The next moment, while Dai Chengfeng was still unprepared, Zhu Zhuqing mimicked Hu Liena's actions. Carrying the faint scent of fresh water from her bath and the delicate fragrance of a young woman, her soft, cool lips landed on the other side of Dai Chengfeng's cheek.
"Hmm?"
Dai Chengfeng felt the gentle touch on his other cheek and immediately snapped out of his thoughts.
As he turned his head, he just caught sight of Zhu Zhuqing—like a startled kitten—trying to flee after succeeding in her surprise kiss, much like Hu Liena had done earlier.
However, this time, Dai Chengfeng was no longer caught off guard as he had been with Hu Liena. He was now mentally prepared.
Thus…
"Still trying to run?!"
With a chuckle, Dai Chengfeng swiftly reached out, his hand gripping Zhu Zhuqing's slender wrist with pinpoint accuracy!
With a slight tug, her supple, slippery body—which had become even more alluring after the immortal herb's transformation—tumbled unexpectedly into his warm embrace!
The warm pool water enveloped them both, rippling gently.
Dai Chengfeng wrapped his arms around Zhu Zhuqing's smooth, resilient waist, lowering his gaze to the blushing girl in his arms. Her eyes darted nervously, yet she tried to maintain an air of composure. His amused smile deepened, laced with obvious teasing:
"Hmm? So this is also… gratitude?"
Zhu Zhuqing, caught off guard by suddenly being pulled so tightly into Dai Chengfeng's arms, felt her heartbeat race like a drum under the mingling sensations of his warmth and the wetness of the pool water.
She could clearly feel the firmness of his chest and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
When she heard Dai Chengfeng's teasing tone, Zhu Zhuqing's face grew even hotter. She lowered her head, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings in panic. Her delicate fingers unconsciously clutched at the damp fabric of his shirt as she murmured in a barely audible voice:
"Mmm... This is also just... just gratitude. You shouldn't... overthink it..."
Though she admitted it, her words carried a trace of stubbornness and shyness that was hard to miss.
Dai Chengfeng chuckled softly at Zhu Zhuqing's ostrich-like demeanor. His warm breath brushed against her ear as he spoke in a low, magnetic voice:
"That's quite some favoritism toward my little kitten."
At the sound of Dai Chengfeng's words, Zhu Zhuqing felt his heated breath tickle her ear. Her small, delicate ears flushed an even deeper shade of red.
"N-no... I'm not your little kitten," she denied shyly, though with a hint of confusion. "And... what do you mean by... favoritism?"
Dai Chengfeng smiled slightly, his voice dropping even lower.
"Little kitten, Nana is just my senior sister, but you're different. You are my—fiancée!"
He deliberately emphasized the last three words: "fiancée."
"?!"
Instantly, Zhu Zhuqing's entire body trembled. Despite being overwhelmed with embarrassment, a sweet sense of triumph quietly spread through her.
Fiancée!
This identity was something Hu Liena didn't have! Did I win?!
For a moment, a small sense of pride dulled her nervousness. She even involuntarily tilted her chin slightly, attempting to strike a pose of victory.
Unfortunately, her burning cheeks and darting eyes completely betrayed the tension and fluster within her heart.
"So, do you think this counts as favoritism?"
Dai Chengfeng chuckled, speaking again.
"Well..."
Zhu Zhuqing raised her misty eyes, forcing herself to remain calm as she looked at Dai Chengfeng's handsome face so close to hers. Her voice trembled slightly as she tried to sound composed:
"What kind of... gratitude do you want, then?"
Her clear eyes met Dai Chengfeng's amused, deep gaze, carrying an unconscious allure.
"What do you think?"
Dai Chengfeng didn't answer right away. Instead, he felt Zhu Zhuqing's delicate, trembling body nestled against him and chuckled softly as he countered her question.
"I... I don't know..."
Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head, unable to bear the intensity of Dai Chengfeng's heated gaze. She shook her head nervously.
"Heh~"
Dai Chengfeng said nothing further.
Instead, he extended a finger to gently lift Zhu Zhuqing's chin. His amused eyes gazed deeply into her large, watery eyes, which were forced to meet his gaze.
Time seemed to slow in that moment.
Moonlight spilled down, and the pool water lay still and silent.
The next second, Dai Chengfeng tightened his arms around Zhu Zhuqing, leaving almost no space between them. Then...
Slowly, he lowered his head.
"Zhuqing, do you know how incredibly tempting you look right now~"
Dai Chengfeng murmured softly, his gaze fixed on Zhu Zhuqing's perfect, heart-stopping face. He moved closer, their warm breaths mingling...
"You... Dai... Dai Chengfeng... What are you going to... do?"
Zhu Zhuqing watched as Dai Chengfeng drew nearer. Her heart raced to its limit, her mind went blank, and all she could see was his amused, deep gaze magnifying endlessly in her vision.
"What am I going to do?"
Dai Chengfeng whispered softly, "I'm going to taste my fiancée's... first kiss."
"First... kiss?"
In an instant, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes widened, her delicate lashes fluttering uncontrollably like butterfly wings. "N-no... you can't... I'm not ready..."
But before Zhu Zhuqing could finish, Dai Chengfeng's cool lips pressed gently against her tightly closed ones with tentative tenderness.
It was a fleeting touch, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water, yet it carried enough heat to ignite her soul.
"Mmm..."
A short, shocked whimper escaped her tightly pressed lips, filled with confusion and helplessness.
At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing was so tense that she forgot to breathe. Her eyes squeezed shut, her lashes trembling violently. It felt as if the entire world had narrowed to the warm, soft sensation on her lips, amplifying and deepening with each passing second...
A strange tingling sensation coursed through her, causing her to unconsciously grip the soaked fabric of his shirt tightly, her knuckles turning white.
Her mind, at that moment, was utterly blank.
All her senses and thoughts evaporated in the instant those warm lips touched hers...
Zhu Zhuqing only felt a strange, searing tingle explode from her lips, transforming into countless tiny electric currents that ruthlessly surged through her limbs and pierced her soul, making her body tremble uncontrollably.
"So this is my... first kiss... taken gently by Dai Chengfeng?"
The thought sluggishly drifted through her mind, accompanied by dizziness and bewilderment.
This unfamiliar warmth, this uniquely youthful, crisp yet scorching presence, enveloped her entirely.
She forgot to breathe, forgot to resist...
And at that moment, the tentative, tender yet heart-stopping sensation lingering on her lips suddenly intensified.
It was no longer a fleeting touch.
Dai Chengfeng tightened his arm around Zhu Zhuqing's waist. Almost simultaneously, he ceased to be content with a mere brush of lips. His kiss became deep and lingering.
"Mmm..."
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