Defining Their Relationship

The two of them were on a tree-lined path leading to the Inner Court.

Few people passed through here during the day.

A refreshing breeze from Sea God Lake rustled the leaves in the woods.

From time to time, one or two reddened maple leaves drifted down in graceful arcs like butterflies fluttering their wings.

After a long while.

Their lips parted.

Na'er panted softly.

Overwhelmed by nervousness during her first experience, she had even forgotten the basics of breathing.

Her amethyst-like eyes were misted with watery desire and shyness, along with...

A faint, uncontrollable delight.

"And now?"

Ling Luo looked at the girl before him and asked softly.

Na'er's efforts over the past three years had not been without progress.

She truly had changed Ling Luo's feelings for her from the sibling-like bond between childhood sweethearts into something different.

Ling Luo was not made of wood. How could he possibly fail to notice Na'er's feelings for him?

Before this, he simply had not figured out how to respond.

But now, he had given her his answer.

Of all the girls he knew, the one Ling Luo undoubtedly felt most deeply for was Na'er before him.

He chose to accept the feelings the girl had longed for.

Feeling Ling Luo's gaze, Na'er, whose heart was already filled with shyness because of their intensely intimate act just now, instinctively lowered her little face.

She pursed her red lips, as though she were still savoring it.

And now?

Of course, there was no problem now.

That one action had already been enough for Na'er to cast the likes of Wu Siduo and Gu Yue out of her mind.

Her heart was sweet with joy, because she had now completely pulled ahead of everyone else.

Yet the girl's shyness made her say something she did not mean.

"You're bad~"

Her voice was exceptionally soft and sweet.

It sounded less like an aggrieved complaint and more like a young girl's coquettish affection for the one she adored.

Like the softest down feathers, it made one's heart itch unbearably.

"Is that so..."

A sly smile curled at the corners of Ling Luo's lips.

"Since Na'er hates it, then I'll apologize to her."

"I wonder whether Xing Lan and Gu Yue would..."

"You're not allowed!" Na'er, who had just been hanging her head in embarrassment, suddenly lifted her face and hurriedly interrupted him.

"You're not allowed to go to them!"

"You can only come to Na'er. Na'er likes it very much!"

The urgency brought on by her romantic rivals overwhelmed the shyness lingering in her heart, and Na'er blurted out such bold words.

"Is that so..." Ling Luo laughed. "Na'er really likes it that much?"

Only then did Na'er notice the sly smile on Ling Luo's lips.

She finally realized that he had tricked her again.

Her little pink fist weakly thumped against Ling Luo's chest, which was already as tough as top-grade metal.

"Ling Luo, you're such a bad guy~"

Na'er's anger lacked any force; there was far more coquettishness in it than genuine irritation.

Ling Luo reached out and caught her powerless little fist.

He leaned closer to her face.

"Am I really that bad?"

His closeness once again left the words on Na'er's lips stuck in her throat.

Looking at Ling Luo before her, her gaze involuntarily swept over his slightly parted thin lips.

Her throat bobbed.

Na'er unexpectedly felt the urge to lean in again.

Taking in all her little movements, Ling Luo laughed.

"You naughty girl."

"I am not!" Na'er retorted, blushing after her secret thoughts had been exposed.

"Fine, fine, you're not." Ling Luo made no effort whatsoever to hide the perfunctoriness in his reply.

Knowing that, Na'er's entire face turned crimson. She wanted to refute him, yet did not know how.

Fortunately, Ling Luo did not continue teasing her.

He held out his hand.

Na'er tilted her head in confusion.

"Let's go."

He chuckled teasingly.

"Or does Na'er want to stay here and savor it again?"

Na'er froze, her cheeks burning fiercely.

She pursed her red lips and reached out to take Ling Luo's offered hand.

The route from the Outer Court to the Inner Court passed by Sea God Lake.

Special boats were available here for travel.

Because of Ling Luo's special status, he did not take the boat used by Outer Court students heading to the Inner Court. Instead, he had a Soul Guide Yacht exclusively for his use.

Sitting aboard the yacht, they were greeted by the lake breeze.

Na'er reached out and lightly poked his waist twice with her little hand.

"What is it?" Ling Luo turned his head slightly toward her.

The atmosphere between them had already changed enormously because of what had happened earlier, unlike before.

"Ling Luo, are we now..." Na'er trailed off, looking especially nervous and uneasy.

"What are we?" Ling Luo narrowed his eyes and asked in feigned confusion.

Na'er lowered her face a little further, staring at the deck beneath her feet.

With the resolve of someone casting everything aside, she said:

"Are we boyfriend and girlfriend now..."

After saying those words, Na'er seemed to have used up all the strength in her body.

Even her previously tense, delicate body went somewhat limp.

Her slender white hands kept twisting together, perfectly revealing her current emotions.

Na'er waited nervously and expectantly for Ling Luo's answer.

In her view, kissing was something only couples could do. If that was the case, then they should count as a couple, right?

"Hmm..."

Ling Luo rubbed his chin, pretending to think.

That hesitation immediately made Na'er anxious.

Did he still need to think about it now?

Na'er suddenly pounced into Ling Luo's arms, pressing both hands against his chest as she loomed over him.

A fierce expression appeared on her little face, and her small white canine teeth were especially eye-catching.

"Bad guy, don't tell me you're planning to fool around and then abandon me?"

Ling Luo's eye twitched.

Fool around and abandon her? What kind of nonsense was that?!

In the era of his previous life, a kiss was practically nothing.

At most, it would be called being kiss buddies.

Seeing Ling Luo's reaction, Na'er thought that really was what he intended, and she immediately panicked.

"You scumbag! You terrible bastard who fools around and abandons people!"

"I'll bite you to death!"

Na'er opened her little mouth and prepared to bite down on Ling Luo's shoulder.

Ling Luo hurriedly held her head back with one hand and stopped teasing her.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore."

He lifted Na'er's chin gently with a finger.

"Of course we are. Did you think you'd be able to escape me for the rest of your life?"

Na'er, who had just been baring her fangs and brandishing her claws, immediately wilted.

She knew that, in this life, she probably could not fulfill the promise she had made Gu Yue to take the lead in this relationship.

"Bad Ling Luo, bad Ling Luo, why do you like bullying people so much~"

She lay against Ling Luo's chest, muttering endlessly.

Even so, she could not suppress the smile at the corners of her lips.

Na'er had long known that she was destined to fall for Ling Luo in this life.

But...

She was willing to fall.

"Ling Luo..."

"Hmm?"

Na'er raised her little face, her shyness carrying a hopeful yearning to savor the taste again.

Ling Luo smiled helplessly, gently lifted the girl's chin, and gave her red lips another light taste.