Chapter 24 Want to Kiss

Song Juelan realized almost instantly what was making Wen Zhi uncomfortable.

Because of that erotic dream, a certain part of his body was throbbing with energy, pressing against Wen Zhi, who was pressed tightly against him.

He watched as that fair hand slipped under the covers, groping around in his sleep, its fingertips brushing against his taut lower abdomen, sending a shiver of pleasure through him.

He immediately encircled that slender wrist, stopping Wen Zhi from touching it any further.

The touch beneath his palm was soft and delicate, like the finest jade, reminding him of the scene in his dream—he was holding Wen Zhi's wrist in the same way, pressing her down on that iron-framed bed.

Song Juelan's Adam's apple bobbed violently. After a moment of stillness, he stiffly pushed the hand away.

Then, without making it obvious, he pulled his waist back, creating some distance between himself and Wen Zhi.

Wen Zhi practically shrank into his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest, her soft lips slightly parted, giving him the illusion that she hadn't yet woken from that enchanting dream.

In order not to wake the person in his arms, Song Juelan moved back very slowly, pulling away little by little, until he was completely separated from Wen Zhi.

He breathed a sigh of relief, got out of bed, and strode into the bathroom.

The cold water poured down from the showerhead above quickly cooled the surface of my body, but the restlessness in my heart still lingered.

The laundry basket was piled high with dirty clothes that had just been changed. Song Juelan closed his eyes, and the chaotic fragments of his dream resurfaced in his mind.

The details of the dream were somewhat hazy; he only remembered that at the end of the dream, Wen Zhi lay helplessly beneath him, her black T-shirt crumpled beyond recognition, one collar slipping down to reveal her rounded shoulder covered in red marks.

Her beautiful eyes were misty, the corners tinged with crimson, and her usually pale lips were now bright red and moist, slightly swollen from being kissed...

Clearly, the person in the dream wasn't very gentle.

Song Juelan forced herself to stop reminiscing, her face grim.

This was the first time in his life he had such an improper dream, and the person in the dream was someone he wanted to take care of.

Why Wen Zhi?

Even if he doesn't have anyone he likes, he shouldn't project such filthy desires onto Wen Zhi.

Song Juelan was consumed by deep self-loathing.

He took a long shower in the cold water until every inch of his skin felt cool before changing into clean clothes and tiptoing back to the bedside.

The two people in the bed were still fast asleep and were not awakened by his movements.

Wen Zhi didn't know if it was because she was unfamiliar with the bed, but she slept very restlessly. After he left, she put her head on his pillow again.

Song Juelan gently lifted a corner of the blanket and lay down close to the edge of the bed.

The next moment, that warm, soft body pressed against him, and an arm draped over his waist.

Song Juelan's temple throbbed as he stared intently at the ceiling.

Perhaps it was because Wen Zhi rolled into his arms tonight, coupled with the fact that she had been thinking about him during the day and dreaming about him at night, that created that beautiful dream.

In other words, the soft body he held in his dream, the supple waist he caressed, and the delicate inner thighs he touched all overlapped with Wen Zhi lying in his arms in reality...

Song Juelan opened his eyes and let his mind wander. He felt the restlessness in a certain part of his body that had just been suppressed by the cold water was about to come back.

All that cold water was for nothing.

He silently uttered a curse word that he rarely uttered aloud.

*

In the early morning, bright sunlight streamed through the French windows and fell on the three people in bed.

Wen Zhi slowly lifted her long eyelashes, revealing two full and firm chest muscles wrapped in a thin short-sleeved shirt.

He blinked blankly, his gaze slowly moving upwards, first seeing the sharp jawline, then tracing the tightly pursed thin lips and the high bridge of the nose, and finally meeting a pair of dark and deep eyes.

"Good morning." Song Juelan's voice was somewhat hoarse for some reason.

Wen Zhi's eyes widened slightly.

How did he end up sleeping in Song Juelan's arms?!

Wen Zhi quickly backed away, all the way to the other side of the bed, her cheeks slightly flushed: "Sorry, I'm not usually such a bad sleeper, I didn't mean to squeeze you."

It's possible that the hotel bed was too soft, which is why he was unconsciously rolling around in his sleep.

"It's nothing." Song Juelan didn't close her eyes again for the rest of the night, her eyes slightly bloodshot. She asked, seemingly unintentionally, "Did you sleep well last night?"

Wen Zhi thought for a moment. He seemed to have a dream last night. There was a hard stick that kept poking him, but he could never catch it. He was furious in the dream.

He didn't voice his pointless dream, but replied, "It was fine. How about you?"

Song Juelan breathed a sigh of relief without showing any emotion, avoiding his gaze, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "...I slept very well."

Wen Zhi didn't notice the bloodshot in his eyes. She stretched, revealing a slender waist, and sat up from the bed.

Xiao Tang played until very late last night before going to sleep, and she's still not fully awake. Her mouth is slightly open, and a drop of glistening saliva hangs from the corner of her lips.

Since it was still early before the meeting time, Wen Zhi didn't wake Xiao Tang up and went to wash up first.

After washing up, his gaze inadvertently swept over the clothes rack in the corner of the room and noticed that there were more than three sets of clothes hanging on it. He asked with some doubt, "Juelan, did you change your clothes twice last night?"

Song Juelan's expression stiffened slightly, and he gave a low "hmm": "It got wet when you were drinking water."

"Oh, did you bring enough clothes?"

"enough."

Wen Zhi yawned slightly, then sat down on the edge of the bed, a tuft of black hair sticking up on her head swaying.

While he was washing up, Song Juelan had already ordered breakfast at the hotel. The waiter quickly brought the breakfast over and placed it on the glass round table by the window.

Wen Zhi sat down at the table, picked up a crab roe crystal soup dumpling, and took a small bite.

The thin skin split open, and golden broth immediately overflowed, scalding him so much that he gasped slightly, tasting the savory flavor on his tongue.

He carefully finished his soup dumplings and recommended them to Song Juelan across from him, saying, "The soup dumplings taste pretty good."

Song Juelan's gaze fell on Wen Zhi's scalded red lips, paused for a moment, and then hurriedly looked away: "Is that so?"

He also picked up a small steamed bun, took a bite, and tasted the same fresh and delicious flavor as Wen Zhi.

The little dumpling on the bed smelled the aroma of breakfast, groggily opened its eyes, saw the two of them eating breakfast, and immediately jumped up.

Xiao Tang wasn't grumpy at all when she woke up, and the adults didn't have to worry about her. She rubbed her eyes and went to wash up by herself, then changed her clothes before sitting down at the round table.

He immediately took a liking to the crystal-clear xiaolongbao, but his arms were too short to reach it, so he eagerly opened his little mouth towards Wen Zhi: "Zhi Zhi, ah—"

Wen Zhi picked up a small steamed bun, blew on it gently, and then held it to his lips, saying, "Be careful, it's hot."

Xiao Tang puffed out her cheeks, blew a few more breaths, and then took a big bite.

"More!" he mumbled, his cheeks puffed out.

Song Juelan's gaze unconsciously fell on Wen Zhi again, and a touch of tenderness welled up in his heart.

Before last night, he thought that the feelings he had for Wen Zhi were sympathy, or at most a little pity.

But the reality seems to be different.

It is said that dreams are the fulfillment of subconscious desires, and he now even doubts whether his intention to take care of Wen Zhi is pure.

After the three finished breakfast, it was almost time to meet up, so they tidied up and prepared to leave.

When we arrived at the hotel lobby, many families were already waiting in the lounge area. Some children were sleeping in their parents' arms, while others were playing in the lobby.

Wen Zhi also walked to the sofa in the rest area, sat down, and took out her phone to browse.

After a night's rest, he finally regained some energy. He had promised yesterday to go easy on the others, so he could slack off on today's project without any guilt.

Just as Song Juelan was about to follow, someone stopped him in his tracks.

"Good morning, Brother Song! How did you sleep last night? The hotel I chose was pretty good, wasn't it?" Zhu Zhenghao greeted him energetically, clearly having slept well in the double room by himself last night.

Song Juelan exuded a gloomy aura, glancing at him indifferently: "Do you think I look good?"

Zhu Zhenghao looked closely and noticed the faint bloodshot in his eyes. He was taken aback and asked, "What happened? What did you do last night?"

Song Juelan pursed her lips and remained silent.

"Was it because Xiaotang was too noisy at night that you didn't sleep well?" Zhu Zhenghao guessed, which seemed to be the most likely explanation.

Song Juelan shook her head: "It has nothing to do with him."

Wen Zhi and Xiao Tang slept soundly last night, but he was the only one who tossed and turned.

Zhu Zhenghao stroked his chin and asked again, "So you're not used to sleeping with other people?"

After all, I've known Song Juelan for so long, and I've never seen him stay overnight at someone else's house. No matter how late he plays outside, he always comes home.

Song Juelan knew in his heart that it wasn't because of that.

He didn't dislike the feeling of Wen Zhi sleeping in his arms; in fact... he liked it a little.

Seeing his silence, Zhu Zhenghao thought he had guessed correctly and couldn't help but complain, "Yesterday I asked you if you wanted to book another room, and you said no, but today there are no rooms available."

Summer vacation is usually peak tourist season, and last night a group of college students arrived and booked all the remaining rooms.

Song Juelan seemed not to be listening to him, her gaze fixed on the sofa not far away.

Zhu Zhenghao turned his head following his gaze and saw Wen Zhi sitting alone on the sofa, quietly looking down at her phone. Her shoulders and neck had beautiful and slender lines, like a carefully painted oil painting.

Amidst the bustling surroundings, Wen Zhi appeared exceptionally lonely.

He seemed to understand why Song Juelan, who was usually not one to meddle in other people's business, would put so much effort into Wen Zhi.

After learning about Wen Zhi's plight, it's hard not to feel sympathy for such a helpless single father.

In the lobby, almost everyone had arrived. The tour guide waved his small flag, directing everyone to line up and depart.

They returned to the same spot as yesterday, where new props had been set up. The pool was filled with sparkly toys, and a row of empty buckets were neatly arranged on the shore.

As usual, the tour guide took the microphone and explained the competition rules to everyone.

This project is called Treasure Hunt in the Water. The rules are that one parent is responsible for finding treasures in the water, which means picking up toys from the water, while the other parent is responsible for transporting the toys to the child, who then transports the toys to a bucket.

Within the specified time, the total score is calculated based on the points corresponding to the toys.

After the rules were announced, Wen Zhi and Xiao Tang both turned their gazes to Song Juelan.

This is practically a free win for them; they have no idea how they can possibly lose.

If Song Juelan hadn't promised Zhu Zhenghao yesterday that he would let him win, he could have picked up all the toys by himself.

Wen Zhi patted Song Juelan's arm meaningfully: "Just do your best."

Of the three, only Song Juelan needed to change into his swimming trunks. Wen Zhi and Xiao Tang waited for a while before seeing Song Juelan come out of the changing room.

He was only wearing black swim trunks, which showed off his perfect inverted triangle physique.

Wen Zhi's gaze swept quickly over the body, her heart skipped a beat for no reason, but she looked away nonchalantly.

He could clearly imagine what those full muscles would feel like.

Because this morning, he woke up on Song Juelan's chest muscles.

Sleeping in the arms of a boy a few years younger than him made him feel a little awkward, but he had to admit that Song Juelan's muscles felt really good to the touch.

The competition was about to begin, and all the parents who needed to go into the water to find treasure stood by the pool, ready to jump in at any moment.

The tour guide put the whistle to his lips, and after a three-count, a clear and loud whistle rang out.

With a few "plop" sounds, the parents by the pool jumped into the water in all sorts of ways, like dumplings being dropped into a pot.

Only Song Juelan jumped into the water with perfect form, without splashing much water.

After entering the water, the tall and slender figure swam into the depths like a fish and soon disappeared from everyone's sight.

Before the competition started, Wen Zhi had already discussed it with Song Juelan, asking him to search for treasure in the place furthest from the shore. That way, even if they openly let the water flow, no one would notice.

However, there is a downside: toys placed further away receive higher scores, so if the other players are too weak, they will inevitably take first place.

Chaos quickly erupted in the pool. Although the parents who went in could all swim, they were clearly not professionals, and it took them a long time to sink to the bottom.

The closer to the shore, the more people there are. Everyone crowds together and quickly snatches up all the toys in that area, forcing them to swim further away.

Suddenly, a lithe figure swam from afar, nimbly weaving through the chaotic crowd, and burst out of the water with a splash.

Wen Zhi was standing on the shore in a daze when a figure suddenly appeared in front of him, and a crystal ball the size of a palm was handed to him.

This was the toy with the highest score, and everyone's attention was drawn to it, looking at the crystal ball with envy.

"This is the furthest place we can go." Song Juelan adjusted her swimming goggles and explained to him in a low voice, "I'll stay there a little longer before coming over."

Wen Zhi knelt down to take the crystal ball, and couldn't help but smile, saying, "Okay."

Indeed, being too strong can be a problem.

He stood up with the crystal ball in his hand, walked towards Xiao Tang who was not far away, and handed the crystal ball to him.

Xiao Tang was initially a little anxious after seeing that others had already made several trips, but when she saw the crystal ball, she immediately opened her mouth wide and exclaimed "Wow!" in surprise.

The other children around looked on with envy.

Wen Zhi felt inexplicably proud, but pretended to be calm and said, "Go."

Xiao Tang hugged the crystal ball and ran happily towards the bucket, bending down carefully to put the crystal ball into the bucket.

Wen Zhi returned to the shore and waited for only a few minutes before seeing that familiar tall figure emerge from the water, holding a crystal ball in his hand.

He bent down to take the crystal ball, looked it over, and whispered a reminder: "Too fast."

“…I’m already very slow.” Song Juelan looked up at him and answered in a low voice.

Although the person with the well-defined features was wearing swimming goggles, obscuring their expression, Wen Zhi inexplicably sensed a hint of grievance in their words.

Asking a professional swimmer to swim slower seems like asking too much.

Wen Zhi's heart softened, and she said, "Leave it to me."

He stood up with the crystal ball in his hand, pretending to accidentally drop it. The crystal ball fell to the ground with a "clatter" and rolled a long distance on the flat ground.

Retrieving the ball took a minute or two, but Xiaotang didn't mind. She just worriedly told him, "Zhizhi, the ground is slippery, be careful."

"Okay, I know." Wen Zhi touched her nose a little guiltily.

Xiao Tang was relieved, and holding the crystal ball, she turned around and walked very carefully toward the bucket.

The long competition finally ended, and the parents came out of the pool to wait for the results to be announced.

The tour guide, holding a small notebook, counted the toys in the bucket one by one, announcing the score into the microphone after each one was counted.

When it was Wen Zhi's turn to get her water buckets, Wen Zhi sensed that Song Juelan beside her seemed a little tense.

He quietly reached out and touched the man's hand, comforting him, "It's okay, we definitely won't be number one."

The back of his hand felt warm where he had been touched. Song Juelan silently curled his fingers without saying a word.

Their buckets were full of crystal balls, making the calculations very easy. The tour guide soon stood up and announced their scores.

Although it was also very high, it didn't surpass the family in front who had a bucket full of low-scoring toys.

Wen Zhi breathed a sigh of relief without showing any emotion.

In the end, they came in second place and still received a prize.

Just like yesterday, Xiaotang ran happily to the podium and brought back a prize box that was a little smaller than yesterday's.

Wen Zhi could tell that Xiao Tang was happy as long as she could get the prize, and didn't care at all what place she got.

He whispered encouragement to Song Juelan: "Keep it up, try to get third place next time."

To avoid being overheard by Xiao Tang, he tiptoed and whispered the words in Song Juelan's ear, as if he were sharing a little secret.

Song Juelan's ears turned bright red, but her expression remained unchanged as she softly replied, "Okay."

There is a one-hour break after the competition ends.

Parents sat on benches by the shore chatting, while children took out the snacks they had brought and exchanged them with other children, just like having a picnic in the park.

Xiao Tang opened the backpack that Song Juelan was carrying and took out the snacks that she and Wen Zhi had picked out together.

His hands were too small to carry too many things at once, so he took them out one by one and placed them all on the bench.

Pudding cups, gummy bears, chocolate puffs...

Immediately, the attention of the surrounding children was drawn to it.

They looked at the preserved plums, hawthorn slices, and sunflower seeds that their parents had chosen for them, and suddenly they didn't find them so appealing anymore.

By the time Xiaotang took out all the snacks, he was already surrounded by other children. Everyone was eager to exchange snacks with him, and the scene was noisy and chaotic.

Wen Zhi sat next to her, watching as her favorite snacks were almost gone, her fingers hesitantly lifting and then lowering.

He's an adult; he can't compete with kids for snacks.

Suddenly, a pudding cup appeared in front of me.

"Want to eat this?" Song Juelan reached out and took one without him noticing, then lowered her head slightly and asked close to his ear, "You've been staring at it the whole time."

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Wen Zhi's face.

How did Song Juelan discover this?

Could it be that while he was staring at the pudding cup, Song Juelan was staring at him the whole time?

"...Thank you." Although a little embarrassed, Wen Zhi still accepted the pudding cup.

After the break, the tour guide led everyone to another venue for the next activity – kayaking races.

This project takes place on another body of water. The rules are simple: three people sit in a kayak, two adults share a paddle, and no one can let go of the paddle. The family that reaches the finish line first wins.

After hearing the rules, Wen Zhi felt much more relaxed.

This project is simpler than the previous one; as long as they control their speed, they can guarantee third place.

He helped Xiaotang put on the life jacket the tour guide had given her, and after he put it on himself, he turned around and found Song Juelan staring blankly at the water.

"What's wrong? Aren't you good at this?" Wen Zhi nudged him gently with her arm.

Song Juelan snapped out of her daze and shook her head: "It's nothing."

There was no activity in the water that he wasn't good at, but he was thinking about something else.

This project requires two adults to share a paddle, which inevitably involves physical contact.

If it were before last night, he wouldn't have thought much of it, but now that he knows he has secret feelings for Wen Zhi, he can't help but hesitate.

Other families boarded the kayaks one after another, and Xiaotang also ran to a sky-blue kayak, eager to try it out.

Wen Zhi walked over, carried Xiao Tang to the front row children's seat, and sat down in the middle herself.

He picked up the paddle and tried it out. It wasn't too difficult for one person to paddle, but it was difficult for two people to paddle together, which required a lot of teamwork.

The surrounding families were discussing countermeasures, such as chanting slogans or making hand gestures.

Wen Zhi looked thoughtfully at the paste in her hand, pondering what method to use.

On the shore, Song Juelan stood there for a while, taking a deep breath without making a sound.

The match only lasts less than ten minutes, and he will definitely be able to control himself and not have any inappropriate thoughts about Wen Zhi.

He strode towards the water's edge, stepped into the kayak, and just as he sat down behind Wen Zhi, his body stiffened slightly.

A soft, warm body leaned back into his arms, its back pressed against his chest, its smooth, black hair brushing against his chin, and a faint fragrance lingering in his nostrils.

Like any other couple, Wen Zhi naturally leaned against him, adjusted her posture, and grabbed the oar with him.

She tilted her beautiful face slightly upwards, raising her long eyelashes to look at him: "We'll take turns paddling later. Let me know if you get tired."

Song Juelan remained silent, her eyes lowered, seemingly oblivious to what she was hearing, her gaze fixed on those red, parting lips.

Only one thought remained in my mind.

I want to kiss you.

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Author's Note: Red envelopes will be given away in the comments section of this chapter. Thank you for your support!

Thanks to Liu Liu for the landmine!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution!

Wu San 32 bottles; Songyan, Xiyan, 37759887 20 bottles; Tingbai 13 bottles; Jiuniang, Youxia, Wenrou Jiliang, Reader 10 bottles; Donald Duck No Sugar 7 bottles; Yanzi 5 bottles; My CP Doesn't Sleep Early 3 bottles; Wen Weiyan, Qiuzhi, Haofeiya, Qi Sili's Little Dog, Tan Qing is a Little Cute Duck, Pikachu Ten Thousand Volts 1 bottle