"..."
Zhou Yang's hand froze in mid-air, his fingertips still seemingly lingering with the sensation of the ribbon. An indescribable restlessness surged within him like a volcano about to erupt, almost bursting through his chest.
He looked at Xu Yao, who was smiling sweetly and whose eyes were full of charm.
On her pretty face, which could be both happy and angry, was a smug, mischievous smile, like a cat that had stolen a dried fish, as if she were silently showing off her victory.
At this moment, Zhou Yang's gaze suddenly became deep and intense, carrying a strong sense of aggression that he himself was unaware of.
As the lingering notes of the music slowly dissipated in the air, Xu Yao stretched out her jade-like arms and gently twisted her slender waist as the last note fell, striking a perfect finishing pose.
Fine beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, her chest rose and fell slightly, and her eyes were moist.
His expression carried a hint of anticipation, a hint of shyness, and a touch of trepidation after a great success.
"Zhou, Zhou Yang... How did I dance? Was it... good?"
Her voice carried a hint of a dancer's panting, and her gaze was fixed on Zhou Yang, like a primary school student waiting for the teacher to evaluate her grades.
Zhou Yang's Adam's apple bobbed, and the flame that had been stirred in his heart had now grown into a raging inferno.
Beautiful? More than just beautiful! It's deadly!
He was previously struggling with not wanting to be tied down by a relationship and enjoying the freedom of being single.
But at this moment, looking at the girl in front of him who had prepared so carefully for him, dressed up and dancing, her eyes full of affection, all those ridiculous thoughts were instantly thrown to the winds.
To hell with the constraints! To hell with the freedom of being single! I want to date this little vixen right now!
Zhou Yang roared inwardly.
Right now, I just love her!
Xu Yao is a pretty girl with a well-behaved personality. Most importantly, she is caring and considerate.
Dating her might not be thrilling or exciting, but it will definitely be comfortable and reassuring!
Isn't that enough? Enjoy life to the fullest when you're successful, why think so much!
Zhou Yang's gaze instantly became intense and aggressive, almost melting Xu Yao.
He suddenly took a step forward, stretched out his long arm, and pulled Xu Yao, who was still posing and looking bewildered, into his arms in a strong and domineering way!
"Hmm!"
Before Xu Yao could react, Zhou Yang had already lowered his head and kissed her cherry lips, which were slightly parted and flushed with an alluring blush from dancing!
Xu Yao's eyes widened instantly, and her mind went blank with a "buzz".
She could clearly feel the heat on Zhou Yang's lips, the irresistible force, and the strong masculine scent emanating from him.
But that familiar, comforting yet unsettling masculine scent instantly enveloped her, causing her tense body to involuntarily soften.
After the initial panic, a huge wave of surprise and sweetness overwhelmed her.
Almost instinctively, she stretched out her arms and hooked them tightly around Zhou Yang's neck, responding awkwardly yet passionately.
The glow sticks and string lights in the living room were still flashing, but they could no longer attract the two people's attention.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment, or perhaps it was stretched out infinitely.
Both of them were immersed in this sudden yet seemingly destined passionate kiss, and at this moment, everything in the world lost its color.
I don't know how much time passed; it might have been a century, or it might have been just a few tens of minutes.
Zhou Yang only slightly released her when both of them felt short of breath and their lips were numb and tingling.
Xu Yao's half-down hair was already disheveled, with a few strands of black hair sticking messily to her sweaty cheeks and neck.
Her flying dress was also a bit wrinkled and messy, and the light gauze was half-fallen off, revealing a large expanse of her snow-white shoulders.
Her eyes were hazy, like distant mountains shrouded in spring rain, exuding an intoxicating mist, and her cheeks were so red they looked like they could bleed.
Zhou Yang was in no better shape; his breathing was heavy, like a bellows, and a burning flame burned deep in his eyes, as if he wanted to meld the person in his arms into his very bones.
Both of their lips were slightly red and swollen.
Xu Yao buried her burning cheeks in Zhou Yang's chest, greedily inhaling his pleasant scent. Her heart pounded wildly, a mixture of sweetness and trepidation.
She wanted to ask, but dared not ask, what they really were now.
Zhou Yang seemed to see through her thoughts, gently lifting her chin so that her watery eyes met his aggressive gaze.
He cupped her burning cheeks, his thumb gently caressing her lips, which were slightly red and swollen from the kiss. His voice was hoarse from the kiss, yet incredibly clear and firm.
"Xu Yao, if you're willing, let's start dating now."
Xu Yao suddenly raised her head, and her hazy eyes instantly burst with unbelievable ecstasy.
Her eyes welled up with tears.
She nodded vigorously, her voice trembling with tears yet brimming with joy: "I do! Of course I do!"
"Zhou Yang, I want to be your girlfriend!"
As if afraid that Zhou Yang would change his mind, she impatiently added another sentence.
Seeing her tears of joy, Zhou Yang's heart softened, and he lowered his head to kiss her soft lips again.
This time, it was tender and lingering, filled with cherished memories.
"oops!"
After the kiss ended, Xu Yao suddenly exclaimed, her face flushed, and she broke free from Zhou Yang's embrace, somewhat incoherently.
"My present! This isn't the birthday present I prepared... No, this isn't either... Oh dear, it's not the one you're thinking of!"
She hurriedly ran to the pile of gifts from her neighbors next to the sofa, and pulled out a rather plain dark red brocade box from the bottom. The box was small, about the size of a palm.
"Look, this is it!"
Xu Yao held the brocade box in both hands and presented it to Zhou Yang like a treasure, her little face full of anticipation and a hint of nervousness.
"Open it and take a look, I hope you like it."
Zhou Yang took the brocade box; it felt slightly heavy in his hand.
He raised an eyebrow and opened the box.
Inside the brocade box, lined with bright yellow silk, lay a string of beads with a deep, rich color and an oily sheen.
Each bead is full and round, displaying an elegant purplish-red color.
In the dim light, one can vaguely see that the surface is covered with fine, shimmering golden spots, like stars.
Zhou Yang saw it clearly and a look of surprise appeared on his face.
This is... Golden Star Rosewood?!
He recognized him at a glance.
Red sandalwood is the king of sandalwoods; the saying "an inch of sandalwood is worth an inch of gold" is no joke.
Because of its slow growth and hard, dense texture, it has been a precious wood since ancient times.
This string of beads is not only full and has excellent oil content and density, but what is even more rare is that each bead has a clearly visible "gold star" pattern on its surface.
That's formed when minerals fill the tree's vascular bundles; it's a characteristic of top-grade small-leaf sandalwood!
Judging from its quality, this string has at least eighteen beads, each with gold flecks. In the market, it would cost at least 20,000 yuan.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
