Chapter 557: The Difference Between Comics and Reality
Yan Rouwan experienced the true meaning of indulgence in her life for the first time, being surrounded by soft, fluffy little kittens.
Cute and purring, they climbed all over her, and she found herself cradling three or four of them at once. For a serious cat lover like Yan Rouwan, this was pure paradise.
Now, Yan Rouwan felt like a boy who just stepped into a foot massage parlor or a student entering a business karaoke for the first time—instantly mesmerized by the debauchery around her, completely forgetting everything else.
“How is it?”
Young Master Sang asked lazily beside her, “Does Senior Sister Yan still like this place?”
“Like it…” Yan Rouwan buried her face in the fur of a kitten, inhaling deeply, revealing a blissfully dazed expression as she smiled.
“I’ve reserved this room with the boss. From now on, Senior Sister Yan can enjoy this service whenever you want, as a little reward for your year-round hard work as a demon cultivation boss.”
“Really?” Yan Rouwan’s beautiful eyes sparkled, brimming with unabashed delight.
Young Master Sang smiled at her.
… Yan Rouwan was quite innocent.
Ever since joining the Water Moon Sect, she had been pampered and adored, a well-behaved girl cherished by everyone.
She had no ulterior motives towards those around her, always kind-hearted, polite, and gentle, seeing the world in its simplest form.
That’s why she had become so enamored with such simple pleasures.
… It was also why she had been bullied by her peers and dragged back into the demon cult by Young Master Sang.
But for Sang Zhe, he felt a bit guilty about bringing Yan Rouwan into the demon cult. Even though it was for work, he always had that nagging feeling.
So, Young Master Sang was more than willing to protect this innocence of hers.
He wanted her to remain forever naïve and pure, a girl who loved kittens.
As long as she liked them, she could spend her lifetime with her favorite kittens, letting them heal her loneliness and worries.
Consider it compensation for pulling you into the demon cult.
“Speaking of which…”
Yan Rouwan poked her head out from a pile of kittens, “Did you prepare this room ahead of time?”
“Did you… always plan to pick me to win this competition?”
“Impossible.” Sang Zhe shrugged, “I only found out about this on the day of the competition.”
“This room was indeed a gift I had prepared for Senior Sister Yan long ago; I just hadn’t had the chance to give it to you.”
“I see…” Yan Rouwan lowered her beautiful eyes.
It was hard to tell if her expression was disappointment or something else.
“But,” Sang Zhe thought for a moment and added, “I chose the dishes made by Senior Sister Yan as the winner because I truly believe they taste great.”
“The texture is delicate and mild, just like Senior Sister Yan’s personality.”
Yan Rouwan’s heart skipped a beat.
Lost in thought as she stroked the kitten in her arms, her gaze slightly drifted away.
It seemed the topic had fallen silent again.
The atmosphere turned awkwardly dull, only interrupted by the occasional meow of the kittens.
Yan Rouwan pretended to pet the kittens while her gaze evasively glanced towards Sang Zhe.
… Something was off.
No matter how you looked at it.
I clearly won the championship.
This is clearly my prize.
During this precious time, he belongs to me.
I shouldn’t just be thinking about the kittens.
She propped her hand on the edge of the bed, but because of the multitude of kittens surrounding her, she didn’t notice that Sang Zhe’s hand was very close, and as she placed hers down, she unintentionally brushed against his hand.
Though her instincts told her to pull back, after a moment’s hesitation, she resisted that urge.
… She realized Sang Zhe didn’t resist.
He seemed to be unaware, still focused on stroking the kittens.
Having sensed some sort of unspoken permission, Yan Rouwan gathered her courage and gently placed her soft hand on top of Sang Zhe’s.
Then, carefully, she interlaced their fingers.
Sang Zhe remained unmoving.
He let her do anything she wanted.
Like a toy for Yan Rouwan to play with.
In that moment, Yan Rouwan felt an overwhelming surge of secret joy.
She took a deep breath and pretended to be casual, inching closer to Sang Zhe.
With every little move, her heartbeat quickened.
This hand-holding and being close felt just like lovers.
But for Sang Zhe, was this even close to being considered ambiguous?
He partied every night and had contact with so many women. He probably knew more about women’s bodies than she did.
Meanwhile, she was like a shy, innocent maiden, all reserved and unable to let loose.
Should I be… a little more proactive?
But how should I be proactive?
Frustration, confusion, hesitation, and embarrassment.
Yan Rouwan suddenly understood what it meant to have a complex mindset as a girl in love.
Why was it that even though he was right there, so close, her mind was a jumble, and she dared not act?
At the very least, she needed to make some gestures to express her feelings—
Calm down. Stay calm, Yan Rouwan.
You are no longer that naive girl who knew nothing.
During this time, you occasionally read novels and comics from Fusa Pavilion, learning some skills from shoujo manga.
Let’s think about it, if a girl wanted to express her feelings to a boy, what kind of topic should she bring up—
“Oh.” Young Master Sang suddenly turned his attention to Yan Rouwan as she was petting the kittens.
“My lip balm smells really nice. Do you want to guess what flavor it is?”
A brief pause.
Yan Rouwan looked at Sang Zhe.
Sang Zhe looked back at Yan Rouwan.
After a moment, she suddenly covered her face with her hands, barely managing to squeeze out a few words through her fingers:
“Please… forget what I just said.”
Sang Zhe replied: “… Okay.”
In that instant.
Yan Rouwan just wanted to find a place where no one knew her to die of embarrassment.
What am I saying? So shameful!
Why do the flirtatious and ambiguous dialogues in shoujo manga sound so awkward when said in reality?
His eyes are clearly looking at me like I’m a fool!
Struggling to suppress his laughter, Sang Zhe petted the cat and joked, “Senior Sister Yan… still uses lip balm?”
“Not really, mostly I don’t.”
Yan Rouwan’s cheeks were as red as ripe fruit, subtle wisps of steam rising from her head, her voice a mere whisper.
“I only because… I had to go out today… so Long Huan and Si Jingzhu got me to put on some makeup.”
“Looks great.”
Sang Zhe gazed down and said, “Senior Sister Yan, you really look good today.”
Yan Rouwan cautiously peeked at Sang Zhe through her fingers.
She saw Sang Zhe suddenly lean in.
He moved her hand that was blocking her face.
And then.
Biting her own lip.
“Hmm…”
Letting out a soft hum, Yan Rouwan felt her lips soften at first, then a slight sting a moment later.
Then she saw Sang Zhe frowning, a meaningful look on his face and said:
“This taste… doesn’t seem very good.”
Yan Rouwan didn’t speak.
Her cheeks were already so hot, it felt as if she had lost all sense of feeling.
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