Sparkle, like a docile kitten!

Lin Hai and Sparkle smiled at each other and, in perfect accord, leaped forward at the same time.

Their figures skimmed lightly across the pool's still surface and disappeared into the temperature-controlled water, which shimmered with a pale blue glow.

Sparkle was an excellent swimmer. Like a lively fish, she stretched out her body in the water.

Her strokes weren't those of a competitive swimmer chasing speed, but possessed a natural elegance and beauty. Each sweep of her arms sent up strings of crystalline bubbles, and with gentle kicks of her long legs, she glided smoothly forward.

Lin Hai followed close behind.

Thanks to the leap in physical ability granted by the Contract Lucky Star, his strength, endurance, and coordination had far surpassed those of an ordinary person.

His movements in the water were full of explosive power, each stroke propelling him swiftly forward, yet he remained at ease, following Sparkle effortlessly as he admired the graceful view of her swimming ahead.

After a few laps, Sparkle grew a little tired.

Without a word, they stopped in the middle of the pool and turned to face each other.

Ripples lapped gently against their bodies.

Lin Hai reached out, naturally slipped an arm around Sparkle's waist, and pulled her closer.

Sparkle slipped her arms around his neck in turn, and they embraced quietly in the clear water, feeling each other's warmth and heartbeat.

Their faces were inches apart, and they could clearly hear each other's breathing, carrying the moist scent of the pool water.

Lin Hai lowered his head, Sparkle tilted her face up slightly, and their lips naturally met.

The rippling water wrapped gently around them, as though nothing remained in the world but their breathing and the sound of the water.

The hickey Lin Hai had left on Sparkle's neck earlier was still clearly visible, looking especially suggestive in the mist.

Lin Hai's gaze darkened slightly. He lowered his head again and gently left several new red marks around it.

Although Sparkle was usually bold and forward, her high-attack, low-defense nature showed itself once more.

A blush quickly spread from her cheeks to the tips of her ears, and even the skin on her neck and body took on a faint pink hue.

She buried her burning face in Lin Hai's shoulder, too shy to meet his eyes. There was no trace left of her usual sly, lively manner.

Watching Sparkle like this, Lin Hai felt a heart full of tenderness and satisfaction, and his arms tightened around her involuntarily.

After another long kiss, they returned to the changing room to rinse off and put on dry clothes.

On their way home late that night, a cool breeze brushed their faces as they walked past quiet streets and dim yellow streetlights.

Lin Hai naturally took Sparkle's hand, but a new thought occurred to him: it was time to buy a car.

And it had to be one with plenty of room.

He imagined a private space on wheels that belonged entirely to the two of them.

The windows could shut out the disturbances of the outside world, and music could set just the right mood...

Perhaps in the future, on many nights like this one, more warm and intimate things could happen between them in that little world of their own.

Lin Hai and Sparkle returned home, while the city's neon lights flickered quietly outside the window.

A little tired, Sparkle sat on the sofa and adjusted her position, relaxing as much as she could.

Lin Hai ordered two warm milk teas on his phone, and they were delivered before long.

Sparkle found the remote, turned on the television, and picked a movie.

It ranked fairly high.

Its rating was fairly high.

The movie was called A Chinese Odyssey.

Lin Hai sat down beside Sparkle, and they snuggled together to watch the movie.

He had seen it many times, but he still decided to enjoy it with Sparkle.

In the story, Joker and Fairy Zixia were caught in a tangle of love and hate that crossed time and space.

It was somewhat absurd, yet held deep helplessness and sincerity.

Sparkle watched with rapt attention, the shifting light reflected in her eyes. She rested quietly in Lin Hai's arms, occasionally lowering her head to sip her milk tea, as docile as a cat with its claws tucked away.

Lin Hai also enjoyed this simple yet warm moment.

With one arm around Sparkle, he occasionally took her slender ankle in his other hand and played with her small, fair foot, a doting smile on his face.

Sparkle didn't resist. Instead, like a cat being stroked, she let out a faint, contented hum and snuggled closer into his arms.

The movie was not yet halfway through, its story lingering on a scene of laughter and tears, when Sparkle's breathing gradually grew slow and even.

At some point, she had fallen fast asleep, a lingering smile still on her lips.

Lin Hai looked down at her sleeping face, his heart full of tenderness.

He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Perhaps before long, they would set out together for that city shrouded in wind and snow—Belobog.

With the mischievous and formidable Sparkle accompanying him, Lin Hai felt more confident and expectant.

Sparkle's seemingly endless tricks and her explosive power at crucial moments would undoubtedly become a powerful trump card in Lin Hai's hand.

However, a practical problem also arose.

Sparkle couldn't cross directly from the world Lin Hai was in to Belobog.

The Contract Lucky Star, which allowed them to summon each other across worlds, could only take Sparkle to her anchor point in the Star Rail world—Penacony.

They would likely still need to find another way to reach Belobog.

Lin Hai took a deep breath and put those thoughts aside. He merely shifted gently to make Sparkle more comfortable, then turned his gaze back to the screen.

The story continued, and the warmth of the person in his arms was enough to make him cherish every peaceful moment in the present.

Morning sunlight streamed through a gap in the curtains and fell across the bedroom.

Sparkle slowly opened her eyes, gradually waking up.

She turned her head and saw that Lin Hai was still sleeping soundly beside her, his breathing steady and his face peaceful.

She didn't get up immediately, instead gazing quietly at him for a moment, a smile unconsciously curving her lips.

Then Sparkle leaned over gently and kissed Lin Hai on the forehead, unwilling to disturb his pleasant dream.

After carefully getting up, Sparkle picked up the Contract Lucky Star, which was tied to her fate, from the coffee table beside the sofa.

She gripped it tightly. Light flowed once more, and the scene around her began to blur and rearrange itself.

The next moment, she had quietly returned to the familiar, bustling streets of Penacony.

Almost without pausing, Sparkle already had a clear goal in mind: to go to Belobog!

Although that frozen planet was separated from her by a vast sea of stars, making for a long journey,

For Sparkle, who was accustomed to traveling between worlds, it was not an insurmountable obstacle.

Advanced interstellar warp technology was enough to make the journey across the stars possible.

More importantly, her nature, which drove her to seek the utmost fun and fresh thrills, filled her with anticipation for this adventure.

Sparkle longed to see Lin Hai again in that world of ice and snow, to hold each other close, feel each other's warmth, and drive away the cold together.

What kind of experience would that be?

Thrilling? Romantic?

The mere thought was enough to make Sparkle's heart surge.

Without hesitation, she set off for the spaceport.

Sparkle was ready to let Lin Hai experience a thrill as though he were floating on air amid the ice and snow!