Chapter 478: Stolen Kiss

Chen Lingxin’s tense mood eased a little. She raised her arms, covered in bluish-purple bruises, and showed them to him. “They’re sore and achy… really uncomfortable. I can’t use any strength at all.”

Lin Xiao walked to the bedside, rolling up his sleeves. “Lie down, then. I’ll help you.”

“Master, you’ll help me?”

Chen Lingxin didn’t know what came to mind, but her cheeks, which had already been slightly red, flushed a bright crimson in an instant.

She stammered, “L-Like… the last massage?”

Lin Xiao didn’t speak. He just nodded.

Chen Lingxin’s face turned even redder. Her thick lashes trembled slightly, her eyes shimmering. She bit back her embarrassment and whispered, “Master, should I… take off my clothes?”

Hearing that, a ripple passed through Lin Xiao’s heart.

But he quickly pushed away all distracting thoughts, his voice calm and steady: “No need. Just lie down.”

“O-Okay…”

Chen Lingxin lay down as instructed, her posture stiff, legs tightly pressed together without the slightest gap.

She was both shy and nervous, her heart pounding wildly like a startled deer.

Beyond the nervousness and embarrassment, there was also a kind of indescribable anticipation.

Lin Xiao sat down by the bed, poured some medicinal wine into his palm, and then took one of her arms, pressing and kneading around the bruised areas.

“Hiss!”

Chen Lingxin drew in a sharp breath, her body immediately tensing.

It hurt—a lot.

But beneath the pain was a strange sensation that spread from her arm through her whole body, making her shudder involuntarily.

Her chest rose and fell, delicate nostrils flaring slightly.

Lin Xiao’s expression was focused and composed. Without reacting at all, he poured more medicinal wine into his hands and moved lower down her arm.

“Mm…”

His palm seemed to carry a strange current, making Chen Lingxin forget the pain entirely. Her attention was fixated solely on the touch of his hand.

Hearing her faint nasal moan, Lin Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. He subconsciously lightened his touch.

“Ah…”

Chen Lingxin couldn’t help but let out another soft sound, biting her lip in shame and quickly covering her mouth with both hands.

Beads of sweat formed on Lin Xiao’s forehead. He simply closed his eyes to avoid temptation and forcibly suppressed the heat in his blood and the restlessness within.

When the massage finally ended, both of them let out a breath of relief as if a heavy weight had been lifted.

“How do you feel now?” Lin Xiao asked in a low voice.

Chen Lingxin turned over, from lying on her back to lying on her side, not daring to meet his gaze. “Thank you, Master. I feel much better.”

“Go to sleep early. I’ll go take a shower,” Lin Xiao said mildly, standing and walking toward the bathroom.

Only after he disappeared into the bathroom did Chen Lingxin turn over again, opening the eyes she had tightly shut, her gaze still dazed.

‘Why did it feel so good? Master’s hands… what if I get addicted in the future?’

She rested her chin in her hand, troubled by the thought.

‘And why did I make noises like that just now? So embarrassing. I wonder what Master thinks of me. Oh well. I’m his disciple anyway. If it’s embarrassing, then so be it. It’s not like anyone else saw it,’ she consoled herself repeatedly. ‘Besides, Master will definitely have to treat my injuries again in the future. I’ll get used to it.’

While Chen Lingxin’s thoughts spiraled wildly, Lin Xiao finished showering and came out wearing a T-shirt and shorts.

She quickly shut her eyes and pretended to sleep, cracking them open slightly to secretly glance at Lin Xiao’s figure.

Lin Xiao noticed her little act but didn’t expose her. Knowing girls could be shy, he just switched off the room’s light, moved a little to loosen his limbs, and sat cross-legged on the floor beside the bed.

“Master, you can sleep on the bed tonight,” Chen Lingxin said after the light went out, her courage restored in the darkness. She opened her eyes. “The bed’s not big, but it can fit two.”

“No need. You sleep,” Lin Xiao replied calmly with closed eyes.

“Master, come up.” Chen Lingxin tugged at his arm. “If you don’t, I won’t be able to sleep.”

“Why not?”

“Because my conscience won’t let me. You came all the way to Dongzhou for our Chen family’s martial hall, and yet I get the bed while you sleep on the floor. How could I possibly sleep like that?”

“You seemed to sleep just fine yesterday.”

“I was too tired yesterday and fell asleep accidentally. Today’s different,” she said stubbornly. “If you don’t come up, I’m not sleeping tonight.”

“Fine.”

Lin Xiao wasn’t the type to argue over small things. He went along with it and climbed onto the bed beside her.

“I’m up. Now go to sleep.”

He closed his eyes and said no more.

Chen Lingxin smiled quietly, turned to face him, resting her arm beneath her head as she studied Lin Xiao’s sharply defined profile, her bright eyes glinting in the dark.

Lin Xiao wasn’t especially handsome, but he had that type of look that grew more attractive the more you looked at him.

Maybe that was just the filter of affection.

After watching for a while, she closed her eyes.

Half an hour passed.

Maybe it was because it was her first time sharing a bed with a man, but strange thoughts kept popping into Chen Lingxin’s head. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Finally, she opened her eyes again and whispered, her voice soft as a mosquito, “Master, are you asleep?”

Silence.

Lin Xiao’s breathing was calm and steady. He was already deep in sleep.

Looking at his sleeping face, Chen Lingxin’s heart began pounding uncontrollably.

Under the urge of some restless emotion, she slowly pushed herself up, then leaned down bit by bit, her rosy lips inching closer and closer to Lin Xiao’s.

Until they landed on his lips.

A jolt like electricity surged through her, making her whole body tremble and raising goosebumps on her arms.

After a few seconds, she moved away, her cheeks flushed red, beautiful even in the dark. She licked her lips like a cat.

“So this is what kissing feels like? It’s not that special… maybe I should try again…”

She lowered her head once more.

But what she didn’t notice was that when she lay down and shyly pulled the covers over her face, Lin Xiao’s tightly shut eyes suddenly opened, his gaze unreadable.

With his sharp senses, how could he not notice?

He had woken up the moment she moved, but to avoid embarrassing her, he had pretended to stay asleep.

As time passed, the night deepened. Gentle breathing filled the room.

Lin Xiao turned his head and glanced at the now-sleeping Chen Lingxin, then slowly closed his eyes.