Chapter 350: The Man and Woman in the Flower Garden
Belinna smiled ambiguously at Li Meng's words, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
"Sometimes, meeting someone you truly care about is very rare. As Nara's parents, we hope she can meet someone she loves. Regardless of their status, we would gladly accept them."
So, Belinna was here for her daughter?
Faced with Belinna's expectant gaze, Li Meng felt a bit speechless.
Had he become so desirable just by wearing human skin?
Was this really escalating to the point of discussing marriage after a single meeting?
Li Meng smiled slightly, his hand around Belinna's waist sliding a bit lower.
"Madam, compared to Nara, I prefer women like you."
Belinna froze at his words, her face full of shock as she looked at the young man before her.
She seemed at a loss for words, her eyes flashing with a trace of panic.
Her cheeks turned red, and her gaze became evasive.
"You... What nonsense are you talking about?"
Li Meng smiled slightly, looking at Belinna with a serious expression.
"No man could dislike a beautiful woman like you. I know you're here for Nara, but I won't respond to her expectations. I won't belong to any woman. In life, we meet many people we care about, but Nara's partner will never be me."
Li Meng had no intention of indulging in the trivialities of love at first sight.
Love at first sight was 99% just lust.
Nara liked him only because she was physically attracted to him.
With his maxed-out charm, he wasn't just handsome but incredibly alluring.
How could a girl like Nara resist his magnetism?
Compared to Nara, Li Meng found Belinna far more interesting.
To put it bluntly, he had no resistance to voluptuous women.
His most honest thought was wanting a woman like her to bear his children.
"Madam, shall we take a stroll in the courtyard? It would be a good chance to talk somewhere quiet."
Belinna's cheeks reddened at Li Meng's invitation.
She nervously glanced at her daughter, who was still hiding behind Orlando, her face full of hopeful anticipation as she watched from afar.
Perhaps her daughter still had a chance.
Perhaps she could still persuade this young man before her.
Belinna looked up at Li Meng's handsome face.
Under his expectant gaze, she hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
At that moment, the music came to an end.
The two naturally separated and bowed to each other.
Then Belinna stepped forward, taking Li Meng's arm.
Instead of returning to the resting area, they headed toward the courtyard.
On the other side, the father and daughter who saw this exchanged a puzzled glance.
"The air outside is much more refreshing," Belinna sighed softly as they left the hall and entered the courtyard.
The fresh air prompted her to take a deep breath.
Li Meng glanced around and eventually fixed his gaze on a dark pavilion.
"Let's go over there."
Following his gaze, Belinna spotted a pavilion in the shadows not far away.
Belinna nervously glanced back at the mansion's entrance, her cheeks tinged with a hint of red as she hesitated before nodding lightly.
The two began walking toward the pavilion.
As they approached, they discovered that the pavilion already had occupants—a man and a woman whispering to each other.
Forced to change course, they continued strolling down the path.
"Mr. Li Meng, are you an adventurer?" Belinna asked as they walked.
"Yes, I am."
"An adventurer's life must be tough."
"Not really. At least it's interesting."
Interesting?
Belinna turned her head to look at the young man's face.
The more she looked, the redder her cheeks became.
He was undeniably handsome, radiating a charm that drew women in.
A strange sense of anticipation and impulsiveness stirred deep within her, leaving her both frightened and a little exhilarated.
"Interesting? When I was young, I also dreamed of becoming an adventurer. But unfortunately, I'm just an ordinary person. There was no chance for me to become one. I could only live like an ordinary person—getting married, having children, and leading a short, uneventful life."
An uneventful life?
Li Meng stopped walking, giving Belinna an amused look.
Her face flushed even redder under his gaze.
"W-What is it?"
Li Meng reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her soft body into his embrace.
"Madam, you've met me. I can make your life far from uneventful."
Belinna nervously glanced around.
Seeing no one nearby, she breathed a small sigh of relief.
"Let me go!"
Let her go? That was impossible.
Li Meng tightened his embrace, his hands sliding down to her soft waist and hips.
"Madam, may I kiss you?"
Belinna's struggle wasn't intense.
It was more of a half-hearted resistance.
Li Meng's question made her eyes flash with shyness.
She stopped resisting and nervously glanced around again.
Seeing no one, her lips moved as if to speak, but no words came out. Her expression shifted, and finally, she closed her eyes.
Her action made Li Meng's lips curl into a smirk.
He knew that this woman had already fallen.
Like a blooming flower waiting to be plucked.
Li Meng didn't hold back, leaning in to kiss Belinna's red lips.
They were soft, warm, and inviting.
Belinna let out a faint hum, instinctively parting her lips slightly.
In the dim pathway, the two embraced and kissed.
Li Meng guided Belinna into the flower garden nearby, which was filled with waist-high plants and a patch of grass.
It was the perfect spot.
"No, not here!"
By the time Belinna came to her senses, they were already on the grassy patch within the garden.
"It's fine. No one will notice."
Li Meng comforted her softly, holding her tightly.
Belinna seemed fearful of being caught, but under his insistence, she relented, lying on the grass with a mixture of reluctance and submission.
Li Meng sat down beside her, and their figures disappeared within the flower garden.
As he gazed at Belinna's alluring figure, especially the glow of her pale skin under the moonlight, Li Meng found the situation amusing.
What started as a formal ball had ended up here, in the garden.
Although it wasn't a forest, what they were about to do wasn't any different.
The chaos of this social circle was astonishing.
But there was a first time for everything.
Li Meng took her left hand, kissed the back of it, and smiled.
Belinna's face flushed, her eyes shimmering with emotion, her breathing growing heavier.
Li Meng leaned down, pressing himself lightly against her body.