"Don't move."
Lan Tianyu immediately spoke up to stop her.
Not only did he not release the arm wrapped around Tian Xin's waist, he even bent down slightly and said softly,
"Excuse me, Teacher Tian."
With that, he lifted Tian Xin into a princess carry and gently placed her sideways onto the passenger seat.
Then he crouched down naturally, his movements smooth and without hesitation.
Before Tian Xin could even react—
Lan Tianyu's warm hand had already lightly grasped her slender ankle.
With his other hand, he carefully removed the black high heel from her right foot.
Her delicate foot, wrapped in ultra-thin stockings, was instantly exposed to the slightly cool air.
It was clear that her ankle had already begun to swell slightly.
"Relax."
Lan Tianyu's voice came from below, unexpectedly gentle.
His fingertips pressed precisely against the acupoints and ligaments around her ankle with just the right amount of pressure.
Then he gathered the little remaining internal energy into his fingertips.
The faintly cool internal energy seeped through his fingers like a gentle stream, flowing into the injured area.
It brought waves of soothing coolness, easing the burning pain.
"Mmm~"
Tian Xin's voice stretched slightly as her thoughts began to wander.
When the pain gradually subsided, she lowered her head and saw Lan Tianyu's thick black hair and the focused outline of his side profile.
The seriousness he showed now was in stark contrast to the overwhelming, almost inhuman figure who had controlled that massive fireball earlier.
For some reason—
Her heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
Could it be…
That she had started to like Lan Tianyu?
Otherwise, why would her heart beat so fast?
"Alright. How does it feel?"
Lan Tianyu asked.
But after waiting for a moment—
No answer came.
So he raised his head.
His gaze met Tian Xin's flustered, evasive eyes.
"How is it? Does it still hurt?"
Lan Tianyu was still kneeling on one knee.
His palm supported her ankle, and his thumb unconsciously brushed lightly across the smooth surface of her delicate foot.
That tiny movement felt like an electric current striking Tian Xin.
The sensation ran from her ankle straight to the tip of her heart.
"I'll… try."
Tian Xin hurriedly stood up.
Almost as if escaping, she bent down to pick up the fallen high heel and put it back on.
She cautiously took a few steps.
To her surprise—
There was no pain at all in her ankle.
It was as if the sprain had been completely healed by Lan Tianyu's treatment.
"Looks like there's no problem now."
Lan Tianyu looked at the freely moving Tian Xin with satisfaction at his handiwork.
"Thank you. If it weren't for you, I might've been in pain for quite a while."
"So… I've decided to give you a reward."
Tian Xin paused for a moment.
It seemed as if she had made some kind of decision.
Taking a deep breath, she gathered tremendous courage and stood on tiptoe, leaning closer to Lan Tianyu.
Muah.
A gentle, soft kiss—like the first petal of a blooming flower—lightly landed on Lan Tianyu's cheek.
The moment it was done—
All of Tian Xin's courage vanished instantly.
She didn't dare look at Lan Tianyu's expression at all.
Almost instinctively, she wrapped her delicate arms tightly around his arm.
Then she buried her burning red face deep into the crook of his elbow.
That proactive kiss had nearly exhausted all of her courage.
Now she had no idea how to face Lan Tianyu.
So she could only hide like a timid little quail.
[Tian Xin's favorability toward the host: High. Collection speed +150%!]
Hearing the system notification—
Lan Tianyu froze completely.
His mind went blank for a long time.
He never expected that Tian Xin, who was usually gentle and even a bit shy, would act so boldly.
That fleeting softness from the kiss—
He hadn't even had time to savor it before it was already gone.
Only a faint lingering fragrance and the warmth left on his cheek remained.
"Well… I guess that counts as saving the beauty in distress."
"In that case, the increase in favorability is understandable."
Lan Tianyu forcibly calmed himself, suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind.
His complicated gaze fell upon Tian Xin's stunning profile.
Wasn't this progress… a little too fast?
They had only known each other for one day.
The two of them stood there quietly.
An indescribable emotion—mixed with shyness, excitement, and a hint of ambiguity—flowed silently through the air.
"Ahem…"
Lan Tianyu was the first to break under the pressure.
He cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
"So… are we going inside to eat, or planning to do something else?"
"Lan Tea—"
Tian Xin instinctively began to use a respectful title.
But halfway through, she suddenly stopped.
She had just kissed him.
Calling him Teacher Lan now felt distant and awkward.
"T-Tianyu…"
"It's too noticeable standing out here… let's go inside first, okay?"
She finally mustered the courage to lift her head.
Her cheeks were still flushed red, and her voice was soft as a whisper.
"Alright."
Lan Tianyu nodded slightly.
His arm tightened naturally so she could lean on him more comfortably.
Then he took a step forward, leading her toward the restaurant entrance.
Soon the two arrived in front of the restaurant.
But the moment Lan Tianyu saw the restaurant's name—
His steps paused almost imperceptibly.
The corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Wasn't this the restaurant his mother opened when she had nothing better to do?
How did he recognize it?
Well—
The name "Qingxia Restaurant" might have been a coincidence.
But the promotional poster of his mother was still hanging right outside the entrance.
That alone proved it was part of the family business.
"Welcome! How many people will be dining today?"
As soon as they reached the door, a neatly dressed waiter greeted them warmly with a professional smile.
The waiter was just a regular employee and didn't recognize Lan Tianyu.
But it didn't matter.
They were just here to eat.
There was no need for any special treatment.
"Two."
Tian Xin had already steadied her breathing and regained her elegant composure.
She smiled at the waiter.
"Please find us a window seat. Thank you."
Her familiarity with the place made it obvious that she came here often.
Lan Tianyu's expression remained calm, not finding it strange.
After all—
Tian Xin was a teacher at a private high school.
Her annual salary wouldn't be low.
Even if she frequently dined at high-end restaurants like this, it wouldn't put much pressure on her finances.
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