In the Pope's Study, the topmost floor of the Pope's Hall.
The purple curtains were half-drawn, and the soft afternoon sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting long, slanted shadows on the thick wool carpet covering the floor.
The air carried the distinct scent of paper unique to books.
Bibi Dong sat upright behind a wide desk, wearing the gold-embroidered papal robes that symbolized supreme authority. Her cascading purple hair was meticulously tied back, leaving only a few stray strands brushing against her smooth forehead.
Before her lay a mountain of documents.
With the graceful glide of her fair, slender fingers, the pen in her hand moved fluidly across the paper, leaving behind rows of annotations.
Knock, knock, knock…
At this moment, a gentle knocking sound echoed through the silent study, clear and distinct.
Bibi Dong did not look up, nor did her pen pause for even a moment. She simply responded in a cold, emotionless voice:
"Enter."
The door opened silently, and a tall, upright figure stepped inside.
The person's footsteps were light, making no sound at all.
He did not speak but walked directly to the side of the desk and stood there quietly.
Time seemed to freeze for a few seconds.
Aside from the soft rustling of the pen gliding across the paper, the study was so quiet that one could hear the faint rustle of the breeze outside the window.
Finally, Bibi Dong sensed something amiss—this visitor had neither followed the usual protocol of bowing and reporting, nor had they stepped back. Instead, they stood extremely close to her side.
This was highly unusual and even considered presumptuous behavior within the strict confines of the Pope's Hall.
Bibi Dong's brow furrowed slightly as a sense of being watched and disturbed rose within her.
Her fingers tightened around the pen, ready to reprimand—
But as she looked up, her gaze landed on the familiar figure standing beside her, finally resting on the dazzlingly handsome face of the intruder.
Her movements came to an abrupt halt, the pen hovering above the paper.
Dai Chengfeng!
Why was he here?!
At this time, he should have been resting!
"What are you doing here?"
Bibi Dong's voice was icy, tinged with a hint of 'caution'. After speaking, she glanced at the doorway to confirm whether it was securely closed.
Hearing her question, Dai Chengfeng's face broke into a warm smile. He did not immediately respond to her chilly inquiry but instead naturally moved around to the back of her large chair.
Leaning down, his hands naturally landed on Bibi Dong's tense shoulders. With just the right amount of pressure, he began to massage them slowly and steadily.
"I missed my teacher, so I came."
The instant Dai Chengfeng's fingers touched her, Bibi Dong's body stiffened briefly. A strange warmth accompanied by the soothing sensation of the massage spread from her neck and shoulders.
But this was the Pope's Hall!
Bibi Dong recalled her position—the dignity of the Pope could not be trifled with—and thought about the unspoken relationship between them. Any hint of impropriety…
"Take your hands off me! Leave immediately!"
Though Bibi Dong deliberately kept her voice low, it still carried an undeniable tone of authority. "If anyone sees us… you know the consequences!"
Dai Chengfeng's smile remained unchanged, and his hands did not stop. If anything, they pressed more precisely on a tender spot at the base of her neck, causing an involuntary sigh to escape from Bibi Dong's throat.
"Don't worry, Teacher."
"This is the most secure area of the Pope's Hall. Without your personal summons or command, who would dare to barge in?"
As he spoke, Dai Chengfeng paused momentarily, his touch becoming even gentler.
"I'm just concerned about your fatigue. Let me relieve some tension in your shoulders while you handle these accumulated matters of state. You don't need to pay attention to me."
His words were incredibly sincere, and his reasoning seemed flawless.
After speaking, Dai Chengfeng fell silent, focusing on playing the role of a dutiful "massage attendant."
Bibi Dong pondered for a moment, realizing he was right.
Without her explicit summons or orders, who would dare to intrude into her study?
"It had better stay that way!"
With that, she stopped trying to drive Dai Chengfeng away and returned to handling her affairs.
After all, she had been away from Spirit City for over two months. Even though minor matters had been dealt with by others, many issues requiring the Pope's personal decision had piled up.
Dai Chengfeng also fell silent, quietly standing behind Bibi Dong and continuing to massage her shoulders.
For a moment, Bibi Dong felt an inexplicable sense of warmth.
But she quickly shook her head, dismissing the thought.
Inside the study, only the soft scratching of Bibi Dong's pen and the almost imperceptible breathing of the two could be heard.
Time flowed on.
The pile of documents on the left side of the desk, labeled "Pending", gradually shifted to the right side, now marked "Reviewed".
Through the thick, luxurious papal robes, Dai Chengfeng's fingers accurately massaged the acupressure points on Bibi Dong's shoulders and neck. The comfort felt like a steady flow of warm spring water, continuously soothing her tired limbs and relaxing her overly tense nerves without her even realizing it.
During a brief pause in her work, Bibi Dong's gaze even drifted for a rare moment, landing on the patches of sunlight streaming through the window.
Dai Chengfeng, this rebellious disciple… why was he suddenly so considerate today?
This thought arose in Bibi Dong's mind, but…
Just as she thought this,
The rare harmony and tranquility of the study were abruptly shattered by a mischievous hand.
Dai Chengfeng's previously well-behaved hands, which had been massaging her shoulders, began to move downward along an extremely slow, subtle, and exploratory path.
The warm palm carefully slid down the curve of her elegant yet tense neck, slipping into her collar, venturing toward areas further below, deeper beneath the layers of her solemn attire…
Slap!
A sharp sound echoed through the otherwise silent study!
"Dai Chengfeng! What was that promise you just made?!"
Bibi Dong turned her head, her amethyst-like eyes glaring fiercely at Dai Chengfeng. With precise force, she slapped the back of his wandering hand.
Caught red-handed, Dai Chengfeng quickly withdrew his hand, his warm smile replaced by a hint of awkwardness and embarrassment.
He rubbed the back of his slapped hand. "Uh… old habits die hard, I guess…"
Dai Chengfeng chuckled nervously.
"Old habits?"
Bibi Dong shot him a fierce glare. "Mind your place! Mind your boundaries!"
"If you dare to cause trouble again," she raised her chin, pointing to the heavy carved wooden door of the study, her voice stern, "get out of here immediately!"
"Yes, Teacher."
Dai Chengfeng quickly complied.
He obediently placed his hands back on Bibi Dong's shoulders, keeping them strictly in place this time.
He resumed the massage, the rhythm calm and moderate.
It was as if the earlier transgression had never happened.
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