Volume One, Chapter 35: It was the first time she had ever been touched like this by anyone, let alone a man.

Liang Jinmo truly had no idea about this. His hand tightened slowly around the wine glass, and his voice grew husky. "How was it done?"

"You never learned?" Xu Zhi replied. "It's mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."

He fell silent, his mind conjuring up the scene. Xu Zhi continued, "If you think about it, you were the first person whose lips I ever touched."

"How could our bond not be close?" she straightened her back. "Liang Muzhi is nothing; at most, he could hold my hand. But from now on, I won't even let him do that."

Liang Jinmo fixed his gaze on her, his usually cool eyes now tinged with warmth.

Xu Zhi remained oblivious, edging even closer to him. "From now on, I'll let you pat my head."

A slow smile tugged at Liang Jinmo's lips as he stared at her for a long while. Suddenly, he set his wine glass down and leaned toward her.

Watching his handsome face come closer, Xu Zhi was momentarily stunned.

She held her breath, but instead of approaching her face, the man reached past her for the wine glass on the coffee table. "You shouldn't drink fruit wine anymore."

"Hey," Xu Zhi protested, "why are you taking my wine!"

She reached out to grab it, but Liang Jinmo, having learned his lesson, stretched his long arm back, placing the glass far away on the cabinet at the end of the sofa.

When he turned back, he saw Xu Zhi, undeterred, pouncing toward him.

She landed atop him, reaching for the wine glass.

He caught her wrist, and she couldn't reach it. Frustrated, she lowered her head. "I haven't finished it..."

Her tone was both petulant and aggrieved. Liang Jinmo's breath grew heavy, his dark eyes fixed on her.

With her head lowered, their faces were mere inches apart, their bodies pressed together.

With every breath, he could feel the softness through her thin clothes, rubbing against his chest.

She was so petite that even atop him, her weight was barely perceptible.

Her wrist, caught in his hand, was slender and soft—an unfamiliar sensation, yet hauntingly familiar, as if he'd felt it countless times in dreams, though nothing compared to reality.

Every detail was so vivid.

When she lowered her head, her hair swept across his cheek, igniting a fire deep inside him. He simply watched her quietly, neither pushing her away nor making any other move.

Xu Zhi had indeed had a bit too much fruit wine tonight, but she wasn't entirely drunk. She was in that slightly intoxicated, excited state, a little unable to control herself, but her mind was still clear. So when she met Liang Jinmo's gaze, her thoughts were lucid: His eyes are truly beautiful, and right now, they don't seem as cold as usual...

Time flowed slowly; she had no idea how much had passed before she realized she was still lying atop him.

She moved just a little, and suddenly the world spun.

Liang Jinmo rose, his hand locking around her waist.

Her first thought was that she would fall, so she cried out and clung tightly to his neck.

But Liang Jinmo simply rolled over, reversing their positions so she was beneath him.

Xu Zhi, still shaken, sobered up considerably, but her mind lagged behind and her arms remained tightly wrapped around his neck.

This made it impossible for Liang Jinmo even to attempt to get up; their faces were mere inches apart.

The air was thick with the scent of wine, their breaths mingling. Before Xu Zhi looked up, she felt his breath—warm, brushing against her cheek, her nose, and finally her lips.

Their eyes met, and time seemed to freeze.

Darkness swirled in Liang Jinmo's eyes, while Xu Zhi's gaze, bright and liquid like a doe's, was still slightly swollen.

Xu Zhi could hear her own heartbeat—rapid, chaotic. She even held her breath, afraid that any movement might bring her lips too close to his.

Then she saw him lower his head.

She froze, forgetting to release her hold, letting him draw nearer.

Liang Jinmo's lips nearly brushed hers, missing by barely a fraction, before moving lower, his nose skimming her chin.

The almost-but-not-quite kiss tormented her; her heart felt as if it would burst from her chest, and she wondered if he could hear it too.

Then his hot breath moved to her neck, its gentle tickle feathering her nerves, prompting her to tilt her face slightly.

His hand was at her waist, caressing through her undershirt, giving a gentle squeeze.

She heard him ask, "Are you drunk?"

Xu Zhi awoke as if from a dream, releasing her hold on him, her face instantly flushing bright red.

What was she doing!

She pushed him away and scrambled to her feet in panic. "I... It's so late, I—I need to go home..."

Liang Jinmo rose from the sofa as well. "I'll take you."

"No need!" she said, grabbing her phone from the coffee table and hurrying toward the door. "I'll call a cab myself."

He followed her out; as he reached the living room, he saw her grab her coat and hat and rush to the shoe cabinet to change shoes.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed him.

He stood there, glancing at his watch. The collar of his white shirt was slightly rumpled, but he still looked composed and cool.

Xu Zhi felt an inexplicable shame, certain her face was burning red, for her whole body seemed aflame.

Seeing him move closer, she quickly warned, "Don't come over!"

She hurriedly put on her shoes and opened the door. "Don't come over!"

Liang Jinmo: "..."

He stood speechless, watching her slam the door shut.

He frowned, went to open it, but found the hallway empty—Xu Zhi had vanished.

She really ran fast.

It was still early; she shouldn't have trouble hailing a cab.

He closed the door, returned to the sofa, and sat down, slowly rubbing his fingers.

The feeling lingered in his palm—her waist was so slender, so soft...

He leaned back against the sofa, exhaling deeply after a long while.

Xu Zhi left the hotel, the cold night air sobering her completely.

She hailed a cab by the roadside, and the driver asked where she was headed.

She hesitated for a few seconds before responding with her home address.

As the car moved off, she raised her hand to her burning cheek.

Heavens, what had she done!

The scene in the hotel room replayed relentlessly in her mind. She could still feel the man pressed against her, his breath brushing her lips and neck, his hand kneading her waist...

She was going mad.

Her hand unconsciously touched her lips, her heart still pounding wildly. She squeezed her eyes shut, but the thoughts wouldn't leave.

It was the first time anyone had touched her so intimately—especially a man.

Strangely, she didn't feel repulsed; in fact...

She was shocked by the secret longing deep within her heart. For just a fleeting moment, she realized she actually hoped his kiss would finally fall.