The brightly lit Tian Dou City, within the inner hall of the Crown Prince's residence.
Today, Qian Renxue was dressed in casual attire, seated behind her desk. The documents before her were spread open, fresh ink still visible on the pages.
However, her gaze wasn't focused on the text but instead wandered absentmindedly toward the dense night outside the window, her fingers idly rubbing against the pen.
"The agreed-upon time seems to have already passed…"
Qian Renxue silently thought to herself.
"Your Highness?"
At this moment, a steady voice rang out. Porcupinefish Douluo, standing nearby, keenly noticed that the usually sharp and decisive young master seemed unusually restless tonight.
Her brows occasionally furrowed, then relaxed, as if an intense internal battle raged within her…
"Hmm?"
Hearing Porcupinefish Douluo's words, Qian Renxue finally snapped back to reality.
"Porcupinefish Elder, what is it?"
Porcupinefish Douluo shook his head. "Your Highness, it seems you're troubled by something?"
His words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly disturbing Qian Renxue's thoughts.
She trembled slightly, quickly withdrawing her gaze from the window. A faint blush she had tried to conceal still lingered on her cheeks. Instinctively, she raised her hand, her fingertips brushing against her lips.
"N-nothing."
Her voice sounded slightly hurried, lacking the usual steadiness of the Crown Prince, and carried a trace of nervousness.
"Elder Porcupinefish, there's no need to worry. I… I'm just pondering some details."
She took a deep breath, striving to regain her composure.
However, her eyes involuntarily darted toward the clock.
Time had indeed passed—and not just a little.
"Is he… still waiting? Or has he grown impatient and left?"
This thought twisted around her mind like vines, entangling her with an indescribable mix of anxiety and anticipation.
To go or not to go?
Her mind was locked in an internal struggle.
Qian Renxue had originally decided to prioritize her mission. After all, she had been lying low within the Tian Dou Imperial Family for years, pouring countless resources and enduring immense hardship. Her plans were steadily advancing, and the light at the end of the tunnel was finally visible.
As the future successor of the Spirit Hall and the chosen inheritor of the Angel God, she bore the hopes of countless people—including her grandfather and the entire Spirit Hall.
Could a fleeting kiss, a sudden surge of personal emotion, really shake her resolve and destroy years of painstaking effort?
This "unexpected incident" should not—and must not—become a variable that disrupts her grand plan!
"But…"
A faint yet unmistakably clear voice struggled within her heart.
Why did the thought of him possibly losing patience, of him sitting alone in the secluded courtyard, make her chest tighten?
The fluttering and dizzying sensation brought on by that brief touch last night hadn't faded; instead, it had fermented over time, stirring even greater waves in her heart.
Qian Renxue was reluctant to admit it, yet powerless to deny it—
She wanted to see him, yet she was also afraid to see him.
This feeling was unfamiliar, unsettling, yet carried an undeniable… pull.
Finally, after glancing once more at the deepening night outside the window, Qian Renxue abruptly stood up.
Her delicate chin tilted upward, and a flicker of determination flashed in her eyes.
"Elder Porcupinefish," her voice regained its icy clarity, carrying an unmistakable firmness. "I'm going out for a bit."
With that, she hesitated no further. Taking quick, resolute steps, she headed toward the entrance of the residence, even instinctively smoothing a few strands of hair at her temples. Under the cover of her sleeves, her slender fingers trembled slightly.
"If I delay any longer, he'll probably laugh at me to death!"
"Damn you, Dai Chengfeng, you troublemaker!"
The young maiden's budding feelings were tinged with both trepidation and anticipation.
---
The gentle evening breeze brought a coolness that stirred a few unruly strands of Qian Renxue's golden hair.
Her hurried footsteps created a faint rustling sound, breaking the silence of the courtyard.
From afar, she saw the figure seated under the moonlight—Dai Chengfeng.
He sat casually on the chair, arms crossed, his tall silhouette partially obscured by shadows. Though his face wasn't clearly visible, there was an undeniable aura about him that caused Qian Renxue's heart to skip a beat, as if a startled deer were bounding through her chest.
The "firm dam" of prioritizing her mission, which she had constructed within the Crown Prince's residence, seemed to crack silently the moment she laid eyes on him.
Finally, Qian Renxue stopped a few steps away from Dai Chengfeng.
Her usual composed demeanor was replaced by an uncharacteristic awkwardness. She lowered her head slightly, avoiding his seemingly scrutinizing gaze, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly:
"I'm sorry… I… I'm late. I kept you waiting."
The words felt extraordinarily difficult to say.
After all, she was Qian Renxue, the young master of the Spirit Hall and the Crown Prince of the Tian Dou Empire. What kind of status did she hold, and when had she ever needed to apologize for being late?
Yet now, this "I'm sorry" came out willingly, even earnestly.
It carried a hint of urgency she herself didn't fully realize—a reluctance to disappoint him.
The air grew silent for a moment, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the night breeze.
Then, a low chuckle filled with obvious teasing broke the stillness.
"Hmm."
Dai Chengfeng chuckled softly. He stepped forward out of the shadows, and the moonlight clearly outlined his chiseled jawline and slightly upturned lips.
Truthfully, Dai Chengfeng didn't care at all. After all, he himself had been late yesterday, so how could he hold others to a double standard?
But outwardly, his light smile quickly vanished, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness.
He leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them, his gaze firmly fixed on her eyes as he asked in a deep voice:
"Just a flimsy 'I'm sorry'—do you really think that's enough to settle things?"
The sudden shift in Dai Chengfeng's demeanor caused Qian Renxue's momentarily relaxed heart to tense up again.
Was he truly angry?
For a moment, panic welled up within Qian Renxue without reason.
"T-then… what do you want? How should I apologize? Or do you… want to punish me?"
Qian Renxue's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor.
"Punish you?"
Dai Chengfeng repeated, his tone rising slightly at the end, his eyes gleaming.
He had originally intended to tease her, but now, Qian Renxue had actually mentioned… punishment?
Well then…
A smirk tugged at the corner of Dai Chengfeng's lips.
Suddenly, he moved.
In the next instant, Qian Renxue's vision blurred, and her wrist was suddenly gripped tightly by an overwhelming force!
Before she could react—or even gasp—her body was yanked forward forcefully by an unyielding strength!
The world spun!
By the time she realized what had happened, her feet had left the ground, and her balance was completely lost as she crashed heavily into a solid, blazing-hot embrace!
"This is how I'll punish you!"
The next moment, Dai Chengfeng acted decisively, his target clear—her lips!
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