“Cough, cough…”
Yu Wanwan’s recently calmed cough suddenly flared up again.
Her slender, pale fingers covered her small mouth, while her peach-blossom eyes reddened and glistened with tears from the coughing.
Seeing such a timid girl, Xie Tingnan couldn’t help but let the corners of his lips curl upward.
He deliberately planted a few light pecks on her coughing lips, then, taking advantage of her distraction, repeated his earlier trick and gave her a gentle bite.
The pain made Yu Wanwan let out a soft “ah,” and her coughing abruptly stopped.
Watching the girl’s expression—a mix of anger, embarrassment, and her desperate attempt to hide her emotions—Xie Tingnan felt an indescribable sense of delight.
With a roguish smile, he lowered his voice: “No more coughing? How will you thank me?”
“Whatever you say,” the girl replied obediently, her voice sweet and charming.
The man gave her a playful pinch and stopped teasing her: “Go on, come to the master bedroom after you’ve washed up.”
“Mm.”
Once set down, Yu Wanwan dashed out at the fastest speed possible.
Some things, no matter how much mental preparation one makes, always bring an undeniable tension when they are about to happen.
Like that first time.
Yu Wanwan was exactly like that.
As she hurried toward the bathroom, her mind was already in disarray.
The sound of running water filled the bathroom as she rinsed herself over and over with warm water.
It was as if the cascading shower could wash away her nervousness, her fear, and even that faint trace of reluctance.
She didn’t know Xie Tingnan all that well, yet she was about to give him her most precious chastity.
She was surprised by the dimples in his smile and the gentleness of his large hand as he lightly patted her back—moments that had, for an instant, made her feel captivated.
But in his world, what was she, really?
Whenever she thought of this, Yu Wanwan was overwhelmed by a sense of defeat.
So, the chastity she held dear—perhaps there were others lining up to offer it to him. What was she being so sentimental about?
Hadn’t the role he wanted her to play already reminded her to stay in her place?
Warm water streamed down Yu Wanwan’s fair, oval face.
The shower quickly washed away the silent tears she had shed.
By the time she dried herself, she had regained her composure.
The girl evenly applied the body lotion specially formulated for her by a skincare artisan, spreading it all over her body.
The lotion was silky, smooth, and easily absorbed, carrying the elegant, subtle fragrance of gardenia.
She quietly examined the perfect, alluring figure reflected in the mirror, using a hairdryer to gently smooth her long, waist-length black hair.
Snow-white skin, red lips, and a delicate, dewy appearance that seemed as if it could be pinched and squeezed—all of it showcased the Creator’s favor and masterful touch when crafting Yu Wanwan.
The girl put on the prepared sheer purple silk dress.
The fabric was as light as butterfly wings, semi-transparent and shimmering, hinting at the beauty beneath.
She gently swished white tea mouthwash in her mouth, leaving it with a delicate, fresh fragrance.
After sitting for a moment, she walked barefoot across the soft carpet outside, drifting lightly toward the master bedroom.
Aunt An, as instructed by Yu Wanwan, was waiting not far from the master bedroom.
In her hands was a rosewood tray holding a white porcelain teacup.
It was the honey lemon tea Yu Wanwan had asked Aunt An to prepare fresh before her bath.
She knew Xie Tingnan had drunk quite a bit tonight.
She had instructed that the lemons be freshly sliced and squeezed, the juice blended with premium honey in the right proportions, and added to the Dragon Well Tea broth that Xie Tingnan loved.
Yu Wanwan took the tray and said softly, “Thank you, Aunt An.”
The elderly woman looked at the delicate, porcelain-skinned young girl and softened her tone further: “Mr. Xie is a cultured man. As long as you don’t stubbornly oppose him, he will surely come to cherish you.”
Yu Wanwan understood what Aunt An meant. Her cheeks flushed, but she pretended not to catch the implication, simply responding with a soft “Mm,” before quickly walking away.
The door to the master bedroom was slightly ajar.
After a moment’s hesitation, Yu Wanwan politely knocked three gentle taps.
A deep, resonant male voice came from within: “Come in.”
The young girl pressed her rosy lips together and entered with graceful poise.
Inside, only the decorative lights around the large bed were lit. The bedside lamp was adjusted to a warm, slightly yellowish glow, perfect for reading.
Xie Tingnan wore a cool gray, comfortable one-piece loungewear and gold-rimmed glasses. Leaning against the headboard pillows, he was intently flipping through the pages of a book.
Yu Wanwan glanced at it—a full English edition.
The Many Faces of Justice and State Power by Damaska, an American author—a classic work in legal studies.
The man showed no intention of closing the book. His magnetic voice remained calm as he said, “Come over. I’ll read for a while. If you’re tired, you can sleep first.”
This took Yu Wanwan completely by surprise.
Could he really let her off so easily?
The young girl quietly walked over, set the tray down at the tea station in the bedroom, and picked up a white porcelain cup:
“This is lemon honey tea. It can help with the effects of alcohol. Would you like some?”
Her voice was so sweetly delicate that Xie Tingnan couldn’t help but look up from his book. A faint smile touched his lips as he accepted the teacup:
“How thoughtful of you, Wanwan.”
As he took the cup, his long fingers lightly brushed against her fair, tender fingertips.
His captivating phoenix eyes held a teasing glint as he watched her small, gourd-seed-shaped face flush red. He then drained the cup of its bright, amber-hued tea in one go.
Xie Tingnan’s gaze swept over the sheer, purple chiffon dress she wore, and his eyes darkened.
He set the book aside, reached out, and pulled. Yu Wanwan stumbled, collapsing onto Xie Tingnan’s body.
Yu Wanwan closed her eyes.
After a moment, pressed against his solid, unyielding frame and breathing in his unique scent—”Southern Fragrance”—she remained still.
She opened her eyes to find Xie Tingnan smiling down at her.
The man said, “Wanwan, shall we talk?”
Suddenly, he no longer wanted to take her by force.
His delicate little bird was too timid, treating this as if she were marching to her execution.
His compassion was stirred—perhaps it could also be called a sense of chivalry.
Xie Tingnan never imagined that he had already begun learning to consider another person’s feelings.
In his thirty years of life, he had always been the one admired and looked up to by others.
He had never actively cared about anyone else’s emotions before.
Yu Wanwan blinked her large eyes and softly replied, “Mm.”
Seemingly to ease her tension, Xie Tingnan began gently patting her back, little by little. “What are your plans for your studies, Wanwan?”
Faced with such a steady, mountain-like mature man as Xie Tingnan, Yu Wanwan gradually relaxed.
“Xie Tingnan, I’ve already been accepted for postgraduate studies in Nancheng.”
“Give it up.” His voice was pleasant but carried a chill.
Yu Wanwan looked up, meeting Xie Tingnan’s profound gaze. He said:
“Nancheng is too far. Start your studies directly in the capital when the semester begins—closer to me. I’ll arrange everything.”
“Alright.” Yu Wanwan offered no objection.
“Aren’t you going to ask about me?” The man’s tone was half-teasing.
“Are you studying law?” The young girl glanced at the book on the nightstand.
The man was taken aback. Not bad—she could even understand a full English edition.
“Forensic pathologists can do it too, and I’ve even witnessed autopsies.” Xie Tingnan’s voice, in the deep of the night, sounded chilling.
The young girl was indeed frightened, instinctively pressing herself closer to him, her tender, lotus-like arms softly wrapping around his neck.
Xie Tingnan lowered his head and could see those soft, pink lips.
His heart pounded like a drum. Holding her neck, he unhesitatingly captured her lips…