[1]

Jiang Si is waiting for Zheng Weiqi to come.

She invested money in the reconstruction of Jialan, and at the end of the year, she should come to collect her share of the dividends.

The last time they were in Luan City, everyone from the Xuanxu Sword Sect witnessed his embarrassing appearance. Jiang Si was so angry that he had a heart attack. He went home and lay in bed for three days and three nights.

Thinking of that untouchable memory, a ray of cruelty and coldness suddenly flashed in the man's dark phoenix eyes.

This time, he must show his strength to let Zheng Weiqi see what the courage of the young city lord of Jialan is!

Jialan City is surrounded by bamboo trees. The dense forests block the sunlight and are not suitable for the sword to fly. Therefore, when Zheng Weiqi came, she rented a carriage in a nearby town.

This is really not like her habit. According to Jiang Si's understanding of Zheng Weiqi, she should prefer walking.

Galan is low-lying and connected to the jungle by a long staircase. The carriage cannot go down the long staircase and can only stop far away.

Jiang Si looked from a distance and first saw Zheng Weiqi jumping off the carriage. Her movements were light and graceful, with the unique coolness of a sword cultivator. After landing, she raised her chin and looked back.

She may have said something, but Jiang Si could not hear it clearly. He only saw that the curtain of the carriage moved slightly, and a short, unknown creature covered with snow-white fur jumped out from it.

Bigger than a cat, fatter than a snow leopard. Although he couldn't see it clearly, he knew it clearly in his heart. He smiled and said, "Oh, you brought a dog to see me? Woman, there's no need to show your love. I'm not interested in animals."

- But then again, does Zheng Weiqi like dogs? Then maybe he could consider giving her a few... What breed should he choose to appear low-key and luxurious without losing connotation?

Zheng Weiqi didn't say anything, staring at him in horror.

The dog didn't make a sound either, staring at him motionlessly.

In the extremely awkward silence, Jiang Si saw it getting bigger and taller, and finally it slowly and straightened up -

it turned out that it was not a dog, but a person with gray hair and wearing a white mink coat, who was bending over to get out of the carriage!

No wonder she took a carriage today, it turned out that she was accompanying an old man. Jiang Si was panicked, completely panicked, for behaving so inappropriately in front of Grandpa Zheng Weiqi.

Jiang Si threw away the little domineering aura that was left in his mind and said hurriedly: "It turned out to be Grandpa Zheng, this is too far away, my eyesight is not good, I am so disrespectful!"

The white-haired old man still didn't speak.

Even Zheng Weiqi, who was usually the most heartless, couldn't help but speak with pity at this moment, and explained seriously: "This is not my grandpa."

Jiang Si: "..."

Jiang Si suddenly realized: "I'm sorry, grandma!"

Qiu Baishuang was furious, and said: "Cousin, kill him for me!"

*

Qiu Baishuang, as the new mayor of Luancheng, rushed to discuss the cooperation between the two cities with Jiang Si's father.

Zheng Weiqi laughed until her stomach hurt. While walking with him in the city, she asked with great joy: "What's wrong with you, Jiang Si? Other people's white hair is handsome and unparalleled, why is it that yours is like grandma and grandpa?"

Jiang Si responded with a cold laugh.

Jiang Si: "You and your cousin have a good relationship?"

Zheng Weiqi swallowed a candied haws and squinted at him: "Hey, what's wrong, are you unhappy?"

"Don't try to provoke me."

Jiang Si laughed dryly twice: "Why should I be unhappy! I am very happy, I can still laugh, hahaha!"

"However, speaking of my cousin."

Zheng Weiqi stared at him with a half-smile, and suddenly frowned, with a hint of melancholy in her words: "It's really unforgettable. My family was poor when I was a child, and I couldn't afford to eat. Occasionally I could get a steamed bun, but it was all snatched away by my cousin."

Jiang Si had never heard of such a thing, and was immediately filled with righteous indignation, frowning with anger: "That bastard! You are still in contact with him, watch me throw Qiu Baishuang out of Galan!"

Zheng Weiqi narrowed her eyes and continued slowly: "- He always snatched my steamed bun and handed me a bowl of hot rice, saying that girls can't eat too little, even if he is hungry, he will raise me."

Jiang Si shuddered violently, trembling and trying to save the situation: "Throw him away "After leaving Galan, I will invite him to the best restaurant in the world of cultivation for a good meal. From now on, Qiu Baishuang will be my half-brother."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zheng Weiqi's face suddenly changed: "I didn't expect that the meal was drugged. When I woke up after eating, I found that I was sold to a coal mine as a child laborer!"

Jiang Si's eyes were red, and he turned into an angry beast: "Qiu Baishuang would never have thought that I had already put poison in his meal! Uh--!"

He said it sincerely, and had given up his reserve and panted. Zheng Weiqi finally couldn't help laughing: "I'm just kidding you. I was born in a family of cultivation. I have never suffered since I was a child. My cousin is also a very good person and has never bullied me."

She likes to tease Jiang Si too much.

He looks serious and imposing, but actually he is not very smart and is always fooled by her words, which is really fun.

She thought Jiang Si would be angry as usual.

- In fact, it doesn't matter if he is angry, a piece of candied haws can appease him.

After a strange silence, Jiang Si just sighed softly.

He has deep eye sockets, and his eyelashes cast a thin shadow in his pupils. When he looked at her with a little helplessness, his tone was a bit more joyful, similar to surviving a disaster: "That's good...you scared me to death."

In front of her, Jiang Si was rarely so serious.

Zheng Weiqi suddenly couldn't laugh, and her ears felt a little hot.

"Hey."

Zheng Weiqi took out the candy she had prepared to comfort him and stuffed it into his palm without saying anything: "For you."

Jiang Si hummed proudly and stuffed the candy into his mouth without hesitation: "Woman, you pretend to be so indifferent, but your body is very honest."

"Oh?"

Zheng Weiqi folded her arms and raised her head leisurely to look at him: "Tell me, how is my body honest?"

What "how is honest"?

When she heard this, shouldn't her "cheeks blush and eyes watery"? Who would ask back? What's wrong with this woman's brain?

Jiang Si was not willing to be suppressed by her, and replied with his neck stiff: "You bought me candies, you were nice to me, but you were cold to others, doesn't that mean - doesn't that mean you are in love with me?"

As soon as he said this, he was confused.

It was one thing to speak out the boss's words out of habit, but it was another thing to analyze it seriously in front of her.

Did Zheng Weiqi mean that she was "in love with him"? What about him? The two of them -

"Hey, what's wrong, you're blushing."

Zheng Weiqi successfully turned the tables, sneered, and shook her head repeatedly: "Young City Lord Jiang Si, you pretend to be so cold, but your body is very honest."

- Damn it! This woman is playing tricks on him again!

[II]

The first snow in Wanjian Sect this year came later than usual.

Xu Ye looked up at the falling snowflakes in the sky, unable to suppress the bitterness in his heart, and he lay on the table and sighed.

The exchange conference between the Wanjian Sect and the Xuanxu Sword Sect had ended for several days, but his tragic nightmare did not stop -

when Elder Jiangxing said the words "stir-fried human heads" in front of everyone, his heart was broken, his love was shattered, Xu Ye's soul was gone, and all the sounds in the world were quiet.

"There is a trick on the recipe."

At that time, Elder Jinghe's eyes gradually became sharper, and he focused his consciousness on the knife marks on the wooden board, easily identifying the carefully hidden magic.

She was stunned when she said this, and frowned slightly in confusion: "This spiritual power... actually belongs to Qinghan?"

Xu Ye's cultivation was not enough, and he did not learn the tricks very well, so he asked Su Qinghan to do the tricks on the recipe.

As a man who stands tall and upright, how could he let his senior sister take the blame for him!

This idea surged into his mind, squeezing out all other timid and fearful thoughts. Without thinking too much, Xu Ye took a step forward and shouted in a tone of fearlessness: "This matter has nothing to do with Senior Sister Su, she knows nothing, it's all my fault!"

In the end, he and Senior Sister Su were still invited by the master to have tea together.

Like most of the elders in the Wanjian Sect, their master was old-fashioned and an orthodox swordsman who was meticulous about everything.

This time, Xu Ye's little prank affected innocent people. Although Wen Hemian smiled and said that he didn't care, it still made their master very angry. After a criticism and education, he made the two of them be punished in the Criminal Court for half a month.

Until now, Xu Ye still remembers what his master said at that time, such as "you don't know how to respect your teachers and elders" and "as a senior sister, you don't set an example and let your junior brother do whatever he wants."

Every time he heard a word, he felt like a hammer was hitting his eardrums. He felt bitter and sad, and felt extremely wronged for Senior Sister Su.

However, Su Qinghan herself did not seem to care about it. She listened coldly and responded coldly. She was serious from beginning to end, and her expression did not change much.

When she went to the Criminal Court with him to do hard labor, she was also cold and indifferent.

"What should I do?"

Xu Yi banged his forehead against the wooden table. He looked like a skinny dead fish. He was exhausted both physically and mentally, and his voice was weak as well: "Will Senior Sister Su hate me?"

Senior Brother Xie from the same school shook his head and sighed: "Did you apologize to her?"

"Of course I did."

Xu Yi raised his head from his arms: "She simply replied 'It's okay' - but being implicated for no reason, no matter who it is, would be angry, right?"

"You don't understand this. Su Qinghan is not an ordinary person. As long as she has a sword, she won't care about anything else."

Senior Brother Wang, who has lived in the Wanhua Forest for many years, chuckled: "Besides, isn't she usually so good to you that she is partial to you? She will definitely not be angry about such a thing."

Xu Ye was stunned for a moment, and slowly digested this sentence with difficulty. Two words in it made his ears hot: "Partial, partial?"

"You didn't fail to notice it?"

Senior Brother Xie tapped the table with his knuckles, and a smile appeared on his lips: "Besides you, for whom has Junior Sister Su bought sweets specially, and willingly set aside time from sword practice to accompany him to play down the mountain?"

"I still remember that one time when we went

down the mountain to kill monsters, Xu Ye disappeared for no reason." Senior Brother Wang touched his chin and looked at him with a sigh: "It was already late at night, and the monsters were leaving the cave. It was not suitable to go into the mountain, but Junior Sister Su refused to listen and insisted on going deep into the forest to look for you. As a result, you, the kid, just accidentally fell into a trap set by a hunter."

Xu Ye blinked blankly.

That day he fell into a man-made hole, and when he woke up in a daze, he had returned to the inn. Senior Sister Su was guarding beside him. Seeing this,

she just sighed and said lightly: "Stop running around." "Well, for being sent to the interrogation hall, just an apology is definitely not enough." Senior Brother Wang was quite experienced in this and drank a sip of water to moisten his throat: "Did you show any substantive appreciation?" Xu Ye nodded desperately: "I gave her a gift!" Seeing that the two senior brothers were curious, Xu Ye added obediently: "That... There is a Dian Cui Yunsu Bouygill, an Eight Treasures Flowing Cloud Hairpin, a White Jade Bracelet..." "Stop, stop, stop!" Senior Brother Wang almost spit out a mouthful of water: "You just gave her these things? Just like what Junior Sister Su did, do you think she will use them?" Xu Ye looked at him blankly. "Think about it, Junior Sister Su has always only worn white clothes, and she only has a headband on her head. When has she ever used those fancy things?" Senior Brother Xie continued: "In my opinion, compared to the positioning of 'woman', she is first and foremost a complete sword fanatic. If you want to make Junior Sister Su happy, it is better to give her some magical tools to cultivate swords." "But..." Xu Ye wanted to say something, but when the words came to his lips, he swallowed them all back into his throat. After a long while, he said listlessly: "Then what should I do to save the image in her heart a little bit?" "If you want Junior Sister Su to notice you, the first way is to improve your swordsmanship by leaps and bounds and reach a level far beyond hers." Senior Brother Wang said this, pouted and shook his head, and then said: "As for the second way... Do you still remember that Junior Sister Su likes the big dog raised by Elder Qingyun?" * Senior Brother Wang's method is very simple. Su Qinghan usually has no hobbies, except for practicing swordsmanship, and occasionally he will play with Elder Qingyun's dog.

"Since Junior Sister Su likes animals, she will definitely have a liking for people who are equally kind-hearted. Now it's time for you to show it!"

His original words were: "Go and build a good relationship with the dog first, and then take it for a stroll in the mountains. At the same time, your Senior Brother Xie and I will find any excuse to lead Junior Sister Su to that place - hehe, as long as she looks up, she will see you and the dog having fun, and she will definitely be moved." It sounds

like an absolutely foolproof method, worthy of Senior Brother Wang!

Xu Ye and Su Qinghan had been doing hard labor in the Criminal Trial Hall for less than half a month. Most of their time every day would be taken away, and they were only free at night.

Xu Ye was full of confidence. He spent three nights to get to know the dog. On the evening of the fourth day, he was finally able to take it out for a walk.

"Just wait for us!"

Senior Brother Xie smiled with a determined look: "I promise to bring Junior Sister Su to you!"

So Xu Ye began to walk the dog with great anticipation.

The Wanjian Sect, like the Xuanxu Sword Sect, was built between high mountains and steep ridges, so there were many ups and downs, and it was very tiring to walk.

Xu Ye was tired after a day in the Criminal Court, and he didn't have much energy left, but as long as he thought of Senior Sister Su and saw the lively dog ​​in front of him, he felt infinite motivation in his heart.

After a cup of tea.

Xu Ye was beaming with joy, and as he chased the dog in front of him, he smiled like a happy fairy: "Don't run, haha, wait for me!"

After an incense stick of time.

Xu Ye vaguely realized that something was wrong. Why didn't Senior Sister Su come until now?

Half an hour later.

Xu Ye was so tired that he rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue. He dragged his exhausted body forward and shouted at the dog breathlessly: "Don't... don't run, I can't keep up, I can't keep up..."

Two hours later.

Xu Ye finally stopped.

In front of him was the dog who was also rolling his eyes and sticking out his tongue, and was so tired that he twitched and paralyzed on the ground.

He walked the dog to death.

It snowed heavily tonight, and Senior Sister Su still didn't come.

Xu Ye looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, speechless. At this moment, an extremely serious problem troubled him - what should he do to bring back this half-man-tall dog?

*

Today's snow was too heavy. Senior Brother Xie and Senior Brother Wang sneezed countless times while waiting for Su Qinghan to comprehend the sword.

Comprehending the sword's meaning is an extremely important hurdle for sword practitioners, and distractions are the most important thing to avoid during this period. Although they were both anxious, they had to sit aside and wait for her due to the rules.

It took more than an hour for Su Qinghan to sheath the sword.

She looked cold to everyone, and her voice was as clear as snow: "What's the matter?"

The two said in unison: "I want to go to Cuizhu Peak with you to compete in swordsmanship!"

Cuizhu Peak was the mountain where Xu Ye walked the dog.

Su Qinghan rarely refused a challenge, so he agreed without much thought and followed the two to their destination.

The mountain road was rugged and varied, with jagged rocks and strange shapes. The scenery was particularly quiet and romantic in winter, which was perfect for cultivating feelings.

Wang and Xie looked around, trying to find Xu Ye's shadow. Unexpectedly, it was Su Qinghan who was the first to be startled. She said in a deep voice: "I seem to have seen Junior Brother Xu."

She paused and added: "There is also a dog."

"Where, where?"

Senior Brother Wang was delighted. When he did not see Xu Ye, he said reflexively: "Xu Ye often plays with Elder Qingyun's dog. They are very close!"

Su Qinghan's tone was a little hesitant: "He... often does this?"

"Of course, exercise--"

The moment this sentence was spoken, the two followed Su Qinghan's gaze and saw a familiar figure in a dark corner shaded by the jungle.

The originally excited words were all choked in the throat.

Xu Ye was walking forward with his head down and a sly look on his face, without noticing them.

On top of his head, there was a dog.

If it was a small dog, it would be acceptable, but it was a giant dog that was more than half a person tall, and it looked very weird when it was carried on his head.

The man and the dog both had sad faces, rolled their eyes and stuck out their tongues.

The dog's eyes were full of confusion and bewilderment, its limbs curled up pitifully, and tears were hidden in its eyes. Looking closely, you can see that it is foaming at the mouth and howling sadly from time to time.

As for Xu Ye.

Snow flakes fluttered in the north wind, and the heavy snow dyed his hair white. With his long-bent back, trembling legs and wrinkled facial features, at that moment, Xu Ye seemed to have aged a hundred thousand years, like an old man who was unable to straighten his back due to the pressure of life.

Senior Brother Wang and Senior Brother Xie pretended to look around.

Su Qinghan: "Junior Brother Xu, he often carries a dog... and runs with heavy loads?"

Perhaps he heard the movement, Xu Ye raised his head with a grim face, and met Su Qinghan's hesitant eyes.

Asking what love is in the world makes people sad to vomit.

Senior Brother Wang burst into a cry of surprise: "Help, Junior Brother Xu fainted!"

*

In short, the plan that claimed to be foolproof was completely ruined.

A legend began to spread in the Wanjian Sect, that a certain junior brother named Xu was insane and loved to carry Elder Qingyun's big dog and run around the mountains. The dog was frightened and foamed at the mouth, but he still swung his tongue and ran around like a savage.

Rumors, all rumors!

Xu Ye took a breath of cold air with grievance, and felt that even his lungs were frozen with ice, which was painful and bitter.

At this moment, he and Senior Sister Su were sitting in the meditation room of the Criminal Trial Hall copying the Sword Scripture. They had not spoken to each other for a long time.

When she saw that scene, she would definitely think he was an idiot.

While Xu Ye was daydreaming, he moved his eyes away from the scriptures and secretly glanced at Su Qinghan.

They sat facing each other at the two ends of the wooden table, with a pot of lush and green spiritual plants placed in the middle of the table. Although it was winter, the spiritual plants were still lush and green, with branches and leaves extending in all directions, just blocking his sight.

How annoying, so annoying, even the leaves bully him.

Senior Sister Su was concentrating on copying, and she would not look up at him. Xu Ye was very nervous, and quietly stretched out his sinful right hand, pinched one of the leaves, and pulled it hard.

The leaf fell, leaving a very small gap. From his angle, he could just see Su Qinghan's eyes.

In fact, Senior Sister Su is very beautiful.

Xu Ye thought quietly that there must be another reason why she didn't like to dress up.

He knew Su Qinghan's past experience. He was born in a family of sword cultivators. All his relatives died in the battle between immortals and demons. He was adopted by their master early.

She was not good at socializing and was only interested in asking questions. However, when she was strolling around Luancheng, she would stop briefly in front of the jewelry stalls on the street, just like all ordinary girls.

Growing up in an environment like the Wanjian Sect, perhaps no one told her how to live besides practicing swords.

Through the gaps between the leaves, Xu Ye stared at the drooping eyes that seemed to be stained with cold frost and snow.

He was very nervous, fearing that he would be discovered. His heart was hanging in his throat. He didn't even dare to jump, and stopped trembling in the corner.

Suddenly, the candles in the room dimmed.

Su Qinghan's long eyelashes moved slightly, but in a flash, he raised his head unexpectedly.

The heart-pounding eye contact.

Her gaze was like a burning fire, burning away all his disguises.

Xu Ye was at a loss, his brain was working at a high speed, and unconscious words came out of his mouth: "Su, Senior Sister Su, look at this spiritual plant, it's so beautiful, haha."

However, Su Qinghan did not respond.

She must have discovered that she was being peeped at.

The secret hidden in her heart for a long time was now revealed to her without reservation. The heat spread from the side of his face to his limbs. Xu Ye didn't know what to do, and he was so nervous that he clutched the hem of his clothes.

"This spiritual plant is an extremely precious Lingling grass."

Su Qinghan said, "Don't pull its leaves casually."

As expected, he was taught a lesson.

Xu Ye was both relieved and disappointed. He couldn't tell what he felt in his heart. He could only respond to her softly, "Well... I'm sorry."

Then no one spoke. In the narrow and dark room, not a single sound could be heard.

Suddenly, Xu Ye saw Su Qinghan stand up, reach out, and push the pot of spiritual plants to the other side of the table.

The wooden table was empty, so there was no obstacle between them.

Senior Sister Su's voice was still very cold. Xu Ye vaguely heard her say, "If you want to see it, why don't you just look at it openly."

Xu Ye looked at her blankly.

The burning blood was boiling and bubbling. His sight passed through the table and fell on her outstretched right hand. He saw the sleeve fall down, revealing a touch of white like ice and snow.

On the hand that was used to holding a sword, she wore the white jade bracelet he gave her.

It was out of place, yet it fit perfectly.

She actually wore it.

So happy.

Xu Ye almost couldn't help grinning.

"Senior Sister Su!"

It was as if fireworks exploded uncontrollably. Xu Ye's mind was fuzzy, as if he was dreaming, and he didn't think much when he spoke: "When I saw this bracelet, I immediately thought of you. It's very beautiful, and Senior Sister Su is also - also very beautiful."

Damn, what is he talking about.

Senior Sister Su's face began to turn red visibly.

Su Qinghan lowered his eyes and said "hmm" softly.

Xu Ye also lowered his head, and after a while he suddenly said: "During the New Year, does Senior Sister Su have an appointment?"

As expected, Su Qinghan replied "No".

She didn't have many friends, her only home was in the Wanjian Sect, and she didn't have any relatives to visit.

"The winter in the imperial capital is very beautiful."

He started awkwardly, his words unclear and hesitant: "It's just... snow, firecrackers, fireworks, and it's very lively everywhere."

There was no sunlight in the meditation room, only a bunch of candles were dancing.

Xu Yi touched his hot face and whispered to her: "Senior Sister Su, do you want to go to the imperial capital with me during the New Year?"

Waiting is a difficult time, and every moment seems to be stretched very long.

Fortunately, Su Qinghan didn't let him wait.

A clear female voice rang out. It was not until this moment, when everything was quiet and they were the only two people in the room, that Xu Ye realized belatedly that when Senior Sister Su spoke to him, her tone was filled with an unnoticeable sense of helplessness and tolerance. It was

a tolerance that she only showed to him.

Just like the melting of ice and snow, revealing a soft new color, Su Qinghan replied, "Okay." Xu

Ye couldn't help but started to giggle.

[Three]

When the dinner in the restaurant ended and the Xuanxu Sword Sect returned to the sect, it was already late at night.

Ningning was not good at drinking, and although she drank little, she was already a little tipsy; Pei Ji blocked a lot of wine for her, and when he sent Ningning back to the courtyard, his steps were still unsteady.

"This candy... is it a snake or a dragon?"

Ningning held a candy man she bought at the foot of the mountain in her hand. The smell of alcohol was blown away by the cold wind, and she was finally no longer dizzy.

"Yaoshan Candle Dragon."

Pei Ji grabbed her coat that belonged to him, and walked in the direction of the night wind to block the cold and biting cold: "Legend has it that it has lived on Yaoshan for a long time, with eyes like torches and scales like jade. Only people with destiny can see it - look at the broken horn on its head, which is the biggest feature of the Yaoshan Candle Dragon."

Pei Ji always knows everything. Because he often reads books, he knows everything from ancient times to the present, whether it is rural anecdotes or orthodox history.

Sometimes when Ningning hears him talking about stories from all over the world, she feels like the king who loves to listen to stories in "One Thousand and One Nights". His beloved concubine always has endless legends to tell, which can make her happy every night.

Ningning kept laughing while listening, stuffed the candy man into his mouth, and hugged Pei Ji's right arm with both hands: "Yeah, yeah, our Pei Ji is awesome."

He didn't expect Ningning to suddenly come up to him, and he took a breath of cold air a little awkwardly, and finally said helplessly in a dejected voice: "I'm cold."

The little girl beside him rubbed her head on his arm: "It's okay, I'm hot."

The sweetness of the candy man sobered Pei Ji up.

The two of them soon arrived at Ningning's courtyard. When they were about to say goodbye, she suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

"Today is your birthday."

Perhaps because of the wine, the lingering smell of alcohol condensed into watery light in her eyes, which was extremely moist, especially when Ningning smiled, her eyes seemed to be glowing.

She said: "Stay alone in the room... Aren't you afraid of the dark?"

This was an obvious hint, and Pei Ji was not stupid enough to answer her "I won't put out the candle."

After some hesitation, he finally stayed.

When Pei Ji finished washing up, Ningning was already lying on the bed.

Her bed was very big, and different from his simple and carefree style, the bedding and cotton were made of very fine materials, and when the body sank into it, it was like falling into clouds.

The tip of his nose was filled with the scent of gardenia belonging to the girl, and Pei Ji could clearly feel his own heartbeat.

Lying in bed alone is a completely different feeling than lying in bed with two people.

The space for tossing and turning suddenly became crowded, and the temperature of another person remained on the sheets, as if completely wrapped in her breath.

Pei Ji had never felt that the action of getting into bed and pulling the sheets could be so awkward.

Ningning lay on her side and stared at him, taking in all the restraint in Pei Ji's eyes.

She smiled and reached out to poke his ear: "You're red there - don't lie flat, you can't see me this way?"

They used to be unfamiliar with each other and were a bit reserved when they were together, but now that they were getting closer, Ning Ning would often tease him.

Pei Ji was the shyest boy she had ever met. He was cold as ice on weekdays, but once he was teased, he would get so nervous that his body would become stiff.

As for sleeping in the same bed, her mother and best friends had done it with her before, so Ning Ning was not unfamiliar with it, but Pei Ji was completely different.

He had not had much physical contact with other people, and tonight should be the first time he slept in the same bed with someone.

After hearing this, he turned to the side in silence and held her in his arms.

Although it was a winter night, Ning Ning was only wearing a soft white shirt. The heat from her body was wrapped in the quilt, and the heat spread through the fabric and diffused into the palm of his hand.

Unlike the ordinary hugs on weekdays, when he lay with her, the strong ambiguity was fermenting heavily, making him unable to control his heartbeat.

The candles had gone out, and the moon in the winter night was as round as a jade plate, with clusters of light falling on his face through the window.

Ning Ning's voice was like a whisper, with a smile: "Pei Ji, if you are like this now, what will we do after we get married?"

Marriage.

He has gradually learned some secrets about "getting married", and also knows the ambiguity hidden under these two words. This is a word that Pei Ji once dared not think about carefully, but now it has reached his ears through her voice.

He will get married with Ning Ning.

The quiet night is the best catalyst. The love in his heart overflows. Pei Ji stepped back a little, still holding her, and looked down at Ning Ning's eyes.

"Your heartbeat is so fast."

She put her palm on his chest, and there was a faint smell of alcohol when she spoke. The tail tone was like a cat's paw, pinching his heart.

The space in the bed is really too small.

It was so quiet that even the faintest murmur was particularly clear. Ningning paused for a moment, and her laughter filled every corner of the quilt: "Do you want to... listen to my heartbeat?"

Pei Ji heard the hidden meaning in the words.

His head exploded, and the heat spread throughout his body.

It's not that he didn't want to touch her more, but he always took Ningning's feelings into consideration, and the relationship between them was limited to the most basic courtesy.

Kissing is the most intimate contact. Even if he reached out to touch her, his palm would only fall on her lower back or back.

Only this time was different.

The air stagnated for a moment, as if making some kind of decision. Pei Ji applied a little force with his fingertips, sliding across her spine and upwards.

His palm was a little cold, and it brushed across the most delicate part, causing an uncontrollable shudder.

Ning Ning unconsciously let out a sound, the voice was too gentle, very different from her usual voice. She was so frightened that her cheeks were hot and she bit her lower lip.

Pei Ji heard the sound and thought he hurt her, so he stopped moving.

Ning Ning lowered her head, grabbed his front with both hands, and whispered: "I'm fine, it's okay... it's just a little itchy."

Then the dragonfly landed on the water again, caressing past, stirring up layers of ripples.

The boy's breathing and fingertips were trembling, and his bony right hand slowly moved up, passed over the ribs, and touched a soft full moon.

His hands and ears felt like they were on fire, and Pei Ji's breath was chaotic, and he was as nervous as she was.

To him, this place is like an unattainable taboo. Even if he thinks about it inadvertently, he will secretly curse himself for being shameless and despicable.

How could he... think of touching her.

The girl in his arms shuddered.

She said that as if she was fearless, but now that he really felt her heartbeat, she was too embarrassed to move.

Across a thin distance, Pei Ji outlined her outline bit by bit. Until the hand covered her completely, the originally cold palm had become extremely hot.

Ning Ning didn't expect it to be so itchy.

She shivered slightly, unable to see Pei Ji's expression. In the deep darkness, she could only feel his gradually gentle, exploratory touch.

There was another serious question: "Will this... make you uncomfortable?"

How could Ning Ning be willing to answer him? She wanted to bury her whole face in the pillow.

Perhaps because she was very shy, he quickly moved his palm away and said without thinking: "I will wash up and go to bed first in the future."

He let go of her hand, and Ning Ning was finally able to look up at him. Pei Ji's eyes were very deep, and he seemed to smile, touching her nose with his nose: "The bed in winter... is too cold."

He had to warm up the mattress first, how could he let her get cold.

The lingering sound of this sentence was followed by an unconditional kiss.

The touch between the lips was very gentle at first.

In the night, the boy's eyes were dark and heavy, and the teardrop mole at the end of his eye was illuminated by the moonlight, beautiful and attractive. Pei Ji never looked at her coldly, but at this moment, his entire pupil was filled with the same panic-stricken danger.

The pale lips had turned bloody at some point, and moisture was lingering between them. In the dark night, all senses were exceptionally clear.

Ning Ning heard the sound of breathing, and even the sound of palms touching clothes, rustling, and extremely clear in her ears.

Pei Ji pressed her waist, forcing her to get closer.

I don't know when, this kiss was filled with some unprecedented desire that belonged to the middle of the night. The tip of the tongue drove straight in, carrying the intoxicating smell of alcohol, the fresh soap scent after bathing, and the possessiveness that was too strong to conceal.

He used more and more force in his hands, gently pinching the soft flesh on her waist. Ningning was kissed so hard that she couldn't breathe. With the feeling of suffocation and the itchiness all over her body, her mind went blank.

It's so hot.

...Will it be this hot in winter?

After an unknown amount of time, Pei Ji finally stepped back a little, lying close to her and staring into her eyes.

His voice was originally cold, but at this moment, he made a slight gasp, which was unspeakably soft.

Ningning could hear that he was trying his best to restrain himself, but it was this restraint that made his breath seem even softer and more seductive.

After a while, Pei Ji spoke in a deep voice: "...Don't leave."

This sentence came out of nowhere, Ning Ning was confused, and heard him continue: "I want to spend my birthday with you in the future...Don't leave, okay?"

So this is what he meant.

"Just want to be with me on your birthday?"

Ning Ning touched his cheek, feeling the delicate and hot heat, and crooked her eyes when she spoke: "I will stick to you very often."

This is an answer beyond imagination. Ning Ning is willing to give him, and it has always been much more than he imagined.

The young man in front of him raised his eyes slightly, and a small arc appeared on his lips. Hearing this, he lowered his head again and wanted to continue kissing, but Ning Ning dodged with a red face.

She was still trying to regulate her breathing, and she chuckled at the disappointment in his eyes: "Do you still want to come?"

After saying this, Ning Ning realized that such words did not sound like a rejection, but more like a tease.

But she was really about to suffocate and needed more rest.

Pei Ji looked at her with dark eyes, clearly with an innocent look, but his body moved a little closer, tightly pressed against her.

The boy's thin lips were moistened with a layer of water color, looking particularly soft, without opening his mouth, only his throat moved slightly, blinked his eyes, and responded softly: "Yeah."

Both the eardrum and the heart were hit hard.

This look was so adorable that Ning Ning finally understood what "so cute it makes your heart itch" meant. She just wanted to roll around on the bed with the quilt in her arms, but due to her reserve, she had to purse her lips and hold back her smile, teasing him as usual: "What do you want?"

Pei Ji was obviously stunned for a moment.

"I want..."

He took a shallow breath, his voice weak and panting. The cold boy's voice was not as clear as before, and every word he uttered was hoarse and almost sexual.

Pei Ji leaned close to her ear and said, "Kiss me."

A hoarse bass.

It was as if fireworks exploded in her ears, and the strange tingling was like an electric current, densely intertwined and swept through her body, even the spine was numb and shuddering.

Ning Ning was trapped in her own trap, and came on the spot, her face flushed, her heart pounding like a drum, her whole body felt like it was on fire, and she curled herself up into a ball.