Who knew how much time had passed? The warmth at her fingertips slowly faded, but the lingering heat remained...

Qing Nianyi’s softly rippling eyes, once violet, were now flecked with golden scales. The tender warmth within them was like spring water, ready to sweep away the person before her. A haze clouded her gaze, but that infatuation still lingered...

A blush like sunset colored her breathtaking face, lending it a shy look. Her golden hair brushed her cheek like willow fluff drifting on the breeze, gently rippling the lake’s sunset glow.

Qing Nianyi slowly rose and pressed her lips together. Then her fingertip brushed lightly across them. Her eyes rippled with tender warmth as she gazed at her fingertip, seeming to savor the memory...

Her thoughts had long since drifted somewhere else...

“M-Miss Qing?”

Unlike Qing Nianyi, Qin Heng took a long while to come back to his senses. He spoke in a shaky voice.

He was still holding the folding fan in his hand.

“Hm!?”

At Qin Heng’s voice, Qing Nianyi snapped out of her beautiful fantasy. Her dazed, unfocused eyes gradually cleared.

She stared at the finger she’d pressed to her lips in disbelief. Then, as if remembering something, the blush on her pretty face deepened, spreading all the way to the tips of her ears like cherry blossoms—

Qing Nianyi hurriedly waved her hands. Her usually gentle voice now carried a hint of panic...

“Ah! I-I’m sorry. I saw you were injured, so I…”

“B-Because I have dragon blood in my veins, and dragon saliva can help heal wounds…”

“So, so that’s why… Of course, it’s not because… Ugh!”

By the time Qing Nianyi reached the end of her explanation, even she was almost having trouble believing it. Her face was bright red, and she stammered, unsure what to do...

The truth was, what she’d said wasn’t entirely false. Dragon saliva really could heal certain wounds. But that wasn’t why she’d bitten him before...

—“I just felt bad seeing those drops of blood fall. It felt like such a waste, too, so I wanted to catch them myself.”

…How could she possibly say something like that?!

And even Qing Nianyi herself didn’t know why seeing the blood of the young man before her had stirred up that strange desire and excitement inside her. Those thick drops of blood had looked like some kind of hallucinogenic potion to her. She couldn’t help wanting to drink them...

...

“I-I see. Well… thank you, Miss Qing…”

Qin Heng replied stiffly, his words broken and halting. He still hadn’t recovered from the shocking scene he’d just witnessed. The corners of his mouth twitched wildly, and his vision seemed to spin...

Suddenly, Qing Nianyi took Qin Heng’s hand again.

“I’m sorry! I really meant well. That’s why I-I did that!”

“Please don’t misunderstand! I-I’m not that kind of, k-kind of…”

Her voice had grown too quiet to hear by the end, but Qin Heng could more or less guess what she was trying to say. But...

They were way too close!!!

They were about to touch!!!

Qing Nianyi had suddenly moved closer, leaving the two of them at a rather awkward distance...

Qin Heng could even smell the faint fragrance on Qing Nianyi. A few strands of dark golden hair brushed across his face, making it tingle...

He gazed at Qing Nianyi’s breathtaking face, so close he could almost touch it, and those golden eyes radiating a gentle, alluring warmth. He could feel the warmth of her caress on his left hand...

Big Slacker was suddenly like a puppy whose tail had been stepped on. He yanked his hand back in a panic and even took a deliberate step away before hurrying to speak.

“Of course! I definitely believe you, Miss Qing Nianyi!”

“Here, this is your folding fan. I checked it just now, and there’s nothing damaged. Here, take it!”

“I’m really sorry. I-I have some things to take care of, so I’ll be going. Thank you, Miss Qing, for… for treating my wound just now…”

Qin Heng’s mind raced so hard it nearly fried his CPU before he managed to come up with an excuse. Then he turned and bolted, fleeing the scene in a hurry.

“Wait! I—”

Before Qing Nianyi could ask him to stay, Qin Heng had already run to the corner of the hallway. In moments, he was gone from sight.

Qing Nianyi immediately chased after him, but there was no way she could run in high heels...

She hurriedly bent down to take off her high heels, but by the time she looked up, Qin Heng was already gone.

That deathly feeling of loss welled up inside her again, like a huge stone pressing down on her heart. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake it. Even breathing became difficult and strained...

Ugh!

Qing Nianyi!!!

What are you even doing?!

This was your first chance to meet him, after all that waiting! And you went and ruined it like this!!

Couldn’t you control yourself for once?! Why were you in such a hurry!!! You scared him off!!!

What do you even want, Qing Nianyi!!!

As soon as she pictured Qin Heng avoiding her gaze and hurrying away from her, tears misted over Qing Nianyi’s eyes. Her nose stung, too, and she seemed on the verge of crying...

Her breathtaking face was full of hurt and self-reproach. Her hands rested against her cheeks, trembling uncontrollably—

Why, Qing Nianyi!!!

In the end, she still didn’t even know his name, even though he’d already remembered hers!!!

...

Self-reproach and resentment surged wildly inside her, slowly eating away at Qing Nianyi’s fragile nerves. Little by little, her legs gave out, and at last she sank to her knees on the floor.

Dust stained her luxurious evening gown, and her long hair spilled across the floor...

But their owner didn’t care in the least. She let them lie there and gather dust.

Only after quite some time did Qing Nianyi begin to calm down. But that sense of loss and pain hadn’t faded in the slightest.

She clutched the folding fan in her hand and gazed down at it, eyes lowered. Then a glimmer flashed in her eyes.

The banquet! There was still a banquet afterward… He’d definitely be there, too!

She still had a chance to make it right. If she explained things properly and got to know the young man better, he definitely wouldn’t hate her!!

At that thought, Qing Nianyi hurriedly stood up.

When she noticed that her hair had come loose and her evening gown was wrinkled, she went back to her room first...

Big Slacker was still running for his life. He didn’t know why he was running, but if he stayed there any longer, he definitely wouldn’t be able to resist—

Hold it, hold it!

What the hell are you thinking, Big Slacker!?

She said dragon saliva could heal wounds, so this was just ordinary wound treatment!!

What are you overthinking for, Big Slacker?!

A basic guy with way too much confidence is such a turnoff!

…………

It was a long while before Qin Heng finally stopped, panting hard as he let out a long breath.

“Sigh! Forget it… I should go find Colonel Zuo and the others first…”

But no matter what he told himself, the moment he lifted a hand, that scene from earlier would flash through his mind again...

Qin Heng had to admit that Qing Nianyi really was a peerless beauty. Just her looks and charm alone could rival that Cold Snake back home. She was far prettier than any model or actress he’d seen on TV. On top of that, she had such a gentle presence and grace, and even her voice was sweet and ethereal. Anyone who came into contact with her would be drawn to that warmth...

But that was all just wishful thinking. Her status and abilities were both far beyond someone like him. Just meeting Ning Muxuan already felt like proof that Big Slacker had saved the galaxy in a past life...

Big Slacker knew exactly how little he had to offer...