Chapter 41 This is a wonderful beginning

Ji Ling's kiss gradually deepened from a gentle, tentative touch. He was no longer satisfied with just the rubbing of lips; his tongue gently pried open Xia Li's teeth.

Xia Li felt a wave of dizziness. She passively endured it, and under his forceful guidance, she responded awkwardly. That response was like a fire, instantly igniting Ji Ling's long-suppressed desire.

He held her close, their steps moving unconsciously in their tender embrace, until Xia Li's back gently pressed against the wooden bookcase in the living room. A slight vibration was felt, and a book fell directly off the shelf, breaking the enchanting atmosphere in the room.

Both of them paused, their breaths unsteady, and they separated slightly.

Xia Li subconsciously looked down and saw the cover of the book. Her heart skipped a beat. It was a book that Ji Ling had recommended to her. She had once looked for it in the basement of her house.

Ji Ling's gaze also fell on the book, his dark green eyes deepening. He didn't pick it up, but instead lowered his head again, kissed Xia Li's slightly reddened eyes, and said, "Let's continue."

He then pressed her even tighter against the bookshelf, and his burning kiss landed again, even more intense than before, as if he wanted to make up for the years he had missed with this kiss.

In the midst of their passion, Mandy's excited shouts suddenly rang out from outside the door: "Sister Xia Li! Brother Ji Ling! Are you inside? Shi Shi and I are going to the hot springs, come along!"

Xia Li's body stiffened, and she subconsciously wanted to push Ji Ling away.

Ji Ling paused, a hint of displeasure at being disturbed flashing in his eyes. He immediately wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly in his embrace. He lowered his head and gently bit her lower lip, eliciting a suppressed gasp from her.

Xia Li looked up, glared at him helplessly, took a deep breath, looked at the door and replied, "Sorry, we're a little tired and just rested. You and Shishi can go first."

Mandy outside the door seemed to pause for a moment, then let out a dazed and slightly embarrassed chuckle: "Ah... oh, okay, okay! I won't bother you anymore! You guys... get some rest."

The footsteps faded into the distance, but the ambiguous atmosphere in the air lingered.

Ji Ling looked down at Xia Li in his arms, gently stroked her slightly swollen lips with his thumb, and asked in a low voice, "Tired?"

His tone carried a hint of mockery and unfinished business.

Xia Li avoided his gaze, embarrassed, and couldn't speak.

Ji Ling chuckled softly, said nothing more, and picked her up in his arms. He didn't head towards the bedroom, but went straight through the living room, pushed open the door leading to the terrace at the back of the house, bounced Xia Lichao up and down so she could hold him tighter, and said, "Let's go somewhere else."

Ji Ling carried her step by step into the private hot spring on the terrace, placing her beside the smooth rocks at the edge of the pool. The water reached her waist, enveloping her body. The thin layer of clothing clung tightly to her skin, and under the cover of the water, the intertwining of their limbs became even more natural.

Ji Ling's kisses, damp with moisture, traced a path down her chin and neck, leaving a delicate, lingering touch. As he attempted to go further, Xia Li, clinging to her last vestiges of reason, turned her head slightly, her breath unsteady as she softly protested, "No... I'm not prepared... I don't want to..."

Her words were fragmented and incomplete, but Ji Ling instantly understood her concerns.

He stopped moving, gently sniffed her neck, breathing heavily. When he looked up again, he gazed at her with deep affection, his voice terribly hoarse: "It's okay."

At the same time, he gently brushed away the wet hair on her cheek with his fingertips: "...There's more than one way."

Before she could fully grasp the meaning of his words, she felt the arms around her waist tighten, and then he slowly sank into the water, the warm water flowing over his shoulders.

Xia Li looked down in astonishment, only to see the outline of his black hair on the water's surface.

The next second, a completely unfamiliar sensation spread throughout her body, extremely gentle, clearly coming from the most sensitive part of her body, amplified into an indescribable stimulation with the ripples of water.

Her hand gripped the rocks by the pool tightly, causing ripples to spread across the water.

Xia Li looked up, leaning weakly against the water's edge, her body trembling slightly from the lingering sensation.

Water droplets from Ji Ling's forehead slid down her cheeks. He pulled her back into his arms, kissed her sweaty forehead, and said nothing.

The heat blurred the boundaries and the unspoken barrier between the two.

For a late-night snack, Mandy recommended a private restaurant located by the lake. It was a four-person table, with her and Shishi sitting on one side, and Xia Li and Ji Ling sitting opposite them.

She ordered some local dishes: tender but not fatty reindeer meat, pan-fried cod with a rich creamy sauce, and perfectly roasted root vegetables... all steaming hot and fragrant.

From the moment she sat down, Mandy's mouth never stopped, not eating, but talking.

“Their grilled seal meat is incredibly delicious. I heard it’s especially good for replenishing energy, perfect for eating after you’ve used up all your strength!” Mandy said, her eyes intentionally darting between Ji Ling and Xia Li. “Brother Ji Ling is so good at ice climbing during the day, he should replenish his energy.”

Ji Ling paused, holding the water glass, but didn't say anything.

Mandy continued her recommendations: "Xia Li, you should try this too! This reindeer steak with cranberry sauce is so sweet and sour, it's absolutely delicious! And the steamed red sashimi is so tender! Xia Li, you can't handle spicy food, so this is perfect for you..."

Xia Li swallowed somewhat shyly, and under Mandy's expectant gaze, she tasted each bite and praised, "It's really good, thank you."

Looking at the table full of nourishing dishes laid out in front of her and Ji Ling, she inexplicably felt her ears burning.

Just then, Mandy brought out seal soup, praising its nourishing properties.

Xia Li could feel Ji Ling's gaze on her. Under his gaze, she took the food. A moment later, Mandy brought Ji Ling another serving. Ji Ling looked up and took it. At the same time, his hand under the table gently grasped Xia Li's knuckles, and he took her hand in turn, their fingers intertwined, gently caressing each other.

Xia Li

My heart was racing from eating.

Back at the hotel, as soon as the door closed, Ji Ling gently pressed her against the door panel, his breath carrying the lingering scent of red wine from dinner, brushing against her cheek.

"How was your meal today?" He took her hand, pressed it to his chest, and whispered as he leaned closer to ask.

Xia Li didn't answer. She thought of the plates of nourishing food on the table, and her ears turned bright red. She pushed Ji Ling away and said, "I'm sleepy. I'm going to rest."

Ji Ling didn't give her a chance to escape. He pulled her into his arms, lowered his head, and kissed her tenderly.

He kissed her as he lifted her up and carried her into the bedroom, where they stumbled and sank into the soft bed.

Xia Li could clearly feel his fervor and his increasingly heavy breathing. The temperature in the room rose, and just when Xia Li thought something was about to happen, Ji Ling suddenly stopped. He buried his face deep in her neck, breathing heavily, each breath carrying a scalding heat that burned her skin.

He tightened his arms around her, using immense self-control to rein in his almost unbridled desire.

They remained frozen for a long ten seconds.

Finally, Ji Ling took a deep breath, pulled himself out of his desire, propped himself up, and sat on the edge of the bed.

Xia Li felt a slight chill and emptiness, and her consciousness cleared a bit.

“I’m going to take a shower,” he said.

“…Okay,” she replied.

Soon, the sound of rushing water came from the bathroom; the sound of the cold water could not completely mask the suppressed noise.

Xia Li lay alone on the bed, her heart still pounding. She lay there in a daze for a while before slowly sitting up. Her gaze inadvertently swept over the minibar, and as if possessed, she got up and took out an unopened condom from inside.

By the dim light, she could make out the words on it.

That's a larger size than the standard size.

It's Ji Ling's size.

Xia Li held the small box, her heart filled with mixed emotions. The sound of water running in the bathroom continued. After an unknown amount of time, Ji Ling walked up to her, his body steaming with moisture, and handed her a towel.

His short hair was wet, with water droplets constantly rolling down from the ends, sliding past his chin, and disappearing into his slightly open collar.

"help me."

This wasn't a question; it was a request tinged with intimacy.

Xia Li looked at his still dripping hair, then at the towel he offered, hesitated for a moment, and finally reached out to take it.

Ji Ling sat down on the wool carpet, with his back to her.

At this height, Xia Li could easily touch his hair. She covered it with a towel and began to wipe it with somewhat clumsy movements.

Her fingertips would occasionally slip through his hair and touch his scalp. His body temperature was slightly elevated, and Xia Li's hand trembled involuntarily as she wiped him more carefully.

A faint, sweet grapefruit scent filled the air.

The firewood crackled softly in the fireplace, a sound that was both comforting and reassuring.

Ji Ling leaned back slightly, an unconscious movement that brought the back of his head almost to her lower abdomen.

Xia Li froze instantly, and even her breathing became softer involuntarily.

He seemed oblivious, his eyes still closed.

Xia Li lowered her eyes; this feeling was strange.

On the glacier, Ji Ling is powerful and calm.

At this moment, however, he entrusted her with such a mundane and private matter in an almost dependent manner.

"alright."

After wiping, she prepared to stop.

However, Ji Ling suddenly raised his hand, grabbed her wrist as she was about to leave, slowly turned his head, and looked up at her.

From this angle, Xia Li could see the surging emotions in his eyes more clearly.

He didn't speak, but held her wrist tightly, as if she would disappear if he let go.

Xia Li patted his head and said, "Go to sleep, I'm sleepy too."

The next morning.

Xia Li woke up very early, or rather, she had barely slept all night.

The person next to her was breathing evenly, and one hand was still possessively resting on her waist. She carefully moved the arm away, got out of bed barefoot, and after a long while, turned around and scanned the room.

Several books that she had accidentally knocked over yesterday were scattered on the living room carpet. She picked them up one by one, and finally placed the book about two people who regarded each other as emotional support neatly on the bookshelf.

After doing all this, she walked to her suitcase and took out a plain white envelope from the innermost pocket.

No signature.

She took the envelope to the bedside and placed it on the empty spot next to Ji Ling's pillow. The light-colored envelope stood out starkly against the dark pillowcase.

Then, she took out the whalebone pendant she had found in Ancheng and gently and steadily placed it on the envelope.

The pendant is a continuation of the stranded whale's remains, a second beginning of life.

The envelope contained the divorce agreement, which will be handled by a lawyer in the future.

She slowly leaned down and left a light kiss on the corner of his lips.

She took nothing with her except her "second start".

There was no lingering attachment, no turning back.

The door closed gently.

It was as if nothing had happened.