Chapter 2: Do You Want to Kiss Me?

When he returned home, his younger sister and the little one had already gone to class, and Xiaohua had also left for the beginner's group—the physical combat course was still on today, and the Dark-faced God, Cold Fiend, hated nothing more than skipping class without reason.

There had once been two students from noble families who, out of distaste for the physical combat course, deliberately avoided attending. The Butterfly Academy soon sent a warning to their families, declaring that any further offenses would be considered an act of provocation against the Queen.

The outcome was inevitable: the two students obediently returned to class, only to be brutally beaten by Cold Fiend, suffering broken bones and torn muscles, their injuries unbearable to witness. Ironically, they then had to take leave to recover, no longer needing to feign absence from the course. What made it worse, their leave had to be approved by Cold Fiend herself, a humiliation difficult to describe.

Since then, no one dared miss a class.

Wolf was injured, and after being permitted leave by Cold Fiend, he could rest safely in the forbidden zone. When Du Gu Bie Li returned, he found Su Xi Ruo, dressed in a delicate pink outfit, leaning against the door to Wolf’s room, ready to care for him nearby.

Her long, gleaming black hair was smooth, with two strands framing her face, enhancing her gentle beauty. Clearly, she had groomed herself carefully, for reasons obvious to anyone; the hidden sentiments of a young girl, however, were hers alone.

Du Gu Bie Li rubbed his face, dispelling some fatigue, and smiled, “Where’s Wolf? How is he?”

Su Xi Ruo gazed at him tenderly, her eyes softly radiant, her voice gentle, “He’s sleeping now, so keep your voice down. He’s recovering well; in another ten days or so, he should be able to attend class again.”

Du Gu Bie Li felt relieved, his eyes wandering, “Your outfit looks beautiful, suits you perfectly.”

Xi Ruo lowered her head with a soft reply, her heart sweet as honey.

Du Gu Bie Li tried to compliment her further, but his mind went blank, words eluding him, so he simply said, “Since we’ve got nothing else to do, shall we begin?”

“Be careful,” Su Xi Ruo obediently drew near, her snowy hand reaching out, closing her eyes.

Du Gu Bie Li inhaled deeply, focusing as he slowly wrapped his large hand around hers. Just before touching her fingertip, he paused, then carefully pressed against it, channeling the Yuan Ming technique. A vortex formed in his palm, drawing a faint suction.

Sealed within Su Xi Ruo was the power of a king—a legacy left by the Immortal King for his daughter, meant to protect her in weakness and aid her cultivation. Unfortunately, over the years, the seal inexplicably transformed, merging the king’s power with her flesh, blocking her meridians, and severing the path of cultivation.

It was not a true illness, so healing arts and techniques proved useless. Even the eternal emperor famed for his healing in the Central Wasteland could do nothing.

Su Xi Ruo had despaired; the hope of gaining strength through cultivation and avenging her parents was crushed. Each day, she hid her sorrow and pain, instead comforting the elders who cared for her.

It was a torment.

But just as she abandoned hope and dreams, Du Gu Bie Li appeared. He possessed a unique skill, perfectly suited to her predicament.

Moreover, he was a man—a young man—the only one among the men she knew who was young.

Su Xi Ruo’s heart stirred.

It was as if a tiny sprout forced its way through barren earth, tenaciously unfurling its tender leaves, disrupting eternal loneliness.

Whenever they were alone together, Su Xi Ruo had so much she wanted to say, but whether from shyness or restraint, she could never voice it. Instead, she chose another silent language—her eyes.

Her eyes contained all her words and feelings. Every eyelash hid her thoughts.

In her memory, that unexpected kiss, though novel, seemed branded upon her bones and soul. Apart from the blurred images of her parents, it was her most cherished secret. Each recollection brought a new sweetness.

She watched Du Gu Bie Li, finding his serious demeanor handsome. She thought, perhaps, this was a man she could rely on. Even the sweat on his brow seemed full of masculinity...

Hoo—

“All right, that’s enough for today.” He exhaled, wiped his brow, and as he lifted his eyelids, he met her gaze.

He froze in that instant.

The thousand unspoken words hidden in her eyes, he seemed to sense them.

Su Xi Ruo felt her feelings exposed, her heart galloping like a herd of deer. She turned away in a fluster, unable to meet his eyes. Her heartbeat quickened, thudding so loudly it shook her chest.

Gulp—

Du Gu Bie Li swallowed, his gaze fixed.

Sensing his eyes upon her chest, Su Xi Ruo’s breath grew even more rapid. She suddenly turned back, blurting out without thinking, “Does it look good?”

“It looks good…” Du Gu Bie Li replied, dumbfounded.

Blood surged, and Su Xi Ruo’s face flushed crimson. She bit her lip, about to ask again, but saw his gaze now fixed, dazed and longing, upon her lips.

Her heart jolted, recalling that prior kiss, and before she knew it, she asked, “Do you want to kiss me?”

“…I do…”

Su Xi Ruo felt herself trembling all over. Her reason told her she was being teased and should leave immediately, but her body rebelled, stepping forward, chin raised, approaching the source of his deep masculine aura!

No words.

Their lips met.

No resistance.

Du Gu Bie Li was stunned, his mind muddled, the world spinning. He didn’t know how to proceed; instinctively, he wanted to extend his tongue, to capture that delicate “snake,” to taste her sweetness.

Pop—

After the shocking kiss, Su Xi Ruo suddenly withdrew, head bowed, heart pounding, and hurriedly said, “Actually, if I wish, the backlash from the seal can be mild or severe. Sometimes, if I don’t want it, there’s no backlash at all.”

With that, she fled.

Du Gu Bie Li licked his lips, savoring the moment for a long time before sighing, “What a pity, such a good chance, and it slipped away…”

…

After this interlude, their relationship deepened swiftly, laying the foundation for their romantic feelings. Du Gu Bie Li immersed himself in it, unable to extricate himself.

“Boss… ouch… Boss, you’re here.” Wolf woke, groaning as he spoke.

Du Gu Bie Li quickly composed himself, walked in calmly, “How are you feeling? Is your recovery going well?”

“It’s all right, just boring lying here for days.” Wolf replied, then caught sight of the barely perceptible smile at the corner of Du Gu Bie Li’s mouth and couldn’t help but ask, “Boss, what happened? You look so happy.”

Du Gu Bie Li felt a pang of anxiety, thinking Wolf had seen something, but quickly realized he was overthinking it. He replied casually, “I’ve figured out a method that might benefit both you and Xiaohua.”

“What benefit?” Wolf was puzzled.

Du Gu Bie Li said, “Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten how you got injured?”

Wolf fell silent, then rasped, “How could I forget?”

“Those from powerful families and factions surpass us in connections and experience, and their heritage gives them an edge. Even just their combat skills are superior to ours.” Du Gu Bie Li analyzed, and as Wolf nodded in agreement, he continued, “So, I plan to teach you and Xiaohua some combat techniques. Once you’ve mastered them, you can settle your scores.”

“Really?” Wolf looked at Du Gu Bie Li in disbelief, his eyes burning with hope.

“When have I ever lied?” Du Gu Bie Li scolded, then added, “Once you’re well enough, you and Xiaohua will receive my guidance. I’ll do my best to help you grow as quickly as possible!”

“If anyone tries to bully us, we’ll hit back hard!”

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