Chapter 111: Fear of Falling Under the Spell

Mo Yan was slightly taken aback, not expecting her to want a drink as well. He smiled, nodded, and poured a cup for her. Setting down the wine flask, he raised his glass and said with a laugh, "Come, let us celebrate our triumphant return."

Jin'er smiled, clinked her glass gently against his, and took a small sip. The spicy sensation burned from the tip of her tongue to her throat and down into her stomach. Scowling, she smacked her lips and hurriedly grabbed her chopsticks to stuff a piece of braised pork into her mouth. Watching her adorable expression, Mo Yan looked at her with eyes full of doting affection, then raised his own glass and drained it in one go.

"You have quite a high tolerance for alcohol, don't you?" Jin'er asked, curious to see him finish the cup without his expression changing in the slightest. As soon as the question left her lips, she remembered the time he had sulked in his study alone, drinking away many jars of wine.

Mo Yan raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Certainly much better than yours."

"That's true." She had rarely drunk before; how could she compare? In her memory, she had only shared a drink with Tianyu once. At the thought of Tianyu, Jin'er frowned slightly. She wondered how those two were doing now, and if they were still at the main altar of the Ten Thousand Poison Sect. If they were, she could only imagine what kind of chaos they were causing each other.

"Jin'er? Jin'er?" Seeing her biting her chopsticks in a daze, Mo Yan called out to her, puzzled.

"Hm?" Jin'er snapped back to reality. Seeing him staring at her with confusion, she smiled sheepishly.

"What are you thinking about? You were so lost in thought."

"Oh, it's nothing," Jin'er laughed it off and buried her head in her food. Seeing that she didn't want to talk about it, Mo Yan suppressed his curiosity and pressed no further.

After dinner, the two went upstairs. Escorting Jin'er to her door, Mo Yan reached out to touch her cheeks, which were flushed from the wine. He leaned down and whispered with a smile, "Do you need a guardian? I’m afraid you might be drunk and it wouldn't be safe for you to be alone inside."

Jin'er spun away, putting some distance between them. "I’m not drunk, and I’m more than capable of handling any scoundrel who comes my way." She tilted her chin and shot him a glare.

"That depends on the caliber of the scoundrel, doesn't it?" Mo Yan laughed, crossing his arms with a playful, teasing look.

"I can't be bothered with you; I'm going in." With that, she stepped over the threshold, turned around, and slammed the door shut with a huff. Mo Yan shook his head with a smile and returned to his own room.

Not long after, a waiter brought up a tub for a bath. Once everything was prepared, he left. Jin'er locked the door, slid the bolt into place, and eagerly approached the large tub. She pulled the hairpin from her hair, and her long, waterfall-like locks cascaded down, finally free of all restraints. She untied her sash and shed her outer robe and undergarments, revealing a graceful, lithe figure—long, slender legs, a delicate waist, and skin like jade. Her hair, reaching down to her waist, made her look breathtakingly beautiful.

As her bare, snow-white skin touched the cool air, goosebumps instantly broke out across her body. She quickly discarded the rest of her garments, stepped into the tub, and sat down. The warmth instantly enveloped her body from the neck down, and Jin'er couldn't help but let out a soft sigh of comfort.

She suddenly realized that bathing could be such an enjoyable experience; it was incredibly comfortable. It would have been even better with flower petals, but after all, this wasn't the imperial palace or a high-end inn, so being able to take a hot bath like this was already quite a treat.

Lying in the tub with her head resting on the edge, Jin'er hummed a little tune while lazily washing herself. Only when the water began to turn cold did she reluctantly rise, dry herself and her hair, and change into a clean robe.

She opened the door to call for the waiter to clear the room, but as she turned, she saw Mo Yan standing beside her, though she hadn't noticed when he arrived.

"The moonlight is beautiful tonight. How about we go to the roof to admire it?" Mo Yan took her small hand and asked with a soft smile. He had also changed into clean robes, and his long hair was draped over his back. Small water droplets still clung to the tips of his bangs by his temples, shining with a faint luster under the lamplight.

"To the roof? It seems a bit cold, doesn't it?" Although his smile was no longer playful and had returned to the gentleness he usually showed, Jin'er still felt a bit apprehensive.

"With me here, do you really need to worry about the cold?" Before he had even finished speaking, Jin'er felt a warm current flowing from his palm into her entire body. She then remembered his Fire Spirit; her excuse clearly didn't hold up.

Pouting, she had no choice but to nod. Before she could react, his arm tightened around her waist, and he whisked her up into the air. The waiter, who was just about to head upstairs, watched as the two floated down and out of the inn, his eyes widening in shock.

Once outside, Mo Yan used his lightness skill to carry Jin'er to the rooftop. After choosing a spot to sit, he pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you still cold like this?" He asked, looking at her from the side.

Jin'er shook her head and hurriedly turned her face away, not daring to meet his eyes so close to hers. She had to admit, his face was truly mesmerizing, especially under the moonlight.

Mo Yan pulled her closer, pressed his cheek against her temple, and whispered softly, "Are you afraid of me?" Her deliberate distance over the past few days had been hard on him. Perhaps he had gone too far and frightened her.

Jin'er hadn't expected him to ask that. Her mind involuntarily recalled the scene in the carriage, and her cheeks couldn't help but burn. In truth, the feeling of being held in his arms was wonderful, and his kisses were, too. But since that last incident, she had indeed been a little afraid of him. Or perhaps, more than him, she was afraid of herself. He likely wouldn't force her, but if she were to fall for him, she would have no one to blame but herself.

Seeing her silent, Mo Yan sighed helplessly. "I'm sorry. Perhaps I did scare you. But believe me, it is only because I love you so much." With that, he tilted his head slightly and kissed her cheek gently.

Jin'er felt both nervous and touched. Not knowing what to say, she bit her lip in silence. Seeing that she wasn't fighting him despite her quietness, Mo Yan smiled, reached up, and gently pressed on her cheek. "Lean back."

Jin'er was slightly startled, then relaxed, leaning back against his shoulder. And so, under the bright, moonlit sky, the two figures huddled together, silently gazing at the distant moon, savoring the peace and beauty they hadn't felt in over a month.

After some time, Jin'er drifted off to sleep. Mo Yan looked down at her doll-like sleeping face, his heart softening into a puddle. He leaned down and kissed her soft cherry lips, but didn't dare linger for fear of waking her, pulling away reluctantly. Just as he lifted his head, he couldn't resist pecking her lips again. He did this several times, almost becoming addicted to it.

"Mmm..." Jin'er let out a soft murmur in her sleep, seemingly dissatisfied. Frightened, Mo Yan quickly lifted his head and looked at her with concern.

Only when he saw she had settled down did he let out a long sigh of relief. He watched her silently, wishing he could tuck her into his very heart. In the end, this intense longing made him ache with a strange sadness. He looked up at the night sky, a sense of melancholy rising within him.

How he wished he could stop thinking about everything and just stay with her, traveling across the Five Spirit Continent, watching every sunrise and sunset by her side. But why couldn't fate grant him a simple, carefree future?

With a soft sigh, he scooped Jin'er up and flew off the roof, returning to the inn. He carried her back to her room and laid her gently on the bed. As he reached for the quilt to cover her, he noticed her eyes were open, watching him. He paused, confused. "Why are you awake?"

"I heard you sigh just now. Is there something troubling you?" In truth, she had been woken by his kisses, but she had pretended to be asleep.

"It's nothing. I was just sighing out of boredom," Mo Yan smiled, continuing his task.

"Are you keeping something from me?" Jin'er frowned. The more he said nothing was wrong, the more she felt there was.

Mo Yan leaned down and pinched her pretty little nose. "It's really nothing. Be a good girl and sleep." With that, he leaned down and kissed her lips gently.

Jin'er's heart skipped a beat when his lips touched hers, but she felt a faint sense of disappointment when he pulled away. Her hands gripped the sheets beneath the quilt, suppressing the strange emotions in her heart as she watched him rise and leave.

The door closed quietly, the candle flame flickered, and the room fell into a sudden, heavy silence. Her hands slowly loosened, and she stared up at the canopy, her mind in a chaotic mess.

She lay awake for a long time, unable to sleep at all. After a while, she looked at the candle on the table, extended a finger, and flicked it. A formless burst of energy flew from her fingertip, successfully extinguishing the flame.

The room plunged into darkness. After a while, her eyes adjusted to the moonlight filtering through the window paper, allowing her to make out the shapes in the room.

After tossing and turning for a long time, sleep finally began to creep in. Just as she was about to drift off, her nose twitched. Why was there a fragrance in the room? She didn't remember smelling it before. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, a string in her sleepy brain snapped tight—incense?

She reached under her pillow for her sword, keeping her eyes fixed on the door. Sure enough, a moment later, the door was pushed open gently. Several shadows slipped inside with incredible agility.

Jin'er's heart tightened. This was bad; these people were certainly no ordinary intruders. Not daring to lose the initiative, she threw off the quilt, leapt from the bed, and drew her sword, "Flying Flower," in one swift motion.