Daziel ignored her pleas, his celestial eyes instead gleaming with even more interest.
He leisurely stepped back half a pace, re-establishing a slight distance, as if to more clearly savor her embarrassment.
"Don't want it?"
He tilted his head, his tone light, "This doesn't sound like something a rigorous scholar would say. Hypotheses require proof, data needs presentation. Lady Ruan Mei, you've always prioritized facts, haven't you?"
His words were like a precise scalpel, dissecting the fragile defense she had constructed with the address "Master," returning her to her identity as a calm, rational, genius scientist.
This was a more cruel form of pressure, forcing her to confront her current predicament, which was most illogical, using the very logic she was most proud of.
Ruan Mei's lips parted slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word.
Argue? Daziel was right, her body's reactions were real, existing data.
Submit?
That would be equivalent to personally tearing apart all her pretense and dignity in front of Tingyun, the "sample."
She was caught in a dilemma, her entwined fingers tightening, her knuckles turning white from the effort.
"Or, do you wish for me to personally verify it?"
Daziel's voice carried a dangerous implication. His hand gently rose, as if it was about to fall onto the hem of her qipao skirt the next second.
This action became the last straw that broke the camel's back.
Ruan Mei abruptly stood up, her movements somewhat sudden, causing the sofa to lightly sway.
She straightened her back, like an enraged swan, proudly lifting her chin. However, the flush extending from her face to her neck, and those eyes, shimmering with indignant tears, completely betrayed her inner turmoil.
Tingyun's breath hitched.
As Ruan Mei stood up, beneath the light-colored silk skirt, a dark, wet stain was clearly visible on the fabric, outlining an ambiguous shape.
It was like irrefutable proof, transforming Daziel's lighthearted, vulgar teasing into undeniable fact.
The air seemed to solidify. Daziel's smile deepened. He let out a soft sigh of satisfaction, as if admiring a perfect work of art.
"You see, the body's instinctive reactions don't lie."
He stepped forward, walking up to the indignant Ruan Mei, his voice soft yet filled with enticement.
"Lady Ruan Mei, since that's the case, allow me to teach you another lesson regarding human emotions."
Ruan Mei bit her lower lip, almost drawing blood from the soft flesh. She turned her head away, refusing to look at him, a silent form of resistance. Yet her body remained rigid, not taking a single step back.
"What lesson?"
Her voice squeezed out from between her teeth, carrying an irrepressible tremor.
"Since you desire it in your heart, you might as well say it boldly."
Daziel's voice seemed to possess magic, each word knocking into her mind, "Reasonably expressing one's needs is also one of humanity's shining points. You are always fixated on observation and analysis, but merely watching from the shore, you will never learn to swim. Now, stop seeing yourself as a researcher."
His gaze was scorching, directly meeting her flickering eyes, not allowing her any escape.
"Tell me, what is your true inner desire?"
Ruan Mei's body trembled violently. Forcing her to voice that thought herself was a hundred times harder than making her admit her skirt was wet.
That was exposing her most private, most primal instincts entirely in broad daylight. For someone who regarded rationality as their guiding principle, it was nothing short of complete self-negation.
A muffled whimper escaped her throat, like a struggle, yet also like surrender.
She painstakingly uttered a single word, her face so red it looked like it would bleed.
Daziel waited patiently, even nodding as if to encourage her. "Hmm? What do you want?"
"I want..."
Ruan Mei's vision was a blur. She dared not look at Daziel, nor at Tingyun, only staring intently at the familiar patterns on the floor, as if trying to bore a hole through the intricate design.
"Want what? Say it clearly."
Daziel's voice was relentless, like a patiently guiding mentor, leading his most unpromising student.
"I want... that!"
She finally blurted it out, her voice sharp and brief, with the despair of someone who had given up.
The moment the words left her mouth, she seemed to be drained of all strength, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
Daziel finally couldn't hold back, bursting into a low, joyful laugh.
He reached out, gently caressing her flushed cheek, his action carrying a hint of solace.
"Hahahahaha, to make our genius reach this point, it truly was difficult for you."
His tone was filled with the satisfaction of having achieved his goal, "Since that's the case, I shall satisfy you."
Before his words finished, he drew his arm back, easily scooping Ruan Mei entirely into his arms.
Ruan Mei let out a short gasp, instinctively reaching out and wrapping her arms around his neck, afraid she might fall.
This completely reliant posture made her bury herself deeply in his embrace.
Daziel's embrace was firm and warm. Even through several layers of fabric, Ruan Mei could still clearly feel the steady heartbeat emanating from his chest.
It was a rhythm utterly opposite to her current panic, beat after beat, as if carrying an irresistible force, aiming to assimilate her heartbeat.
Her world was turning upside down. Her vision contained only his distinct jawline and the constantly swaying, unfamiliar ceiling. A sense of shame spread through her heart like a branding iron, especially when she realized Tingyun's gaze was still fixed on her.
"Put me down."
Ruan Mei's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz; rather than a command, it was a futile plea. She didn't even dare to struggle, because any unnecessary movement would only make her body press even closer to the man's.
Daziel lowered his head and glanced at her, the curve of his lips unchanged.
He ignored her plea, simply took long strides, walking steadily towards the depths of the room.
There were still remnants of the last passionate encounter, so he decided to change to a new battlefield.
As he passed Tingyun, who stood motionless, he even had the leisure to tilt his head.
"Today's offerings concerning you have been quite enough, Miss Tingyun."
His voice returned to its usual gentleness, as if the aggressive man from moments ago was merely an illusion, "The remaining content falls under the scope of private instruction."
Tingyun's eyelashes fluttered. She quickly glanced at Ruan Mei, held in Daziel's embrace, a meaningful look in her eyes. Finally, she bowed slightly and responded softly, "Yes."
With a soft click of the door closing, only the two of them remained in the living room.
The corridor wasn't long. After a few steps, a door was kicked open by Daziel with his toe.
Unlike the bright living room, only a dim bedside lamp was lit in the bedroom. Its light spread ambiguously across the soft carpet and spacious bed.
The air was filled with a distinct, masculine scent belonging to Daziel, completely enveloping Ruan Mei's senses.
Daziel's movements were gentle. He lowered his waist and placed her onto the bed, which looked incredibly soft. The silk duvet indented with her weight, trapping her entirely within this small world.
He didn't immediately press down. Instead, he straightened up, looking down at her. His deep eyes, in the dim light, were like two burning will-o'-the-wisps, firmly locking onto her.
Ruan Mei instinctively recoiled, clutching the bedsheet beneath her. The cool touch of the silk brought a sliver of clarity to her muddled mind.
She watched the man standing by the bed, watched him unbutton his shirt again, which he had only recently fastened.
Every movement was like a trial played out in infinite slow motion.
"You see, admitting your desires isn't so terrifying, is it?"
Daziel finally spoke, his voice tinged with a smile, "This is complete humanity: to have desires, to have needs, and then to strive for them. Not like you, always just a cold observer."
"You're just... being sophistical."
Ruan Mei's rebuttal was pale and powerless. She avoided his gaze, which seemed to penetrate everything.
"Is that so?"
Daziel stepped forward, his knee pressing against the edge of the bed, his entire figure looming over her. He leaned down, his hands propped on either side of her body, completely pinning her between himself and the bed.
His warm breath misted her earlobe, causing an irrepressible tremor.
"Then, allow me to teach you,"
His voice dropped to a whisper, filled with deadly temptation, "What is the next step after desire...?"
He paused, his fervent gaze tracing her reddened earlobes, speaking word by word.
"It's called: Action."
And just like that, Ruan Mei's little class on humanity was dismissed.
When she left The Radiant Feldspar, Ruan Mei was practically leaning on the wall to walk.
She still had her research to do, so it was naturally impossible for her to stay here with Daziel for a long time.
At The Radiant Feldspar's docking port, the cold metal handrail offered a touch of coolness, barely supporting Ruan Mei's weakened body.
She changed into a clean qipao, buttoning it meticulously to the very top, attempting to use this outer shell to re-contain her composed self.
However, the strange weakness from deep within her body, and the chaotic flashbacks constantly replaying in her mind, mercilessly reminded her that some things had been fundamentally altered.
Even her favorite high heels, which she usually wore, she dared not wear again. She could only change into a pair of flat cloth shoes, encasing her delicate jade feet.
Before her was the Warp Beacon leading to her laboratory, its faint blue light quietly revolving, waiting to teleport her back.
"Leaving just like that?"
Daziel's voice came from behind her, neither loud nor soft, yet like a pebble thrown into the calm lake of her heart, which she had just barely managed to maintain.
Ruan Mei did not turn around, merely gripped the handrail tighter, her knuckles turning white from the effort.
Footsteps approached from afar, stopping behind her.
She could feel that familiar, aggressive aura once again enveloping her, as if to pull her back to that dimly lit room, back to Herta Space Station where she first met Daziel.
"After all that, isn't it enough?"
Ruan Mei's voice was still somewhat hoarse. She tried to make it sound colder and harder.
"Do you think it's enough?"
Daziel chuckled softly, walking around to stand in front of her, blocking the path between her and the Warp Beacon.
He stood against the light, his expression indistinct, but his eyes glowed astonishingly.
"What you promised me was more than this."
Daziel leaned in slightly, whispering into her ear at a volume only the two of them could hear.
"Remember, just as you said, Ruan Mei. Go create a life genetically encoded by the two of us."
That sentence was like an electric current, instantly coursing through Ruan Mei's limbs and bones. Her body stiffened. She abruptly lifted her head, meeting his bottomless eyes.
That was not a request, nor a negotiation, but an imprinted fact.
Her lips moved, but in the end, all words of resistance vanished unspoken.
From his gaze, she understood: this, too, was a part of "humanity," a "consequence" that must inevitably be borne after desires are put into action.
After a long moment, she lowered her gaze, avoiding his stare.
"Mm."
A barely audible syllable represented her acquiescence.
Daziel straightened up, a satisfied curve forming on his lips.
He stepped aside, gesturing with a "please."
Ruan Mei did not look at him again. She almost fled, stepping into the faint blue halo of light. The light surged, instantly engulfing her figure, then rapidly contracted and vanished.
Silence returned to the docking port. Only the faint residual fluctuations of Warp energy remained in the air.
Daziel turned around. Tingyun stood quietly not far away, as if she hadn't moved at all.
"We should go back now." Daziel's voice returned to its placid tone, as if everything he had just done to Ruan Mei had nothing to do with him.
"Yes, Papa."
Tingyun responded with bowed head, following closely behind him.
From The Radiant Feldspar back to the Astral Express, it was merely crossing a long skybridge.
The train doors slid open for them, and warm, familiar light spilled out.
Himeko and March 7th seemed to be arguing about something in the Parlor Car, their voices faintly audible.
Daziel ignored them, walking directly towards his room.
Tingyun followed closely. Her footsteps were so light they were almost soundless, and her fluffy tail hung demurely, not daring to sway even slightly.
Daziel stopped before his room door. The door opened in response.
"Go on in."
He didn't enter immediately. Instead, he turned sideways, looking at the Foxian girl behind him.
Tingyun's eyelashes fluttered again. She looked up, cautiously glancing at him, then her gaze went past him, settling on his private space. It was a realm she had never set foot in.
She didn't hesitate for long, merely bowing slightly before stepping inside.
The room was very tidy, carrying the same distinct scent as his body, but with an added mix of books, sweat, and some kind of liquid.
The scent of books came from Lady Herta; she had a private bookshelf here. And the other scent came from...
Tingyun looked towards the partially open door of the isolation room beside them.
As she surveyed the room, Daziel also walked in.
As he closed the door with a backhand motion, the soft click of the lock seemed like the final confirmation of a certain ritual.
From then on, Daziel's room gained a Foxian girl.
The so-called "Homebound" wasn't about returning home, but a willing surrender to debauchery.
____
Unfortunately, two of our stories were removed... so I created a new account to post them: MikuDayo.
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