Chapter 60: What To Do When a Girl Sends You Flying?

The anticipated slap Wu Qingsong had braced for never came. In fact, he was quite taken aback by how effortlessly he managed to turn Nina around to face him.

Nina seemed equally surprised, appearing both astonished and flustered. Given her strength, he wouldn’t have been able to turn her around so easily if her emotions weren’t in a jumble.

“I’m sorry,” he finally mustered the courage to say.

“Sorry?” Nina echoed softly, her face unreadable.

Wu Qingsong was at a loss, unable to decipher her expression.

In truth, he had little experience dealing with women on an intimate level. In his previous world, he never had a romantic relationship. For him, Ling and Liuli were more like sisters or daughters, blindly trusting and admiring him. None of those past experiences were applicable to the current situation.

Was she angry? 

It seemed like a reasonable assumption. Any self-respecting woman would likely react this way given what had previously happened.

But at that moment, he had been left with no other options.

He had now come to understand the conditions needed for awakening the latent powers within beastwomen like Nina. While complete trust was necessary to synchronize their heartbeats, it had to come from a place of affection toward him, or at least some affection had to be present.

Previously, he couldn’t think of a speedy way to bridge the emotional gap between himself and Nina, so he’d resorted to a last-ditch effort.

A senior from the student council had once shared some pickup wisdom with them during his early days as a freshman. The theory proposed that when people find themselves in dangerous situations, their bodies naturally produce hormones like dopamine. This hormone-induced rush, accompanied by a rapid heartbeat, resembles the body’s response when experiencing love at first sight. Therefore, many people might mistakenly think they’ve fallen head over heels in love.

He vividly recalled the earnest advice from his senior, “For women who are inexperienced in the world, the best starting point is to share experiences that make them nervous or afraid. During these moments, make sure you are the only person they can rely on. However, is very important that they do not dislike you, and you both should already have a good relationship. If she doesn’t like you or even loathes you, these situations will only intensify those feelings.”

The concept of ‘the hero saving the damsel in distress’ is simply an exaggerated application of this theory. Activities like going to haunted houses, watching horror movies, riding roller coasters, celebrating joint successes, or even engaging in sports could have the same emotional impact.

In Nina’s case, while the previous environment might not have scared her per se, it certainly heightened her emotional state and increased her anxiety. Wu Qingsong seized this emotionally charged moment to kiss her, hoping that her racing heart might muddle her feelings.

Naturally, a more likely outcome would have been a resounding slap and being promptly tossed into a pile of skulls.

In reality, Nina was about to do just that. However, his kiss successfully clouded her judgment and left her emotionally unsettled, culminating in his success.

Although effective, his method could be considered slightly underhanded. Such a tactic likely only worked because Nina had little experience herself in such matters. For a woman with prior romantic experience, his approach would hardly stand a chance of confusing her emotions.

Nevertheless, he succeeded.

Wu Qingsong had no idea what was going through Nina’s mind at that moment. He wasn’t under the illusion that she would easily fall for him. However, at the moment her ability awakened, it was plausible that she had developed some level of affection toward him.

“I want you to understand that I never wanted to offend you,” Wu Qingsong said, a hint of nervousness in his voice. 

Facing Nina, he suddenly realized that all the carefully chosen words he had planned were irrelevant. 

“I’ve always respected you. I would never have taken such a step if it weren’t for the unique situation we were in.”

Nina said nothing. Wu Qingsong longed to take her hand but found himself hesitating. He yearned to look into her eyes, to discern what she was thinking, but she skillfully evaded his gaze.

“I want you to know that I am willing to do whatever it takes to make amends for my actions. Anything at all.”

“Are you done talking?” Nina suddenly asked.

For some unknown reason, she felt an inexplicable irritation. An emotion she rarely faced, which further deepened her agitation.

She was well aware that she couldn’t possibly accept Wu Qingsong. There were too many factors against it. Yet, she couldn’t understand why she felt so disoriented, so chaotic, so unlike her usual self.

It was merely a kiss. So why had Wu Qingsong gone to such lengths to speak to her about it?

What purpose did it serve?

His words left her strangely disappointed, for reasons she couldn’t even understand herself.

Her reaction momentarily bewildered Wu Qingsong. As he looked into her eyes, he saw neither anger nor disgust. All he saw was something he couldn’t quite grasp but that stirred his emotions.

A sudden urge surged within him. 

“No, I’m not done yet.”

Seizing a moment of courage, Wu Qingsong took Nina’s hand and looked intently into her eyes. Then, he uttered the words he had been agonizing over, words he had considered unspeakable, “What I truly want to say is, I like you. Yes, Nina Lams, I like you. I want to be with you. This isn’t a fleeting infatuation, it started from the very moment I first saw you.”

As his voice gained in volume, he felt an exhilarating sense of liberation in confronting his innermost feelings. All his previous indecision and hesitancy vanished in that moment, replaced by a newfound self-assurance.

Yes, this was the sensation he had been seeking.

He refused to be like some wishy-washy protagonist in a third-rate romance novel, forever keeping his emotions suppressed, never daring to take the crucial step. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing the woman he cherished to someone else simply because of his own cowardice.

Love wasn’t something to be received just by waiting, it needed to be actively sought. Just as his senior had advised him, love required the courage to step forward and fight for it, no matter the cost.

How would Nina react? Would she reject him?

Did it even matter?

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. If he couldn’t muster the courage to take that first step, how could he ponder what might lie ahead?

Rejection might sting, but it would be far better than suppressing his feelings and watching Nina drift away from him. And, as long as she was unmarried, the door of opportunity would still be ajar.

As someone who had crossed worlds, as an immortal, and as the one who could awaken the divine light within her, if he lacked even this modicum of courage and self-belief, he would be unworthy of all that he had, unworthy of his very identity.

Nina was taken aback. In recent days, she too had been grappling with how to handle this situation. For a young woman who had carried the weight of immense responsibilities and pressures all her life, this was uncharted territory, and she had no one to consult for guidance.

This unfamiliar feeling of vulnerability caught her off guard. Until this moment, no one had ever been audacious enough to express such emotions toward her. In her seventeen years–years dominated by rigorous training, academic pursuits, and battles–she had never been taught how to confront or manage such feelings.

So she chose to avoid them.

She had long understood her destiny. Until her younger brother reached adulthood, she was bound by duty to be the pillar of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan. Once he came of age, her responsibilities would shift to fully supporting him as the rightful ruler and guardian of their lands. Marriage for her might involve uniting with a distinguished general, a warrior with potential, or cementing a political alliance with another wolf clan through matrimony.

In all these scenarios, romantic love was an impossibility. Yet, astonishingly, Wu Qingsong had voiced it aloud.

Her cheeks flushed instantly.

What was she to do now?

It wasn’t that she disliked Wu Qingsong. Quite the contrary, her interest in him was piqued from their initial encounter in Rem City, where he had proven invaluable in a seemingly dire situation.

However, her interest was not romantic. It was more akin to the esteem a leader held for a competent subordinate, tinged with a layer of expectation.

Wu Qingsong had not let her down. He continued to reveal growing potential, yielding substantial benefits for both parties. This had ignited within Nina an increasing sense of anticipation, fostering the hope that their alliance could become even more fruitful.

The kiss had infuriated her, yet…

“I’m sorry for kissing you without your permission, it was wrong. However, it made me understand my feelings and showed me what I need to do. I don’t regret it. Nina, I know you don’t despise me. Give me a chance, and I’ll devote myself to making you the happiest woman in the world.”

His words struck her like a bolt of thunder, leaving Nina, who had never encountered such emotions, utterly stunned.

She looked nothing like the warrior who had once brandished a wooden sword. Instead, she appeared as an innocent young woman on the cusp of adulthood. This version of her melted Wu Qingsong’s heart instantly. Overwhelmed, he gently cradled her face in his hands and tiptoed to kiss her. But before their lips could meet, Nina snapped back to reality, pushing him away in a panic. He went flying, crashing into a pile of miscellaneous items at the edge of the training area.

“Sorry… I… You… How dare you?!” Nina’s face flushed crimson. 

Finally snapping out of her deep shock, she found herself utterly confounded by Wu Qingsong’s words, which defied all her understanding. Her thoughts in turmoil, she hastily retreated.

‘How could things have spiraled like this?’ 

Her mind was in complete disarray, so much so that she almost crashed with Harold, who was walking right toward her.

“I’m terribly sorry, truly sorry,” she blurted out in haste. “I didn’t see you, Mr. Harold.”

“I was directly in front of you, even signaling and slowing down. How could you not see me?’ Harold thought as he watched her with a look of surprise. It was the first time he had ever seen the Moon Maiden so completely at a loss.

What on earth had happened?

“Ram and the others just returned,” he informed Nina. “Have you seen Wu?”

“Um, well, I’m not sure… He might be over at the training grounds… I’m really sorry about earlier. Uh, Mr. Harold, I’m truly sorry. I have to go now.”

Observing her unusually agitated departure, Harold tilted his head in contemplation, gave a subtle nod, and then shook his head.