Chapter 275: Restrained Impulse

The only sounds in the living room were the faint swishing of water from the deep-sea documentary and the low hum of the air conditioner.

Su Yuqing rested her head on Chen Mo’s shoulder, her fingertips toying with a minuscule loose thread on his collar as if it were the sole anchor for her turbulent emotions.

The soft, shifting light from the documentary washed over her face, outlining her gently closed eyelids and fluttering lashes.

Chen Mo could clearly feel the soft warmth from the top of her head against his chin.

The satisfaction from the sweet porridge gradually subsided, replaced by a deeper, more primal emotion that surfaced quietly, like a slow-moving undercurrent in the documentary’s deep sea.

Her faint, unique scent—a mix of sweet strawberries and the crisp fragrance of her shampoo—drifted into his nostrils, more intoxicating than any whispered words of love.

He lowered his head slightly, his warm breath grazing Su Yuqing’s temple.

Su Yuqing’s body tensed almost imperceptibly, and her fingers, still toying with the thread, froze.

She didn’t move or open her eyes, but her steady breathing seemed to grow shallower, carrying a hint of a breath she was holding.

Chen Mo’s gaze fell on her profile, mere inches away.

In the soft light, the delicate skin of her cheeks had a faint pink blush, and her small earlobes were as red as ripe cherries—fragile and alluring.

Chen Mo’s Adam’s apple bobbed. The familiar heat in his chest flared up again, surging more powerfully than when they had been interrupted in the kitchen.

His arm, draped around her shoulders, slowly and tentatively tightened, pulling her more securely into his embrace.

The movement shattered the stillness of their embrace.

Finally, Su Yuqing couldn’t pretend any longer. Her lashes trembled violently for a moment, and then she slowly opened her eyes.

Her eyes, exceptionally dewy and bright in the ambient light, held a trace of sleep-dazed confusion and a lingering shyness. Her gaze crashed directly into Chen Mo’s, into their profound depths roiling with a dark tide.

There was no trace of teasing or joking in them—only a desire so focused it was almost scorching, clearly reflecting her image.

The air instantly grew thick and scorching hot.

The narrator’s voice from the documentary and the low hum of the AC seemed to be muffled by an invisible film. The world shrank, leaving only their tangled breaths and the thunderous pounding of their hearts—it was impossible to tell whose was whose, or if they had already synchronized, the rhythm vibrating in their ears.

At some point, the hand Chen Mo had been using to support himself had moved to Su Yuqing’s waist. Through the thin fabric of her clothes, the searing heat of his palm transferred clearly to her skin.

The touch stirred something within her, and she pressed herself closer to him.

"Yuqing..." he whispered her name, his voice incredibly hoarse and laced with a gripping magnetism.

Su Yuqing’s heart hammered so fast she thought it would leap out of her throat.

She watched his handsome face draw closer, saw the emotion in his eyes so thick it was palpable, and noted his slightly parted lips, their destination clear... An immense wave of shyness made her instinctively want to pull away, but her body felt as if it had been drained of all strength. She could only lean limply in his arms, unable to move.

But a stronger feeling—one of anticipation and longing—wrapped around her heart like a vine, compelling her to tilt her face up to his, unable to resist.

This time, no doorbell rang like a clap of thunder.

With a tentative tenderness, Chen Mo’s lips finally, gently, descended upon hers.

It was different from their first kiss under the fireworks—a kiss that had tasted of the salty sea breeze and carried an overwhelming force.

This was a kiss that had been brewing for a long time in the quiet warmth of their home, a sweet kiss born of both impulse and restraint.

It began as an exceedingly gentle touch, like a feather grazing a flower petal. It was careful and cherishing, a moment to feel the soft coolness of each other’s lips.

But that single spark instantly ignited a wildfire.

Chen Mo’s kiss quickly deepened, filled with long-suppressed desire and an undeniable possessiveness.

He captured her trembling lower lip, nibbling and sucking gently. The searing tip of his tongue then began to trace the lovely shape of her mouth, a patient and tentative invitation for her to respond.

Su Yuqing’s mind went blank. All her senses zeroed in on the electrifying sensation where their mouths met.

That tingling thrill shot up from the base of her spine again, more intense than ever before.

Clumsily, and with immense shyness, she parted her lips slightly, welcoming his exploration.

The instant their tongues touched, it was as if a jolt of electricity shot through them both, and they simultaneously let out a muffled, contented sigh.

Chen Mo’s arms tightened, as if trying to merge her into his very body.

He kissed her deeply, with an almost devotional obsession, drawing in her sweet breath and exchanging his own heated sighs with hers.

His other hand came up to cup her cheek. The calloused pads of his fingers were gentle, yet they held an undeniable strength that guided her even closer.

Su Yuqing’s body went completely pliant. All she could do was cling to him weakly, her fingertips unconsciously bunching the fabric of his shirt.

She passively accepted the deeply emotional kiss, responding with an endearing awkwardness. Every soft touch of his tongue sent a delicate tremor through her.

The same dizzying pleasure she had tasted once before washed over her again in waves, causing her to lose herself completely in the sweet, fiery vortex he had created.

The light and shadows from the documentary shifted silently on the walls, where schools of deep-sea fish swam leisurely past.

Meanwhile, the couple nestled on the sofa, in the undisturbed quiet, could finally immerse themselves in this belated kiss—one far more tender and passionate than she could have imagined. They were exploring one another, confirming a love that, though newly budded, was already so intense.

The air was filled with nothing but the soft sounds of their kiss and their suppressed, ragged gasps for breath.

Time seemed to slow and stretch, suspended in the thick, sweet air.

The deep kiss was like a gentle tempest, sweeping everything else away and making them forget their surroundings.

Only when their lungs burned for oxygen, and their ragged gasps drowned out the softer sounds of the kiss, did Chen Mo, with immense reluctance, slowly, painstakingly, break away.

But the separation lasted only an instant.

He pressed his forehead to hers, nuzzling his nose affectionately against her own. Their scalding breaths mingled, fast and even hotter than before.

His deep eyes were inches from hers. The dark tide churning within them had not subsided; on the contrary, the recent exploration had fanned the flames, making them burn even hotter. Filled with an unquenched desire, his gaze locked onto her, unblinking.

Su Yuqing panted softly, her chest rising and falling dramatically. Her cheeks were so hot they felt like they were on fire. Her dewy eyes seemed to be veiled in a hazy mist, dazed and filled with the innocent shock of having tasted passion once more.

She didn’t dare to meet his gaze. Her long lashes fluttered frantically, like the wings of a startled butterfly, and her helpless eyes could only fall upon his neck—also flushed a deep red—and the slight bob of his Adam’s apple.

Chen Mo, however, was the exact opposite. His gaze was greedily tracing every detail of her shy and flustered expression.