Chapter 362: The Young Girl Initiates a Kiss

The moment the young girl’s hand brushed against the man’s, the rhythmic, clear clicking of footsteps in the corridor stopped abruptly.

The world seemed to have been muted. 

Every sound vanished, leaving only a tingling sensation, like an electric current, surging from where their palms met and spreading through her entire body.

Chu Tian’s pace jerked to a stop. 

His body stiffened for a moment, and a hint of disbelief flickered in his eyes as they fell upon his hand. 

That slender, fair, and petite hand was gripping his with a mixture of stubbornness and hesitation.

The girl’s hand was cool, carrying the chill of the evening breeze. 

It was also incredibly soft — soft beyond belief. 

He could even clearly feel the uncontrollable, slight trembling of her fingertips.

That tension and shyness were transmitted through their pressed skin without reservation, crystal clear.

Chu Tian slowly turned his head.

The girl kept her head lowered. 

Her brilliant, golden hair cascaded down like a waterfall, veiling most of her face. 

He could only see her petite, exquisite chin and her small, adorable earlobes, which were now flushed a deep crimson.

She looked like a startled young animal — trembling from head to toe with shyness, yet summoning every ounce of courage to reach out her “claws” for a harmless, tentative touch.

Chu Tian froze for half a second.

Then, an irrepressible, heartfelt smile blossomed at the corners of his lips. 

That smile was like sunlight breaking through the clouds, instantly lighting up his deep eyes and dispelling all the previous gloom and loneliness.

He turned his hand over, using his warm, broad palm to wrap her small, cold hand tightly and completely within his own. 

Not a single gap remained.

A violent tremor ran through her. 

A faint electric current erupted from where their skin met, and Su Nian’s body completely froze at that moment.

‘We’re holding hands!’

The thought surfaced clearly in her mind.

Chu Tian’s palm was broad and dry, with the thin callouses unique to someone who had practiced swordsmanship for years; the rough texture lightly brushed against the delicate back of her hand. 

His fingers were long and powerful, interlacing with hers with an irresistible strength. 

Finally, with a gesture of absolute possession, he wrapped her small, cold hand entirely and seamlessly within his palm.

Su Nian’s heart constricted sharply, then began to throb uncontrollably. 

It was very warm, bringing a sense of security…

Her fingertips curled subconsciously, wanting to break free.

The polished marble floor of the corridor reflected their intertwined hands. 

The sight was something she didn’t dare look at for too long. 

Her mind raced, attempting to find a logical explanation for her current behavior.

“It’s because… my hands are cold.”

That excuse blurted out almost without a second thought; it was the only lifeline she could grasp in that moment.

“Mm, they won’t be cold anymore like this.”

Chu Tian didn’t seem to intend to let her off. 

He gripped her hand even tighter, his thumb lightly stroking her soft palm.

Su Nian kept her head down, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed. 

To take the initiative to hold a man’s hand… even she felt the excuse of cold hands was weak and hollow. 

‘With her strength, how could her hands be cold? Besides, she’s a Fire Mage. If she were really cold, wouldn’t she just use Magic? Is she an idiot? She doesn’t even know how to find an excuse. Ugh…’

However, being held so tightly by Chu Tian did indeed provide a continuous flow of heat from her palm. 

That warmth was very comfortable…

The heat in her cheeks was almost enough to set her entire being ablaze, making her feel waves of dizziness. 

The last, fragile line of defense in her heart retreated steadily before this indisputable warmth, eventually collapsing entirely. 

That tiny, final bit of resistance vanished instantly under his domineering tenderness.

Unfamiliar emotions rippled through the lake of her heart. 

The feeling was faint, yet it carried a trace of sweetness that allowed her body — previously stiff from tension — to gradually relax.

‘It seems… being held by him like this is actually quite nice. It feels safe.’

That was right.

Her brain finally recovered a sliver of logic from the chaotic sea of shame. 

All the evidence pointed to one fact: she and the man beside her were the most intimate of partners before she lost her memories.

Since they were partners… holding hands was perfectly normal. 

Perhaps she and Chu Tian used to hold hands frequently, so she would be able to get used to it quickly.

The corridor from the terrace to her room wasn’t long, but it felt as if they had been walking for a very long time. 

All her senses were concentrated on their joined hands.

Finally, the familiar oak door of her room appeared in her sight. 

Su Nian stopped and let go of his hand. 

The warmth enveloping her was suddenly withdrawn. 

The chill returned to her fingertips instantly, bringing a sudden, hollow sense of loss.

Chu Tian didn’t seem to notice anything amiss; his voice was as gentle as usual. 

He entered the room and took out several shimmering Magic crystals from his pocket, skillfully beginning to set up a Defensive Magic Array at several key points around the room.

“Alright, we’re here.”

Su Nian stood silently to the side, watching him. 

A man possessed a special charm when he was focused. 

His expression was serious, and his fingers traced elegant, precise paths through the air. 

Magic flowed from his fingertips like a docile stream, connecting the crystals into a complex Defensive Magic Array that emitted a soft glow.

Su Nian’s gaze lingered on him uncontrollably.

She remembered the scene on the terrace. 

His lonely, bitter smile, his solitary back as he turned to leave… and her own… nearly resolute retreat. 

Faced with her lover’s instinctive attempt at closeness, she had behaved as if she were facing some kind of monster.

After all, the atmosphere while watching the moon together earlier had been quite good…

She had to… do something.

Su Nian gripped the hem of her dress. 

A bold thought took root in her heart, growing wildly and causing her cheeks to burn with heat.

“It’s done.”

Chu Tian’s voice pulled her back from her scattered thoughts. 

Inside the room, the array composed of light slowly faded and disappeared, leaving behind only a reassuring ripple of energy.

“It’s safe now.” He clapped his hands, a relaxed smile on his face as he turned to walk toward her. 

“It’s late. Get some rest.”

He walked to the door, preparing to leave.

Su Nian’s heart leaped into her throat, ‘Now or never.’

“Um…” She heard her own voice, which carried an undetectable tremor.

Chu Tian stopped and looked back, a hint of inquiry in his eyes.

Su Nian lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze, her voice as quiet as a mosquito’s buzz. 

“Th… thank you.”

“There’s no need for that between us,” Chu Tian said with a smile, his tone matter-of-fact.

He turned around again, his hand resting on the doorknob.

Su Nian watched his back, seeing him about to leave, and that wild thought in her heart completely overrode her logic and reserve.

She lunged forward. 

Her high heels stepped onto the carpet without making a sound. 

Su Nian’s approach was silent, like a cat preparing to pounce.

Just a second before Chu Tian stepped out the door, she stood on her tiptoes.

Time seemed to stretch infinitely in that moment. 

She could clearly hear her heart drumming — one beat after another, echoing in her ears.

Then, she closed her eyes as if completing a sacred and solemn ritual, pressing her soft lips lightly and quickly against Chu Tian’s warm cheek.

It was as brief as a dragonfly skimming the water.