Chapter 231: Happiness

The night grew deeper.

The air in the washroom was hot and humid.

Wendy rested his head on Xi Ya’s lap, savoring the sensation.

Through the slightly damp fabric, the lavender fragrance grew stronger, drilling into his nostrils and numbing the last threads of his lucid consciousness.

Xi Ya’s fingers gently pressed on the acupoints on his scalp, the dark purple glow of her magic flickering on and off.

Each strand of magic transformed into the purest warm current, seeping in through his scalp and flowing all the way down, cleansing every limb and bone.

Comfortable.

Too comfortable.

This feeling had surpassed mere physical enjoyment.

It was a soul being soaked in warm water, being cradled by the gentlest hands, and carefully wiped clean of all dust and fatigue—the ultimate ease.

All his calculations, all his defenses, all his guilt, were smoothed away and dissipated in this absolute tranquility.

Wendy felt himself melting, like a pat of butter on a low flame, slowly, willingly, turning into a pool of golden liquid.

Desire, in this extreme relaxation, rose silently like bubbles from the deep.

Not the stormy, plundering desire of Astreia, nor the willful, demanding desire of Laxana.

It was more primal, more instinctual.

A craving for more.

A craving for a deeper connection.

Wendy’s lips moved unconsciously, brushing lightly against the soft fabric.

Amazing elasticity.

A shallow tooth mark was left behind.

It was less like a bite and more like a clumsy kitten testing its way to show closeness and dependence.

Then he opened his mouth, and with his teeth, very, very lightly, he touched that soft spot.

The moment the action was completed, Wendy froze himself.

‘What did I just do?’

Xi Ya’s fingers paused on his head for a moment, but there was no scolding, no pushing him away.

Wendy could even feel the muscles in the legs beneath him tense briefly due to his bold move, then quickly relax again.

Then she leaned down.

Her pink hair cascaded down like a waterfall, tickling Wendy’s cheek and shoulder.

Before Wendy could react, he felt a cool touch on the side of his neck.

It was her red lips.

Then, a mild but clear sting.

Xi Ya was also gently nibbling at his collarbone area.

Her force was a bit heavier than his tentative one, but absolutely not painful.

It felt like a craftsman branding her most cherished work with an indelible, unique mark.

“Boom—”

A numbing electric current exploded from his neck, shooting through his entire body.

Wendy’s body shuddered violently.

His heart skipped a beat, then began racing like a wild drum.

The water in the bath seemed to have been boiled at that moment.

The air turned scorching hot, thick enough to make it hard for him to breathe.

Xi Ya released him and slowly straightened up.

The hands that had been on his scalp withdrew as well.

Wendy still lay on her lap, his mind blank.

All he could feel was the patch of skin on his neck burning hot.

The sudden withdrawal caused the support for Wendy’s head to vanish, and his head fell back uncontrollably, causing him to choke on a small mouthful of water.

He sat up awkwardly, wiped his face, and looked up.

Xi Ya stood at the edge of the pool, looking down at him.

Then she lifted her leg and stepped into the pool.

The warm water rippled in circles.

She walked toward Wendy step by step, still wearing her librarian’s long dress.

The soaked skirt clung tightly to her long legs, outlining breathtaking curves.

Wendy’s heart pounded even faster.

Instinctively, he shrank back, but his back hit the cold pool wall.

There was no retreat.

Xi Ya stopped in front of him and slowly crouched down.

Their lines of sight finally met in the steaming mist.

Wendy stared at her face, so close.

In those purple eyes, he saw his own flustered and bewildered expression.

On a whim, he raised his hand, wanting to touch that flawless face.

He wanted to confirm if what he was seeing was real or just an illusion born of extreme exhaustion.

His wrist was caught in midair.

Xi Ya’s hand was slightly cool, but carried an unyielding force.

“Want to learn something else?”

She spoke.

Her lips moved slowly and ambiguously against his.

With her other hand, she raised it, and her slender fingertip gently landed on the corner of Wendy’s mouth.

Wendy’s brain completely shut down.

Learn… something else?

Before he could process the meaning of the words, Xi Ya kissed him.

In that moment, his entire world was taken over.

This time, it was completely different from the brief, butterfly-like touch just now.

Intense, and aggressive.

The lavender fragrance swept all the way in, sweeping through every inch of his mouth.

Domineering, yet extremely gentle.

It wasn’t plundering roughly, but rather guiding him, teaching him in a way that left no room for resistance, making him adapt to her rhythm, drown in her scent.

All of Wendy’s thoughts were completely emptied by this kiss.

He forgot who he was, where he was, and the two people still waiting for him in the dorm.

The whole world was reduced to the exchange of warmth and humidity, and the absolute control that made him weak all over.

After what felt like an eternity, the kiss finally ended.

Xi Ya pulled back slightly, looking at the dazed prince before her.

“Ha… ha…”

Wendy gasped heavily, his chest heaving violently, his eyes unfocused, completely unable to concentrate.

“You still haven’t learned how to breathe,” Xi Ya said, raising her finger and casually wiping the strand of moisture from the corner of his mouth.

The beautiful librarian’s face held a hint of helplessness, but also a hint of satisfaction.

“It seems we’ll need to continue.”

Continue?

The thought barely surfaced in Wendy’s chaotic mind.

Then he felt a hand slide silently down his chest into the water.

Spread quickly across his entire body.

That hand had rough calluses, but was surprisingly agile.

It didn’t rush downward; instead, it circled lightly on his abdomen.

Every move precisely caressed his most sensitive nerve endings.

Instinctively, Wendy wanted to flinch, to curl up.

But the back of his neck was firmly held by her other hand.

Xi Ya’s voice sounded in his ear, soft but commanding.

“Feel.”

Wendy’s body stiffened completely.

He couldn’t resist, nor did he want to.

Resistance, in the face of this ultimate gentleness, seemed so foolish and superfluous.

Finally, he slowly closed his eyes.

Choosing to abandon all thought, surrendering everything to the woman before him.

Let her lead.

Let her control.

This feeling of being completely controlled, gently wrapped…

Was, unexpectedly, an unprecedented happiness.