A wave of warm breath hit her face. Before Jian Ran could react, the next second, a soft, cool touch landed on her lips.
An electric current seemed to spread uncontrollably from her lips to her heart, exploding in an instant.
Jian Ran instinctively stumbled back, but Chu Lulin reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer.
He lowered his head and covered her lips again, his kisses light and gentle, like a feather landing on water, softly turning into an intertwining of lips and teeth.
The surroundings fell silent instantly, with only the sound of wind rustling the pine branches.
The kiss came too suddenly. Jian Ran's mind went blank, and she was dazed, letting Chu Lulin set the pace.
But when it came to kissing, Chu Lulin had no experience. He could only kiss shallowly by instinct, sucking and exploring tentatively.
When their tongues met, both of them trembled slightly.
After a while, the kiss ended.
Chu Lulin pulled back a little, breathing lightly.
Under the soft yellow light, their gazes intertwined, foreheads touching, a silent tenderness and ambiguity mingling with their breaths.
A gentle breeze blew, and a few red leaves drifted from the branches, slowly sliding down their shoulders, settling into the elongated, intertwined shadows cast by the streetlamp at their feet.
"Did you like it?" Chu Lulin looked down, a hint of expectation in his eyes.
Jian Ran's eyelashes fluttered.
She was still dizzy, her mind moving slower than half a beat. It took a long while for her to come back to her senses.
Not receiving a reply for so long, Chu Lulin's expression turned a bit dejected, and a note of grievance crept into his voice. "Big sister, this is my first kiss."
Jian Ran made a sound of surprise, her scattered thoughts finally returning, but she didn't know how to respond for a moment.
"But I really liked it," Chu Lulin paused, then emphasized seriously. "Kissing you, I really liked it."
Jian Ran's heart skipped a beat unexpectedly.
A younger guy who gives such direct emotional validation—she really couldn't handle it.
But what was she supposed to say? Thank you? That seemed a bit weird.
"Then... should I transfer you some money?" Jian Ran asked uncertainly.
Since he specifically emphasized it was his first kiss, maybe that's what he meant?
A first kiss—she should compensate him.
Chu Lulin let out a helpless laugh.
He lowered his head and lightly tapped her nose, asking politely, "Has anyone ever told you that you're really good at killing the mood?"
Jian Ran blinked, shifting her gaze away guiltily.
Okay, maybe she was a bit of a mood killer.
*
Since there were many people on the weekend, after resting for a night, everyone tacitly agreed not to crowd the hot springs the next day.
They still had plenty of time anyway; a day's delay wouldn't hurt.
Jian Ran and Zheng Hui had just finished breakfast when Jiang Ming called them to the game room, saying they needed a fourth for mahjong.
The resort's hotel consisted of standalone villas. The two walked out of the courtyard guest room, crossed a few paths, and arrived at the entertainment area of the villa.
Since their group was large, they had booked an entire standalone villa to avoid mixing with other tourists, ensuring peace and quiet.
As soon as she entered the game room, Jian Ran spotted Chu Lulin. His three roommates were also there, along with a girl who was one roommate's girlfriend.
"There are so many of you, and you say you need a fourth? This feels like a trap," Zheng Hui frowned, looking wary.
Were they planning to cheat them out of money?
Jiang Ming rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Senior sister, do you have paranoid delusions? We really do need a fourth. Wang Hua can't play mahjong."
Zheng Hui turned to look at Chu Lulin.
Hu Wei said impatiently, "We refuse to play with him. His card counting is too insane. Playing with him isn't fun."
Card counting wasn't scary—they all knew a bit—but someone like Chu Lulin, who could basically calculate everything down to the last detail, made for a terrible experience as an opponent.
Although Zheng Hui had never played cards at the same table as Chu Lulin, she knew the师弟's IQ level, so she reluctantly accepted this explanation.
Jian Ran only knew how to play Dou Dizhu, not mahjong. Fortunately, Zheng Hui knew how, so they managed to make a full set.
The four sat down at the mahjong table, and the remaining three watched from the side.
Jian Ran sat behind Zheng Hui, watching with great interest. After just a few rounds, she figured out the basic rules of mahjong.
It wasn't that hard.
Just as Jian Ran was feeling smug, she looked up and met Chu Lulin's eyes directly across from her.
He slightly curled his lips, quietly watching her, his brows and eyes full of tenderness.
Jian Ran's long lashes trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but think of last night's kiss.
She was no longer at an inexperienced age. Although it was a bit sudden, she shouldn't have been so stunned by a kiss.