Zhu Zhuqing bit her lower lip, taking a deep breath as if making a monumental decision.
"You… hurry up and come in!"
Before her words had even faded, the tent flap was gently lifted by a slender hand. Dai Chengfeng's agile figure slipped inside in a flash.
He swiftly pulled the tent flap closed behind him, his movements fluid and silent, without a single unnecessary sound.
The tent was already small, and with Dai Chengfeng's tall frame entering, the space instantly felt even more cramped.
The previously cool air seemed to be immediately filled with his presence, growing heated and charged with sensuality.
Moonlight couldn't fully penetrate the tent, leaving the interior dimly lit, barely outlining their silhouettes.
The moment Dai Chengfeng entered, Zhu Zhuqing instinctively shifted backward, her back pressing against the cold inner wall of the tent, trying to create some distance.
She looked up, meeting Dai Chengfeng's eyes that still shone brightly even in the darkness, her heart pounding like a drum.
"You… you're being reckless!"
Zhu Zhuqing whispered in a low voice, her tone carrying reprimand but lacking strength due to her nervousness.
"What if someone sees us?"
Dai Chengfeng didn't respond immediately.
He simply stood there, looking down at her from above.
After adjusting to the dim light, he could clearly see the lingering blush on her face and sense her slightly rapid breathing caused by tension.
He ignored her reproach and instead took another step forward, closing the already minimal distance between them.
"So what if they see?"
"You…"
Zhu Zhuqing was momentarily speechless, unsure how to counter his statement.
Seeing him approach, she grew even more nervous, reaching out to push him away. "Don't come closer… go back quickly!"
But her wrist was easily caught by Dai Chengfeng.
With a slight exertion of force, he gently pulled her toward him.
"I came here with no intention of leaving easily."
Then, Dai Chengfeng chuckled softly. His free hand reached out, fingers lightly brushing against Zhu Zhuqing's cheek.
The calloused pads of his fingers touched her smooth skin, sending a shiver through her body.
"Dai Chengfeng… don't… someone might…"
However, Zhu Zhuqing's weak protest did nothing to stop him.
In the next moment, Dai Chengfeng's warm lips precisely covered her cool ones.
"Mmm…"
Zhu Zhuqing's entire body stiffened instantly, her eyes widening in shock.
"Oh no, what if Nana and the others see us…"
Zhu Zhuqing was extremely worried, but she soon had no time to dwell on such thoughts.
Dai Chengfeng's arms had already encircled her slender waist, pulling her even tighter into his embrace.
At first, Zhu Zhuqing resisted stiffly, her hands pushing against his chest, trying to push him away.
But under Dai Chengfeng's advances, her feeble resistance quickly crumbled.
Her hands, which had been pushing against his chest, gradually lost their strength, instead weakly clutching the fabric of his shirt.
A tingling sensation coursed through her body like an electric current, making her limbs go limp. She could only rely on the arm around her waist to support herself.
She was forced to tilt her head back, awkwardly responding.
Inside the tent, the only sounds were their heavy breathing and the ambiguous noises of lips meeting.
It wasn't until Zhu Zhuqing felt as though all the air in her lungs had been squeezed out, letting out a faint whimper, that Dai Chengfeng reluctantly pulled back slightly.
"Now… are you still going to chase me away?"
Dai Chengfeng's voice was hoarse, laced with a teasing smugness after getting his way.
Zhu Zhuqing gasped for breath, her body completely limp, unable to do anything but lean against him.
The kiss had drained her of all her strength and scattered her thoughts.
She raised her eyes, her gaze shimmering with a mix of confusion and reproach, glaring at him.
But in Dai Chengfeng's eyes, this glare held no intimidation; instead, it exuded an irresistible charm.
"You… rascal…"
Her voice was soft and sultry, tinged with post-kiss languor and shyness. Rather than a reprimand, it sounded more like a playful pout.
Dai Chengfeng chuckled softly, tightening his arms and pulling her even closer into his embrace.
He gently kissed her smooth forehead, his tone turning gentle yet firm: "I'm not leaving tonight. I'll stay here with you."
"Mm~"
This time, Zhu Zhuqing didn't refuse—or perhaps she knew that resisting would be futile.
Dai Chengfeng looked at Zhu Zhuqing and smiled faintly.
The tent fell silent again, but unlike before, this silence was now filled with tender warmth.
At first, Zhu Zhuqing's body remained somewhat stiff, but under Dai Chengfeng's soothing pats on her back, she gradually relaxed completely.
Zhu Zhuqing felt the familiar, refreshing scent of Dai Chengfeng enveloping her nose, mingled with a faint trace of the night's bonfire aroma. It gave her an inexplicable sense of security.
Her tense nerves finally experienced an unprecedented relaxation.
A deep wave of drowsiness swept over her.
In the last fleeting moment before falling asleep, Zhu Zhuqing vaguely thought that this… wasn't so bad.
Dai Chengfeng lowered his head, gazing at the peaceful sleeping face in his arms. Her usually aloof features now appeared incredibly soft.
He gently tightened his arms, pulling her even closer.
---
Early the next morning, before dawn had fully broken, the interior of the tent was still hazy.
Zhu Zhuqing slowly stirred awake.
First, she felt the steady pressure around her waist, and the familiar scent lingering at her nose brought her fully awake. Memories of the previous night flooded her mind like a tidal wave.
She moved slightly, and a deep, lazy morning voice came from above her head:
"Awake?"
Zhu Zhuqing's cheeks flushed, and she softly replied with an "Mm." Only then did she realize that at some point, she had completely curled up in his arms, their positions intimately close.
Instinctively, she tried to shift away, but Dai Chengfeng's arms tightened slightly, holding her in place.
"Don't move. Stay here a little longer."
His voice, close to her hair, brooked no refusal.
It wasn't until faint sounds began to emanate from outside the tent—the others waking up—that Dai Chengfeng said:
"I'll leave now. You rest a bit more."
Dai Chengfeng didn't want to put Zhu Zhuqing in a difficult position; he just didn't want to sleep alone in a cold tent.
With that, he sat up nimbly, leaned down in the dim light, and quickly placed a kiss on the corner of Zhu Zhuqing's lips.
Zhu Zhuqing watched Dai Chengfeng's retreating figure, her lips pressed together…
"Rascal~"
Dai Chengfeng left early, and everyone else had just woken up, so no one knew that Dai Chengfeng and Zhu Zhuqing had slept together last night.
Thus, aside from Zhu Zhuqing feeling a bit uneasy, everything proceeded as usual.
After breakfast, the group set off again.
Since Hu Liena was obtaining her fifth soul ring, they needed to reach the central region. Grand Priest Zhu Hongye suggested speeding up, but Dai Chengfeng refused.
After all, he hadn't forgotten that not only Hu Liena but also Ning Rongrong needed soul rings.
Although Grand Priest Zhu Hongye was puzzled, she didn't object.
Therefore, Dai Chengfeng's group continued to travel at a leisurely pace while he kept his mental energy fully focused, carefully searching for a suitable spirit beast for Ning Rongrong.
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