After dinner, Jiang Ning waited in her room for Liu Ming'an, curious about what excuse he would come up with today.
On the first night, he said water had been spilled on the bed. The second and third nights, he claimed the blankets weren't dry yet. Last night, he said a bat had flown into the room and it bothered him. She wondered what kind of excuse he would use tonight.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The door was tapped, and Jiang Ning got up to open it, looking at Liu Ming'an standing outside.
Liu Ming'an had been coming earlier and earlier each day. At this moment, it wasn't even dark yet. Jiang Ning leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed, waiting leisurely for him to speak.
"Jiang Ning, I... I accidentally... spilled water on the bed again..."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Liu Ming'an saw Jiang Ning chuckle softly.
In the dim twilight, Jiang Ning was no longer just curling her lips slightly. Her eyes crinkled, filled with deep amusement, her mouth curved upwards, and a faint dimple appeared on her right cheek.
This was the first time Liu Ming'an had seen such a radiant smile on Jiang Ning's face. The cold, distant air about her had mostly dissipated, and she looked unbelievably beautiful.
"Liu Ming'an, couldn't you come up with a slightly more clever excuse?"
Liu Ming'an heard Jiang Ning say this to him, her voice no longer indifferent and calm. It sounded like jade beads falling onto a plate or a babbling brook, clear and pleasant to the ear. Especially when she said his name, her voice carried a hint of laughter. Those three simple syllables seemed to roll off her tongue, and when she spoke them, he couldn't help but think of the word "alluring."
"I must truly be going mad," Liu Ming'an thought.
Jiang Ning reined in her smile a bit and stepped out of the doorway, now only one step away from Liu Ming'an.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" she asked.
Liu Ming'an couldn't speak. He stared at Jiang Ning, unable to look away, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of his chest.
"Never mind, come in," Jiang Ning said, seeing Liu Ming'an's dumbfounded expression. For some reason, her mood had improved as well.
Liu Ming'an felt like he was floating as he entered. Even after the lights were out and he was lying next to Jiang Ning, he still felt like he hadn't touched the ground, as if he were still floating in the air. His mind kept revolving around two thoughts:
Jiang Ning had known all along that he was making excuses!
Jiang Ning knew he was making excuses to sleep in her bed, and she was indulging him!
Jiang Ning was so clever, surely she must have guessed his feelings?
Liu Ming'an's thoughts were in a whirl, and sleep eluded him. He turned to look at Jiang Ning.
In the darkness, Jiang Ning lay quietly on her back, her breathing steady, apparently fast asleep. Liu Ming'an carefully inched closer and, like the previous nights, took her hand.
His heart racing, Liu Ming'an propped himself up on one elbow and gazed motionlessly at Jiang Ning.
The room was dim, and Liu Ming'an couldn't see clearly, so he leaned in closer, his face now just inches from Jiang Ning's.
He had once meticulously sketched this face with his pen, each stroke falling on paper and etching itself into his heart. Even though he could only see a blurry outline now, Liu Ming'an could imagine in his mind Jiang Ning's eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, and that dimple on her right cheek when she smiled earlier.
Jiang Ning, Jiang Ning, Jiang Ning...
Liu Ming'an repeated this name in his heart over and over, feeling something irrepressible welling up inside him, making him unable to resist the urge to get closer to Jiang Ning.
Feeling Liu Ming'an's warm breath on her face as he drew nearer, Jiang Ning inwardly sighed, unable to keep up the pretense any longer.
Just as Liu Ming'an's lips were mere inches from hers, Jiang Ning raised her free hand and placed it over the lower half of her face.
The next moment, a gentle kiss landed on her palm.
Jiang Ning was still awake!
Liu Ming'an's body instantly froze, his eyes widening in shock, maintaining the position of kissing Jiang Ning's palm without daring to move a muscle.
"Liu Ming'an, you're getting bolder and bolder. Aren't you afraid I'll hit you?"
Jiang Ning's somewhat lazy voice rang out. She opened her eyes to see Liu Ming'an half-propped up above her. Perhaps due to guilt, Liu Ming'an didn't dare breathe, and the hand holding hers was gripping quite tightly, causing Jiang Ning a bit of pain.
"Not talking again?"
Jiang Ning waited for a moment, and seeing that Liu Ming'an's body was still as stiff as a board, she chuckled softly.
"Jiang..." Liu Ming'an only managed to mumble one syllable before he suddenly felt a force on his shoulder and a push at his knee. Losing his balance, before he could understand what was happening, he found himself lying flat on his back on the bed.
In the next instant, Jiang Ning flipped over and straddled Liu Ming'an, one hand still firmly holding his, the other propping herself up beside his ear. They were so close their breaths mingled.
Liu Ming'an's mind went completely blank.
"Why did you want to kiss me? Hmm?" Jiang Ning asked, feigning ignorance, with a barely detectable hint of amusement in her voice.
Jiang Ning waited for a while, but hearing no answer, she half-jokingly threatened, "If you don't speak up, I really will hit you..."
Liu Ming'an stared dazedly at Jiang Ning above him, and after a long moment, he slowly said, "Because... I like you."
Although she had known the answer all along, hearing Liu Ming'an say it out loud still made Jiang Ning's heart flutter. She wanted to say something, but at this moment, it felt like she couldn't utter a word.
"Jiang Ning, I like you," Liu Ming'an repeated firmly, then brought their intertwined hands to his lips and kissed the back of Jiang Ning's hand.
Jiang Ning's fingers twitched, as if she had been scalded, but Liu Ming'an held on tightly.
"Jiang Ning, I want to marry you. I want to comb your hair for a lifetime, wash your clothes for a lifetime, eat the meals you cook for a lifetime. I want to spend every day and night with you, grow old together. I want to share the same bed in life and the same grave in death."
Jiang Ning's long hair fell on either side of her face, seeming to trap them in this small world. The light was too dim for her to see Liu Ming'an's expression as he spoke these words, but she felt her heart was in complete disarray.
Liu Ming'an raised his hand to touch Jiang Ning's face, murmuring again, "I like you, I like you so much, so very much..."
As he spoke, Liu Ming'an's hand moved to the back of Jiang Ning's neck, slowly pulling her down towards him.
Jiang Ning understood his intention and could have easily resisted, but she willingly allowed Liu Ming'an to guide her.
In the darkness, the two drew closer and closer until finally, their lips met, and Jiang Ning received her first kiss in life.
Having achieved his heart's desire, Liu Ming'an looked at Jiang Ning nestled obediently in his arms, allowing him to kiss her, and felt his heart melt into a pool of warmth.
"Jiang Ning..." Liu Ming'an whispered against Jiang Ning's lips, his heart fluttering.
Pressed tightly together, Jiang Ning could feel certain changes in Liu Ming'an's body and hear his thunderous heartbeat.
Jiang Ning rolled off Liu Ming'an, feeling her face grow hot.
Liu Ming'an reached out and pulled her back into his embrace, happily planting a kiss on Jiang Ning's forehead.
"Let's sleep early. Tomorrow, come with me to the Hundred Knowledges Tower," Jiang Ning said, trying to appear calm.
"Alright, but what are we going to do at the Hundred Knowledges Tower?" Liu Ming'an was still immersed in overwhelming joy, feeling a bit dizzy.
"To ask how the two of us can get to Qushui City."
To uncover the truth about her identity, eliminate potential threats, and spend the rest of her life peacefully with him.
With these thoughts, Jiang Ning closed her eyes in Liu Ming'an's arms, and they fell asleep in each other's embrace.