"To say something that truly breaks my heart... Before I even arrived in Wu Tan City, the family had already selected what they believed to be my most suitable match. Mu Zhan from the Mu Clan. More than half of the elders in my clan agreed to it. After all, a marriage alliance between two powerful families benefits both sides."
Yafei's delicate hand, holding a glass of red wine, suddenly tightened.
Her pearly teeth bit into her crimson lips as she stared down into the glass. That enchanting, almost otherworldly face now carried a trace of sorrow that tugged painfully at the heart.
By now, night had fallen.
The full moon had risen into the sky.
Chen Mo looked at the tears welling up in the corners of Yafei's eyes and immediately moved closer. Gently patting her back, he offered comforting words and said softly:
"As long as I'm here, none of that will happen."
Chen Mo knew Yafei wasn't lying. Being part of a large clan might come with status and power that others could only dream of...
But in return, one had to give up many things. Unlike Nalan Yanran from the original story, Yafei didn't have her kind of talent or luck. The latter had the backing of the Yunlan Sect, which allowed her to easily break free from the constraints of her family.
That was why, in the original, Nalan Yanran could so boldly go to the Xiao Clan to break off the engagement—because Yunlan Sect stood behind her. Yafei had no such support.
Whether it was the wine or the comforting strokes on her back, Yafei became intoxicated by Chen Mo's strong masculine scent. Her face flushed deeply, even burning a little with heat.
Hearing Chen Mo's comforting voice, she suddenly felt like a vulnerable girl wanting to curl up in his embrace.
Wiping away her tears, Yafei lifted the glass and downed the wine in one go.
Perhaps she drank too quickly—or maybe she just happened to cough.
But Yafei choked.
The wine spilled from her lips, dribbled down her chin, and traced her delicate white neck, finally seeping into the valley between her breasts.
Chen Mo quickly retrieved a handkerchief from his storage ring and began gently wiping her:
Her lips.
Her chin.
Her jade-like neck...
And then he froze.
A dazzling and provocative contrast of soft curves and pale skin entered his gaze. His face flushed as he quickly looked away.
Yafei's slightly parted lips quivered, her breath heavy with the scent of wine. They were barely half an arm's length apart. That wine-sweet breath brushed across Chen Mo's face, yet neither of them spoke.
And so, the atmosphere between the two grew increasingly ambiguous and silent.
They were seated in a private booth on the second floor of the restaurant, with the window open. Looking up, they could see the radiant moon above.
The cool night breeze blew in, slightly sobering them.
Yet it was that clarity that made the situation more intense. Chen Mo looked at her flushed, seductive face. His hand, still holding the handkerchief, gently tilted her chin upward as he slowly leaned in.
Yafei's breathing grew rapid. Her heart, already thumping like a frantic deer, now felt like it might leap out of her chest.
Anyone could tell what Chen Mo was about to do.
Yafei slowly closed her eyes.
Their lips met.
That dominating presence overwhelmed her, throwing her mind into chaos.
Clang!
The wine glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor.
With her hands suddenly free, Yafei didn't know where to place them.
Soft... and bittersweet—
That was what Yafei's kiss felt like to Chen Mo.
Chen Mo released her chin and gently cradled her head with one hand, the other arm wrapping around her slender waist.
[Ding! Affection +3. You've received 3 Affection Coins. Kiss Bonus Triggered: Acquired Yin-Yang Twin Jade.]
Under Chen Mo's persistent advance, Yafei's hands—which moments ago had nowhere to go—wrapped around his waist.
Boom!
No one knew how much time had passed, but just then, a firework shot into the sky and exploded in radiant splendor.
"Ah!" Chen Mo yelped as Yafei bit his tongue in surprise.
Taking advantage of the moment, she pushed him away, hurriedly fixing the wrinkles in her dress. Her seductive face burned red as she bit her lip and stammered, "You... you..."
By now, Chen Mo had made up his mind. In one swift motion, he pulled Yafei into his lap, wrapping both arms around her waist. He leaned in and whispered into her ear:
"What do I do? I think I've fallen for you."
Yafei was caught in his embrace from behind, so neither of them could see the other's expression. Hearing those words, her mind spun in a daze.
How... how did things end up like this?
Yet that confession—simple as it was—made her heart flutter with unexpected joy. She didn't know what to say, so all she could do was softly hum in response.
She had received countless confessions before, from suitors she never spared a glance.
But now... now she didn't know what to do.
"Do you like me?" Chen Mo pressed, knowing hesitation would be fatal at this point.
"...Mn." Yafei hesitated, but finally said it. Though she didn't know how to handle this, her feelings were real.
At some point, her heart had been broken into—by this man.
"Then, baby... Will you be my girlfriend?" Chen Mo pushed his luck.
"Ah!" His sudden use of the word baby sent electric jolts through Yafei's heart. Her mind went completely blank as she nodded dazedly.
And at that moment—
More fireworks lit up the night sky in dazzling bursts.
All over Wu Tan City, countless people looked up, marveling at the spectacle.
As if the whole city bore witness to their moment.
Chen Mo opened his system interface and withdrew the Yin-Yang Twin Jade.
According to the system, the Yin-Yang Twin Jade was formed when a pair of Saint-ranked Dao companions shed their blood onto a single piece of jade. A master craftsman later forged it into two matching pendants.
The colors were similar—a blend of red and white.
The red, infused with more blood, represented Yang; the white, purer and colder, represented Yin.
Worn separately, each jade piece could triple cultivation speed and enhance Dou Qi recovery.
But when the two pendants were close together, they could increase cultivation speed tenfold and gradually enhance innate talent, even purifying the body's constitution.
Chen Mo handed the crescent-shaped white jade to Yafei and explained its effects. Then, showing her his own pendant, he smiled:
"These two jades... they're our tokens of affection."
The flush on Yafei's face still hadn't faded. She gazed at the white jade in her hand, her charming eyes curving into a smile.
Clutching the pendant tightly, she signaled for Chen Mo to release her. Then, after rummaging through her storage ring, she took out a necklace. Her expression was tinged with sorrow as she shyly said:
"This necklace... was left to me by my mother before she passed. And now... I'm giving it to you."
Just as she reached out to place it around Chen Mo's neck, gently pulling aside his collar, she froze—
Because she saw another necklace already hanging there.
****
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