Getting Her Archrival to Call Her Baby

The young man, thoroughly pleased by the kiss, had desire churning in his eyes as his gaze grew darker. He raised a thumb and slowly wiped the traces of peach milk tea from the corner of his mouth. He looked at her openly, his eyes fixed on her as though she were prey.

"Lu Xiaoxiao, why do you like taking advantage of me so much?"

Although Lu Xiaoxiao wasn't looking him in the eye, she could still feel that scorching gaze, and she instinctively shrank back half an inch.

"I..." She opened her mouth, then suddenly had no idea how to explain. Her mind was blank. The scene of that intense, lingering French kiss had thrown her thoughts into complete disarray, leaving her unable to piece together a single word in her defense.

Shao Enci abruptly stood, walked a few steps over to her, and bent down. He braced one arm against the back of the chair behind her, seized her wrist with his other hand, and leaned close. "This time it was a French kiss. What about next time?"

The young man's voice was low, almost a whisper in her ear, and he made no effort to hide the fact that he was taking in every bit of her panic.

Lu Xiaoxiao's eyelashes fluttered, but she didn't dare answer.

His well-defined fingers deliberately tightened around the girl's wrist, moving her hand to his waist and abdomen. His phoenix eyes held the hint of a smile, and his tone was teasing. "Next time, are you going to undo my belt, hmm?"

The hand he was holding instinctively curled up.

Through her thin skin, he could clearly feel her pulse beating beneath his fingertips.

"Shao Enci, you're being a pervert!"

Flustered and furious, Lu Xiaoxiao wrenched herself free, scrambled to her feet, and took several steps back. Her fingertips instinctively touched her burning cheek, and the heat made the back of her hand tremble.

"If you tease me like that again, I won't mind being completely honest with you in the hotel."

The young man before her was a head taller than she was. His ears were crimson from base to tip, but his cool, handsome face pretended to be utterly unruffled. His lips curved upward, and a warning lurked in his eyes.

Lu Xiaoxiao retreated all the way to the chair, her heart beating so fast it felt as though it might leap out of her throat.

037's voice suddenly exploded in her mind, sounding like it was eager to watch the commotion grow: [Task 12: Take the initiative to get your archrival to call you baby. Countdown: 9 minutes, 59 seconds.]

Lu Xiaoxiao stared at the task panel in her mind, utterly speechless and full of contempt for the unscrupulous system.

Call me baby?

She had only just offended him, and now she was supposed to get him to call her baby? Did the system think her life wasn't tough enough?

Lu Xiaoxiao cursed 037 from head to toe in her mind. The lingering heat in her cheeks hadn't quite faded, and her lips were still swollen. She raised her eyes and abruptly met the young man's dark gaze, making her feel uncomfortable all over.

His tempting warning from earlier still echoed in her ears. The moment she thought of the task's countdown, her head ached and she felt vexed.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

He bent down, resting both arms casually on his knees, his posture languid. His tone was like he was coaxing a girlfriend. "Where did the nerve you had when you came over and kissed me just now go?"

Lu Xiaoxiao hurriedly looked away, her fingers unconsciously clutching her skirt as she frantically considered what to do.

Going head-to-head with him definitely wouldn't work. The guy was obviously teasing her over her earlier initiative, and a blunt request would only earn her a merciless ribbing. He might even turn the tables on her.

She bit her lower lip, her mind racing through its options, and deliberately softened her tone. Her voice was faint, with a trace of lingering embarrassment. "Shao Enci, I was wrong just now. Can I apologize to you?"

Shao Enci's eyelid twitched. He lowered his eyes and studied her meek manner, which was nothing like her usual self, and waited quietly for her to continue.

Seeing that he wasn't taking the bait, Lu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath and worked up the courage to gently tug at the corner of his shirt. Her voice grew even softer, almost coquettish. "I've already apologized. Can't you go along with me just this once?"

The young man guessed she was putting on an act, but it still worked on him.

He took in her little gesture, and the faintest curve appeared at the corner of his lips. "Let's hear it. What do you want me to go along with?"

With the opportunity right in front of her, Lu Xiaoxiao's lashes fluttered several times in a fluster. Her gaze wandered, too afraid to meet his eyes, and she murmured, "Could... could you call me baby?"

When her words fell, the air was silent for two seconds.

Shao Enci froze for a moment, then curved his lips and looked at her meaningfully. He refused without hesitation. "No."

After being rejected, Lu Xiaoxiao's eyes dimmed, and a hollow feeling settled in her heart.

It's just a form of address. I already called him husband before, so how can he be this stingy?

He read her thoughts in her disappointed eyes and explained calmly, "Baby and wife are terms of endearment reserved exclusively for my future lover. I'm not as casual about it as a certain someone."

She called him husband at the drop of a hat. Who knew how much sincerity was mixed into those few times she'd said it?

Lu Xiaoxiao: "..."

Less than four minutes remained on the countdown. Nervous, she had no choice but to brace herself and speak sweetly. "The things I called you before were terms of endearment just for you. I've never made them available to anyone else."

She raised a finger and made a vow. "I swear to you!"

The young man gave a soft scoff and immediately took her hand and lowered it. His gaze grew tender and lingering, and his tone was both helpless and indulgent. "All right, baby."

He said "baby" so naturally, without the slightest trace of deliberate effort, as though the two of them really were a young couple newly in love.

It was a simple word, yet it made Lu Xiaoxiao's heartstrings tremble. She felt as though an electric current had swept through her, and her ears flushed red as she unconsciously turned her face away.

"There, I said it. Satisfied now, young lady?" Shao Enci released her hand, straightened up, and scratched at the loose hair over his forehead, looking languid. "Enjoy the activities and stop putting me through the wringer."

"Okay." As soon as the word left her lips, 037's cheerful notification rang out in her mind: [Congratulations on completing task 12. That concludes today's tasks. Happy May Day, Xiaoxiao. Have fun.]

Lu Xiaoxiao almost couldn't keep herself from crying. She told 037 in her mind, You finally acted like a decent person.