Xia Qiange lowered her head and slowly walked back to the villa.
She thought about her relationship with Lin Ao. Before she got his memories, Lin Ao's looks had drawn her in—she'd been struck by his appearance and acted on impulse.
After getting his memories, she discovered that he was completely different from the Lin Ao she'd known before. She felt as if Heaven had sent her to save this pitiful man.
Ever since they'd confided in each other by the sea, she'd learned that Lin Ao had always retained the memories of those timelines, and had been fighting Zi's Fate all alone. In that instant, she'd felt his loneliness, despair, and helplessness all the more keenly.
Had she kissed him because she felt sorry for him? She'd deliberately arranged things today, too. What was her purpose? What was it?
Xia Qiange suddenly smacked herself on the head.
"Xia Qiange! What purpose do you have? Only men can set their sights on women, and women can't set their sights on men? You just like how he looks. So what? It's the twenty-first century. What's wrong with wanting to date someone? That other woman is his fiancée, not his wife. Why are you hemming and hawing? Good grief!"
Xia Qiange's barrage of arguments left her dazed. It did seem to make sense.
Just then, footsteps sounded behind her. Before Xia Qiange could turn around, someone embraced her from behind.
Xia Qiange closed her eyes and breathed in his familiar scent.
"What's wrong? Did you fall out with your fiancée? So now you've come looking for me? Lin Ao~ Aren't you a little too much of a flirt~ I'm not even anything to you yet~ Hmph!"
Xia Qiange didn't resist. Instead, she spoke with a sour note in her voice. She wasn't exactly jealous; she just felt uncomfortable if she didn't say something.
"Qiange."
Lin Ao slowly turned Xia Qiange around and looked down at this devastatingly beautiful woman.
Xia Qiange looked up at Lin Ao. Her heart had been stirred. She simply wanted to have the man standing before her.
Before Lin Ao could say anything, Xia Qiange had already leaned in and offered him a kiss.
They kissed passionately on the beach, gasping for breath again and again.
Xia Qiange's eyes were bewitching, and she could barely stand. Leaning against Lin Ao, she stroked his face. The sound of the waves couldn't drown out what she said next.
"Carry me to... your room."
Xiao Fan, sleeping soundly in the Qin Family's home, felt the Heavenly Mandate aura within him steadily dissipating. It continued well into the night.
At dawn, the sun rose over the beach.
Xia Qiange gazed blankly at Lin Ao, who was fast asleep.
"Pfft."
Thinking of how clumsy Lin Ao had been last night, she couldn't help laughing.
Fortunately, Little Assistant had shown Xia Qiange all sorts of odds and ends. Otherwise, she would've been just as flustered as Lin Ao.
Lin Ao's eyelashes fluttered. He slowly opened his eyes, then immediately shut them again.
His heartbeat shot straight to 160.
"Qiange... put your... clothes on first."
The sight of those waves first thing in the morning nearly made him dizzy.
Lin Ao's mind was racing. He hadn't expected to be so bold last night. It had felt like a dream.
If he hadn't woken up to find Xia Qiange lying beside him, he really would've thought he'd had that dream because he'd gone too long without.
Watching Lin Ao panic, Xia Qiange laughed again.
"What? You're shy now? What if I do this?"
Xia Qiange flashed him a mischievous smile and yanked the covers off them both.
"Ah—!"
Lin Ao reacted as if he'd been startled, letting out a cry before quickly clapping a hand over his mouth.
Xia Qiange's reaction made him laugh uproariously. Lin Ao watched her laugh and tremble, completely naked. Bathed in the morning light, she looked utterly sacred—a perfect union of angel and devil. He couldn't help swallowing.
After laughing for a while, Xia Qiange noticed that Lin Ao hadn't said a word. She opened her eyes and saw that he was looking very alert. A blush suddenly spread across her face.
"I was only teasing you. Don't you dare try anything. I'm still sore."
Realizing she'd taken the teasing too far, Xia Qiange quickly picked up her clothes from the floor. With an awkward gait, she fled into the shower room.
Lin Ao watched her alluring, bare back in speechless disbelief. She'd started it, and now she was running away.
Afterward, Lin Ao still couldn't believe what had happened last night. He'd been a little clumsy at first, but this sort of thing came naturally; once he'd gotten the hang of it, he'd learned by instinct. After that, they'd completely lost themselves.
"Was I really not dreaming?"
Hearing the sounds coming from the shower room, Lin Ao still pinched his thigh to check whether it hurt.
It was true. Lin Ao had left the ranks of the wizards—with help from the nation's goddess, no less.
Once it sank in, all that remained was endless savoring.
It was almost impossible to suppress.
After a while, Xia Qiange came out wearing her pajamas, drying her damp hair.
"Go take a shower, too. You worked up a sweat last night. If I hadn't been too exhausted to move, I would've dragged you into the shower ages ago."
"Mm-hmm."
Lin Ao blankly grabbed the thin blanket to cover himself and headed for the shower.
"Pfft."
Xia Qiange couldn't help laughing again. Then she stared blankly at the plum blossoms scattered across the bedsheet. She paused, listened for any movement outside, then crept out to find a pair of scissors and cut the stained piece free.
"You're lucky, you jerk Lin Ao!"
After getting dressed, she quietly returned to her own room.
When Lin Ao came out of the shower and realized Xia Qiange was gone, he hurriedly opened the door and went out looking for her.
He happened to run into her as she came out, already dressed.
"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry? Did you think I'd use you and then run?"
Watching Lin Ao's panicked expression, Xia Qiange secretly laughed. It seemed last night's pain hadn't gone to waste.
"No, I was just hungry and wanted to come out for breakfast."
Lin Ao awkwardly scratched his head.
"Qiange, about last night..."
Lin Ao wanted to talk with Xia Qiange about what had happened. Now that it had happened, he had to take responsibility.
Before he could finish, Xia Qiange cut him off.
"What? It's the twenty-first century. Don't give me that feudal nonsense. We're both adults. Don't say things like, 'I'll take responsibility for what I did.' You don't need to take responsibility for anything!"
Xia Qiange knew what Lin Ao wanted to say. She admitted that she'd acted on impulse last night, but she didn't regret it.
"But..."
Lin Ao still wanted to finish what he was saying.
"There are no buts. I don't need you to take responsibility for the rest of my life. We can just date, and deal with the future when it comes."
Seeing Lin Ao about to say something else, Xia Qiange hurriedly cut him off again.
"Stop hemming and hawing. I'm a woman, and even I'm not this fussy. Just focus on figuring out how to deal with Xiao Fan and the others. If you don't want me to become a widow, do your best to stay alive. Otherwise, I'll find someone else!"
After hearing that, Lin Ao stopped dwelling on last night. Xia Qiange was right: what he needed to do now was think carefully about how to handle Xiao Fan and the others.
He certainly couldn't leave the woman who loved him a widow. Now that things had come to this, he silently resolved to take responsibility for her—perhaps for them.
"Qiange... so... will you stay with me for a few days?"
Lin Ao looked at Xia Qiange expectantly. He'd clearly gotten a taste for it.
Xia Qiange rolled her eyes at him.
She pulled her phone from her pocket.
"Hello, Director~ You all go back first. I won't be going with you. Mm-hmm, right. I've arranged for a friend to pick me up."
After hanging up, Xia Qiange crooked a finger at Lin Ao, beckoning him closer so she could speak quietly.
"Once I've rested for a day and feel better, just you wait. I'll deal with you!"
Lin Ao: "!"
Before you continue