Jian lay on the bed, Maria pressed gently against his side. The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of the moon slipping through the lattice window. Her breath was uneven, and though she clung tightly to him, he could still feel the tremor in her body—the lingering fear from the attack.
He stroked her hair slowly, letting the silence linger before speaking. His voice came low, steady, carrying the weight of a decision he had already made.
"I'll be leaving for the Crystal Province soon. Staying here will only invite more danger into this mansion… more death. I cannot risk it.
But—" He turned slightly, tightening his hold on her, "—I want you to come with me. Not as a servant. Not as a servant. But as my partner."
The words made her heart flutter. Maria's breath caught, and her face heated instantly.
Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson as though fire itself had bloomed beneath her skin. Since Jian's earlier confession she had try to bury her feelings, convincing herself they were nothing more than foolish fantasies.
Yet here he was, her young master, speaking the very thing she had never dared to dream aloud.
Her lips trembled, but no sound came out. Instead, she hid her face in his chest, hoping to muffle the storm of emotions breaking within her.
Jian tilted her chin upward, forcing her to meet his eyes. "I intend to enter the Yin and Yang Unity Sect… a dual cultivation sect." His gaze was unwavering, his tone sharpened with intent. "And when I take that step, I want you to be my first true partner."
Her heart pounded wildly, each beat threatening to leap from her chest. A mixture of joy and fear swirled inside her. She had long accepted that Jian's world was far above her reach—heir to a noble family, brimming with untapped potential, destined for paths she could never walk. Yet now, he was pulling her into that path with him.
Still, the shadows of her doubts whispered cruelly. Her hands clenched at his robe as she whispered, almost pleading, "But… you won't cast me aside, will you? If someone of higher status comes along… someone more beautiful than me… you won't forget me?"
Her voice cracked beneath the weight of her insecurity. Her eyes glistened—not only with fear, but with the fragile hope that he truly meant what he said.
Jian's expression softened, and a rare smile touched his lips. "I treat all my women equally," he murmured, pressing his forehead gently to hers. His tone carried a quiet certainty. "Maria, beauty fades, and status shifts with the wind. But loyalty, love, and the bond we forge—that is eternal. As my first partner, you will always remain in my heart."
Her tears spilled then, not from sorrow but from the overwhelming relief of hearing words she had thought she would never be worthy of.
She buried herself in his embrace once more, clinging to him as though letting go would make the world crumble around her. She no longer cared if there were other women in his life—so long as he still cherished her, it was enough.
Releasing her embrace, Maria nodded shyly, her face flushed a deep crimson as she met Jian's gaze. "I will be your woman," she whispered.
Jian drew her closer until their lips met. At first, the kiss was unsteady, but Maria soon wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly as their mouths moved together.
Her face burned like an overripe tomato, ready to burst with the rush of heat flooding through her.
Breathless, Maria finally pulled back, gasping for air. Though the kiss had begun awkwardly, she had quickly found his rhythm, their lips and tongues moving in perfect harmony.
Jian's hand drifted from her face to her neck, sliding down the length of her arm before resting at her waist. His palm traced lower, settling on the curve of her ass, giving it a gentle squeeze. The unfamiliar touch startled her, pulling a soft, helpless moan from her lips.
"Aah!" she gasped, her hands trembling. Jian only smirked and caught them, guiding her shaky fingers to rest against his chest.
He waited patiently until her trembling eased. Then, with calm assurance, he slipped off his upper robe, revealing the faintly defined muscles of his chest. Shifting, he sat back against the wide bed—so large it could easily hold a family of five.
His gaze invited her closer. Hesitant but willing, Maria timidly climbed onto his lap, straddling his groin. Her face tilted downward, shy and uncertain, like a child caught doing something wrong.
Jian cupped her chin and lifted it gently until her eyes met his. "Don't be nervous," he murmured, his tone steady, reassuring. "I am yours to the same degree that you are mine. So don't be afraid."
Maria shook her head quickly. "It's not that," she whispered, her voice breaking as she looked away. After a pause, she admitted softly, "It's just… it's my first time."
Hearing that Jian responded with a smirk I know, lifting her head she asked, "how?" Curiosity looming in her gaze.
Well, your body gave you away," Jian said with a playful smile. "And if it makes you feel better… it's also my first time."
That, of course, was a lie. In his past life as Jian Yu, he had been the perfect example of a playboy, amassing more partners than he could count.
But none of that mattered now. Transmigration had given him a new beginning thus his old body count had been successfully renounced. Lou Jian—the body he now inhabited—was untouched, a virgin, and so in this moment, the lie became its own kind of truth.
"Just follow my lead," he whispered, drawing her closer until their scents mingled, his warm breath brushing against her skin.
Her heart hammered wildly, yet in that closeness, she could hear his heartbeat too—beating in sync with hers, steady and reassuring.
Their lips met again, slower this time. Jian savored her soft, rosy mouth, drinking in every hesitant press of her lips.
Though he had once been an experienced dual cultivator, this body of his responded in strange, new ways—every touch sparking raw, unguarded sensation.
His hand slid to the back of her head, fingers threading gently through her hair as he deepened their kiss. Maria moaned softly against his lips, her trembling hands clutching at him, pulling him closer as though afraid he might vanish.
"Jian… ahm…" she breathed between kisses, her body melting into his warmth.
Jian's palm trailed to her waist, drawing her firmly against him until there was no space left between them. Their mouths clashed and lingered, hungry and tender at once, until he broke away just enough to murmur against her ear, his voice husky:
"Let me help you… lose your robe."
Her breath caught. Red bloomed across her cheeks, but she nodded, shyly lowering her gaze in silent permission.
Jian's lips curved into a smile. With a subtle flick of his finger, her upper robe slipped away, pooling soundlessly on the ground. And in
that instant, her peerless jade-like body was revealed before his eyes