Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Tangtang, May I? (New) He was too close, his warm breath brushing against the hollow of her neck, the crisp, pleasant scent of woody cologne seeping into her very core. Chu Tang's nerves snapped taut, her breathing turning rapid. After speaking, Jiang Shixu lowered his gaze to Chu Tang's thin lips, so close they were nearly touching, and pressed his mouth to hers. A gentle, warm sensation landed on Chu Tang's lips—so light, so soft, like a feather brushing past. "So sweet." Chu Tang's heart pounded wildly, her breath unconsciously growing shallower as she lay stiff in bed, too nervous to move. The reward Jiang Shixu mentioned—was he going to... She had never experienced anything like that before, and her nervousness only grew. Her heart felt like it might leap out of her chest. Sensing the girl's tension, Jiang Shixu pulled back from her lips and let out a soft chuckle. "Relax, Tangtang. It's not like I'm going to eat you." With that, Jiang Shixu kissed her again. At first, his kisses were light and shallow—just a brief taste. Chu Tang was surprised, thinking to herself, Maybe I was overthinking it? Soon, she changed her mind. Jiang Shixu's kiss deepened gradually, the sweet fragrance of peach lingering between their lips, and Chu Tang began to find it hard to breathe. Her fingers intertwined with his, her blood felt like it was boiling, her body burning hot. Everything happened naturally. When it came to the final step, Jiang Shixu paused and asked her, "Tangtang, may I?" Chu Tang blushed and nodded. There were condoms in the box on the bedside table. After taking the necessary precautions, Jiang Shixu proceeded. For Chu Tang, this was an entirely new experience. Before coming here, she had anticipated that their first time might happen. Counting the time, she and Jiang Shixu had already been together for several months, so it wasn't too soon. At first, Jiang Shixu's movements were gentle, as if afraid of hurting her, but gradually he increased his intensity. Chu Tang drowned in the tide of desire, completely losing her bearings, rising and falling with Jiang Shixu. It wasn't until the dead of night that Jiang Shixu finally stopped. Chu Tang drifted off into a hazy sleep. She slept all the way until the next afternoon. When Chu Tang groggily opened her eyes, it was already three in the afternoon. The space beside her was empty—Jiang Shixu had already gotten up. It had snowed all night, and outside the window was a vast expanse of white, a silver-clad world as dreamlike as a fairyland. Tourists outside were building snowmen and having snowball fights, their laughter and playful shouts filling the air with liveliness. The bed was right by the window, and Chu Tang watched through the glass for a while, suddenly wanting to go out and build a snowman in the snow. "Awake? Hungry?" Jiang Shixu's voice came from behind her. Chu Tang turned and saw him holding a tray with a bowl of congee and some pastries. Jiang Shixu set the tray down on the small round table. "I just went downstairs and bought your favorite preserved egg and lean pork congee, plus some specialty snacks from Linyuan Ancient Town. Want to try some?" Chu Tang nodded. "Okay, let me go wash up first." Chu Tang slipped on her pajamas and got out of bed, nearly stumbling the moment her feet touched the ground. Jiang Shixu caught her in a flash, pulling her into his arms, his tone laced with meaning. "Legs feeling weak?" Chu Tang's cheeks burned. She hadn't noticed it much while lying in bed, but the moment she stood up, she felt her whole body aching and weak. He had been a bit too rough last night. Seeing Chu Tang blushing and silent, Jiang Shixu's voice was low, carrying a hint of amusement. "Sorry, baby. I was too forceful last night. Let me carry you to the bathroom to wash up." Chu Tang puffed out her cheeks. "I still want to go down and play in the snow. How am I supposed to go out like this?" Jiang Shixu smiled. "It's only temporary. Walk around the room a bit and you'll be fine." He carried her to the bathroom and set her down in front of the sink. Chu Tang still felt unsteady on her feet, the soreness at the top of her thighs especially pronounced, and her calves ached too. Jiang Shixu pressed close behind her, his arms wrapping around Chu Tang's waist. "Tangtang, I'll hold you." Chu Tang: "..." This was the first time she'd needed someone to hold her up while washing her face. Chu Tang took her own cup, filled it with water, and squeezed out some toothpaste. When traveling, she always brought her own toiletries and disposable sheets and pillowcases. While Chu Tang brushed her teeth, Jiang Shixu stood behind her, holding her, the mirror reflecting their bodies pressed together. Chu Tang looked at Jiang Shixu in the mirror. On his neck were two dark red hickeys. Those were from when she had sucked on him in the heat of passion last night. Thinking back to those steamy, tantalizing images from the night before, Chu Tang's cheeks flushed pink again. This small change didn't escape Jiang Shixu's notice. He looked at Chu Tang in the mirror, curved his lips, and asked with a smile, "What are you thinking about?" "N-nothing." Chu Tang's eyes darted away, a little guilty. A few minutes later, after Chu Tang finished washing up, Jiang Shixu turned her around to face him, leaned down, and gently sniffed. "Baby smells so good." Chu Tang felt heat rise to her face from embarrassment. "You keep changing what you call me—one thing after another." Jiang Shixu curled his lips into a faint smile, his voice low and seductive. "Don't you like it?" Chu Tang's face flushed crimson, her eyes lowered in silence. Jiang Shixu's Adam's apple bobbed, his gaze dark and deep, his voice slightly husky and alluring: "Baby's blushing face is so cute. I want to kiss you." Jiang Shixu lightly tapped his thin lips with his index finger. "Give me a kiss." Chu Tang obediently leaned in and placed a feather-light kiss on his lips. "Good girl." Jiang Shixu was thoroughly satisfied. He'd already had his fill last night, so today he'd let her off easy—one kiss was enough. Last night he'd only asked for it twice, though each time had lasted a bit long, and today she was already feeling a little sore. He couldn't be too rough at the start; it would scare her off. Anyway, there was plenty of time ahead. Jiang Shixu helped Chu Tang as they walked out of the bathroom. "Take it slow and get used to it. We'll go down and build a snowman in a bit." The girl blushed and let out a barely audible "Mm." Even though they'd already had their first intimate encounter last night, she still felt shy discussing the topic when fully awake. Especially when she saw the meaningful look on Jiang Shixu's face, her mind would uncontrollably replay the scenes from bed last night. Waves of heat surged and rolled, their breaths indistinguishable from one another, wave after wave drowning and consuming her. Linyuan Ancient Town's signature pastries were sweet without being cloying, flaky and tender on the palate. The sweet little desserts paired perfectly with the savory century egg and pork congee. After breakfast, Chu Tang wanted to go out and play in the snow and take photos. She spent over an hour putting on a meticulously detailed full face of makeup, let her slightly curled long hair fall loosely over her shoulders, and changed into a cream-white thick down jacket. Jiang Shixu wrapped a wine-red scarf around Chu Tang's neck. "It's cold outside. Wear the scarf." The guesthouse had a courtyard downstairs, where winter plum blossoms released a subtle fragrance and red plum blossoms stood proudly against the snow, each vying to outshine the other in full bloom. A young couple was building a snowman nearby, and a row of miniature snowmen in various shapes lined the low courtyard wall. Chu Tang walked over to look and exclaimed, "Wow, these little snowmen are so adorable! Can I take a photo with them?" The girl smiled and said, "Of course you can." Chu Tang's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. "Thank you." She waved at Jiang Shixu. "Shixu, come take a photo for me! Make sure to get these little snowmen in the shot too." Jiang Shixu had brought a professional DSLR camera. He adjusted the settings and aimed the lens at Chu Tang. The snow had just cleared and the sun was out, its gentle warmth spreading through the air. The girl in the frame smiled as brightly as spring sunshine, with the row of little snowmen behind her looking like a group of adorable sprites.