Truly, this woman knew how to keep someone in suspense—either she’d stay silent for days on end, or the moment she did speak, she’d draw it out with only a few words at a time, tormenting him endlessly.

Had it been anyone else, they’d have already leapt up and demanded she just say whatever it was she meant to say!

But the old fox lying there on the bed showed not the slightest reaction, lying with tremendous patience, his devastatingly handsome face utterly expressionless—no one could have guessed what he was thinking, nor how much patience he actually had.

In any case, after Ziqing spoke those words, there was no further movement from her for a full half hour!

And he, too, made not the slightest sound.

Then, at last, the hand wrapped around his waist began to slowly move, slowly withdrawing, and at the same time, the slender leg entwined with his slowly slid away as well.

Finally, the thoroughly sleep-deprived woman slowly lifted her head, propping herself up right beside him, gazing at him from extremely close range!

A master of his caliber—anyone within arm’s reach staring directly at him, focused on him, he could sense their presence and guess what they were doing even with his eyes closed.

Yet at this moment, this woman was less than three inches from his face, studying every inch of his features with utmost seriousness, her breath warm and fragrant against his skin, so very, very close.

And still, he showed not the slightest reaction, his breathing remaining perfectly steady.

In the dim candlelight, Ziqing bowed her head slightly, her expression solemn, focused. What on earth was wrong with her tonight? What was she doing now?

Truly unfathomable.

Suddenly, she lifted her head, and with great care, pressed a light kiss to his forehead. She was about to speak, then hesitated, and instead pressed a shy, timid kiss to his thin lips as well. In an instant, her small face flushed crimson, and in the dim, flickering lamplight, her exquisitely beautiful features took on a hazy, delicate beauty.

Her soft lips withdrew, and then, at last, she parted them to speak. For someone so cold and pure, this was surely the first time in her life her face had ever flushed red, the first time she had ever worn such a shy, bashful expression—and yet, despite this, she spoke with such earnestness, each word clear and distinct, without the slightest hesitation. “Jun Beiyue, from now on, I’m yours. And you’re mine too!”

Having said that, she paused, seeming to feel something was amiss, and hurriedly added, “Jun Beiyue, I like you. I don’t know when it started, or why—but regardless, I just like you. Liuguang and the Scorpion Punishment Mystic Ring—I’m never giving them back to you, not in this lifetime!”

This…

How could this be… such a sudden, unforeseen confession!

Who on earth confesses like this?

Straight out declaring, I’m yours, you’re mine! Practically tacking “I like you” on as an afterthought, an addendum to the main point—even someone who’d never confessed before, never liked anyone before, surely wouldn’t confess quite so… so…

What was one even supposed to say to that!

At this moment, she still wore that same earnest expression, watching the man before her who showed not the slightest reaction, and the corner of her lips curved into a satisfied smile.

They say that no matter how strong-willed a woman may be, once she’s fallen in love, once she takes the initiative to confess, whether anxious or nervous, at least in that moment of waiting for a response, she becomes a small, vulnerable woman.

But this girl here, looking at the utterly unresponsive Jun Beiyue, actually curved her lips into a sly, satisfied smirk!

In truth, she had only meant to test the man. Hesitating, dangling the bait, drawing it out—the red, yang-natured herb was the antidote after all, and who knew if he had more awareness now, or had already woken up!

Confirming he still hadn’t woken, she felt free to speak her true feelings openly and without reservation!

“Serves you right for not being able to hear this—it’s your own fault for not waking up. Anyway, I said what I really felt, and I’m never telling you again!”

With that, she wore an air of indifference, though a hint of undeniable panic flickered in her eyes.

She didn’t lie back down beside Jun Beiyue, but instead crawled back to the foot of the bed to sit, watching him from a distance and keeping guard over him, just as she had every night before.

An unconscious, warm smile curved at the corners of her lips, and before long, she slowly closed her eyes.

But just as she was about to drift off to sleep, a familiar voice suddenly cut through her drowsiness. “Han Ziqing, dare you say that again, what you just said?”

That voice—low, resonant, and pleasant to the ear, carrying a sharp edge laced with domineering arrogance. One could tell just from the voice alone that this was surely an insufferably proud and haughty man!

Only… why did this voice sound so familiar!

Groggy with sleep, Ziqing’s brow furrowed, and her eyes flew open with a start, badly startled. But glancing toward Jun Beiyue, she saw the man still lying there with his eyes closed, still unconscious!

Could it be… had she misheard? Was it a dream?

She really was exhausted. After confessing, her heart had felt so much lighter—tired enough that she’d fall asleep the instant she closed her eyes.

But now, startled like this, there was no way she could fall asleep. She stared suspiciously at Jun Beiyue for a long while, her fine brows knitting tighter and tighter, her suspicion deepening. Could she really have imagined the whole thing?

But then, just as she leaned in close to him again as she had before, she was suddenly, without warning, pressed down by a hand at the back of her head!

Those warm, soft lips instantly captured her parted, unsuspecting mouth, devouring it like a storm, and before long, he pushed deeper, giving her a searing, passionate kiss!

“Mmph… no… mmph…”

No matter how she struggled, pounded at him, or even kicked wildly, it was useless!

The man’s domineering presence surged forward relentlessly, as if he meant to devour her whole, overwhelming her far beyond what she could bear!

In an instant, she panicked, her mind going utterly blank. She didn’t even know when she’d stopped struggling, when she’d ended up held in his arms, her head pillowed on his forearm, lost in the kiss.

That familiar domineering force, that familiar unyielding strength, that familiar man—it was him, Jun Beiyue!

Only when her lips were finally released, and her clear eyes met his deep, sea-dark gaze, did Ziqing suddenly come back to her senses, understanding at last what had happened.

This man… had woken up!

“Woman, those two sentences you just said—I liked them very much. Say them again,” Jun Beiyue said with a smile, his fingertip lightly tracing over her reddened lips, a rare hint of wicked amusement crossing his handsome, cold face.

Ziqing said nothing, showed no reaction.

“Hm?” Jun Beiyue arched an eyebrow, gently tilting up her small chin.

Still, Ziqing showed no reaction at all, simply staring at him.

“Woman, I’ve discovered… when no one’s around, you’re really quite adorable,” seeing Ziqing’s dazed, foolish expression, Jun Beiyue couldn’t help but burst into laughter, his dark eyes brimming with doting affection.

Seeing Ziqing still not answering, Jun Beiyue remained endlessly patient, laughing. “That hesitation just now, dangling this princely appetite—testing me, weren’t you!”

Finally, Ziqing could no longer maintain her composure, could no longer keep up the pretense, and immediately squeezed her eyes shut.

But Jun Beiyue’s playful tone suddenly softened, and he said quietly, “Qing’er… it’s been a long time.”

…