Chapter 142 With your mind wandering, the food's already been handed to you, how could you not eat it...

After drying her hair until it was no longer dripping wet, Zhu Liushuang opened the bathroom door.

The television in the living room was playing a boring health product commercial. The host's voice was incessant, and the images kept changing, but the man on the sofa didn't react at all. His head drooped, his eyes were closed, and his breathing was calm and rhythmic, as if he were asleep.

Zhu Liushuang subconsciously stopped in her tracks and then changed the direction she was going.

Driven by her own thoughts, she tiptoed to the sofa. After gazing intently at the man's crown of hair for a moment, she slowly knelt down and rested her head on the sofa.

From her angle, she could clearly see He Ming's sleeping face.

When he was asleep, he was less sharp than when he was awake, and his closed phoenix eyes presented two pleasing curves in the light and shadow.

For some reason, his thick eyebrows still wouldn't relax.

Is something on your mind?

Or are you just too tired?

Zhu Liushuang quietly raised her hand, trying to smooth his furrowed brow.

Her fingertips touched the folds, stroking them slowly. With her gentle movements, the sleeping man gradually relaxed.

That's more like it! Frowning all day long makes you look like a little old man...

Zhu Liushuang smiled silently.

Her fingertips slipped away from the man's brow, only to be grabbed by a large hand that suddenly reached out. The force moved upwards, and her hand returned to the man's angular face.

Warm breath landed on her palm, and He Ming suddenly opened his eyes without warning.

His phoenix eyes, which had been tightly closed just a moment ago, were now fixed on her without blinking. There was no trace of sleepiness in his eyes, only a serene smile.

"You...you're not asleep?" Zhu Liushuang asked in surprise.

The man on the sofa silently curled his lips. His large hand, which was holding her palm, slid down to her wrist, and with a slight pull, he lifted her up from the ground.

In an instant, the world spun around her, and before Zhu Liushuang could even cry out, she had already fallen onto He Ming's firm lap.

"Are you done washing?" The man's voice was hoarse as he asked, tightening his grip on her waist with both hands.

With her palm pressed against his chest, Zhu Liushuang blushed and looked up: "You know perfectly well what you're asking. Some people actually pretend to be asleep..."

"I was really tired just now, so I closed my eyes to rest for a while and almost fell asleep..." He Ming paused deliberately, chuckled, and said, "I don't know where a cat's paw came from, but it secretly scratched my forehead and chased away my sleepiness."

"You're the cat!" Zhu Liushuang muttered in dissatisfaction.

He Ming smiled but remained silent, his eyes flashing with unpredictable emotions. She was drawn to him, and couldn't help but swallow. The man's face drew closer and closer to hers, his breath tickling her nose, making her want to sneeze.

“Ah Ming…”

Before she could finish speaking, a burning heat touched her lips. The sneeze that had been stuck deep in her nose was silenced by the sudden kiss.

Gradually, his kisses grew from light to heavy, with an irresistible force.

Zhu Liushuang felt nervous, and her eyes kept glancing involuntarily toward her mother's bedroom door.

"Mmm...mmm..." Her protests sounded weak in the face of the man's advances, and she turned her head away, "Ah Ming...don't kiss me...my mom's not asleep yet..."

After she finished speaking haltingly, the light in her mother's room seemed to understand her shyness and went out immediately.

Still not satisfied, the man glanced distractedly towards the bedroom and coaxed gently, "There's no light through the crack in the door, Mom's already asleep. Sweetie, turn your head..."

He Ming's hands moved from her waist upwards, groping for her burning cheeks. He gently turned her face to face, then kissed her trembling eyelashes.

Zhu Liushuang calmed her anxious heart and obediently closed her eyes.

His kisses traveled downwards, reaching her lips. Filled with possessiveness and desire, the man's tongue probed between her teeth, wantonly plundering the sweet air in her mouth.

A surge of intense passion erupted amidst the background noise of the television, leaving Zhu Liushuang feeling oxygen-deprived from the kisses.

She couldn't help but sob, but she was afraid that making too much noise would wake her mother who had just fallen asleep, so she had to try her best to control the volume.

After the kiss ended, He Ming bounced his knees up twice.

These two swaying motions pulled the dizzy Zhu Liushuang even closer to him.

Her lips glistened with moisture, her eyes held a captivating allure, and her hands clung weakly to his shoulders. From a man's perspective, at that moment, she was perhaps more enchanting and captivating than a lotus blooming in a pond on a summer night.

He Ming lowered his head slightly and affectionately kissed her forehead.

Even though he was still breathing heavily, his lips, as if unsatisfied, covered hers once again.

Their hot, rapid breaths mingled close together, and Zhu Liushuang's cheeks were flushed redder than a peony. She no longer had the strength to protest, so she simply let him kiss her to his heart's content.

When they parted again, both of them had somewhat unfocused eyes.

Zhu Liushuang's mind was so dull, like a rusty chain, that she had completely lost the ability to think.

"Why isn't your hair dry? Are you cold?" The passion in his eyes faded, and He Ming's fingertips traced her slightly swollen lips before stroking her damp hair.

"My hands are sore... I have too much hair, I'm too lazy to blow-dry it." Zhu Liushuang mumbled with her eyes closed against his chest.

He Ming tapped the tip of her nose and said gently, "Then come inside, I'll blow on it for you."

"The hairdryer is in the bathroom..." The last word, "room," lingered on his lips.

The man took her hand without giving her a chance to object and said, "I'll get it."

The television screen suddenly went black, leaving only a dim hallway light on the living room ceiling.

"Creak—creak—" The fruity steam in the bathroom drifted around, then was shut out by the closed wooden door.

It was late at night, and the apartment building was quiet.

Zhu Liushuang sat on the edge of the bed in a daze, waiting for someone to volunteer to blow-dry her hair.

There was a rustling sound beside her. He Ming plugged in the power cord and sat down next to her.

Soon, the noisy hum of the hairdryer drowned out their breathing and heartbeats. Exhausted from the kiss, Zhu Liushuang was completely listless, remaining in a half-asleep state.

After all, He Ming was the one who started it all. Therefore, she accepted his attentiveness with a clear conscience.

"Buzz buzz buzz—" The man's fingertips ran deep into her hair roots, gently and meticulously combing through her damp hair. A warm breeze caressed her scalp, carrying away the faint chill that lingered in her hair.

Gradually, Zhu Liushuang relaxed more and more. She yawned and leaned back, lazily sinking into He Ming's arms.

This completely dependent posture made the man holding the hairdryer pause.

With the soft, fragrant woman in his arms, his breathing became heavy.

The warm breeze continued to blow overhead, but He Ming's left hand stopped combing her hair and turned to touch her graceful figure, which was wrapped in a heavy nightgown. His fingers easily slipped through the coral fleece covering and pressed tightly against her slender waist.

Zhu Liushuang suddenly opened her eyes, instantly waking up from her drowsiness.

The wooden planks at the head of the bed reflected a blurry human figure; he was close to her, and they looked like one person.

Her mind was in turmoil, and Zhu Liushuang held her breath, afraid to move.

Soon, He Ming was no longer satisfied with the embrace and began to set her on a blazing fire.

Her heart raced, and Zhu Liushuang clenched her fists.

The fire continued to spread, with the momentum of a wildfire, fiercely eroding every inch of her skin from bottom to top. Wherever it passed, it seemed as if countless buds were blooming in an instant.

She bit her lower lip with sheer willpower, trying to appear calm.

But her trembling back betrayed her nervousness.

Suddenly, the restless flames leaped onto the softest petals.

In an instant, the sound of my heart pounding was deafening.

Her chest heaved, and Zhu Liushuang could hear the blood surging wildly through her veins.

At this moment, she finally remembered something important.

He Ming also realized this.

The atmosphere was tense, and both of them were taken aback.

Zhu Liushuang's voice was barely audible: "Aming, I'm so sleepy... Go take a shower."

Her trembling words, almost like a plea for mercy, pulled the man's wandering thoughts back from the brink of spiraling out of control.

"Okay—" He Ming replied in a hoarse voice. Almost at the same time, he turned off the hairdryer and stood up. He quickly walked a few steps, rummaged through the suitcase in the corner of the room, took out a change of clothes, and hurriedly left.

The door creaked shut, and Zhu Liushuang's tense nerves immediately relaxed. She let out a howl and collapsed onto the silk quilt.

Even though He Ming wasn't in the bedroom, the heat on her face lingered for a long time.

It seems to be getting worse.

Zhu Liushuang wrapped herself in the heavy blankets with a mournful expression, trying to clear her muddled mind. But how could a fire that had been ignited be extinguished so easily? She tossed and turned in bed for a long time, but as soon as she closed her eyes, her mind was jolted by inappropriate images that kept flashing through her head.

Her anxiety made her restless, so she got out of bed and asked her best friend for help.

[Waaaaah, Yu! He Ming is staying at my house tonight, what should I do?]

【What do you mean by living at your place? Haven't you two been living under the same roof together for almost half a year already?】 Tian Xingyu replied to the message very promptly.

Zhu Liu typed rapidly with her fingers: 【Oh, this is my home! East Lake... We just got back today to spend the New Year with my mom!】

[Okay, okay... By the way, you two, a man and a woman, have been alone in a room for so long, and you still haven't hit a home run?]

【Oh my little Shuangshuang, are you perhaps a modern-day Liu Xiahui (a legendary figure known for his chastity)? Didn't I teach you a lesson last Valentine's Day...?】

Upon opening the chat window, Zhu Liushuang's face flushed intensely. Tian Xingyu's words seemed to have their own built-in audio effects, leaving her speechless with embarrassment.

At this point, asking her best friend for help would be a desperate act. But she had no one else to consult, so she had to bite the bullet and ask again: "So what should I do now? He went to take a shower..."

On the other end of the screen, a frustrated best friend typed through gritted teeth: "What else can I do? Just give it a shot! The food's been handed to you, how can you not eat it? Come on, you can do it! /clapping/clapping"

Looking at the two "clapping" emojis in the chat box, seemingly enjoying the drama, Zhu Liushuang's mind was in turmoil. Tian Xingyu's words, though blunt, were not without merit.

What's meant to happen will happen eventually.

Thinking of this, Zhu Liushuang ignored the cold, hard floor and ran barefoot to the wardrobe. She took off her thick coral fleece pajamas and changed into the lace underwear she had never worn before. Then she put on a light, milky yellow pajama set.

The sound of water in the bathroom outside gradually faded. Before he returned to the room, she tiptoed back to the bedside. Glancing at the tightly closed wooden door, she forcefully threw back the covers and scrambled inside.

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Author's note: Oh, it's Qixi Festival today! [shrug] Well then, I wish all the young couples a long and happy life together!