Everything had spiraled out of control.

Good girls weren’t supposed to drink, especially not alone with a man in the middle of the night. And they definitely weren’t supposed to drunkenly ask him to walk them to a secluded garden. Such behavior was practically open seduction, indistinguishable from selling oneself in the eyes of the town’s elders.

Ideally, she shouldn’t even have a hint of romance before marriage. Otherwise, she risked tarnishing her reputation, only to realize her diminished worth when she sought a respectable family, who might think twice about her suitability.

But let her value decrease, then. Xia Fu never thought she had much worth to begin with. Compared to the youth in her arms, she didn’t measure up in looks or stature. She was only living to escape; she never dreamed of attracting someone more handsome, more refined.

All this—the situation with her parents—had brought her here. They’d spoiled her brother into a parasite, the type of younger brother any decent man would hold his nose around and leave, not wanting to risk his future entangled with such a family.

Strangely, Xia Fu felt a thrill of rebellion against her parents for disobeying their “values” tonight.

The silvery moon hung bright before her.

This was her body. She had the right to use it to find some joy. Besides, after the competition, their interactions would lessen naturally. If things went south, she could blame it on the “drunkenness” and walk away clean, tossing Fang Jingcheng out of her mind once and for all.

Fang Jingcheng’s lips were as soft as she’d imagined. Her fingers tangled into his silver hair, pulling him closer as she deepened the kiss, biting down lightly on his lower lip with an almost animalistic, reckless defiance.

A faint taste of blood spread between them.

He sucked in a quick breath, wincing slightly, but held Xia Fu firmly in his arms, interpreting her bite as frustration from having her feelings exposed. Still, her sudden affection gave him a touch of satisfaction.

Knowing he was partly at fault, Fang Jingcheng lowered his eyes, looking at her pitifully. Gently, he brushed his tongue across her delicate upper lip, one of his broad hands caressing her thin back, his movements full of coaxing softness.

It was like the brush of a willow branch stirring the spring tides; the sensitive skin near her gums tingled, a wave of electric shivers prickling her spine. Xia Fu unconsciously softened her bite, her teeth loosening.

Once forgiven, Fang Jingcheng flashed a dazzling smile. His handsome face held a charm so intense that Xia Fu could almost hear the distant laughter of village girls, their silver adornments clinking, the exquisite tassels catching the sunlight.

Mimicking her earlier move of tugging on his hair, he slowly raised his hand, moving more tenderly than Xia Fu had. His rough palm brushed the tiny hairs at the back of her neck, sending another small shock up her spine. He lightly cupped the back of her neck, letting her continue to nip and kiss him, surrendering deeper into the kiss.

Dizzy, Xia Fu gripped the slick, elusive “serpent tongue.” Yet as it danced around hers, she found herself becoming lost, sinking weakly into Fang Jingcheng’s embrace.

He, on the other hand, restrained himself from pursuing her further. Instead, he rested his forehead against hers, his warm breath falling softly onto her face like a series of gentle kisses.

They were too close.

Even though she’d often fantasized about intimacy while maintaining their partnership, drawn to his youthful allure, the real experience brought an unsettling sense of losing herself.

Lying on his supportive arm, Xia Fu caught her breath and carefully considered her words, “You knew… when did you find out?” Pausing as the thought of her earlier awkward touch resurfaced, her tone grew heavy. “I’ve touched you while you were asleep, right?” She turned her cheek away, pushing his handsome face slightly to the side.

He probably thought she was shameless, and that this turn of events was entirely her doing. Yet he didn’t scold her or turn cold; he just silently let her go on. Perhaps he was the one doing the seducing…

“Hm? Probably around then?”

This was the age of young passions, and after an exchange of breaths with the girl he liked, his twenty-year-old body warmed, his calm demeanor wavered as he held Xia Fu cradled in his lap. Supporting her upper body like one might hold a child, he used his free hand to sweep away the hair falling over her face, letting his fingers trail down from her shoulder to her elbow, then her forearm.

Holding her slender wrist, he gently squeezed the back of her hand with his thumb, sighing softly, “I’ve wanted to kiss you like this for a long time.”

“But I thought you might be a bit shy, and we’re partners. If I acted too forward, you might think I was only using emotions to gain an edge, so I just kept waiting… I thought I’d tell you after the competition.”

Seeing her, he softened her insecurities while quietly admiring her, creating a bridge of words that offered her an out.

“I like you too; I like it when you touch me, I like seeing your sparkling eyes when you talk… I like it so much, I know drinking isn’t the best, but I just wanted to see what you’d be like drunk. Would you say what you really feel? What might you do?”

He could charm an audience on the stage and had a way with words in private. His voice held a honeyed warmth that sounded as if it came from a nightingale, giving the impression of deep affection.

“Usually, the guy makes the first move, right? This is the first time I’ve been in a situation where I was actually waiting for something to happen… saying it out loud is embarrassing, honestly. But I really couldn’t help it.”

Fang Jingcheng leaned down, pressing his cheek into Xia Fu’s palm, letting her feel the heat of his skin as proof of his words. Only a cool blue eye remained visible, observing her expression with care.

“So… what’s our relationship now? Can I call you ‘Little Fu’ from now on?”

Like a little snake slithering around, his movements grazed her palm, his warmth slightly dampening the gaps between her fingers. The unfamiliar intimacy made her feel uncomfortable.

“Sounds like you’re calling a little dog.”

Her birth had been a mistake, a case of misjudgment by the OB-GYN who mistakenly granted her the family’s coveted spot for a son. Originally, her name was supposed to be Xia Fu, as in “good fortune” that would bring her family a boy. But after a feng shui expert said their family lacked “wood” in the five elements, they went with a more “natural” name, hence her “Fu” with a character that symbolized plants.

But when Fang Jingcheng called her plain name, it took on a new, delicate meaning in his low, resonant voice:

“I quite like it,” he said. “It’s like a medicinal herb that clears heat, or maybe a little flower, or even a fluffy cream puff. If you don’t like it… ‘darling,’ perhaps?”

Xia Fu had no experience with such terms of endearment and found herself quickly overwhelmed. Fang Jingcheng was a shameless guy at times, and now she could only assume he was messing with her.

No way.

She couldn’t be the only one suffering this embarrassment. She had to find out his pet name and make him endure some of the awkwardness.

“So, Little Fu it is… what about you? Do you have a nickname? Is it ‘Little Cheng’?”

Fang Jingcheng paused thoughtfully, then, uncharacteristically sincere, replied, “Something like that. It’s Cheng Cheng. But I don’t really like it. My dad’s name has ‘Cheng’ too, as in Fang Jiacheng—the honest ‘cheng’—and people often get us confused. It’s a little weird.”

His grandmother had helped name both of them. Every time she pulled him into her lap, fondly calling him “Cheng Cheng” and praising him for being so much like his father, who was always so well-behaved, Fang Jingcheng couldn’t shake the feeling that her affection was based on a mother’s nostalgia more than anything else, seeing him as his father’s replacement.

But at least she’d paid attention to him, something that left him with mixed feelings. He wondered, did his real mother ever think of him? Was he really that unlovable?

He’d dated a few girls in the past, and the more reserved, aloof types had always intrigued him, making him want to keep trying. But once he’d “won” them, their affection felt hollow, and they eventually drifted apart.

It was different now… this feeling was wild, something he couldn’t fully understand. Looking to Xia Fu, he eagerly awaited her answer.

“Just call me Jingcheng,” he murmured, his gaze lingering, “though I know others say it, but from your voice, it sounds different.”

“So, what about my question? Are we dating now?”