Pei Du had once held a cat.
In truth, he rarely had the chance to see such animals. The Pei Manor was heavily guarded, surrounded by arrays in all directions, making it difficult for even birds to enter; the academy, on the other hand, was located at the peak of the mountains, towering and unapproachable.
He saw that cat when he was still quite young.
At that time, his alcoholic father had just passed away. With nowhere to go, Pei Du could only struggle to survive on his own, often not knowing where his next meal would come from, and tortured by the cold until he was half-dead.
The cat that suddenly appeared at his door, however, was much more delicate and precious.
It was snow-white all over, with pupils a clear ocean blue, and its limbs were slender and agile. With a light leap, it sprang onto the fence, raising its chin high.
Compared to its arrogant neatness, the painfully thin boy in coarse clothes looked pathetic and pitiful.
He had no time to play with peers, let alone the opportunity to attend school. In the eyes of other children, he was no different from a withdrawn, silent, and extremely unsociable weirdo.
Back then, Pei Du had no friends. In the empty, quiet courtyard, that cat was his only guest.
Perhaps because of this, the boy cautiously approached, wanting to give it a hug.
He had never held cats or dogs before. He deliberately wiped the thin layer of dust off his hands, his movements so clumsy they were almost funny. Just as his palm barely touched it, Pei Du heard a startled meow.
Like so many other people, that cat did not like him.
It loathed the touch of strangers. In a flash, it violently dodged away, turning and running off into the distance without leaving even a single glance behind.
Pei Du could only watch helplessly as that ball of snow-white disappeared.
He had no reason to keep it; even his touch was a disturbance.
Miss Xie said... she was his cat.
It was as if he had suddenly been hit by candy, thick syrup spreading in all directions, slowly filling the once cracked gaps.
Now she was sitting on his lap, looking down in silent eye contact with the nervous young man. Pei Du's Adam's apple bobbed, and the corners of his eyes grew inexplicably hot.
So his right hand moved hesitantly, sliding past the slender collarbones beneath her collar, and upon reaching below the collarbones, it could go no further.
Spring clothes were thin, making it easy to see the contours of the body.
Xie Jingci was wearing a light white dress today, the cloud-like gauze soft and light. When his fingertips fell upon it, it was like brushing past the leisurely clouds. Following his gaze downwards, within the wrapping of the fabric, the rising and falling curves could be clearly seen.
With just a hasty glance, Pei Du acted as if he had been suddenly burned, hurriedly averting his eyes.
Although he yearned for Miss Xie, he would absolutely not give in to his desires and do anything out of line to her. If he were to touch that kind of place...
Pei Du only felt the heat in his sea of consciousness intensify.
The young man's well-defined fingers, after a brief pause, abruptly changed direction, moving inward from the collarbone to the back of her neck.
As expected, he did not go lower.
Pei Du was the most capable of enduring; no matter how unbearably he was teased, he would certainly not offend her.
This point alone was enough to make her uncontrollably want to laugh, as well as make her heart flutter madly out of control.
This was just way, way, way too cute.
A dangerous thought suddenly surfaced in her mind: even a rabbit will bite when cornered. If Pei Du's gentle and serious nature was peeled away bit by bit, what would he look like?
But Xie Jingci only dared to think about it secretly.
Pei Du's few counterattacks had left her powerless to resist. If it happened again, she really wouldn't know how to handle it.
His right hand gradually moved to her back, trailing down her spine. With a slight pull, Pei Du embraced her in his arms.
Xie Jingci heard his fast and heavy heartbeat.
Very inappropriately, another abrupt sound rang in her ear.
[Ding dong! Corresponding scene detected, character lines have been issued!]
[System preparing, please wait...]
Hearing the familiar ding dong of the system, only two words remained in Xie Jingci's mind: I'm doomed.
She knew her limits. Even if she brazenly teased Pei Du, she would never do anything too excessive, but this character persona stubbornly disagreed.
What is a Little Wildcat.
Wild and unrestrained, her only desire was to win the male lead's affection. Having no sense of shame, let alone feeling shy, she could be said to have countless tricks up her sleeve, stopping at nothing.
Taking another look at the words appearing in her sea of consciousness, Xie Jingci's heart almost stopped.
Pei Du knew nothing of this sudden change. As if truly petting a cat, his palm stroked up and down her spine, smoothing out the slight wrinkles on the cloud gauze.
He didn't know how to make Miss Xie feel comfortable, so he could only do his best to be careful. After a moment of silence, Pei Du heard her voice: "This doesn't seem right either."
A hand wrapped around his waist.
Miss Xie's voice hadn't changed, but for some reason, it carried an added layer of seductive sweetness. When she spoke, her breath brushed against his chest, like a light scratch from a cat's paw: "It's okay, you can do whatever you want to me."
As she spoke, she rubbed against his chest, the smile in her voice deepening: "--Master."
Xie Jingci: ...
Save. Me.
Ahhhh, who on earth came up with these lines! Is this level of shame for real?! This is unacceptable, any normal person would find this unacceptable!!!
Pei Du's heartbeat visibly stopped for a second.
Followed by an even more violent thump-thump.
The poor child had followed the rules all his life, feeling nervous just holding hands. When had he ever seen a scene like this?
He was thrown into a panic for a moment, and then heard Miss Xie in front of him continue: "If you don't know what to do... how about I teach you?"
Xie Jingci's face was as red as a cooked shrimp.
Normally, she would absolutely never say such things herself. Saying it to Pei Du's face right now, although she did feel an overwhelming sense of shame...
But why were the corners of her mouth inexplicably rising, and why was she smiling more and more joyfully?! Seeing Pei Du flustered and helpless was truly making her so happy!
She really, really liked him too much.
The pads of her fingers pressed against the young man's lean waistline. As she lightly slid downwards, it drew out a continuous trace of hidden electricity.
Pei Du shuddered, his voice barely audible: "Miss Xie..."
Although he used a slightly resistant tone, his body honestly didn't move. In the next moment, he suddenly trembled again.
--Xie Jingci leisurely twisted her thumb and index finger, pinching a soft patch of skin on his waist and moving it as if tickling him.
She felt that even Pei Du's breathing was trembling.
It was a very strange experience. Although she felt unbearably shy, she willingly indulged in it, even amused by his reactions, unable to stop.
She was truly rotten to the core.
"Is it here?"
I'm sorry, Pei Du.
She even added words on her own.
The laughter in Xie Jingci's voice was about to overflow. Seeing him clench his teeth without making a sound, she applied more force with her hand: "Is it? If you don't tell me, I have no way of knowing."
The young man held her in his arms, leaving nowhere for all the trembling of his body to hide. Pei Du's breathing grew heavier, and after a long while, he replied: "...Yes."
"Then I've found one spot."
Her tone was light as her finger gently drew a small circle: "Are there any other places? Let me think, head, ears, back have all been tried--"
Accompanied by a breathy laugh, her palm moved to the right, arriving at his lower abdomen.
Before this, Xie Jingci had only ever held his arm—slender and beautiful, with the smooth, distinct contours of his muscles clearly discernible. Now, as her fingertips brushed over his thin clothing, just a slight press allowed her to feel his hard abdominal muscles.
"Miss Xie," Pei Du's voice was extremely low, "...it feels very strange."
He couldn't quite articulate what kind of feeling it was; it was both embarrassing and ticklish, yet it seemed insatiable, with the blood in his veins screaming for more.
If Miss Xie were to know that he was actually this brazen—
"Here too?"
Xie Jingci glanced at the words in her sea of consciousness. Her fingertips lingered on the contours between his abs, tracing them one by one. "Tell me, should I go up or down next?"
Too good, too good, as expected of you, Little Wildcat!
She understood it now!
Up was his chest, down was his thighs; no matter which option, it was enough to make one blush and their heart race.
This kind of unknown anticipation was the most nerve-wracking. Xie Jingci, dizzy from the heat, instinctively curled her toes and leaned against Pei Du's front without making a sound.
"Miss Xie."
He naturally understood the meaning behind those words, his heart seemingly suspended tightly in midair. No matter what choice he made, it would be overstepping his bounds and would undoubtedly offend Miss Xie. Pei Du instinctively wanted to refuse: "There's no need—"
"You don't want to?"
Before he could finish his sentence, the young woman in his arms looked up, frowned, and pulled back from his chest. "It's been like this from the very beginning... you're not even willing to let me touch you. Do you hate me?"
Xie Jingci felt that this line provided by the system was somewhat dangerous.
This was the most obvious goading tactic, full of provocation. Anyone who heard it couldn't possibly remain indifferent.
Not to mention, the other party was Pei Du.
Her heart pounded as she spoke, and by the time she uttered the next sentence, an inexplicable sense of nervousness arose. She stared intently into Pei Du's eyes. "What kind of owner doesn't want to pet their cat? If you don't like it, then I'll go find someone else."
His long eyelashes fluttered.
Oh no, oh no. She clearly saw just now... Pei Du frowned.
The young sword cultivator had a cool, pale complexion, with only a pair of pitch-black phoenix eyes. Unclear emotions gradually welled up in the depths of his eyes, like the lightning about to pierce the sky right before a storm.
The air that had just been flowing with ambiguity suddenly froze, and Xie Jingci couldn't help but panic.
Very dangerous.
The memories of being firmly pinned down by him the previous few times flooded her mind all at once. At this moment, the task given by the system concluded perfectly. She gave a light cough and quickly got off Pei Du's lap. "This, this is a forced line from the system, you know. It always likes to give strange things to say, don't take it seriously—"
Before she could finish speaking, this time it was Xie Jingci's turn to hold her breath.
Pei Du stood up from the wooden chair with her, stepped forward without a word, and his hot, thin lips pressed down heavily against hers.
He used a force he had never shown before. The tip of his tongue pried open her lips and teeth, like an army capturing a city and seizing territory, recklessly claiming every inch of her breath, unreasonably domineering.
It was as if he wanted to pour out all his boiling, scalding, and suffocating emotions onto her all at once.
Xie Jingci was kissed senseless. She tried to take a step back to continue explaining, but Pei Du left no gap at all, pressing in step by step.
It wasn't until she could retreat no further that she realized she had reached the head of the bed.
A warm hand covered the side of her waist.
A woman's waist is much slenderer than a man's, and coupled with Pei Du's long fingers, he easily enveloped it entirely. With a gentle press, it felt as soft as water ripples.
Help, help, help me.
...That kind of place shouldn't be touched casually!
Pei Du had no intention of stopping.
Because he had absolutely no experience, the youth's caresses were completely haphazard. Yet precisely because of this, the varying pressure and wandering touch seemed even more unpredictable. Xie Jingci couldn't guess his next move and couldn't escape the increasingly heavy kisses, so she could only let the ticklish sensation run wild, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.
She tried to give him a push but got no response.
She was doomed.
This was the definition of asking for trouble and digging her own grave. Why did she have to act on a whim and teach Pei Du some brainless touching game... How was she supposed to know he would be this fierce!
The electric currents originating from her waist spread rapidly. Xie Jingci lost all strength, even in her calves. With Pei Du supporting the back of her head and giving a gentle push, she fell straight onto the bed.
Her waist and abdomen were filled with a maddening, tickling sensation.
She heard her own faintly quickening breaths, and Pei Du quietly lifting his head, uttering a low whisper from his throat: "I can do it well, Miss Xie... please don't abandon me."
His eyes were astonishingly dark. Even though he spoke such words, when he leaned down to kiss her again, his force remained tyrannical.
She felt Pei Du's right hand pause slightly, as if finally making up its mind, and stiffly moved upward.
This time, Xie Jingci absolutely did not dare to move recklessly.
His fingertips were careful, only faintly pressing against a barely-there contour before advancing no further.
Pei Du was definitely nervous as well, even stopping his kisses. The dangerous darkness in his eyes faded, and his face flushed red once more.
"That was a line forced on me by the system, really!"
As a momentary gap appeared between their pressed lips, Xie Jingci finally found an opening and explained softly between pants, "How could I possibly go look for someone else? Having you is enough."
The air was thick, warm, and silent. Inside the bedroom, only the sound of their intertwined breathing could be heard.
Her mind was filled with boiling water. Catching a glimpse of Pei Du's dark eyes, where the desire had yet to recede, she hurriedly added, "Pei Du is the best. I absolutely love your looks, your sword skills, and your temperament. Even just now—"
...What on earth was she babbling about?
But the arrow was on the bowstring and had to be fired. Xie Jingci paused for a moment, trying her hardest to suppress her embarrassment, and simply threw caution to the wind: "Even after you reached your hand over just now... you did it very well."
After finishing that sentence, Xie Jingci felt like she had nothing left to live for.
Heaven be her witness, her wording was already tactful enough. Under these circumstances, she couldn't possibly just blurt out to him: Pei Du, you're really good at touching, and I like it a lot.
She would die of shame.
Pei Du responded with a moment of silence.
He pursed his lips slightly, and when he spoke again, he asked her softly, quite nervously, "Miss Xie... did you like it?"
How was she supposed to answer that!
Xie Jingci was too embarrassed to speak, only giving a low "Mm" in response.
Pei Du seemed to feel happy, the corners of his mouth faintly curving upward. At the end, he paused and said, "Please don't abandon me."
Of course! She nodded vigorously.
He let out a sigh of relief, though his back remained tense. "...And don't go looking for anyone else, either."
His voice was as gentle as water, carrying threads of hope and pleading that could instantly melt her heart.
Xie Jingci took a soft breath. "Mm."
This response was without hesitation. Pei Du's smile deepened, and after a brief thought, he leaned down once more.
"No need, no need!"
The kiss from earlier had been too intense, and she was still a bit breathless. Shrinking back, she said, "The system has stopped, it's fine."
Pei Du, however, remained silent. His right hand clamped down on her leg and pulled her forward without leaving any room for argument.
As a result, Xie Jingci was pulled closer to him, her legs pressed against his waist. Looking up, she met the young man's suddenly close, obscure dark eyes.
There were simply too many emotions hidden in those eyes. Because they had been sealed away for so long, they appeared deep and obscure, like churning dark currents at the bottom of the sea, ready to surge forward and swallow her whole at any moment.
He allowed these emotions to slowly spill over.
Pei Du lowered his head, his fingertips tracing along her waistline. Feeling the girl tremble slightly, he murmured, "...Miss Xie, I still want more."
