The corners of those eyes, ordinarily so commanding, now showed the faintest trace of red, carrying an indescribable fragility and stubbornness. Without a word, she stared steadily at him, her gaze piercing the chaos around them and driving straight into his eyes.
There was anger in that gaze, and probing, and hurt.
But more than anything, there was a silent, almost obsessive accusation: Do you really find me that repulsive?
Under the scrutiny of those eyes, the impatience and wariness in Lu Changfeng's heart abruptly stalled.
You...
Lu Changfeng felt both helpless and speechless.
Maybe I should just lay everything out and settle for being her "casual intimacy partner"!
But the problem is, this woman clearly wouldn't be satisfied with that. If she takes an inch and demands a mile, then turns against me, it'll be trouble! Still, this constant business is getting on my nerves... He really wanted to blurt out, It's not that I find you repulsive, but you can't be my girlfriend. Give it up!
In that instant of distraction, Princess Taiping's grip did not loosen. Instead, her other hand quietly rose and rested on his opposite arm, seemingly weak, while her fingertips secretly hooked into place like a phoenix's beak gripping a branch, locking down several crucial points governing the circulation of his qi and blood.
She was practically half leaning against him, half pinning herself within his arms. To outsiders, she looked like a woman whose mind had been muddled by gu poison, clinging to a man. Only Lu Changfeng knew how precisely calculated this position was: she could use his body as cover while observing the entire scene, while making it difficult for him to exert enough force to break free without giving himself away.
"Prin... cess..."
Lu Changfeng squeezed the barely audible word