☆ 32. Do you want to try kissing?

“What did you say?”

Ji Meng felt as if she had been struck by something. Her head spinning and her ears ringing, almost as if she were hallucinating. She looked up at Su Cheng in a daze.

The night was dark, but the moonlight was just right, she could vaguely see his sharp, stern features and the deep, ocean-like gaze focused on her.

“I like you, miss.”

Su Cheng reached up to tuck a strand of hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear. He paused for a moment, then leaned closer to her ear and repeated seriously, “I like you.”

He liked how she cared about him, how she showed concern, and how she had a bit of a temper when she was angry with him… It was more than just like, it was something deeper, possibly much more. In a moment of impulse, he even wanted to reveal all his secrets to her.

But for now, he could only allow himself to say he liked her, he couldn’t say more, or it might scare her.

He didn’t know her name, so he could only call her “miss.”

He hadn’t planned to confess his feelings so soon, but perhaps the moonlight was too beautiful, and her worried expression was too charming, making him unwilling to wait any longer.

They hadn’t known each other for long.

From their first meeting until now, it had been less than two months.

Yet, he had truly fallen for her.

Perhaps, the first time he noticed something different about her, he began to pay attention to her, and she left a shadow in his heart.

As they spent day and night together, that shadow took root in his heart.

They were nominally a husband and wife, but now he wanted to take a step closer, at least to make her feel relaxed about his proximity.

He leaned in close to her, his lips nearly brushing against her ear, and the breath he exhaled into Ji Meng’s ear made her involuntarily shiver slightly.

I like you.

These words echoed like a call in a quiet valley, resonating in her ears and mind again and again.

It was clearly a very ordinary confession, Ji Meng had heard it countless times in her life, and she had heard it twice in this life alone. But this time, she felt that fluttering sensation that one might find in a novel.

She felt as if those simple words had suddenly gripped her heart, tugging at it with just the right amount of force. His low, husky tone was like musical notes gently tapping on her soft, beating heart, causing it to tremble with each pulse.

She didn’t doubt his words.

A person’s eyes cannot lie.

During this time, the way he gazed at her had become increasingly hard to ignore.

She could sense that he had developed feelings for her.

But she had never expected him to express it.

She thought that people like him, who were reserved and reticent, ^[1]“had no mouths” (没长嘴) here is a colloquial way of describing someone who is particularly silent or reserved, as if they hardly use their mouth to speak.had no mouths.

So how should she respond?

In the past, when others confessed to her, Ji Meng would simply say, ‘Oh, sorry, I don’t like you,’ or ‘I have no feelings,’ directly refusing them.

But this time, the words that should have come easily to her suddenly got stuck.

What should she say? ‘Um, okay?’ ‘Sure, let’s give it a try?’

No, that didn’t make sense. They were already nominally married…

Her mind was a jumble of thoughts, and in the end, Ji Meng didn’t know what was happening. Staring at his face so close to hers, she parted her lips and suddenly said, “Do you want to try kissing?”

“What?”

Su Cheng looked up in shock, his body slightly propping up as he gazed at her, his eyes filled with disbelief.

“No, I didn’t say anything!”

Ji Meng didn’t even know how that fleeting thought popped out of her mouth. Under his intense gaze, she felt incredibly embarrassed and uncomfortable, the heat in her ears felt like it could cook her alive. She couldn’t help but turn her face away and hurriedly deny it.

“Alright, no…”

Ji Meng didn’t finish the words she had held back because in the next moment, a pair of large hands gripped the back of her neck, and then her vision darkened as his scorching lips covered her slightly parted lips.

For the first time in her life, Ji Meng was kissed.

It was hot and soft.

These were the only two words left in Ji Meng’s mind as the air around her seemed to suddenly freeze. The dim room was so quiet that she could hear a pin drop, with only the rapid beating of her heart and the slightly rough, heated sounds of his breathing filling her ears.

In her slightly widened eyes, she could only vaguely catch a glimpse of the corner of the white gauze curtain illuminated by moonlight.

In the next instant, that corner vanished from her sight.

Because the man was not satisfied with just a gentle touch. He nibbled softly at her lips, letting out a breathy command, “Close your eyes.”

The night blurred his low, rich voice, making it sound like he was speaking through a throat full of sand. Those two short words carried a commanding tone, laced with seduction.

Then, his large hand gently squeezed the back of her neck with his calloused thumb caressing her open eyes, each stroke seeming both soothing and enchanting.

Ji Meng felt as if she had fallen into a dream, unconsciously following his lead.

Gradually, all she could sense were his lips, sometimes like a sudden gust of wind, sometimes like the gentle spring water wrapping around hers.

His breath was scalding, and his tongue moved like a fish swimming in water, stirring and teasing in her mouth, causing her heart to tremble.

Her body felt electrified, from the top of her head to her heart, sending shivers down her spine.

Ji Meng’s body went soft uncontrollably, her toes tensing up.

There was clearly no blanket covering her, yet she felt an intense heat rising, as if she were placed in a steam oven. The heat was overwhelming, causing her to sweat, but after an instant of feeling completely relaxed, she couldn’t help but immerse herself in it.

Without realizing it, her arms climbed up the man’s solid, powerful shoulders, her delicate hands resting on the back of his neck as she slowly responded.

Their lips and tongues intertwined, their breaths mingling.

The air around them grew increasingly warm.

Gradually, the man’s scorching hands grew restless, no longer satisfied with mere embraces.

He occasionally stroked her soft, heated face and neck, his hands instinctively wandering.

Wherever he touched felt like sparks igniting, as if charged with intensified electricity.

Ji Meng felt a tingling sensation throughout her body, completely melting into a pliable state.

“No more…”

The clasp behind her was tugged, shifting from gentle exploration at first to an impatient pull. It was only after a heavy grip that Ji Meng regained a bit of clarity. Instinctively, she reached out to grasp his arm and called out to him.

The man’s movements paused for a moment, then his large hand moved up to cover her neck again, and he couldn’t help but heavily suck on her soft, fragrant lips and tongue once more.

The girl was as soft as water.

Sweet and cool.

The rational thread in the man’s mind had long been snapped beyond measure, and now it felt like a fish unwilling to leave its delicious bait, even wanting more.

Another wave of swirling sensations engulfed them.

Ji Meng had never imagined that kissing could be like this.

She couldn’t withstand it at all, completely unable to cope.

It felt as if her lips and tongue weren’t even her own anymore, and breathing became difficult.

Her eyes, whether from discomfort or something else, filled with moisture. Finally, she couldn’t help but wrap her arms around his neck again, pleading for mercy.

“Su Cheng, I can’t take it anymore.”

Her voice was increasingly hoarse, tinged with a hint of tears this time.

“I’m sorry.”

The girl’s tearful tone finally connected with the thread of reason that had snapped earlier.

Su Cheng’s hand gently tightened, finally managing to release Ji Meng a little.

His lips brushed past hers, kissing the corner of her mouth and then her earlobe. After a moment, he buried his head against her neck, staying still.

For a long time, he breathed in her unique, delicate fragrance before speaking in a husky voice, holding her tightly in his arms.

He lost control.

He didn’t expect that a single kiss could unravel him like this.

At first, he’d only wanted a taste, unable to resist the allure of her suggestion.

But she was so soft, so sweet that he instinctively wanted to imprint her into his very bones, unable to hold back.

When she responded, all his restraint vanished.

Like a greedy wolf, he wanted even more.

His usual pride in his self-control seemed to vanish in front of her, leaving him less composed than a teenager.

Hearing his apology, Ji Meng stayed quiet. She pressed her lips together, feeling a stinging pain.

She didn’t have to check—her lips must be swollen, maybe even bruised.

Ji Meng couldn’t help feeling a bit resentful, but thinking back on her own involvement and that dreamy, blissful sensation, she felt a bit guilty.

The words of complaint stuck in her throat and wouldn’t come out.

She was comfortable overall, wasn’t she?

“I’m tired.”

Ji Meng muttered this as she tugged her skirt down from where it had bunched around her waist and adjusted her collar back over her shoulder. Then, turning away from him to face the wall, she rested her back against him.

“Are you mad?”

In his slightly hoarse voice was a hint of frustration that was hard to detect. Su Cheng picked up on it, and wrapping his arm around her from behind, he leaned close to her ear, whispering,

“It was my fault for not holding back enough. I’m sorry.”

He didn’t promise it wouldn’t happen again.

Because he wasn’t sure he could keep that promise.

Right now, he felt like he was facing a serious challenge—to improve his self-control around her.

“My lips are swollen. They hurt,” she said, unable to hide her frustration as his apology, in that low, unusually gentle voice, stirred a rush of emotion within her.

“Let me see.”

Su Cheng immediately turned her back toward him to check, but in the dim light, he couldn’t see clearly, so he gently touched her lips with his thumb.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

The calluses on his hands made him cautious, barely brushing her lips. Feeling that they were indeed a bit swollen, he was at a loss for what to do. Concerned, he stood up to turn on the light.

But Ji Meng grabbed his hand. “Where are you going?”

“I’m turning on the light to see how swollen it is, if the skin’s broken. If it’s serious, I’ll ask Dad if he has any medicine.”

He recalled that he hadn’t been able to resist biting gently.

“No way!”

Ji Meng was embarrassed and annoyed—she couldn’t believe Su Cheng was considering asking his dad for medicine.

What, a kiss and it ends with a doctor’s visit?

She’d lose face all the way to the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific.

Realizing his overreaction, Su Cheng rubbed his forehead, feeling a little silly.

“Then, how about some water?” After a moment, he tried, cautiously.

“Okay.”

Ji Meng actually did feel a bit dry, so she agreed, and then added, “Don’t turn on the light.”

“Alright.” Understanding her uneasiness, Su Cheng responded softly and quickly got up to pour her some water in the dark.

In the room, there was hot water in the kettle and cool water in the enamel cup on the table. Su Cheng mixed them under the moonlight and then brought the cup over.

Under the moonlight, Ji Meng drank the water, feeling her throat ease. She handed the enamel cup back to Su Cheng.

Su Cheng took the cup and, unusually, didn’t avoid it, drinking the water she had left.

He drank it standing by the bed.

Ji Meng saw this clearly. She opened her mouth slightly but didn’t stop him in the end.

“Shall we sleep?”

After putting the cup back, Su Cheng returned to the bed, noticing that Ji Meng hadn’t yet laid down, as if waiting for him.

He couldn’t help but smile a little, wrapping his arm around her and speaking softly.

“Mm,” Ji Meng murmured in response, leaning into his shoulder as she lay down.

But even after lying down, she didn’t fall asleep right away.

Her head rested in the crook of his arm, his clean, warm masculine scent lingering in her breath.

They were so close.

But she didn’t feel the least bit resistant, nor did she have any urge to pull away, instead, memories of their earlier moments flashed through her mind.

It was her first kiss, and they’d even intertwined their tongues.

She didn’t dislike it—not at all. In fact, she was still immersed in it.

It seemed like her illness had completely vanished…

She was both surprised and thrilled by this unexpected sensation.

Ji Meng couldn’t help but reach up to touch her lips.

They still hurt, with a slight numbness and tingling, but after drinking some water, the burning sensation had eased quite a bit.

Much like her current feelings, her anger had slowly faded, leaving only a mix of shyness and lingering afterthoughts.

“What’s wrong? Still hurt?”

Su Cheng hadn’t fallen asleep either. With Ji Meng in his arms, he could feel even the slightest movement. Seeing her touch her lips, he looked down and asked softly.

“Hmm? No.”

Startled by his sudden question, Ji Meng quickly put her hand down.

“It’s much better now.”

To prevent him from mentioning turning on the light again, Ji Meng quickly added, “Let’s sleep, I’m a bit tired.”