Shen Haoran fixed his gaze on Ning Xueli, his golden eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and hunger.
The warm light of the sun shining through the gardens casts a soft shadows across his sharp features, highlighting the confident tilt of his jaw.
Handsome, incredibly handsome. That was all Ning Xueli could think as she stared at his face at such close proximity.
Having been raised as the heiress to the richest family in Eastern Region, she has seen countless men, with her suitors enough to create their own kingdom.
But she had never seen such charm and confidence from any other men than him.
Just then, a slow, predatory smile curved Shen Haoran's lips as he leaned in closer, the air between them immediately turning hot from passion.
Xueli's heart pounded in her chest, her pulse racing like a trapped bird.
She was almost twenty, yet this moment felt like stepping into uncharted territory, her strong-willed nature warring with the flutter of nerves in her stomach.
He closed the distance without a word, his mouth capturing hers in a kiss that started gentle but demanded surrender.
Xueli flinched instinctively, her body tensing as if to pull away, her cheeks burning with a flush she couldn't hide.
She wanted to avert her eyes, to escape the intensity of his stare, but she forced herself to still, her lips parting just enough under the pressure of his.
'This isn't so special,' she thought, disappointment flickering through her mind.
She'd dreamed of her first kiss as something enchanted, a spark from fairy tales that would light up her soul, but this was actually quite lackluster.
'Maybe it's because I don't truly feel anything for him,' she rationalized, even as her body betrayed her with a subtle lean forward.
But then Haoran's tongue traced the seam of her lips, a warm, insistent lick that sent a shiver racing down her spine.
Unconsciously, she parted her mouth wider, and he took that as an invitation, thrusting his tongue inside to tangle with hers.
The intrusion was bold and invasive, filling her with the taste of him, something she couldn't quite describe.
Her eyes flew open wide, her pupils dilating as electricity surged through her veins, igniting every nerve ending.
Her breath hitched, a soft whimper escaping despite herself.
'Oh gods,' she realized in that heated instant, 'kisses are magical after all.'
The world narrowed to the wet slide of his tongue against hers, the way it explored her mouth with unyielding possession, drawing her deeper into the storm of sensation.
Haoran's hands, large and firm, slid down from her shoulders and chin to grip her hips, his fingers digging into the soft curve of her waist through the thin fabric of her dress.
He pulled her body against him, letting her feel the hard line of his muscles pressing into her softness.
They kissed like that for what felt like an eternity—seconds stretching into a haze of heat—his tongue stroking hers in rhythmic thrusts that mimicked something far more intimate.
Xueli's hands clutched at his shirt, knuckles whitening as she fought the urge to push him away or pull him closer; the conflict only heightened the ache building low in her belly.
Finally, Haoran broke the kiss, pulling back just enough to let her catch her breath.
Xueli gasped sharply, her chest heaving as cool air rushed into her lungs, her lips swollen and tingling from the assault.
Strands of her dark hair clung to her damp forehead, and she blinked up at him, dazed, her strong resolve cracking under the weight of newfound desire.
Haoran smirked, that infuriating curve of his mouth making her want to slap him even as her body hummed with aftershocks.
"Well?" he drawled, his voice low and teasing, laced with the arrogance of a man who knew he'd unraveled her. "What do you think? Am I better than those other boys you've kissed?"
Xueli stared at him, her purple eyes flashing with a mix of defiance and vulnerability as she shook her head slowly, her voice steady despite the tremor in her limbs.
"No. You're my first."
Haoran's smirk faltered for a split second, his brows arching in genuine surprise as he blinked, leaning back slightly to study her face as if reassessing the woman in his arms.
"You're almost twenty, and you've never even been kissed?" His tone held a note of disbelief, but there was an undercurrent of intrigue, like he'd just uncovered a rare treasure.
He couldn't help but think of those heroines in the novels, where some heroines despite being thousands of years old, were still virgins.
Those were almost impossible. Even for a cultivators with long lifespan, the average girls loses their Vital Yin during their teens, and it's normal for them to have partners numbering in three digits, especially if they have lived for several thousand years.
Female cultivators who remained virgins despite their age in the four digits were all exceptions, and not the rule.
Xueli's glare sharpened, her chin lifting in proud challenge. She wasn't about to let him mock her choices. "So what? Is it wrong for me to save myself for my future husband? To wait for someone who deserves every part of me?"
Haoran's eyes darkened, his smirk returning with a sharper edge as he traced a thumb along her lower lip, still slick from their kiss, sending another unwelcome spark through her.
"Even if your future husband isn't a virgin like you? What if he's already tasted the world, while you've hoarded your innocence like some prize?"
She fell silent, her mind scrambling for a retort, but the words stuck in her throat.
The truth of his barb stung—her ideals clashing against the reality of his world-weary gaze.
Heat flooded her cheeks, not just from embarrassment, but from the way his proximity made her skin prickle, her untouched body responding to the subtle power he wielded so effortlessly.
Sensing her hesitation, Haoran pulled her closer, his hands sliding up her back to tangle in her hair, tilting her head back to expose the vulnerable line of her throat.
His breath ghosted over her skin, warm and teasing.
"I feel sorry for that future husband of yours," he murmured, his lips brushing her earlobe. "All that virginity you've saved so carefully... it's going to be taken by me instead."
Xueli's eyes narrowed, her hands pressing against his chest—not to push him away, but to steady herself against the dizzying pull of his words.
"So you're not planning on marrying me? Although I've resolved myself for this, I'm not gonna give you what you want without taking responsibility." she shot back, her voice laced with accusation, though her body arched instinctively into his touch.
Haoran chuckled, the sound rumbling deep in his chest, vibrating against her as he nipped lightly at her jaw, a possessive graze of teeth that made her gasp.
"Darling, I'm already engaged. You think I'd throw that away for a girl whom I've only known for a day?"
Xueli shook her head fiercely, dark locks tumbling over her shoulders, her strong will igniting like a flame.
"I don't care about your engagement. If you want my body, you'll take responsibility for it. All of it." Her words hung in the air, bold and unyielding, even as her heart raced with the recklessness of her demand.
The tension between them crackled, as if her virginity was a fragile barrier against the storm of his desire.
Haoran's smirk widened, his fingers tightening in her hair just enough to elicit a soft inhale from her.
He leaned in, his mouth hovering over hers, close enough that she could feel the heat of his breath. "I don't think you're in a position to make demands, little virgin. You're trembling in my arms already."
Xueli met his gaze without flinching, her eyes blazing with defiance.
"Try me," she whispered, her voice steady despite the way her thighs clenched together against the unfamiliar ache. "Do you believe I'd let you touch me without consequences? I'd bite my tongue off before I let you ruin me without a vow."
Of course, this was actually just a bluff. She was the only heir of Ning Family, and her father can no longer have a child, if she died, her family will be left with no heir and might collapse.
If Seijirou really planned on taking her by force without even thinking of taking responsibility, then she can only swallow that grievance.
Shen Haoran stared at her for a long moment, his confident facade cracking just enough to reveal a flicker of genuine admiration.
Her fire intrigued him, a challenge wrapped in innocence that stirred something primal. Yes, even yesterday, she was like this, wasn't she?
Completely unyielding.
At that, he chuckled again, this time, because of appreciation, releasing her hair to cup her face instead, his thumbs stroking her flushed cheeks.
"I really like that spirit of yours, Xueli. It's... intoxicating." He paused, his eyes locking onto hers with predatory intent. "Very well. For now, stay by my side. Serve me, tempt me, convince me that you're worth upending my life for. If you can make me believe you're the one before your lifespan flickers out—before time claims you—then I will marry you. But fail, and you'll be just another conquest, your precious virginity a memory I claim without regret."
The words hung heavy between them, a dangerous bargain laced with erotic promise and emotional peril.
Xueli's breath caught, her body still pressed against his, the hard evidence of his arousal nudging her hip—a stark reminder of the power dynamics at play.
She nodded once, resolute, even as desire and fear twisted in her core, the intimate moment stretching into something far more binding.
"Well then," he whispered into her ears, sending shivers down her spine, "Why don't we continue this... In my room?"