"I just—!" She grabbed the lingerie and turned so fast she nearly tripped over herself. "I’m changing! Don’t talk to !"
Mo Ran didn’t stop her, but just as she reached the bathroom door, his voice followed, rich with laughter—
"Need help?"
Lixue yanked the door shut so hard it shook.
Outside, Mo Ran’s laughter echoed through the room.
Lixue stared at herself in the mirror, gripping the edge of the sink like it was the only thing keeping her soul from leaving her body.
This is a disaster.
The silk clung to her, delicate and almost weightless, yet it felt heavier than anything she had ever worn. The lace trailed over her skin like a secret, whispering things she absolutely did not want to hear.
She buried her burning face in her hands. "What am I doing? What am I doing?!"
Why did she listen to him?! Why did she actually put it on?! She should’ve thrown it at his face and run.
Lixue peeked between her fingers, only to imdiately groan. The soft material barely covered anything—it wasn’t just pretty, it was criminal. She had never worn sothing so... suggestive.
The longer she looked, the worse it got.
Her hands shot to her shoulders, gripping the thin straps. I should take it off. Right now. Before he—
A knock.
"Lixue."
She nearly jumped out of her skin.
His voice was calm, but she could hear the amusent behind it. "Are you alive in there?"
Lixue clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide like a trapped animal.
"Do you need another mont?" Mo Ran asked, entirely too patient. "Or are you admiring yourself?"
Her face ignited.
"I—" she choked, spinning to face the door as if that would help. "I am not admiring myself!"
"Then what’s taking so long?"
Lixue squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t go out there. She absolutely could not go out there.
But she had no choice. If she stayed in here any longer, he was going to know she was panicking.
Her grip tightened on the doorknob. Deep breath. You can do this.
Slowly, hesitantly, she cracked the door open just a little Ty.
Mo Ran was waiting just outside, arms crossed, that sa unreadable look in his eyes.
Lixue’s voice was barely a whisper. "...I changed."
His lips curved slightly. "Did you?"
She shrank back behind the door. "Stop looking at like that."
"I haven’t even seen you yet."
Lixue wanted to evaporate.
Mo Ran let out a low chuckle. "Are you coming out, or should I co in?"
Her stomach flipped.
Without thinking, she slamd the door shut.
"Lixue."
"I—I need another minute!"
Outside, she could hear him laughing.
Lixue had to gather every ounce of courage she possessed to step out of that bathroom. It’s just silk. It’s just fabric. It’s not a big deal.
She inhaled deeply, then turned the handle.
When she stepped into the room, Mo Ran was no longer standing by the door. He was sitting on the bed, one arm resting lazily over his knee, a teasing remark surely ready on his tongue—
Until he saw her.
His breath hitched.
Lixue saw it happen in real-ti—the way his casual posture stiffened, his fingers twitching slightly before curling into his palm. His teasing smirk was gone, replaced by sothing almost startled, like he hadn’t fully processed what he was seeing.
And then—
A deep red color crept up his neck, dusting over his ears.
Lixue blinked. Did he just—
Mo Ran cleared his throat, looking away for half a second like it would help. "You..." He stopped, swallowed, tried again. "You—"
Lixue tilted her head.
Did he just stutter?
Sothing wicked unfurled in her chest.
Slowly, she stepped closer, her confidence growing with every inch of his reaction. "Hmm? What was that?"
Mo Ran’s gaze flickered back to her, but this ti, there was a new heat in his eyes—one that sent a thrill up her spine.
Lixue smiled, feigning innocence. "You look a little red, Mo Ran. Are you feeling unwell?"
His jaw tensed. "Lixue."
The way he said her na—low and warning—should have made her stop.
It only made her bolder.
She took another step, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder as she leaned in just slightly. "I thought you were the one who picked this out. Don’t tell you weren’t expecting to wear it?"
Mo Ran exhaled sharply through his nose. His fingers twitched again, like he was holding himself back. "Lixue."
"What?" she mused, lips curving. "You were teasing so much earlier. What happened?"
His grip on the sheets tightened.
Oh.
Oh, she liked this.
"You don’t have anything to say?" Lixue continued, her voice soft, laced with a newfound confidence. She traced a light touch over his collarbone, feeling the tension in his muscles. "Did I make my husband speechless?"
Mo Ran moved so fast she barely had ti to react.
One second, she was standing over him, all smug with satisfaction—
The next, her back was pressed against the wall, his body caging her in, his hands braced on either side of her head.
Heat flooded her system.
Mo Ran leaned in, voice husky, low. "You’ve been playing with fire, Lixue."
She swallowed. Hard.
Gone was the flustered man from a mont ago. His eyes were dark now, filled with sothing deeper, sothing that made her knees threaten to give out beneath her.
"I—" she started, but the words barely ca out.
Mo Ran smirked, tilting her chin up with a single finger. "Keep going," he murmured. "I want to see how much confidence you have left."
Lixue’s face burned. Whatever confidence she’d had earlier vanished the mont Mo Ran leaned in, his breath warm against her skin.
"I—I was just—" she stamred, trying to turn her face away, but Mo Ran was having none of it.
His smirk deepened, his fingers tracing lightly along her jaw before dipping lower, brushing against the delicate skin of her collarbone.
"Just what?" His voice was laced with amusent, but there was sothing else, sothing deeper.
Before she could co up with any excuse, she felt the heat of his lips press against her collarbone.
Her entire body jolted.
"Mo Ran—!" She squeaked, hands instinctively flying to his shoulders, but she had nowhere to run.
He chuckled, the vibration of it sending shivers through her. "Hmm? What happened to all that teasing earlier?"
Lixue felt like her brain had completely short-circuited. The feeling of his lips, his hands on her waist, the way he was clearly enjoying her reaction—it was too much.
Her hands weakly pushed against him, but there was no strength behind it. "I—I was just joking—"
Mo Ran tilted his head, lips barely brushing against her skin as he spoke. "Oh? But you’ve gotten all worked up now..."
Before she could even process what was happening, his arms tightened around her waist—
And then, with effortless ease, he lifted her.
Lixue let out a startled gasp, legs instinctively wrapping around his waist to keep balance. "M-Mo Ran—!!"
He laughed, holding her up like she weighed nothing. "What? You started this, didn’t you?"
Lixue hid her face in his shoulder, utterly mortified. "I take it back! Put down!"
Mo Ran smirked against her skin. "Too late."
His grip tightened, pressing her closer. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body, the steady thrum of his heartbeat against her chest.
His voice dropped to a teasing whisper.
"You’ve gotten it up, so let’s have so fun, dear wifey."
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