No, I'm too fickle.
Yin Li leaned on He Mo's shoulder, the cool fragrance lingering around her nose like pine needles soaked in snow, slowly washing away the lingering fear from the nightmare. His chest rose and fell steadily and powerfully, and the gentle pats on her back carried a constant warmth, each one like a feather landing on her heart, lightly scratching, making her heartbeat erratic, and she dared not even breathe heavily.
"Still afraid?" He Mo's voice sounded above her head, the last syllable carrying a hint of tenderness. As he looked down, strands of hair at his temples brushed against the top of her head, bringing a soft, ticklish sensation, like a late spring breeze brushing against newly sprouted willow tips.
Yin Li suddenly sat up straight, the redness from the tips of her ears spreading down her neck, even her earlobes felt hot and tingling.
She avoided his gaze, her fingertips unconsciously twisting the hem of his outer robe—the fabric still carried his body heat and a cool fragrance, making her fingertips feel weak.
"No, no, it's just... a little stuffy." He Mo looked at her flustered appearance, almost tearing the hem of her clothes, a hint of a smile in his eyes, but he didn't point it out. He just raised his hand and tapped the stone wall beside him: "This secret room was built by man, so there must be an exit."
"Feel it again and see if there's anything unusual." The two of them continued to feel along the stone wall.
Yin Li's fingertips traced the cool stone surface and suddenly touched a tiny indentation—a groove the size of a palm, the edges of which perfectly matched the outline of the half of the "Lin" character jade pendant in her bosom.
"Your Highness, over here!" He Mo immediately came over, and their shoulders bumped together unintentionally. His cool fragrance instantly enveloped her, and the warm touch transmitted through the fabric, making her subconsciously shrink to the side, but she couldn't avoid his downcast gaze.
"Take out the jade pendant and try it." His voice was lower than before, a little hoarse, and it tickled her ear. Yin Li hurriedly took out the jade pendant, her fingertips trembling.
The moment the jade pendant was placed into the groove, a soft "click" sounded, and the stone wall slowly opened inward, revealing a secret passage that could only accommodate one person at a time.
A musty smell mixed with the fragrance of cinnabar wafted out. He Mo went in first, and when he turned back, he reached out his hand: "Hold me, it's dark in there." His palm was facing up, his knuckles were distinct, and there were still some thin calluses from martial arts practice on the tiger's mouth.
Yin Li hesitated for half a second before gently placing her fingertips on it—a warm sensation instantly washed over her, like an electric current coursing through her body, making her heart skip a beat.
The two walked along the secret passage. The passage was narrow, and they had to turn sideways with every step. Her arm would often brush against his arm, and the heat from their coarse clothes couldn't block it, making her cheeks burn. When they reached the end of the passage, a layer of dust covered the wooden cabinet in the center of the stone chamber. He Mo reached out to unlock the copper lock, and Yin Li leaned over to look, her hair inadvertently brushing against his wrist.
He paused, and when he turned his head, they were so close they could see the light in each other's eyes. "Be careful of the dust." He raised his hand, his fingertips gently brushing away the dust from her hair, as if afraid of breaking something.
Yin Li froze on the spot, forgetting even to breathe. The warmth of his fingertips fell on her hair, tickling her slightly, leaving her with no strength to even back away.
She only snapped back to reality when the wooden cabinet creaked open, pretending to flip through some documents, her ears burning red. "It's the secret record of the Yin family case." He Mo picked up the top booklet, Wei An's private seal clearly visible on the wax seal.
Yin Li reached out to take it with delight, but her fingertips touched his hand first—his fingertips were slightly cool, and when they touched her burning fingertips, they both stopped at the same time. "What's the rush?" He Mo's eyes held a smile as he gently touched her fingertips before handing her the secret manual. "No one's going to take it from you."
Yin Li took the secret manual, the warmth of his touch still lingering on her fingertips, and even turning the pages was a beat slow. It wasn't until she saw the words "Yin Li was sent to Wei An" that she looked up in surprise: "Yin Li is still alive?"
He Mo leaned closer and looked at the book with her. Their heads were very close, and his breath, carrying a cool fragrance, fell on her ear, making her ear tips even hotter. "Wei An has a house in the suburbs; perhaps Yin Li lives there."
He pointed at the words, his fingertips occasionally brushing against the back of her hand. Each touch felt like a feather tickling her, sending shivers down her spine.
Yin Li looked up and met his gaze. The light from the luminous pearl fell into his eyes, reflecting her image and a hint of tenderness she couldn't understand.
She hurriedly turned her face away, but felt his fingertips gently touch her brow: "Don't be afraid, I'll help you find it." That touch was like a spark that instantly ignited a prairie fire.
Yin Li clutched the secret manual tightly, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of her chest—she couldn't tell if it was the cool fragrance emanating from him that resembled Master Mu Han, or if it was the repeated touches and comforting words that had already made her fall for He Mo.
"Let's go, let's get out of here." He Mo turned around first and reached out his hand to her again. This time, Yin Li did not hesitate and tightly grasped his hand with her fingertips.
The wind in the secret passage was cool, but their clasped hands were warm to the touch. As they emerged from the secret chamber, the morning light was just beginning to spread across the sky. Yin Li looked at He Mo's tall and straight back, feeling the warmth of his palm, and thought to herself—perhaps, the person she was waiting for was never the shadow in her memories.
Ahhhhhh, two people, right? Ahhhhhh, so good! Playboy! Ahhhhhh!
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