Why didn't you tell me earlier that my little sister is still waiting for me?

Lin Bufan's expression and tone were so realistic that Xu Hongdou's heart tightened, and she subconsciously turned her head quickly in the direction he was pointing to look out the window behind her—

The courtyard was empty, with only the shadows of trees swaying in the wind. In the distance were the quiet village and the gradually darkening sky—nothing else.

"What? Where is that?" Xu Hongdou turned around in confusion, wanting to ask Lin Bufan what he had seen.

The instant she turned her head—

Her lips landed perfectly on Lin Bufan's cheek, which had somehow become very close to hers.

It felt warm to the touch, carrying a hint of the refreshing scent of his skin.

Time seemed to stand still for a second.

Xu Hongdou's mind went blank, her eyes wide open, and right in front of her was Lin Bufan's profile, which was full of "planning genius" and a sly smile.

Lin Bufan touched the spot where he had been kissed, turned his head, winked at Xu Hongdou who was still frozen in shock, and said in a tone that was a mixture of surprise, smugness, and irritation, mimicking the landlord's mannerisms in movies, drawing out his words:

"Dou'er—are you serious?"

"Lin! Bu! Fan!" Xu Hongdou finally reacted, a surge of heat rushed to her head, her cheeks instantly turning bright red, both ashamed and angry. Without thinking, she raised her hand and punched his shoulder: "You bastard! You tricked me again!"

Lin Bufan was prepared and laughed as he dodged to the side, nimbly avoiding the punch.

"All's fair in war! Who told you to be so gullible..." Lin Bufan continued to be sarcastic while dodging.

Xu Hongdou was even angrier and chased after him, ready to fight. The room was cramped, and Lin Bufan bumped into a chair as he dodged, making a loud bang. Xu Hongdou, focused on catching this bastard, wasn't paying attention to her footing and tripped over the overturned chair leg. She lost her balance, cried out, and fell forward.

"Watch out!" Lin Bufan reacted quickly, not even bothering to dodge, and hurriedly reached out to pull Xu Hongdou back.

He grabbed Xu Hongdou's arm and pulled her back forcefully, trying to steady her. But Xu Hongdou's forward momentum was a bit too strong, and Lin Bufan, pulled by her, deliberately lost his footing, and the two of them stumbled and fell to the side together.

With a muffled thud, Lin Bufan's back slammed against the wall, stopping his retreat. Xu Hongdou, however, was firmly held in his arms, falling into his embrace, her forehead hitting his solid chest.

The impact caused both of them to groan.

The expected pain didn't come. Xu Hongdou, still shaken, looked up and found herself tightly embraced by Lin Bufan, their bodies pressed together, almost completely sealed. One of his hands was around her waist, and the other was holding her forearm. Her hands instinctively wrapped around Lin Bufan's neck, and through the thin fabric of their clothes, they could clearly feel each other's rapid and strong heartbeats.

Thump, thump...

The room suddenly became eerily quiet, with only the intertwined, slightly disordered breathing sounds.

The earlier playfulness and commotion vanished instantly, replaced by a distinctly different, viscous, and subtle atmosphere. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting interplay of light and shadow on their embracing figures.

Xu Hongdou looked up, her gaze meeting Lin Bufan's deep eyes. The usual playfulness and cynicism in them had vanished, replaced by a focused and profound light she had never seen before, as if a vortex was swirling within them, threatening to draw her in.

Lin Bufan's breath brushed against Xu Hongdou's forehead, carrying a warm scent. The arms around her waist were strong and powerful, their warmth seeping through her clothes and soothing her skin.

Xu Hongdou felt her cheeks burning hot, and her heart was pounding uncontrollably. She wanted to look away, to say something to break the eerie silence, but her body seemed frozen, and she could only stare blankly at his face so close to hers.

Lin Bufan also quietly watched Xu Hongdou.

Xu Hongdou's cheeks were flushed with embarrassment and shock, her lips were slightly parted and glistening with moisture, and her usually calm and composed eyes now betrayed a hint of panic and confusion... Everything seemed exceptionally clear and exceptionally... alluring in the dim light.

Lin Bufan's Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly, and the hand around Xu Hongdou's waist tightened unconsciously.

My gaze involuntarily fell on her lips.

Xu Hongdou clearly saw Lin Bufan's gaze move, and her heart skipped a beat. An indescribable premonition gripped her, making her body feel weak. Reason screamed at her to push Lin Bufan away, but her body disobeyed her commands, and instead... subconsciously, she gently closed her eyes.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, like the wings of a startled butterfly, casting small shadows on her fair cheeks.

This subtle movement was like a silent switch, or a final pardon.

The last trace of hesitation in Lin Bufan's eyes vanished, completely overwhelmed by a surging emotion. He lowered his head and, without any hesitation, kissed the softness he had long coveted.

"Well……"

The warm, real touch on her lips made Xu Hongdou stiffen. Her arms tightened around Lin Bufan's neck, her slightly protruding nails digging painfully into his skin. A strange, cool masculine scent instantly enveloped her, its irresistible force forcing open her teeth and deepening the kiss.

It started as a tentative, gentle kiss, which quickly grew passionate and deep. Lin Bufan's kissing skills were unexpectedly good (but at this point Xu Hongdou couldn't care less about why), and with an undeniable possessiveness and guiding nature, he quickly left Xu Hongdou completely defenseless, her head spinning like a disturbed pool of spring water, only able to passively endure and then awkwardly, little by little, respond.

The only sounds in the air were the faint gurgling of lips and teeth mingling with increasingly rapid breathing.

Outside the window, the last rays of the setting sun sank completely into the mountains, and twilight descended. The light in the room dimmed, blurring the silhouettes of the two people embracing and kissing, merging them into one, leaving only an ambiguous and lingering silhouette.

Just as Lin Bufan was experiencing the wonderful touch that Chen Nanxing had just felt last night, he suddenly heard Chen Nanxing and Da Mai talking downstairs!

The voices downstairs grew louder as they approached, and then came up clearly.

"...Nanxing, didn't you say you were afraid that they would make you choose between them and put you in a difficult position? Didn't you want to hide away? Why did you come back?" It was Damai's confused voice.

Chen Nanxing's voice followed, carrying a touch of tragic grandeur: "Yes, that's what I thought at first. But then I thought, leaving Hongdou here alone to deal with Lin Bufan would be too cruel of me. We've been best friends since college, of course I should support my best friend in a time like this! As for the man..." At this point, Chen Nanxing hesitated slightly, but quickly reaffirmed her decision: "Don't worry, Lin Bufan is easy to coax. A little coaxing will do the trick!"

"What if we can't coax them?" Da Mai asked softly, her tone tinged with worry.

Chen Nanxing paused, stopping at the top of the stairs, seemingly seriously considering the possibility. A few seconds later, as if making some tragic decision, she stamped her foot and gritted her teeth: "If I can't coax him, then I'll just give Hongdou to him!"

barley:???

Her eyes widened and her mouth slightly open, clearly stunned speechless by this "solution".

Inside the room, Xu Hongdou's ears were already perked up. Hearing Chen Nanxing's "bold" statement, she cursed inwardly, "You traitor, Nanxing! You sold out your friend for personal gain! Who asked you to deliver it? Can't I deliver it myself?"

Ah bah bah!

"You're giving this to a ghost? You've led it astray!"

Just as Xu Hongdou was lost in thought, she suddenly felt a touch from somewhere that was the same as the one she felt the night before, which instantly woke her up.

Xu Hongdou looked at Lin Bufan with a face full of surprise!

Brother!

What time is it now? Why are you still thinking about such trivial things?

Can't you be a little nervous?

Xu Hongdou's face was still flushed, but her eyes had regained their clarity. She pressed her hands firmly against Lin Bufan's chest and pushed him outwards with a sudden force!

Lin Bufan was immersed in the wonderful touch and the perfect harmony with the warm, soft body in his arms when he was suddenly and forcefully pushed. His back slammed against the wall with a thud, and his chest ached from the push. Xu Hongdou, using the force of the impact, quickly broke free from his embrace, staggered back two steps, and created some distance between them.

His arms were suddenly empty; the soft, fragrant embrace that had just been there vanished instantly, leaving only a faint warmth on his palm. Lin Bufan looked at Xu Hongdou, who stood a few steps away, her cheeks flushed, her breath unsteady, her clothes slightly disheveled but trying to maintain a straight face. He then looked down at his empty right hand, and a huge sense of loss, like a duck that had been about to be eaten flying away, welled up in his heart. He felt like crying but couldn't.

Nanxing, I was trying to save you two last night, not to ruin your plans. You don't need to retaliate like this, do you?

Xu Hongdou quickly tidied her slightly disheveled collar and hair, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her racing heart. She glanced outside the door; Chen Nanxing and Da Mai's footsteps and voices were getting closer, they seemed to be almost at room number six.

She immediately looked anxiously at Lin Bufan, who was still leaning against the wall with a "lost" look on his face, and urged him in a low voice, "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up, get up and move the statue!"

Lin Bufan didn't move. Instead, he turned his head away, deliberately avoiding looking at Xu Hongdou. After all, how could he waste such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

The footsteps grew closer. Xu Hongdou was frantic and, disregarding everything else, quickly stepped forward, leaned close to Lin Bufan's ear, and whispered, "You move the statue first! Don't let Nanxing find out! I... I'll make it up to you later! Okay?"

Lin Bufan's ears twitched, and he slowly turned his head, glancing sideways at Xu Hongdou with a look that said, "You know what's good for you," but he pressed his advantage with his words: "Compensation? What compensation? Explain yourself."

"You!" Xu Hongdou was furious. Seeing that time was running out, she gritted her teeth and said, "Whatever! Alright! Hurry up and move!"

A look of satisfaction finally appeared on Lin Bufan's face. He turned around briskly, walked to the side of "Quiet Moon," bent down, and easily hoisted the statue onto his shoulder. He stood steadily, as if the statue had no strength at all.

Seeing Lin Bufan start working, Xu Hongdou breathed a slight sigh of relief. She quickly took out a pack of wet wipes from her pocket, pulled out one, and walked briskly to Lin Bufan. She stood on tiptoe and quickly wiped away the lipstick stain that had accidentally gotten on his lips.

Xu Hongdou's movements were somewhat hurried, her fingertips occasionally brushing against Lin Bufan's skin, carrying a slightly cool dampness.

Lin Bufan carried the statue, bowing slightly to allow Xu Hongdou to wipe it, but his eyes remained fixed on her still flushed face, which was so close to his, with a smile playing on his lips.

After confirming that there were no obvious marks on Lin Bufan's mouth and face, Xu Hongdou quickly tidied her hair and collar, pressed the back of her hand to her burning cheeks, took a few deep breaths, and tried to restore her expression to normal.

Just as Xu Hongdou finished doing all this and before she could even put her hands down, Chen Nanxing and Da Mai appeared at the open doorway.

Chen Nanxing immediately spotted Lin Bufan carrying "Quiet Moon" and a surprised smile appeared on his face: "Hey? You've already moved it? This means... you've reached an agreement?"

She had prepared herself for a difficult decision or to mediate the dispute, but she didn't expect things to be resolved so smoothly.

"Absolutely. Look who's in charge." With that, Lin Bufan casually hoisted Chen Nanxing's "Flowing Wind" onto his shoulder as well!

Xu Hongdou and Chen Nanxing quickly moved aside.

Da Mai watched in surprise and whispered to Chen Nanxing, "President Lin is so strong..."

"He is indeed quite strong!"

Chen Nanxing believed he had more authority to speak on Lin Bufan's strength than anyone else in the courtyard. He said that even a real person could toss him around for three hours without getting tired, let alone a wooden statue!

"Nanxing, why is your face red?"

"He's probably tired from climbing the stairs!"

Da Mai stared at the stairs not far away and fell into deep thought. Could just one floor of stairs really make a person this tired?

Lin Bufan carried the two statues downstairs to the courtyard and carefully placed them side by side in the shade against the wall. Xu Hongdou found two clean pieces of red velvet cloth from inside the house and handed them to Lin Bufan, who took them and carefully covered the two statues.

The red cloth fell, obscuring the statue's smooth lines and serene face.

Chen Nanxing looked at the statue covered with a red cloth, then glanced at the sky: "It's still early before nightfall. What are we going to do next? We can't just sit here and wait, can we?"

Lin Bufan took out his phone and checked the time: "There are still several hours left." He turned to Chen Nanxing and suggested with a smile: "Nanxing, didn't you and Damai want to go out and play? Why don't you go out and explore some more before it gets dark? There are still many corners of the village that you haven't explored yet, right? We can just meet there when the exhibition starts tonight."

Chen Nanxing blinked: "Shall we go shopping? What about you?"

"Me?" Lin Bufan sighed, putting on a troubled look as if he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders: "I definitely have to go up and say a few words at that event tonight, right? I can't just stand there blankly. I'm alright in other things, but I tend to go off-topic when I improvise. I have to prepare a draft beforehand and think about what to say. So I won't be able to join you guys. I have to prepare."