Chapter 9: Nan Qingcheng

"Come out, stop hiding." Qing Mei said coldly toward a peach blossom tree. Ever since Qing Zhining brought people over earlier, she had felt a scorching gaze fixed on her from that direction, though she didn't know who it was. Before long, a dark figure descended from the peach tree, accompanied by a flurry of falling blossoms. Black boots embroidered with auspicious dragons landed softly; the lean figure looked incredibly powerful. The man was peerlessly handsome, his face as sharply defined as if carved, with angular features that were exceptionally striking. His appearance seemed unrestrained and wild, but the sharp glint inadvertently revealed in his eyes made one dare not underestimate him. He had thick, jet-black hair, and beneath a pair of sword-like brows were long, slender peach-blossom eyes, brimming with such affection that one could easily fall into them if not careful. He had a high-bridged nose and lips of moderate thickness, a vibrant red. He appeared to be about seventeen or eighteen years old.

It was a face that would make any woman jealous, and the wicked, charming smile hanging on his lips was both dangerous and impossible to resist. Even Qing Mei, who had seen many handsome men, was stunned; even Yan Lie paled in comparison to this man by many degrees. The man just looked at her quietly. "Woman, have you seen enough?" Qing Mei snapped back to reality, returning the man’s gaze with a captivating smile of her own. "Enough." The smile on the man's lips stiffened for a moment. He had only been teasingly asking if she had seen enough, yet this woman had actually answered "enough"—how truly unique. The two stood facing each other, smiling at one another, exchanging sparks as they did so, and the standoff continued... Qing Mei had truly had enough and was the first to break the silence; if she kept smiling, her face would cramp. "Hey, who are you?" Qing Mei asked directly. The man slowly walked toward Qing Mei until the distance between them was very, very close. The pleasant scent of the man reached Qing Mei’s nose, feeling very comfortable. Strangely, Qing Mei did not feel repulsed by their proximity; it seemed... she even enjoyed it. This feeling left Qing Mei speechless.

Since Qing Mei was only fifteen, her body was not yet tall enough, so she had to tilt her head to look at him. As she looked up, she collided with the man's deep, dark eyes, making Qing Mei unable to help but sink into them. However, she resisted that strange feeling of heart-fluttering and looked at him calmly. The man leaned close to Qing Mei’s ear, his warm breath brushing against it. "My name is Nan Qingcheng." This sensation made Qing Mei shiver, and she took a step away from him. "What are you doing here?" Qing Mei still intended to figure out whether the person in front of her was a friend or a foe. "Woman, you are very interesting," Nan Qingcheng said to Qing Mei with his signature smile. Qing Mei looked at Nan Qingcheng, who was answering questions with irrelevant remarks, and was speechless. "Are you sick or something?" "I am not sick. Remember, my name is Nan Qingcheng, and I am not your enemy." The more Nan Qingcheng looked at the Qing Mei before him, the more he liked her. He didn't know why he had this feeling the first time he saw her; the heart that hadn't stirred for years was beating for her at this very moment. Perhaps, she was the one for a lifetime.

Nan Qingcheng didn't know why he had such an impulse toward Qing Mei upon their first meeting—was this the legendary love at first sight? In the days to come, whenever Nan Qingcheng recalled this day, he would be grateful that he had lingered at the Qing estate. Nan Qingcheng suddenly lunged toward Qing Mei, and before she could react, he wrapped his arms around her slender waist. Their thin lips met, and the surrounding air became thick with ambiguity. After a bout of passionate turning, Qing Mei remained passive throughout, constantly pushing at Nan Qingcheng, but unfortunately, he was too strong, and no matter how she pushed, she couldn't break free. Only when Qing Mei felt she could no longer breathe did Nan Qingcheng let her go. "Qing Mei, right? Mei'er, from now on, this place is mine, and you... will be mine too." Nan Qingcheng stroked Qing Mei’s swollen, red lips and said tenderly. With a flash, Nan Qingcheng vanished without a trace. Qing Mei stood dazed on the spot, seemingly still savoring the kiss. Suddenly coming to her senses, Qing Mei realized she had been forcibly kissed and immediately began punching and kicking the air. "Damn Nan Qingcheng, how dare you force a kiss on me! Ahhhhhh!" Qing Mei shouted at the sky. After venting, Qing Mei didn't care about her image and plopped down on the ground, touching her lips, which had already lost some of their swelling. His taste seemed to linger there, and she couldn't help but curl her lips. Nan Qingcheng, is it? It seems... this person isn't bad, and it seems like I... have also been moved. If he treats me sincerely, I will give him a chance. Qing Mei’s mood suddenly improved, and she called Ning'er to sneak out for a big meal. Hidden in the shadows, Nan Qingcheng watched the swaggering Qing Mei and smiled. Mei'er, I really have fallen for you, what should I do...