Ying had always believed that Yuan Shu liked him—or at the very least, liked the way he looked.
That was why she had taken the initiative to approach him.
And the facts had proven him right. Yuan Shu had indeed made the first move.
The instant her rosy lips drew near, his heart wavered for a moment. But it was only a moment. He pretended to be bashful and turned his face away.
It was only an act. There was no need to make such a huge sacrifice for real.
However, after avoiding Yuan Shu’s lips, Ying lowered his head and waited, feigning shyness. He waited for quite some time, yet the person in front of him made no further move.
Ying froze. Slowly raising his head, he saw that Yuan Shu had somehow taken out a pot of clear wine, poured herself a cup, and begun sipping it.
She had actually ignored him completely.
“Sis?”
A hint of hurt appeared on Ying’s face. His deep-green eyes blinked twice as he pressed his lips together, looking at her with confusion and unease.
Yuan Shu glanced at him but still said nothing.
She merely held her wine cup and took small sips, neither sending him away nor sparing him another glance.
He had to admit, the two pots of clear wine Xiao Li had given her were quite delicious. Brewed with pear blossoms, they carried a sweet, delicate fragrance that was truly unique.
Someone tugged lightly at her sleeve.
Yuan Shu lowered her head and glanced at the hand gently clutching her sleeve. When she looked up, she met Ying’s aggrieved, handsome face.
“Sis, why are you ignoring me?”
Ying’s voice was pleasant to begin with. When he deliberately raised it a little, adding a trace of grievance and expectation, it was enough to make one’s ears feel as though they were melting.
“I thought you didn’t like me getting close to you, which was why you avoided me just now.”
Yuan Shu curled her lips into a faint smile and casually set her wine cup down on the stone beside her with a soft clink.
It was neither heavy nor light, but the sound made Ying’s heart tremble.
Had this woman noticed?
“How could that be? Ying likes Sis.” As he spoke, the hand resting around Yuan Shu’s neck tightened slightly, and he leaned closer to her.
“Is that so?” Yuan Shu gave a soft laugh, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Yet the cool detachment in her eyes was unmistakable.
Clearly, she didn’t believe him.
Ying’s heart skipped a beat. Unable to stop himself, he asked, “Sis, what would it take for you to believe me?”
Yuan Shu did not answer at once. She merely lifted the wine cup from the table and took two more sips before speaking slowly.
“I’ve never liked taking the initiative. But once I do, if I’m rejected, I won’t make the first move a second time.”
“If you want me to believe you, then do something that will make you worthy of belief.”
Ying’s expression shifted slightly.
The meaning behind Yuan Shu’s words could not have been clearer. She wanted to get even for what had happened earlier.
And this time, he would have to make the first move.
Ying’s lashes trembled faintly. He pressed his lips together without saying a word.
Seeing this, Yuan Shu simply reached out, grabbed his arm, and tried to push him away.
“If you’re unwilling, then there’s no need to agonize over it.”
When his eyes met Yuan Shu’s cool gaze, Ying’s heart lurched. He hastily grabbed her wrist.
“No, that’s not it. Sis, I’m willing!”
His long fingers carefully held her arm. Ying’s deep-green eyes fixed steadily on hers. After speaking, his Adam’s apple bobbed.
Seeing Yuan Shu merely raise her eyes at him, he gritted his teeth, reached for the wine beside her, and drained it in one go.
Then he leaned forward and kissed her.
Yuan Shu’s eyes shifted slightly. She did not refuse him, but neither did she respond. Her lips remained tightly closed, utterly unmoved.
Ying had not expected Yuan Shu to take the initiative just moments ago, only to sit there now with an unconcerned, utterly detached expression.
He had already been this bold—even offering her his first kiss.
Yet she showed no reaction at all. Her lips were still pressed tightly shut.
Ying felt a little irritated. But when he remembered that he could only find an opportunity to absorb the divine power within her once he drew close and stirred her desire, he forced himself to endure it.
What he lacked most right now was power of this magnitude.
With no other choice, Ying wrapped an arm around Yuan Shu’s waist, carefully holding the wine in his mouth as he slowly pried her lips apart.
At last, Yuan Shu parted her lips, allowing him to pass the wine into her mouth.
Ying’s heart eased slightly. Once he had transferred all the wine, he prepared to pull away.
But Yuan Shu suddenly clasped his chin and yanked him toward her.
Then she took the initiative, prying open his lips.
Ying froze for a moment. The sweet wine flowed back into his mouth, now seemingly mixed with a faint fragrance of pear blossoms.
“Swallow it.”
Once the wine had been transferred, Yuan Shu drew back slightly. She placed one hand against the right side of his face and lightly brushed her lips against the corner of his trembling mouth as she issued the order in a low voice.
Ying clenched his teeth. Thinking of his purpose, he could only swallow the mouthful of wine despite his humiliation.
“Such a good boy.” Yuan Shu smiled.
“Sis, do you believe me now?” Ying asked, the corners of his eyes curving as a dazzling smile spread across his face.
Yuan Shu said nothing. She merely stroked his cheek lightly before, catching Ying completely off guard, tilting her head up and kissing him again.
The fragrance of pear blossoms, laced with the crisp scent of wine, drifted into his nose. Ying’s eyes widened slightly, and his entire body stiffened.
But Yuan Shu had no intention of letting him off so easily.
He had dared to seduce her. Naturally, he would have to pay the price.
Yuan Shu gripped his chin with one hand, preventing him from retreating, while her other hand slid up around his neck.
Then, without the slightest trace of restraint, she pried open his lips and sent the crisp wine and pear-blossom fragrance into his mouth.
“Mmph…”
Ying’s eyes glistened with moisture. His eyes, like jade-green pools, trembled as he instinctively tried to avoid her, only to be held firmly in place by Yuan Shu.
His lips no longer seemed to belong to him. They had become nothing more than a battlefield.
As they kissed, the scent of wine gradually faded, while the delicate fragrance of pear blossoms seemed to grow richer and clearer.
Ying had originally intended only to put on an act and fool her, tasting her at most before stopping.
He had never expected…
He struggled to retreat, but Yuan Shu refused to give him the chance.
At the same time, he was afraid to fight back and anger her again.
If she ignored him as she had earlier, he had no idea when he would get another chance to draw close to her.
After turning the matter over in his mind, he lost focus for just a moment—and Yuan Shu took advantage of it, drawing him into a kiss that went deeper and deeper.
The fragrance of pear blossoms and osmanthus intertwined, each mingling with the other, becoming one of the most soul-stirring scents in the world.
Ying’s hand tightened uncontrollably around Yuan Shu’s wrist. In the end, he simply wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace.
Before long, the steady rhythm of their breathing had become completely ragged.
In the quiet mountain cave, the only sound was the increasingly intimate noise of their kiss.
Yuan Shu could tell that Ying’s kiss was inexperienced—passive, clumsy, and utterly lacking in technique. He was a complete novice.
But that was fine. She knew what she was doing.
Since he had decided to seduce her, he should naturally have been prepared for something more to happen.
Did he really think she would let him escape unscathed?
The corners of Yuan Shu’s lips curved upward. Seeing that he was being kissed until he could barely breathe, she eased back slightly and looked at him with a teasing smile.
“Did your sister never teach you how to breathe? You don’t even know how?”
Ying’s cheeks flushed. Whether from arousal or anger, they had turned bright red.
“S-Sis, I—I didn’t…”
“Didn’t what? Didn’t have clean hands? Or do you already have other women?”
