For a moment, Xiao Wu's heart began to race uncontrollably. However, she finally responded in a voice as soft as a mosquito:
"…Mm, okay… sorry to trouble you, Brother Dai."
Dai Chengfeng seemed not to notice Xiao Wu's complicated emotions, or perhaps he deliberately ignored them.
He calmly crouched down, bending one knee slightly, stopping in front of Xiao Wu.
From this angle, Xiao Wu could clearly see his thick, black hair and the smooth yet strong contours of his profile.
He was so close that Xiao Wu could smell the fresh, clean scent on him—like freshly sun-dried grass.
Mixed with the fragrance in her room, it created a peculiar chemical reaction, causing her breath to catch involuntarily.
Dai Chengfeng extended his hands, taking the Cloud Chain from Xiao Wu's slightly sweaty palm.
Then, his fingertips inevitably brushed lightly against her palm.
Instantly, Xiao Wu shuddered, her toes curling unconsciously.
"Lift your foot a bit, relax."
Dai Chengfeng's voice came from below.
Xiao Wu felt her cheeks burning intensely. Almost instinctively, she stiffly raised her left foot slightly.
Her feet were incredibly beautiful, fair and delicate, with an elegant ankle and a graceful curve along the top of her foot. Her skin was as smooth as fine white jade, glowing softly under the light.
Because of her nervousness, her toes were slightly together, their tips showing a healthy pale pink, like newly bloomed petals, appearing incredibly delicate and tempting.
Dai Chengfeng worked with intense focus.
He gently supported Xiao Wu's heel and ankle with one hand.
Xiao Wu's body trembled even more, all her blood rushing to the touched ankle, making her skin there hyper-sensitive.
Dai Chengfeng seemed entirely absorbed in "completing the task."
He wrapped the silver chain around her ankle, the cool metal touching her warm skin, causing Xiao Wu to shiver slightly.
During this process, his fingertips occasionally grazed the inner side of her ankle or the top of her foot.
The touch was as light as a feather, but each time it was like dropping a pebble into Xiao Wu's heart, creating ripples upon ripples.
An unfamiliar, tingling, unsettling sensation spread rapidly from where their skins touched, coursing through her limbs and throughout her body.
Xiao Wu felt her whole body go limp, almost unable to stand steadily, instinctively holding onto the nearby bedpost for support.
She bit her lower lip hard, afraid that any strange sound might escape unintentionally.
The room was eerily quiet, only the faint sounds of their breathing and the barely audible "click" of the clasp being fastened.
Time seemed to stretch out, every second feeling exceptionally long.
Xiao Wu's heartbeat sounded like a drum.
She even wondered if Dai Chengfeng, squatting in front of her, could hear it?
Finally, after what seemed like an endless but actually brief operation, Dai Chengfeng exhaled softly and said in a low voice: "Done."
With a soft "click," the clasp was securely fastened.
The Cloud Chain perfectly fit around Xiao Wu's slender ankle.
The silver chain contrasted sharply with her snow-white skin, making her ankle look as exquisite as carved jade, like a piece of art.
The small leaf decoration lay quietly on the inside, producing a faint cool sensation as her leg moved.
Dai Chengfeng carefully checked the tightness of the chain, ensuring it was neither too tight to cause discomfort nor too loose to slip off easily.
His fingertips brushed lightly over the chain and her ankle's skin one last time, then he slowly and gentlemanly released his hold on her ankle and stood up.
After squatting for a while, standing up suddenly caused him no discomfort. He just looked calmly at the blushing, evasive girl before him.
"How does it feel? Is it too tight?"
He asked naturally, as if the intimate contact moments ago was just normal help.
Xiao Wu almost didn't dare to look up at him. She hurriedly put her foot down, stepping on the slightly cool floor, trying to dispel the lingering, unsettling heat on her ankle.
Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's, stuttering as she replied: "It's, it's good… not tight, just right… Th-thank you, Brother Dai."
Dai Chengfeng looked at her flustered appearance, which seemed ready to steam, and smiled. He reached out again, this time only lightly patting her head:
"That's good."
"Remember my words, wear it close to your skin."
"Well, it's really late. You should rest early."
After saying this, he didn't linger, turning around to walk towards the door, opening the slightly ajar door, stepping out sideways, and gently closing the door behind him.
"Click."
The light sound of the door closing echoed.
Xiao Wu remained rigid in place, as if turned to stone.
After a long while, she collapsed backward weakly, sitting softly on the edge of the bed.
Instinctively, she raised her left hand, touching her right ankle that had just been touched by Dai Chengfeng.
The chain was cold, but the parts touched by Dai Chengfeng's palm and fingertips still seemed to retain that burning sensation, refusing to dissipate.
That tingling, unusual feeling still coursed through her limbs.
Her cheeks burned alarmingly; without looking in the mirror, she knew her face must be red like a ripe apple.
Her heart continued to pound wildly in her chest, like a little deer running amok.
Just now… what happened to her just now?
Why didn't she immediately refuse when Brother Dai squatted down to help her put on the anklet?
Why, when his fingers touched her skin, did she not recoil, but instead feel a strange, shameful thrill and desire deep inside?
What was that sensation of going limp, heart racing, and being disoriented… what exactly was it?
Xiao Wu blankly raised her hand, covering her still burning cheeks.
Since that time in the Great Star Dou Forest, when she was hypnotized in a peculiar way by Dai Chengfeng, outwardly, she had mostly regained her usual liveliness and cheerfulness.
But… something seemed different.
Like just now, her reaction to Dai Chengfeng's touch went far beyond the boundaries of ordinary friendship.
That reaction carried an inexplicable attachment and compliance, and even… a hint of indescribable pleasure.
Was this normal?
Xiao Wu furrowed her delicate brows in confusion.
She tried to recall Dai Chengfeng's every move, his eyes always clear and frank, without any inappropriate implication.
But why did her reaction seem so abnormal?
That feeling of her heart racing out of control, her flushed cheeks—it was an experience she had never had before.
"What is… happening to me?"
Xiao Wu muttered to herself, her voice filled with bewilderment and a subtle, hidden panic.
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