The Corner of the Lips Can Avoid the Near Fragrant Moisture · The Heart's Door Relies on Sincere Apology

Long Jinyu braced his hands on the back of the sofa on either side of Ma Xiaotao's head, leaning forward slightly to completely envelop her within his shadow.

His heterochromatic eyes, which usually held a gentle smile, now shimmered with an aggressive intensity. They locked firmly onto the person beneath him, reflecting her current state of utter panic.

The turn of events was so sudden and swift that Ma Xiaotao was completely stunned!

How could the little junior she had just been holding in her arms to "protect" suddenly become so... oppressive?

The faint, pleasant, and fresh scent clinging to him forcefully invaded her breath.

Where had Ma Xiaotao's soaring temper from a moment ago gone?

She only felt her cheeks and ears burning alarmingly, her heart beating so fast it felt like it was about to leap out of her throat!

She instinctively tried to push Long Jinyu away, only to find his arms as immovable as if they were cast in iron.

Forced to meet his gaze, her mind became a chaotic mess, with various thoughts flashing wildly:

What... what is he trying to do?

This position... it's too close!

Could it be... is he going to kiss me?

No, no, no! We only met yesterday! This is moving way too fast!

But... why am I feeling a little... expectant? Pfft, pfft, pfft! Get a grip, Ma Xiaotao!

Long Jinyu smirked, enjoying the rare, shy, and flustered appearance of Ma Xiaotao beneath him. The fierce, Fire Phoenix-like intensity she usually displayed had vanished without a trace, leaving only the panic of a young girl, which filled him with immense satisfaction.

Who told Sister Xiaotao to be so fierce all the time? Scaring her a little doesn't seem so bad, right?

He deliberately lowered his body a few more inches until his nose was almost touching hers. His warm breath brushed against her cheek as he lowered his voice, infusing it with a seductive, magnetic quality:

"Senior... you smell so good~..."

He paused, watching Ma Xiaotao's phoenix eyes widen in shock, shimmering with moisture, before chuckling and continuing:

"So... be a little gentler, okay? Stop talking about fighting and killing all the time, hmm~?"

The slight upward inflection at the end of his sentence sounded like a coaxing whisper, yet also like a command.

Beside them, Wu Ming had long since stopped eating her apple. Her mouth hung open in an 'O' shape, and her eyes erupted with gossip-fueled intensity, comparable to a Golden Crow explosion. She pumped her fists silently in excitement, barely holding back from shouting, "Kiss her! Kiss her!"

Long Jinyu watched as Ma Xiaotao turned her head away, her snow-white neck flushed with a deep crimson. She squeezed her eyes shut, her long lashes trembling violently like the wings of a startled butterfly. Seeing her looking so aggrieved and "ready to be plucked," he decided the effect was sufficient.

So... so cute~! Ahem, ahem... quit while you're ahead, quit while you're ahead... if I actually kiss her, it'll change the nature of things.

His thoughts raced. He knew well that Ma Xiaotao was not a frivolous person. In the original story, even when consumed by Evil Fire, she held firm to her bottom line. Such a good girl deserved not just respect, but to be truly cherished.

Stealing her first kiss on the second day of knowing her? How would that be any different from a lecher?

Affection is like brewing tea... it must be taken slowly.

Just as he was about to straighten up and end this "prank," he never expected there to be a super "head-pusher" right beside them!

Seeing Long Jinyu about to pull away, Wu Ming cried out an anxious "Oh my!" and, almost as a reflex, lunged forward and shoved the back of Long Jinyu's head downward with all her might—you have to see the gossip through to the end! There was no way she was letting him back out at the final moment!

"Ngh...!"

Long Jinyu was completely unprepared for Wu Ming's interference, and the sheer force sent him plunging downward!

At the critical moment, relying on his powerful core strength and reflexes, he managed to jerk his head to the side in mid-air, narrowly avoiding Ma Xiaotao's lips—

The warm, moist sensation landed instead on a patch of delicate, smooth skin that radiated a charming phoenix-flower fragrance.

It was Ma Xiaotao's neck.

Long Jinyu: "!!!"

Time seemed to freeze for a second.

Ma Xiaotao's eyes snapped open, and her entire body shuddered violently, as if struck by a bolt of lightning!

She felt the incredibly clear, warm sensation on her neck and the boy's slightly hurried breathing with disbelief.

He... he actually kissed me?! And... and he kissed my neck?!

A surge of complex emotions instantly flooded her heart! Shame, anger, panic, and a trace of a deeply hidden flutter she refused to admit even to herself, all intertwined.

Although she did have a bit of a crush on Long Jinyu, as someone who had always been proud, self-respecting, and pure, she could not accept a junior she had only known for two days making such an intimate move! Did he think she was some kind of easy woman?!

Her rage reignited with a "whoosh," burning even hotter than before!

Just as she was about to lash out—

"WU! MING! SENIOR!"

A shout of obvious embarrassment and sharp anger rang out first, interrupting Ma Xiaotao's impending explosion.

Long Jinyu straightened up as if he had been scalded, his cheeks and ears redder than Ma Xiaotao's could ever be.

He turned to look at the culprit, Wu Ming, his brows furrowed tightly. His tone was unprecedentedly serious... and laced with a reproach born of lingering fear:

"You went too far! Do you think this is funny?! How could you... how could you tease Senior Xiaotao like this? This is completely disrespectful!"

His reaction was even more intense than that of Ma Xiaotao, the "victim." His heterochromatic eyes were filled with the panic of someone who realized they had caused a "huge disaster," along with sincere annoyance, completely devoid of any smugness from having succeeded in a flirtation.

Ma Xiaotao, who had been preparing to hold him accountable, was left stunned by his reaction.

Wu Ming was also caught off guard by Long Jinyu's rare display of seriousness and his direct questioning. The mischievous smirk on her face froze, and for once, she looked genuinely embarrassed and guilty.

"Cough... cough... Well... little junior, my apologies... Ma Xiaotao, I'm sorry..."

Her voice dropped a notch, sounding rather sheepish.

"I... I just saw the atmosphere between you two earlier... and thought... thought you had already reached that stage... I was just joking, I didn't expect..."

When Ma Xiaotao heard Wu Ming's words and looked at Long Jinyu—who was so anxious he was practically sweating, his face screaming, "I didn't mean it, I've been wronged"—the flicker of anger from feeling offended vanished, replaced by a sense of clarity and... relief.

So it was that idiot Wu Ming who caused all this...

She let out a silent sigh of relief, her tense body finally relaxing.

I knew it... this kid doesn't seem like that kind of person...

She suddenly recalled her earlier suspicion that he might have taken advantage of her while she was unconscious, and now, it seemed truly ridiculous.

Given the judgment of Mu En and her teachers, if Long Jinyu were truly a lecher, they would never have arranged for him to live with her, let alone hold him in such high regard and praise him so consistently.

Thinking of this, she even felt a tiny pang of guilt for her momentary suspicion.

At this moment, Long Jinyu had already turned back to face her. Just before he could open his mouth to apologize, a flood of thoughts rushed into his mind, violently battering his reason:

Long Jinyu, you absolute idiot!

A wail echoed in his heart, filled with self-reproach.

What did you just do?! Acting tough? Pushing back? Trying to show off how capable you are?!

He looked at her slightly flushed cheeks, which still bore traces of shock and indignation, and felt that his behavior had been incredibly stupid.

Who is Ma Xiaotao? She is the kind of girl who, even when tortured by the Evil Fire to the point of agony, would never indulge herself and remains impeccably self-disciplined!

You deserve to die! How could you... Sigh! Even though it's all the fault of that lunatic Wu Ming for forcing the issue! But... you were the one who gave her the chance! In the end, you were the one who offended Sister Xiaotao!

A wave of intense guilt threatened to drown him.

She must be disgusted with me right now, right? She definitely thinks I'm no different from a lecher! The little bit of trust and goodwill I worked so hard to build has been completely ruined by this one move!

He didn't even dare to imagine how much Ma Xiaotao must hate him at this moment.

It's over... forget about helping her suppress the Evil Fire, she probably won't even give me a decent look ever again...

This surge of self-criticism drained the color from his face, replaced by a genuine, unfeigned sense of remorse and panic.

It was with this extreme self-reproach that he faced Ma Xiaotao. His attitude was so sincere it was almost devout; he bowed slightly, his voice lower than usual and laced with obvious trepidation.

"Senior Sister Xiaotao, I am sorry!" he began, every word feeling as if it were being carved from the bottom of his heart. "Even though I was pushed by Senior Sister Wu Ming, the fact remains that I offended you! A mistake is a mistake; I won't make any excuses!"

He lifted his head, locking eyes with Ma Xiaotao. His gaze was clear but filled with unease, without a hint of evasion, only a profound apology and the readiness to accept his fate. "Whether you want to hit me or punish me, I have no complaints. I leave it entirely to you, Senior Sister!"

Watching him look so shy, nervous, and earnest while pleading for forgiveness—even more so than she was—Ma Xiaotao found that her remaining annoyance had dissipated. Instead, she felt... a bit like laughing?

This kid, why is he acting like he committed an unforgivable crime? He's actually... quite cute~

Her personality was fiery, but she was clear about gratitude and grudges, and she knew exactly where the primary responsibility lay.

"Alright, alright."

She waved her hand, trying to maintain the dignity of a senior sister, but her tone softened involuntarily.

"It's enough that I know you didn't mean it... the blame lies with that meddlesome Wu Ming!"

She glared at Wu Ming, who was trying to shrink into the background.

Seeing that Ma Xiaotao's tone had softened, Wu Ming immediately grinned and sidled over, fawningly massaging her shoulders.

"Oh my, my dear Xiaotao~ It's my fault, it's my fault~ I just saw how talented and beautiful you both are, living under the same roof, and my thoughts just went off the rails~"

"Who knew your progress was so... pure? Forgive me this once~ I won't do it again~"

Her technique was practiced and her tone was sycophantic; clearly, she had plenty of experience in coaxing Ma Xiaotao.

Ma Xiaotao was both annoyed and amused by her shamelessness.

Although Wu Ming had a sharp tongue and loved to stir up trouble, she was indeed one of the few close friends in the Inner Court whom she could truly trust.

Seeing her sincere attitude (even if she still seemed unreliable), Ma Xiaotao "reluctantly" huffed, "Don't let it happen again!"

"Definitely, definitely!" Wu Ming promised immediately, her eyes crinkling into crescents.

Long Jinyu watched the storm subside without further incident and let out a breath, feeling more exhausted than he had solving problems at the Medical Pavilion.

He couldn't help but rub his forehead, a stampede of frustration running through his mind:

My dear lady! You really are more of a hindrance than a help! Can you just stay quiet for once... You were the one who started the fire at the cafeteria entrance last time with your loose lips, I really have to hand it to you...

I finally acted tough for once and came up with such a brilliant plan! It could have scared Sister Xiaotao into not getting angry while perfectly closing the distance between us—the atmosphere was just about to peak! And then you just swiped it all away with your meddling!

Are you the captain of the 'Force-Push' squad? Do you just love watching the chaos unfold? You almost turned this into a disaster scene! My perfect plan! My elegant, measured approach! All shattered! Wuwuwu...

I went to such great lengths to keep you two from fighting, and you just turned around and sold me down the river! A terrible teammate! An absolutely terrible teammate! Even worse than the system!

[Achoo!...]

He muttered under his breath, "It seems I really need to find some books for these two to read, to learn about interpersonal relationships and... how to control their tempers...?"

"Cough, cough... I must properly adjust... educate this 'genius' Wu Ming in the future, so she doesn't go around causing trouble at every turn..."

As he spoke, he remembered he still had "official business" to attend to. He hurriedly retrieved three exquisite insulated food containers from his Soul Tool, and as he opened the lids, a rich, mellow aroma infused with the unique fragrance of medicinal herbs instantly filled the air.

"Senior sisters, you've worked hard moving today, and just now... you were quite startled."

His face still flushed, he eagerly handed over the bowls of soup.

"This is the Basalt Soul-Shocking Soup I happened to come across. It's said to be delicious and nourishing for one's soul power."

"Would you two like to try some? Consider it... a chance for me to make amends and help settle your nerves."

Ma Xiaotao's nose twitched as she caught the scent of the soup, and her eyes lit up. "Hmm? Xiao Xu's Basalt Soul-Shocking Soup?"

She looked at Long Jinyu with a hint of surprise.

"You kid actually have quite the taste, don't you? To think you could get your hands on his soup, and even know it's good?"

She took the bowl, her tone carrying a touch of appreciation.

"His family's soup is somewhat famous in Shrek City, especially for stabilizing the mind and nourishing the martial soul. It's quite expensive and not easy to come by."

"Ah? It's... that impressive?" Long Jinyu was taken aback. It seems I underestimated this soup.

Wu Ming curiously leaned in as well. "Oh? Is that the one from the kid with the Black Tortoise Shell Shield—the one with the secret ancestral recipe? I've heard it's very nourishing! I want to try some too!" She unceremoniously took a bowl for herself.

The tense, combative atmosphere in the living room finally eased completely, leaving behind only the rich aroma of the soup and a subtle, temporarily peaceful warmth.

Watching the two senior sisters begin to drink the soup quietly, Long Jinyu finally managed to set his anxious heart at ease:

"I'm glad you like it, Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao. By the way, didn't the teacher arrange for me to audit the freshman classes in the Outer Court for seven days starting the day after tomorrow? Could you show me the way, and maybe... look out for me a bit?"

Ma Xiaotao was savoring the aftertaste of the soup. Hearing this, she glanced at him, recalling the instructions from her teacher Yan Shaozhe to "look after the junior" and the deeper meaning behind Mu En's words about "integrating into the collective," though she habitually huffed, "Hmph, what a troublemaker! I got it, just don't oversleep when the time comes!"

Wu Ming started "courting disaster" again from the side: "Freshman classes? Sounds interesting! Ma Xiaotao, I also..."

"Shut up!" Ma Xiaotao immediately cut her off. "Why are you trying to join in the fun? Go back to the Inner Court and cultivate properly!"

Long Jinyu sighed helplessly as he watched the two begin to bicker again, bowing his head to continue drinking his soup.

Freshman classes... Hehehe~ It should... be very interesting~

The lights of the Phoenix Perch Pavilion shone warmly amidst the night on Sea God Island.