"Okay."
Li Qianxia entered the "Honey Pot World", leaving only Li Changzhou and Yang Qinglan in the room.
Li Changzhou gently coughed.
"Coughing at such a young age?" Yang Qinglan asked, flipping through "Conversations with God," the English original version.
"... choked on some dust," Li Changzhou replied uncertainly.
He gazed at Yang Qinglan's beautifully contoured, snow-like face, watching her unblinkingly as she read the book.
Yang Qinglan turned a few more pages gracefully, captivatingly blinking once, and in that moment of blinking, it seemed as if time itself was enchanted and slowed down.
Pausing, Li Changzhou looked at her and softly said, "I only like you."
Yang Qinglan closed the book, handed it to him, and reached for another one.
Li Changzhou glanced at the book twice, put it into the "Honey Pot World", and scratched his forehead.
His embarrassed look made Yang Qinglan laugh, her gaze shifting from the other book: "Why the sudden confession?"
"Because I've never confessed to you before." Li Changzhou was mentally disorganized, speaking whatever came to mind, and only after finishing did he realize, Was that a confession?!
Did I just confess?!
Yang Qinglan thought: "You didn't."
She passed him another book from her hand and reached for yet another one.
Li Changzhou held the book in his hand, pretending to flip through it while sneakily peering at her, breathing a bit unevenly.
After two or three seconds, reading two or three lines—without really absorbing a word—he couldn't hold back and asked, "Aren't you going to say anything?"
"Was I supposed to respond?" Yang Qinglan seemed to just realize.
"Of course... not exactly," Li Changzhou faltered, continuing to read.
Reading a short sentence and then forgetting another, he said, "But, if you already have an answer, you could respond."
Yang Qinglan looked at the book in her hand, not turning the page, and suddenly looked at Li Changzhou, who was also staring back at her.
"What do you wish... for me to answer?" she felt her face growing warm.
"... Should I guess?"
"Try it."
"Then of course, that I only like you too."
"I only like you too."
"Right."
"Yeah," Yang Qinglan nodded.
"Yeah?" Li Changzhou puzzled.
"I'm done," Yang Qinglan returned her gaze to the book, continuing to read.
Li Changzhou stared at her, frozen for two seconds, then rapidly replayed their conversation three times, and three seconds later, he said, "You… mean, your answer is—you only like me too?"
Yang Qinglan turned around, handing him the "Silent Confession": "Put it away."
Li Changzhou put the book in his hand, along with "Silent Confession", into the "Honey Pot World"
Before his mind could come back to earth, Yang Qinglan was already clinging to him, her right hand feather-light as it gently stroked his cheek.
Li Changzhou didn't dare move, his face heating up.
Yang Qinglan's face slowly neared, her breath grazing his lips.
A fire erupted within his body, and Li Changzhou couldn't help but lean in, but Yang Qinglan stepped back.
Her right index finger traced along the lines of Li Changzhou's face, caressing down to his lips, her middle finger trembling as she outlined his lips, using an insignificant strength to stop Li Changzhou.
Li Changzhou swallowed hard, his eyes unblinking, his breathing heavy.
Yang Qinglan drew close again, so close that their lips were almost touching but not quite, when she let out a trembling sigh, her delicate lips landing on Li Changzhou's mouth.
Li Changzhou immediately wrapped his arms tightly around her slender waist, their bodies pressed together so tightly it couldn't be tighter, their lips pressing hard as well.
Yang Qinglan's hands involuntarily embraced his neck, responding to his craving.
The two were utterly spellbound.
Surrounded by books, sunlight streamed in, fine dust floating in the beam, as they kissed deeply for a long time.
"When you grow old and revisit today, would you think of the blood at Four Seasons Star or Turquoise Pool?"
"Where is Four Seasons Star? Who is Turquoise Pool?"
Their foreheads pressed together, their breaths mingling.
Li Changzhou kissed her again, and from Yang Qinglan's slender neck came a whimper.
As Li Changzhou's demands grew more intense and deeper, she suddenly "Uhm!" pushed against his chest, trying to push him away.
Startling tenderness transferred from the tip of his tongue, Li Changzhou nearly suffocated.
Yang Qinglan's body went limp, her hands again hooking around his neck, her eyes and eyebrows exuding an enticing charm.
When they resumed tidying up, Li Changzhou kept smiling, occasionally unconsciously licking his lips.
"What's with the silly smile!" Yang Qinglan playfully scolded, her heart fluttering with shyness and joy.
Li Changzhou didn't answer, instead he asked seriously, "How was it?"
"What do you mean, how was it?"
"The kiss."
"Not great."
"...That's a bit crushing." He then perked up, after all, it was their first time, "Specifically? What was not good?"
Yang Qinglan thought for a moment, watching Li Changzhou's eager eyes, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something but instead suddenly kissed the back of her own left hand, growing shy.
"What's wrong?" Li Changzhou was a bit puzzled, his face involuntarily breaking into a smile; he just felt like smiling at everything now.
Yang Qinglan put down her left hand, her face flushing earnestly: "It leaves something to be desired, that's what's wrong."
"...I absolutely adore you!!" Li Changzhou once again pulled her slim waist into his embrace.
"No." Yang Qinglan used a book to block his lips.
"But you said it leaves something to be desired, so why not?"
"Let's tidy up first, Qian Xia is waiting."
"Just a little while."
"No."
"Just a tiny bit longer."
Yang Qinglan gave a soft laugh, shielding her lips with the book, her eyes, wet from laughter, gazed at Li Changzhou, saying, "...make it a bit more feminine."
Li Changzhou glanced into the courtyard, aside from the openly blossoming apricot tree and the potted plant peeking from the window, no one was there.