Chapter 7 The Dominant, Arrogant, Sexually Charismatic Man
Not only were his hands large, but his arms were also strong and powerful. The moment he leaned over, the scent of male hormones enveloped Song Ni. She had never been this close to a man, except for sparring with Song Jing in karate. Unlike Song Jing, who was meticulous, this man exuded a pure masculine scent, rugged and aggressive. She could even smell the faint aroma of smoke, as if he had just finished smoking. Perhaps it was the pain from the fall, but Song Ni felt as though she had smelled this smoke scent before.
After picking Song Ni up, Tan Zheng casually placed her on a cement block nearby. The fabric of her pants was thin, and the moment it touched the rough surface, Song Ni felt the coarseness beneath her. However, in her current state, standing up was proving difficult. The instant he let go of her, the man withdrew his hand. The spot around her waist where he had held her was burning intensely. Song Ni blushed, thinking, were all men this warm?
"Thank you." Song Ni let out a sigh of relief, no longer feeling as disheveled. She looked up at the man in front of her. His tall frame blocked a small patch of the sky, and the light was not bright, so she still couldn't see his face clearly, but she couldn't ignore his deep, dark eyes. He was scrutinizing her again. Song Ni's heart tightened inexplicably; the man's gaze was too aggressive.
Tan Zheng looked down, his eyes narrowed, at the young girl sitting on the cement block. Her tender legs had scrapes on both knees, the red blood a stark contrast against her fair skin, a sight that was striking. He recalled the red toenails he had seen on Song Ni that night. While it might not have been appropriate to think this, the contrast of red and white on her was truly stunning. With that thought, Tan Zheng's eyelids flickered as he raised his gaze to Song Ni's face. Apart from a few tears of discomfort, Song Ni hadn't cried out in pain. Yet, her eyes, slightly teary, needed no other words or actions. The shimmering tears, so delicate and lovely, stirred a sense of pity. Even Tan Zheng, after a brief glance, averted his eyes. The hand that had held Song Ni's waist rested behind his back, his fingers twitching unconsciously.
Song Ni tilted her head, trying to get a clearer look at the man's face, but he turned and walked away without a word. He wore a black t-shirt, camouflage pants, and black mountain boots—a simple outfit that exuded masculinity. It was then that Song Ni clearly perceived the man's stature. His legs were truly long and incredibly sexy. Song Ni was lost in admiration of the man's physique and didn't notice him walk into the Fox team's tent.
The rain suddenly intensified. Only a single tree offered meager shelter. Frowning, Song Ni looked down at her injuries. Raindrops fell on her knees, washing away the dirt and grime, but the blood continued to flow. Though the wound wasn't deep, being exposed to the rain was not ideal. The palms of both her hands were also scraped, throbbing with a dull ache. The spectators on the other side remained enthusiastic, cheering loudly. Song Ni didn't expect Qin Yang or Cheng Ling to notice her. She pondered whether to call Qin Yang or deal with it herself.
Meanwhile, Tan Zheng, who had found a first-aid kit in the tent, looked at Song Ni sitting in the rain. She reminded him of a mischievous kitten that had gotten into trouble, gotten hurt, and was still looking proud. He put down the first-aid kit and picked up an umbrella. The rain showed no signs of stopping. Her long hair, now wet and sticky, clung uncomfortably to her neck. Song Ni brushed her hair away with the back of her hand, regretting not bringing a hair tie. If this continued, she would go crazy.
Song Ni took out her phone to call Cheng Ling. Qin Yang rarely came out to watch a race, and she didn't want to spoil her mood. However, the cheers were too loud, and despite several attempts, she couldn't get through. Her phone, which was difficult to handle with her injured hands, slipped to the ground. The accumulated emotions of the day seemed on the verge of exploding at that moment when the black mountain boots reappeared in her sight. Song Ni blinked. The rain-blurred vision cleared. She looked up; the man who had just turned and left was back. Her mind seemed to freeze. Song Ni didn't understand why he had returned, and then an umbrella was placed in her hand.
Tan Zheng bent down and picked up her phone. He initially intended to hand it to Song Ni, but after glancing at her hand, he put it into his own pocket. Song Ni stared at him blankly, her mind still reeling, when she saw the man crouch down and pick her up. Song Ni's eyes widened instantly as she finally regained her senses. "What are you doing?" Tan Zheng looked down at her. "Hold the umbrella properly." His voice was low, hoarse, and slightly gravelly. Song Ni instinctively raised the umbrella, her ears feeling numb. The man's chest was broad, his arms strong. Even with one hand holding the umbrella and the other braced against her chest, she felt a sense of complete security. The man's scent was more intense, the smoke smell even clearer. Thump-thump, her heart inexplicably began to race. She could finally see the man's face clearly. His hair was slicked back, with a few unruly strands falling onto his forehead. His nose was high-bridged, the profile of his face sharp, his chin slightly stubbled, and his prominent Adam's apple rather sexy. Song Ni swallowed hard, her throat dry. She had never seen a man like this before. She found the smoky scent on him surprisingly attractive. She forgot to struggle, forgot to protest his rudeness. It wasn't until the man carried her into the Fox tent that Song Ni belatedly realized what was happening. Those broad hands, the bulging veins, the subtly familiar smoky scent... Song Ni's eyelashes fluttered, her eyes filled with shock. She stared at the man's chin, information about Tan Zheng flashing rapidly through her mind. The impression the man gave her made her feel as if she knew the answer.
Tan Zheng paid no mind to what Song Ni was thinking. The young girl looked quite tall, but she weighed so little when he carried her. He placed her on a chair and then turned to get the first-aid kit. When he returned to Song Ni's side, she was still foolishly holding the umbrella. Tan Zheng suddenly chuckled. "Did you fall and hit your head?" Hearing this, Song Ni looked up at Tan Zheng, met his deep, dark eyes, and then quickly averted her gaze. She threw the umbrella aside as if it were a hot potato. Tan Zheng raised an eyebrow, placed the first-aid kit in front of Song Ni, picked up the umbrella she had discarded, and walked out of the tent. He had been delayed by some matters and couldn't arrive before the race. Although Tan Zheng didn't participate in racing or coach, he never missed a race involving members of his team.
Song Ni sat there, stunned for a long time, so long that the man had already left, so long that a gust of wind finally blew in, and she was only then able to snap out of her shock. Was he... was he Tan Zheng? Song Ni raised her hand, touched her chest, trying to soothe her restless heart. The scent of him seemed to linger in her nostrils. Apart from the smoke, she couldn't discern anything else, only feel it. Dominant, arrogant, commanding, sexy, flourishing in a realm she didn't know. She even remembered the warmth of his hands on her waist and the backs of her legs. Song Ni licked her lips. She felt an even greater desire to peel away the layers of mystery surrounding that man. (End of this chapter)