Shen Haoran fixed his gaze on Ning Xueli, his golden eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and hunger.
The warm light of the sun shining through the gardens casts a soft shadows across his sharp features, highlighting the confident tilt of his jaw.
Handsome, incredibly handsome. That was all Ning Xueli could think as she stared at his face at such close proximity.
Having been raised as the heiress to the richest family in Eastern Region, she has seen countless men, with her suitors enough to create their own kingdom.
But she had never seen such charm and confidence from any other men than him.
Just then, a slow, predatory smile curved Shen Haoranâs lips as he leaned in closer, the air between them immediately turning hot from passion.
Xueliâs heart pounded in her chest, her pulse racing like a trapped bird.
She was almost twenty, yet this moment felt like stepping into uncharted territory, her strong-willed nature warring with the flutter of nerves in her stomach.
He closed the distance without a word, his mouth capturing hers in a kiss that started gentle but demanded surrender.
Xueli flinched instinctively, her body tensing as if to pull away, her cheeks burning with a flush she couldnât hide.
She wanted to avert her eyes, to escape the intensity of his stare, but she forced herself to still, her lips parting just enough under the pressure of his.
âThis isnât so special,â she thought, disappointment flickering through her mind.
Sheâd dreamed of her first kiss as something enchanted, a spark from fairy tales that would light up her soul, but this was actually quite lackluster.
âMaybe itâs because I donât truly feel anything for him,â she rationalized, even as her body betrayed her with a subtle lean forward.
But then Haoranâs tongue traced the seam of her lips, a warm, insistent lick that sent a shiver racing down her spine.
Unconsciously, she parted her mouth wider, and he took that as an invitation, thrusting his tongue inside to tangle with hers.
The intrusion was bold and invasive, filling her with the taste of him, something she couldnât quite describe.
Her eyes flew open wide, her pupils dilating as electricity surged through her veins, igniting every nerve ending.
Her breath hitched, a soft whimper escaping despite herself.
âOh gods,â she realized in that heated instant, âkisses are magical after all.â
The world narrowed to the wet slide of his tongue against hers, the way it explored her mouth with unyielding possession, drawing her deeper into the storm of sensation.
Haoranâs hands, large and firm, slid down from her shoulders and chin to grip her hips, his fingers digging into the soft curve of her waist through the thin fabric of her dress.
He pulled her body against him, letting her feel the hard line of his muscles pressing into her softness.
They kissed like that for what felt like an eternityâseconds stretching into a haze of heatâhis tongue stroking hers in rhythmic thrusts that mimicked something far more intimate.
Xueliâs hands clutched at his shirt, knuckles whitening as she fought the urge to push him away or pull him closer; the conflict only heightened the ache building low in her belly.
Finally, Haoran broke the kiss, pulling back just enough to let her catch her breath.
Xueli gasped sharply, her chest heaving as cool air rushed into her lungs, her lips swollen and tingling from the assault.
Strands of her dark hair clung to her damp forehead, and she blinked up at him, dazed, her strong resolve cracking under the weight of newfound desire.
Haoran smirked, that infuriating curve of his mouth making her want to slap him even as her body hummed with aftershocks.
"Well?" he drawled, his voice low and teasing, laced with the arrogance of a man who knew heâd unraveled her. "What do you think? Am I better than those other boys youâve kissed?"
Xueli stared at him, her purple eyes flashing with a mix of defiance and vulnerability as she shook her head slowly, her voice steady despite the tremor in her limbs.
"No. Youâre my first."
Haoranâs smirk faltered for a split second, his brows arching in genuine surprise as he blinked, leaning back slightly to study her face as if reassessing the woman in his arms.
"Youâre almost twenty, and youâve never even been kissed?" His tone held a note of disbelief, but there was an undercurrent of intrigue, like heâd just uncovered a rare treasure.
He couldnât help but think of those heroines in the novels, where some heroines despite being thousands of years old, were still virgins.
Those were almost impossible. Even for a cultivators with long lifespan, the average girls loses their Vital Yin during their teens, and itâs normal for them to have partners numbering in three digits, especially if they have lived for several thousand years.
Female cultivators who remained virgins despite their age in the four digits were all exceptions, and not the rule.
Xueliâs glare sharpened, her chin lifting in proud challenge. She wasnât about to let him mock her choices. "So what? Is it wrong for me to save myself for my future husband? To wait for someone who deserves every part of me?"
Haoranâs eyes darkened, his smirk returning with a sharper edge as he traced a thumb along her lower lip, still slick from their kiss, sending another unwelcome spark through her.
"Even if your future husband isnât a virgin like you? What if heâs already tasted the world, while youâve hoarded your innocence like some prize?"
She fell silent, her mind scrambling for a retort, but the words stuck in her throat.
The truth of his barb stungâher ideals clashing against the reality of his world-weary gaze.
Heat flooded her cheeks, not just from embarrassment, but from the way his proximity made her skin prickle, her untouched body responding to the subtle power he wielded so effortlessly.
Sensing her hesitation, Haoran pulled her closer, his hands sliding up her back to tangle in her hair, tilting her head back to expose the vulnerable line of her throat.
His breath ghosted over her skin, warm and teasing.
"I feel sorry for that future husband of yours," he murmured, his lips brushing her earlobe. "All that virginity youâve saved so carefully... itâs going to be taken by me instead."
Xueliâs eyes narrowed, her hands pressing against his chestânot to push him away, but to steady herself against the dizzying pull of his words.
"So youâre not planning on marrying me? Although Iâve resolved myself for this, Iâm not gonna give you what you want without taking responsibility." she shot back, her voice laced with accusation, though her body arched instinctively into his touch.
Haoran chuckled, the sound rumbling deep in his chest, vibrating against her as he nipped lightly at her jaw, a possessive graze of teeth that made her gasp.
"Darling, Iâm already engaged. You think Iâd throw that away for a girl whom Iâve only known for a day?"
Xueli shook her head fiercely, dark locks tumbling over her shoulders, her strong will igniting like a flame.
"I donât care about your engagement. If you want my body, youâll take responsibility for it. All of it." Her words hung in the air, bold and unyielding, even as her heart raced with the recklessness of her demand.
The tension between them crackled, as if her virginity was a fragile barrier against the storm of his desire.
Haoranâs smirk widened, his fingers tightening in her hair just enough to elicit a soft inhale from her.
He leaned in, his mouth hovering over hers, close enough that she could feel the heat of his breath. "I donât think youâre in a position to make demands, little virgin. Youâre trembling in my arms already."
Xueli met his gaze without flinching, her eyes blazing with defiance.
"Try me," she whispered, her voice steady despite the way her thighs clenched together against the unfamiliar ache. "Do you believe Iâd let you touch me without consequences? Iâd bite my tongue off before I let you ruin me without a vow."
Of course, this was actually just a bluff. She was the only heir of Ning Family, and her father can no longer have a child, if she died, her family will be left with no heir and might collapse.
If Seijirou really planned on taking her by force without even thinking of taking responsibility, then she can only swallow that grievance.
Shen Haoran stared at her for a long moment, his confident facade cracking just enough to reveal a flicker of genuine admiration.
Her fire intrigued him, a challenge wrapped in innocence that stirred something primal. Yes, even yesterday, she was like this, wasnât she?
Completely unyielding.
At that, he chuckled again, this time, because of appreciation, releasing her hair to cup her face instead, his thumbs stroking her flushed cheeks.
"I really like that spirit of yours, Xueli. Itâs... intoxicating." He paused, his eyes locking onto hers with predatory intent. "Very well. For now, stay by my side. Serve me, tempt me, convince me that youâre worth upending my life for. If you can make me believe youâre the one before your lifespan flickers outâbefore time claims youâthen I will marry you. But fail, and youâll be just another conquest, your precious virginity a memory I claim without regret."
The words hung heavy between them, a dangerous bargain laced with erotic promise and emotional peril.
Xueliâs breath caught, her body still pressed against his, the hard evidence of his arousal nudging her hipâa stark reminder of the power dynamics at play.
She nodded once, resolute, even as desire and fear twisted in her core, the intimate moment stretching into something far more binding.
"Well then," he whispered into her ears, sending shivers down her spine, "Why donât we continue this... In my room?"