On the clothing store's lounge sofa, Belle sat bolt upright, her body rigid. Her entire face was as red as a ripe cherry, the blush spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears and even staining her neck.
Her legs were tightly crossed, and her fingertips had gone white from gripping her phone so hard, her knuckles stretched taut.
The striking scene from moments ago had lodged itself in her mind like a film playing on repeat.
The heat and embarrassment she had struggled to suppress surged up again. Warmth filled her nose, and another uncontrollable stream of blood gushed out.
Belle: (╥╯﹏╰╥)ง
In her panic, Belle could barely muster the strength to raise a hand and wipe it away. Her mind was a mess, filled with images of what had just happened.
At the critical moment, she had seen Lu Yingheng about to change clothes in public. Her mind had gone blank with embarrassment, and she had thrown herself at him, desperately yanking down the hem of the shirt he had lifted.
But no matter how fast she had moved, she had still been a fraction too late.
The glimpse of his abs she had caught in that instant was etched clearly into her vision.
His abs had clean, flowing contours, the muscles distinct beneath his cool, pale skin. They were perfectly firm, youthful yet full of tension, alluring enough to make her heart stop.
What left her even more at a loss was that she had lunged at him with all her strength, too swiftly and fiercely to control herself.
Caught off guard, Lu Yingheng had lost his balance, and she had knocked him straight onto the polished floor.
Lu Yingheng: (◦˙▽˙◦)
A man three parts drunk could put on a performance that brought you to tears!
Amid the chaotic collision, her palm had landed squarely and completely over the boy's firm, full chest muscle.
The warm, solid sensation and the distinct lines of his muscles had come through the thin fabric, impossibly clear.
"Ahhh!"
Belle screamed wildly in her heart, wishing she could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.
Belle, get a grip!
What on earth are you thinking about?!
It was a perfectly proper attempt to fix an emergency, so how did it become such a mess of suggestive thoughts in my head?!
She frantically scolded herself for being such a lovestruck fool and examined her behavior again and again, but her cheeks only grew hotter. Her heart pounded against her chest like a drum, and she couldn't calm down at all.
To suppress the embarrassment surging inside her, she forcibly dragged her thoughts away and focused all her attention on the phone in her hand. She murmured to herself, trying to drive the absurd images from her mind with serious business.
"My brother just messaged me to say the Dragon Emperor Bureau has a strange obsession with finding the Dragon Emperor..."
She softly read the words on the screen, her tone tinged with earnest gravity.
Throughout the Dragon Emperor Bureau, they were single-mindedly searching for traces of the Dragon Emperor, almost obsessively intent on bringing back their former supreme ruler.
Yet at the same time, they seemed faintly resistant, unwilling to believe that the Dragon Emperor, after returning alive from years of absence, had not immediately come back of his own accord and joined their side.
Their contradictory attitude made it impossible to tell what the Dragon Emperor Bureau truly had in mind.
Belle sighed softly, a trace of caution passing through her clear eyes.
Her brother was absolutely right. It was hard to tell what the Dragon Emperor Bureau was really like now, and people's hearts could change. No one could guarantee they were still the same righteous, genuinely kind force they had been back then.
Until everything was settled, she absolutely couldn't trust them lightly, much less expose Lu Yingheng's true identity. She couldn't take even the slightest risk.
Just as she put aside her stray thoughts and grew calm, the wooden door of the changing room beside her was gently pushed open from within.
The door opened with a crisp sound, and a tall, slender figure walked out slowly.
The boy wore a minimalist, fashionable outfit. A clean, loose black short-sleeved shirt set off the neat line of his shoulders and his tall, slender frame.
He wore matching cargo joggers below, a versatile, clean-cut style that made him look every bit the youth he was.
The simple black-and-white color scheme looked refined and cool, setting off his skin, which was as pale as jade.
His cool, noble bearing was mixed with handsomeness. He was so dazzling that it was impossible to look away, and his presence was commanding.
Belle instinctively looked up and was instantly struck dumb.
Her breath caught, and the boy's dazzling figure filled her vision. Her mind went blank again.
Acting entirely on instinct, she tapped her phone, quickly unlocked it, and opened the camera, wanting to capture how stunning he looked.
In her flustered infatuation, she completely forgot to turn off the camera flash.
"Click-"
The crisp sound of the camera rang out in the quiet clothing store, accompanied by a blinding flash of white light.
The moment the flash went off, Belle froze completely.
The air seemed to freeze.
Her pupils widened slightly, and only one thought remained in her mind:
Totally socially dead.
Help!
H-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-help!
She wailed frantically in her heart, wishing she could shut herself off from the world on the spot.
Belle, oh Belle, you're beyond saving! You have no self-control at all!
I was just scolding myself for being lovestruck, and the very next second I couldn't resist taking a secret photo of him-and I forgot to turn off the flash!
Socially dead in public. I couldn't be any more stupid!
Embarrassment swept over her, and her cheeks burned.
She didn't dare look up at Lu Yingheng's expression or meet the eyes of the shop assistant, who was trying not to laugh. She hurriedly put her phone away, the tips of her ears so red they looked ready to bleed.
To hide her embarrassment, she scrambled to her feet and made a grand sweep of her hand, buying all the nice outfits the assistant had just picked out.
After paying, she grabbed the heavy shopping bags, turned, and fled straight out of the clothing store.
When Lu Yingheng saw her suddenly run off, he instinctively started after her.
Lu Yingheng: ???
Rich lady! You haven't taken me with you yet!
But the moment he stepped forward, the shop assistant hurried over and raised a hand to stop him.
The young woman smiled, a sly tenderness hidden in her eyes. Taking advantage of the brief pause, she quickly slipped a folded note into his palm. Her movements were light, and as soon as she was done, she stepped back and pretended nothing had happened.
Lu Yingheng felt the weight in his palm and held the unfamiliar note: ???
(@[]@!!)
Are you kidding me?
Miss Shop Assistant, are you the protagonist or something? Why are you hitting on me?
He didn't have time to look at what was in his hand. Locking his spiritual power firmly onto Belle's retreating figure, he immediately went after her and reached out with his free hand, catching her wrist with precision.
His warm palm pressed snugly against her skin, warmth spreading from his fingertips and gradually soothing Belle's racing heart.
Belle stopped, her back stiffening slightly, and slowly turned around.
The person who met her eyes was Lu Yingheng.
Lu Yingheng seemed to have no understanding of her panic. He was simply puzzled as to why she had suddenly run away, and he obediently held her hand, waiting quietly for her response.
Seeing his innocent, bewildered expression made Belle squirm even more. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she didn't dare look directly at him as shyness surged in her heart.
After a long stalemate, she bit her lower lip and finally explained in a halting stammer, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum:
"I-I'm sorry... I-I just secretly took a photo of you!
So, so I'm a little embarrassed... Next time, I absolutely won't do it again!"
Afraid he wouldn't understand what taking a photo meant, she hurriedly added a patient explanation in a soft voice:
"Taking a photo means... using a phone to save what you look like. I-I was just being too lovestruck. I didn't mean to offend you."
Lu Yingheng listened quietly to her explanation, looking at her and attentively hearing every word.
A moment later, his thin lips parted. In a clear, cool voice, he slowly and earnestly said two words: "You... can."
Those two simple words held not the slightest hint of blame, only complete indulgence.
Belle's heart gave a sudden tremble, as though it had been gently softened in warm water. Overwhelming embarrassment and a flutter of attraction swept through her.
She quickly turned her head away and stared hard at the street scene, not daring to look at him again. The tips of her ears were completely red.
While her thoughts were in turmoil, the grip on her wrist gently loosened.
Lu Yingheng looked at the note in his palm, then raised his hand and held the little slip of paper out to her. Hesitant and bewildered, he said two words: "Shop... assistant."
Belle blinked in confusion. Full of curiosity, she reached out, took the note, and slowly unfolded it.
What met her eyes was a line of delicate handwriting: a clear set of contact details.
"Huh?!"
Belle's round eyes widened, her pupils trembling as disbelief filled her face.
The next second, the previously shy young woman bristled. She puffed out her round cheeks, her pretty face sulky, looking playful and adorable.
"No way! What's going on here?!"
Clutching the note, she grumbled under her breath, her aggrieved tone caught between laughter and tears:
"That shop assistant was so out of line! She praised your looks right in front of me, then secretly slipped you her contact details behind my back!
"She knew perfectly well I'm your girlfriend, and she still pulled a trick like that. How sneaky can she get?!"
She pouted and stamped her foot, looking thoroughly indignant, sweet and lively, every bit a young girl.
"Being too good-looking really is trouble! Wherever you go, someone has their eye on you. You never let me stop worrying!"
(The protagonist was Black King Nidhogg with a 50% bloodline, so he naturally also possessed 50% of the authority over the mind. He could use spiritual power to see everything around him, so he could see where he was going even with his eyes closed.)