"Xia Mo, what on earth are you doing?! Stop right now!"

Just as I was having a change of heart, Lingchuan yanked Xia Mo back. Still, she’d done me a huge favor—though now both Xia Mo and I were panting heavily.

"You’re asking what I’m doing? Isn’t it obvious? I’m just feeding my dear an apple... Or did you imagine something weird, Lingchuan?"

After a brief rest, Xia Mo unleashed a barrage of words. I knew her reload time well—one minute was all she needed to craft a retort that’d shut you up for ten.

"I—I haven’t imagined anything weird! I just think it’s unfair! Why do you get to use your mouth while I’m stuck with a toothpick?!"

Lingchuan’s face flushed crimson. She seemed ashamed, but honestly, this was normal for a girl. People like Xia Mo—who were shamelessly scheming—were rare. Almost nonexistent.

"Huh? You’ve already made that little arrangement with my dear, yet you’re scared of a kiss? Are you just too controlling—or is it all fake?"

That was Xia Mo’s real goal. Even I only just realized her roundabout scheme: to prove my "deal" with Lingchuan was a lie. Should I call her cunning or downright devious?

"W-well... of course... I absolutely don’t mind..."

Lingchuan’s words were jumbled. She avoided eye contact, guiltily. Xia Mo even caught the sweat beading on her forehead—total exposure.

"Besides, fairness was never set in stone. I never said you had to use a toothpick—you chose it. So this contest was fair from the start."

I had to admit—Xia Mo’s sophistry beat mine. Though I’d never stoop to sophistry myself. (Laugh.)

"So, can I continue what I was doing? Don’t interfere again, Lingchuan. Now then, Huiyuan—our game isn’t over yet..."

After brushing off Lingchuan, Xia Mo turned to me. She swallowed the apple piece she’d set aside, then grabbed another. But why chew it?! Don’t crush it! She kept the mush in her mouth and leaned toward me—

Wasn’t this worse than before? Was she planning to feed me mouth-to-mouth? This was even more disastrous! Someone stop this pervert!

"W-wait! Hold on!"

Lingchuan yanked Xia Mo back again. She stomped her foot anxiously, face burning redder, breath ragged.

"This is too much! A kiss—way too soon! And why did you chew the apple?!"

"Hmm..."

Xia Mo savored the apple’s flavor, then elegantly dabbed her lips with a tissue from the wooden table before speaking.

"What’s ‘too much’? The contest never said we had to use the same method. Besides—you’ve already made that arrangement with my dear. Why fear a kiss?"

A trace of mischief flashed in Xia Mo’s eyes. She was toying with Lingchuan! This contest was never about me—it was always about the girl to her left.

She was terrifying in every sense.

"O-of course! I—I don’t care about that stuff!"

Lingchuan avoided Xia Mo’s intense gaze, face deepening to scarlet. I realized then—the tide had turned. This match was always destined for Xia Mo’s victory.

"Hahahaha... Then no worries! I’ll just finish what I started!"

Seeing Lingchuan flustered, red-faced, and stomping in frustration, Xia Mo burst into bright laughter. If she weren’t so fond of teasing, she’d make a great girlfriend.

"Darling, sorry to keep you waiting. Now, this is the real deal—"

Xia Mo shifted her gaze to me, licked her lips, and leaned in, eyes closed, awaiting our kiss. Wait—what about the apple? Where’s the apple?!

Before Lingchuan could react, I pressed my palm against Xia Mo’s face, blocking her path. My hand perfectly covered her face—was this the legendary "palm-sized face"? I’d always thought it meant a face slapped red!

Confused, Xia Mo peered through my fingers, frowning slightly. Honestly, a girl’s face was so soft!

"Mmmph wha...?"

Whether she meant to tease or my hand muffled her, those words sounded dangerously suggestive. I ignored her—

But she didn’t break the pose. Her face stayed pressed to my palm—more like she was clinging to it.

She was doing this on purpose.

"Anyway, this joke’s gone far enough. I’m tired of playing with you two boring folks. Let’s go?"

I stood up, talking to myself. To be clear—it wasn’t that I wouldn’t release her face. She was clamped onto my wrist, refusing to let go—like she was expecting something.

"Darling, quitting already? But wow, your palm’s so sweaty... Are you nervous?"

Xia Mo’s expression turned unsettling. Was she scheming again? My sweat was their fault—I rarely got sweaty, except under extreme stress.

"Then let me clean it properly for you?"

She smiled. The next second, her lips closed around my fingers, sucking gently—dangerous! This might awaken something weird!

"Eep..."

This time, Lingchuan didn’t pull Xia Mo away. She covered her face but peeked through her fingers—

Meanwhile, Xia Mo savored it. Eyes closed, flushed cheeks betraying her shyness, yet she refused to stop this embarrassing play.

"Knock it off!"

I impatiently raised my hand and whacked Xia Mo’s head—she must be acting on pure impulse lately!

"Waaah..."