"I’m just going to hold you. I won’t do anything strange…"

"Really? Why does that sound like something a perverted middle-aged uncle would say?"

"You’re overthinking it, really!"

"Wow. There are countless lines to trick a girl into bed, and this one’s about as classic as it gets..."

"..."

……

Despite what she said, Lin Yixin still pushed her back against my chest. I instinctively wrapped my arms around her… and was rewarded by a most soft and bouncy sensation in my palms. I froze like a statue as realization struck me. Shit! She just bathed, and I didn’t hear her changing into her pyjamas just now! Of course she isn’t wearing anything!

"..."

Lin Yixin neither spoke nor moved a muscle.

My blood boiled with indescribable lust. I moved closer so I could kiss Lin Yixin on the lips, and Lin Yixin responded with surprising fervor. For whatever reason, she was unusually eager tonight.

Almost a minute later, after we parted to breathe some air, Lin Yixin whispered with a pant, "Hey…"

"Yes?" I asked.

"Are you going to keep grabbing my… you know?" she said in a most embarrassed voice.

Oh, right. Since the moment I climbed into bed, I had been grabbing her… Yeah, I might be pushing it a little.

However, I decided to be bold and keep my hands exactly where they were. "I don’t want to move my hands away though. What should I do?"

Lin Yixin burst into a giggle. "Pervert!"

We maintained this position for a while while Lin Yixin trembled. Suddenly, she pushed me to my back and climbed above me. I felt like I was being electrocuted when her pink nipples slid across my chest. As she lay on top of me and buried her face between my neck, I heard her whispering, "Lu Chen…"

"Er, why are you sounding so formal all of a sudden…"

I almost couldn’t hear her next words even though her lips were right beside my ear. "Tonight… if you want… I can… give you…"

Me: "..."

My brain literally blanked out for a second. Am I hearing this right? I have to be! After all… this was something every man in the world dreamed of hearing at least once in their life!

My hands unconsciously slid down her back until they rested on top of her firm, round butt. She felt boiling hot to touch, and she was shivering like a leaf. Of course, this was the first time for her as it was for me. In fact, I felt like I could faint from sheer excitement. I couldn’t possibly allow that to happen though. Forget me, even the readers had been waiting for this for almost 2 years!

"Ah…"

As Lin Yixin slid her butt downward, she abruptly came into contact with something hard and somehow turned even redder than she already was. Her breathing was so rapid that I would’ve taken her to the hospital if I didn’t know better. At any rate, she evidently had no idea what to do after this.

It took everything in my power to remain conscious. I was 24 years old this year, and it would seem that I could finally bid goodbye to my virginity tonight. I mean, I better! What kind of man at this day and age was still a virgin at 24 years old!?[1]

Some parts of my body were nearly threatening to fall into a coma. The part that was touching the Fruit Knife Goddess’s warm place was certainly—No! If I think any further, Lost Leaf will be KO’d by the government!

I placed my hands on Lin Yixin’s waist and gritted my teeth. Let’s do this in one try, me!

"Mm…"

Lin Yixin let out a soft moan as buried her face against my chest. God knows if it was out of joy or pain, and I wasn’t stupid enough to ask the question.

……

The connection was almost complete as the tip of a sinful hardness slowly but surely became enveloped in warm folds. Then, my vision suddenly dyed red—

Pa!

A bloody arm burst out of the ground and frantically clawed away at the earth covering it. It was me at one of the worst moments of my life.

"AHHHHHH…"

A bloodcurdling scream filled my ears, and the background suddenly changed to that of a bathroom in Bloody Mercenaries’ workshop. I was screaming like a cow and spasming like I was having a seizure on the ground. At the same time, patches of dead skin started appearing all over my body.

"No, no…"

Lin Yixin and He Yi’s cries reached my ears. I had burst into tears myself.

It was at this moment a voice called out to me from the darkness. "Lu Chen? Is that you, Lu Chen?"

I replied dazedly, "It’s me. Who are you?"

The immobile figure in the darkness said to me, "Who else but you? I’ve come with a warning. You were a dead man, returned to life by a mysterious virus. Do you have any idea what’s happening to your body? Is your blood normal? Are your bodily fluids normal? Would they harm her? Even if damage isn’t immediately obvious, could you live with yourself if something happened, and you knew too late? With your recent flare-up, you can’t take your lover, no matter how much you love them, no matter how much you want to. Are you a man that would take a risk that could hurt his woman?"

I shuddered violently. "I…"

The shadow smiled at me and said, "I am your truest self, Lu Chen. Don’t lose sight of me, don’t lose your way. I know the walk has been hard, and that we have no way of knowing the end, but I believe in you, so you too believe in yourself!”

……

"Ah!"

After I broke out of my stupor, I pushed Lin Yixin away from me without hesitation and said, "No! No! I cannot. I must not do this…"

In the darkness, a confused and embarrassed Lin Yixin chided me, "Are you kidding me!? We were this close, and I… we… you… are you chickening out on me now, you bastard?!"

I held her hand tightly and said again and again, "I love you, Yiyi, I love you…"

"Then why?" She sounded really resentful.

I gritted my teeth and hugged her tightly. Then, I said to her, "I… you know that my body isn’t normal, right? It’s constantly battling against my own will. Trust me, I’m the last one who wants to say this, but can you please give me a bit more time? A year is all I ask. If my body remains normal for another year, I promise you won’t be able to keep me away even if you try."

For a time, Lin Yixin didn’t say anything. Then, her hot tears dripped against my chest, and she kissed my neck. She said between muffled sobs, "I-I don’t blame you, Lu Chen. I love you too. I will always love you. But… I’m scared, Lu Chen, I’m so scared you will…"

"What are you scared about, Yiyi?"

"N-nothing. I…" Lin Yixin wrapped her arms around my back before continuing, "Just hold me like this for the night, okay? I love you. I really love you…"

"Mn."

……

My feelings were a jumbled mess as I held the girl of my life in my arms. I had a feeling that Lin Yixin knew something about my condition, but neither she nor me were willing to broach that topic. We didn’t know how much time we had left, but we would love each other with all our might no matter what might stand between us!

An indefinite amount of time later, Lin Yixin’s breathing finally slowed to a soft, steady rhythm. She had finally fallen asleep.

I carely removed my hands from her chest and lay on my back. A few minutes later, a wave of exhaustion took me and carried me to dreamland as well.

When I woke up, the sun was already shining in through the window.

Knock knock knock knock!

The sound of knuckles rapping against wood entered my ears, and Sun Qingqing called out from outside the door, "Your breakfast is ready, sir and lady! Would you like me to tidy your bed sheets after you exit the room, or would you like to do it one more time before breakfast? Tell me now so I can carry out my duty properly!"

An awoken Lin Yixin blushed like an apple when she heard this. "Duty your ass! Go warm us a glass of milk each. We’ll be downstairs in a jiffy."

"Yes, yes. So… did you remember to use a condom?"

Lin Yixin turned even redder. "We didn’t!"

"You didn’t use a condom!?"

"I mean we didn’t do anything! Get lost and go get that milk warmed already! Or do you want me to break out the belt!?"

Sun Qingqing went downstairs after she was finally done teasing her beautiful guild leader.

Lin Yixin and I stared at each other for a moment.

"So, do you want to go for another try?" I suggested.

Lin Yixin lay back down on her bed and squeezed out a most inviting cleavage with her arms. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

Instantly one-shot, I wrapped my arms around her and pecked her once on the lips. Finally, I gave her sexy butt a slap before saying, "Enough, it’s not good to dawdle in bed. Let’s put on some clothes and eat breakfast already!"

"Fine. Turn around."

"But I’ve already seen everything…"

"Turn. Around."

"Fine…"

……

After I finished washing and putting on my Versace outfit, I went downstairs to eat breakfast with Lin Yixin. When that was over, I called He Yi and told her that I was occupied, and that I wouldn’t be participating in the contest for the Cities of Heaven for the day. She was surprisingly fine with it. "Okay! The contest is going to last for 48 hours anyway. Just make sure you don’t tear up your wound and come back tomorrow or tonight!"

"Okay!"

After I hung up, Lin Yixin asked me with a playful smirk on her face, "I wonder why Sister He Yi told you not to tear up your wound?"

I pretended not to hear her.

Nangong Lexi had no qualms revealing the truth in the most vulgar manner, however. "Because it will suck if he tears his wound fucking you too hard, duh!"

My face was a stony mask, but thankfully Lin Yixin wasn’t incapitated to the point where she couldn’t speak. "Pooh, that’s enough dirty talk for the day. Lu Chen, it’s almost 11 now, so get ready. We’ll be having lunch with mom and dad at 12 pm sharp."

"Got it."

……

My ride was currently at the Frost Cloud workshop, so I had no choice but to let Lin Yixin drive me to the Chengnan commercial square she mentioned yesterday. There used to be farmlands here and there in the city, but they had been replaced with supermarkets, shopping malls and more. However, business in the commercial square was much poorer compared to the city center, which was why the current owner was looking to transfer ownership to someone else. It must be said that Lin Xiao was an extremely rich man. Not every wealthy person could afford a commercial square this size.

While holding hands with me and strolling across the commercial square, Lin Yixin said in a cheerful tone, "We’ll be having lunch at a western restaurant. I know you don’t enjoy western food much, but please endure it this once~"

I smiled back. "I’ll be fine. Even boxed lunch is tasty if I can have it with you."

"Heehee, good!"

……

We strode into the western restaurant and found the table on the second floor next to a window. As mentioned earlier, both Lin Yixin’s mother and father were present. Lin Xiao looked much younger than he used to after his beloved woke up, and auntie looked as gorgeous as ever. Considering how Lin Yixin turned out, it was only natural.

There was another youngster with Lin Xiao and auntie, however. He looked to be about 28 years old, and he wore a pair of spectacles and a suit that made him look very refined. I had no idea who he was, but suspicion was growing inside my mind.

Lin Yixin walked up to the trio together.

"Mom!"

The first person Lin Yixin addressed was her mother. Although her relationship with her father had improved, it was clear as day that she still felt a bit of resentment toward him. Also, judging from the flash of astonishment on his face, Lin Yixin must not have told him about my arrival.

"You… you’re here too, Lu Chen?" Lin Xiao greeted me.

I nodded. "Hello, auntie. Hello, uncle. Yiyi invited me to join her, so I did. It wouldn’t happen to be a problem, would it?"

"Of course not. It’s been a while since we last spoke!" Auntie’s smile was as sincere as she was beautiful.

"Allow me to make the introductions!"

Lin Xiao motioned at the young man beside him and began, "This young man here is Owen, the CEO of our partner company, Murphy International. He will be cooperating with me to develop this commercial zone. We’ve just finished negotiating the contract this morning, so we decided to have lunch together."

Owen smiled politely before saying to Lin Yixin, "It looks like Uncle Lin’s boasts are true after all. You really are a beautiful and talented woman. Nice to meet you!"

1. T/N: guess who’s going to still be one at the end of this chapter