique, surely intentional, quite scheming.

Bai Ze put down the spatula, turned around, and tenderly rubbed his cheek against Yi Qi's hair.

Yi Qi tried to hold back, again and again, but couldn't; he opened his mouth and bit Bai Ze's cheek—a real bite, not letting go, grinding his teeth as if savoring some delicacy.

Bai Ze could feel the warmth of his lips, the urge to press harder but barely restrained, and the biting and licking.

Dazed, Bai Ze had an illusion that Yi Qi seemed to want to bite him and eat him.

Bai Ze silently thought, then let him eat.

Bai Ze thought of it as a sacrifice, thus gaining mental pleasure; he leaned against the kitchen island, his whole body relaxed, letting Yi Qi's teeth grind on his cheek, acting recklessly, the hand on Yi Qi's waist slowly tightening, pulling him into his embrace, openly accepting all of Yi Qi's actions.

Yi Qi bit the right cheek then the left, leaving wet tooth marks and lip traces on both sides, and finally, still unsatisfied, he kissed the corner of the mouth.

He also poked Bai Ze's chest with his finger and said firmly, "It's too late to act cute now; you've been busy with work lately, neglecting me for a long time."

Bai Ze gazed at him softly, forehead against forehead, both anticipating and indulging, as if already prepared to meet any of Yi Qi's demands.

"What should we do? Will I be punished?"