I've recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! Name: 'Pokémon But Stardew Valley'
----------------------
"I... I can manage on my own."
At this moment, Liu Erlong slowly loosened her grip on Dai Chengfeng, attempting to maintain a shred of 'elder' dignity.
But her voice, weakened by the soreness in her body and the embarrassment in her heart, lacked confidence.
Dai Chengfeng obligingly released his hold, but his gaze never left her. With a barely noticeable scrutiny and smile, he watched her carefully and slowly move to sit at the edge of the bed, trying to conceal her discomfort.
Dai Chengfeng smiled and pulled the low table closer to the bed for her convenience.
On the tray was a bowl of perfectly cooked white porridge, the grains bloomed and fragrant, accompanied by a few refreshing side dishes.
A dish of tender yellow scrambled eggs and a glass of warm water.
Simple, yet thoughtful.
"I don't know your taste preferences, so I kept it light."
Dai Chengfeng sat beside her, naturally picking up the bowl of porridge, gently stirring it with a spoon, scooping up a spoonful, and bringing it to Liu Erlong's lips.
This action was so natural and intimate, as if they had been doing this for a long time.
Liu Erlong was startled, looking at the steaming spoon before her, then raising her eyes to look at Dai Chengfeng.
His expression was focused, his gaze gentle, without a trace of mockery or reluctance, as if taking care of her was the most natural thing in the world.
"I... I can do it myself."
Liu Erlong hurriedly reached out to take the bowl and spoon, but her fingertips trembled slightly from nervousness.
Last night's indulgence could be blamed on alcohol, but now, in the bright morning light, everything was laid bare.
She clearly remembered how she had responded awkwardly yet boldly, how she had been under him...
These memories made it almost impossible for her to face him calmly, especially with his considerate actions highlighting her inner turmoil.
Dai Chengfeng slightly moved his wrist, avoiding her hand, his tone leaving no room for refusal, yet still gentle:
"Don't move, you're tired, let me do it."
These six simple words were like magic, freezing Liu Erlong in place.
The three words "you're tired" directly shattered the calm she was trying to maintain, making her blush from her cheeks to her ears.
She stammered, opening her mouth but unable to utter any rebuttal...
In the end, under the gaze of those deep eyes, she lowered her head slightly and accepted the spoonful of porridge from his hand.
The warm porridge slid down her throat, warmth spreading, indeed alleviating some of the fatigue and emptiness in her body.
Dai Chengfeng was extremely patient, feeding her spoon by spoon, occasionally bringing small dishes or scrambled eggs to her lips.
Liu Erlong was initially very embarrassed, her eyes darting around, but Dai Chengfeng's attitude was so calm and his actions so natural.
Gradually, she passively relaxed, silently accepting his feeding, occasionally glancing at his nearby profile.
He was indeed young, handsome, with sharp features, but there was a stability and determination in his brows that surpassed his age.
Last night, it was this young yet powerful body that took her on an unimaginable stormy journey.
Thinking of those fiery scenes, Liu Erlong quickly shook her head...
Soon, the bowl of porridge was almost empty.
Dai Chengfeng put down the bowl and handed her the glass of water. Liu Erlong took the glass, sipping the water, trying to cool down the inexplicable restlessness in her heart with the slightly cool water.
"More?" Dai Chengfeng asked.
Liu Erlong shook her head, put down the glass, still not daring to meet his gaze, and softly said:
"Enough, thank you."
The room fell into a brief silence, broken only by the occasional chirping of birds outside the window.
Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows between them. The air was filled with the lingering aroma of porridge and a subtle atmosphere known as "morning after"...
A mix of laziness, shyness, satisfaction, and a hint of burgeoning desire.
Dai Chengfeng's gaze fell on Liu Erlong's lowered eyelashes, the slight trembling arc revealing her unsettled heart.
His gaze slowly descended, passing over her moist, naturally rosy lips from drinking water, landing on her slender neck and the small patch of skin revealed by the slightly open collar of her undershirt.
There, faint traces left by him last night were still visible.
His eyes subtly darkened, and his breathing seemed to change slightly.
He reached out, his fingertips lightly brushing aside a strand of hair that had fallen beside her cheek, tucking it behind her ear.
His fingertips inevitably touched her sensitive earlobe and burning cheek.
Liu Erlong trembled all over, as if struck by a weak electric current, instinctively wanting to dodge, but her body felt weak.
"Still hurting?"
He asked softly, his voice deeper than before, carrying a raspy, sandpaper-like quality.
His question obviously referred to more than just the soreness from getting up.
Liu Erlong's face turned even redder, almost bleeding.
How could she answer?
To say yes would be admitting that he had "tortured" her enough.
To say no would seem suggestive...
She glared at him in frustration, but in Dai Chengfeng's eyes, this glare was utterly powerless, instead adding a touch of flirtatious charm with her watery eyes and flushed cheeks.
"You..."
Liu Erlong wanted to scold him but found her vocabulary lacking, and her voice sounded unbearably soft.
Dai Chengfeng chuckled lowly, the laughter vibrating from his chest, carrying a sense of pleasure and understanding.
He leaned closer, his forehead gently pressing against hers, their noses almost touching, their hot breaths intertwining.
"Erlong," he called her name, no longer the somewhat teasing "Elder Liu" or "Teacher Erlong," but directly and intimately "Erlong."
"Now, you're very clear-headed, right?"
Liu Erlong's heart skipped a beat, almost leaping out of her chest.
His words completely tore away the veil of "drunkenness."
Yes, now she was clear-headed, the sunlight bright, her mind lucid. Everything that happened last night and the lingering sensations in her body reminded her it wasn't a dream.
She couldn't deceive herself anymore.
Seeing her suddenly tense, holding her breath, Dai Chengfeng's eyes held a deeper, more profound smile.
One of his hands encircled her waist, while the other gently cupped her face, his thumb caressing her smooth cheek.
"Last night, you could say it was the alcohol," his lips almost touched hers, his breath scorching, "but what about now?"
"Erlong, fully aware, are you still willing...?"
Dai Chengfeng's question was straightforward and enticing, carrying a fatal attraction.
Liu Erlong's mind went blank, the embers of passion that had just been soothed by the porridge reignited into a blazing fire by his words.
After all, having just experienced it, she was already addicted. How much more so for someone who had suppressed herself for so many years?
That extreme experience of being strongly led, reaching the pinnacle and then falling, was something she had never imagined in her decades of rule-bound life.
Seeing her remain silent for a long time, her cheeks flushed, her eyes hazy, her body slightly trembling, Dai Chengfeng already understood in his heart.
He no longer waited for her verbal response but directly acted.
------------------------------------------------------
Join my Patreon to read an exclusive novel – 'Douluo: Rebuilding Hao Tian Sect'
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)