Ninth didn’t understand the strange and whimsical ways of a girl’s mind. He clung to her side, quietly hooking her pinky finger with his own, carefully observing her expression.
Chu'he decided to give him another chance. She turned her face back to him, their eyes meeting. "Then which of the wedding dresses I just tried on for you did you think looked the best?"
Ninth: "They were all—"
"Don’t say ‘all of them’! You have to pick one!"
Chu'he was truly putting him in a difficult spot. She herself couldn’t decide, as she thought they all looked equally stunning. So, she tossed the dilemma to Ninth.
Ninth’s face twisted in conflict. The innocent young man, unaware that his partner was teasing him, earnestly racked his brain, furrowing his brows so deeply he looked downright pitiful.
Chu'he asked, "Is it that hard to choose?"
Ninth nodded. "Very hard."
Chu'he took a moment to think as well, then offered a hint. "Well, which one made your heart race the most when you saw me wearing it?"
Ninth: "Every dress you wear makes my heart race."
Chu'he pressed, "But surely there’s a difference in speed!"
Ninth blinked in confusion. "It’s the same every time."
Chu'he narrowed her eyes, suspecting he was just sweet-talking her. She reached out and pressed a hand against his chest, feeling the familiar rhythm of his heartbeat—steady and reassuring.
She cleared her throat. "Then I’ll check if you’re lying to me!"
Ninth tilted his head slightly. "How?"
Chu'he kissed him. Beneath her palm, his heartbeat suddenly quickened—strong and erratic. When she lifted her gaze, she met his intense stare, warm and intimate.
For some reason, Chu'he felt a flutter of embarrassment. She straightened up, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she muttered, "We’ve kissed so many times already. Why does it still make you nervous?"
Thump.
Thump.
Chu'he’s hand twitched against his chest. She looked up at him accusingly. "I didn’t even do anything this time!"
The boy’s eyes sparkled like stars. "Chu'he was talking to me."
Her breath hitched. "Then I won’t talk to you anymore! And you’re not allowed to talk to me either!"
Ninth obediently replied, "Oh," and fell silent.
But the sudden quiet felt strange to Chu'he. She was used to his endless chatter, his lively energy. Now, with him simply staring at her in silence, the air between them grew thick with something unspoken, making the tips of her ears burn.
Thump.
Thump. Thump.
Thump. Thump. THUMP!
His heartbeat grew louder, faster, drowning out everything else until all she could hear was their shared breaths and the frantic rhythm of his pulse.
Chu'he suddenly leaped to her feet. "I—I—I wasn’t even talking to you! Why is your heart racing again?!"
The pale-haired boy, his skin as fair as moonlight, looked almost ghostly—except for his ruby-red eyes, which burned with a fiery intensity whenever they reflected her image.
He didn’t understand how to hide his feelings, nor why she reacted so strongly. When she jumped away, he only thought he had upset her.
Ninth stole a few hesitant glances before whispering, "But… Chu'he was looking at me."
—Every glance from her filled him with exhilaration, made his heart skip wildly.
Chu'he couldn’t comprehend it. Their "ambiguous phase" had barely lasted any time before they’d confessed outright and gotten together. Half a year later, their honeymoon phase should’ve ended by now!
So why… why…
Why did she still adore him so much?!
Unable to resist, Chu'he clutched her face and cried out, "Ah—I can’t take it anymore!"
She dashed back into his open arms, their cheeks pressing together, breaths mingling.
Perched on his lap, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, kissing him until she was breathless before burying her face against his shoulder and inhaling deeply.
"Ninth smells so good!"
Her warm breath tickled his neck, and Ninth couldn’t suppress a quiet chuckle, his lips still flushed from her kisses.
They bickered and played, as if they had endless energy to spare.
But when night fell and they settled into bed, Chu'he suddenly jolted awake and kicked the person beside her. "Which wedding dress should I wear?!"
Ninth, half-asleep, drowsily pulled her closer. "Wear all three. Morning, noon, and night. Perfect."
Chu'he kicked him again. "You want to exhaust me?!"
In the end, Chu'he made the decision herself—the third dress, the one with delicate chimes. Finally satisfied, she drifted off, allowing Ninth to secretly sigh in relief and close his eyes.
But just as he began to doze, Chu'he clambered on top of him, wide awake. "Ninth, wake up."
Ninth slowly opened his eyes, his gaze still hazy with sleep—yet even before clarity returned, her reflection was already there.
Chu'he said, "I can’t sleep."
Instinctively, Ninth pressed his long legs together, looking nervous. "C-Can’t sleep?"
After their recent… exertions, he hadn’t fully recovered yet.
Chu'he nodded. "There’s something important on my mind, so I can’t sleep."
Something important.
It must be about having a baby.
Ninth steeled himself, not wanting to disappoint the girl he loved. Tense but determined, he murmured, "I understand."
"You understand?"
Ninth slid his hands to her waist, sitting up as he kissed her face, then her neck, his fingers deftly loosening her clothes. His lips trailed lower, brushing her collarbone before teasingly grazing the fabric of her undergarments.
Even if he wasn’t at full strength, as long as Chu'he didn’t push him too hard, he could still—
Suddenly, Chu'he cupped his face and pulled him away from her chest. "The important thing I was thinking about is whether we should set up a separate table for Little Qing and the others."
Ninth: "……"
His own robes were already half-undone, slipping off one pale shoulder, a strand of silver hair falling over his chest—barely concealing the faint pink marks and lingering bite marks from earlier.
He had mentally prepared himself for a very active night… and this was what she meant?!
Chu'he tugged his robes back into place. "You still need to rest. No more wild thoughts, okay? Sleep."
She flopped onto the bed, rolled over, and was out like a light.
Ninth sat frozen, his long hair cascading around him as he stared blankly at Chu'he’s back, looking every bit like a jilted lover.
She was the one who started this—and now she was just leaving him like this?!
