114: Chapter 114: As the saying goes, "A woman three years older than her husband is like holding a gold brick," and I'm holding two!

She turned her head abruptly, her stunning face first showing shock, then disbelief, and finally transforming into a dangerous, murderous, and embarrassed glare.

Her azure eyes stared fixedly at Lu Jing as if trying to burn two holes into him, and she asked, enunciating every word: "Lu… Jing! Do… you… mean—that I… am… old?"

As she spoke, her right hand had already silently and skillfully climbed up to Lu Jing's waist, pinching that small patch of soft flesh, ready to unleash the "Nine Yin Skeleton Claw" at any moment.

Evidently, she had mastered this move to perfection long ago.

"Ahem…" Feeling the threat at his waist, the smile on Lu Jing's face stiffened.

He subconsciously wanted to cast a look of help toward the Snow Empress nearby, only to find that she had already turned around at some point and was watching them with an air of leisure.

Although her cold, stunning face remained expressionless, her ice-blue eyes clearly twinkled with a glimmer of "watching a good show," and the corners of her mouth seemed to carry an extremely faint, almost imperceptible curve.

Since when did the Snow Empress learn to enjoy watching the chaos? Lu Jing muttered to himself.

Seeing no hope for reinforcements, Lu Jing immediately summoned his survival instincts. His face instantly broke into a smile so sincere and affectionate that his tone could practically drip with tenderness as he looked at Wang Donger:

"Look at you, getting impatient again. I haven't even finished speaking yet; how could you conclude that you're old?"

He reached out and gently took hold of Wang Donger's small hand—which was still poised at his waist—enveloping it tenderly within his palm. He gazed intently into her eyes, his voice low and magnetic:

"How could this be considered old? This is called… just right. No, it should be called the prime of life. You've shed the naivety of youth and added the charm of maturity, just like the fullest, sweetest peach on the branch—it's the most alluring time. I love you just as you are now, every part, every inch of you."

He paused, a look of perfect relief and heartache flashing in his eyes, and continued: "Besides, Donger, you must understand, it's not that you're old; it's that I met you too late. If only I had met you and been by your side sooner, how wonderful that would have been. It's a pity that fate made us miss each other for so long. But it doesn't matter. How does that saying go? 'A woman three years older is like holding a golden brick.' Since you're six years older than me, doesn't that mean… I get to hold two golden bricks at once? This is a tremendous blessing that others could only envy!"

His words were sincere and logically sound; he not only refuted the idea of her being old but also skillfully reframed it as being "just right" and a blessing, while simultaneously expressing his affection and regret, and finally using a playful remark to ease the tension.

Wang Donger was left stunned by his sweet talk. Her originally embarrassed and tense face relaxed at a visible speed, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks, and the fingers pinching the soft flesh at his waist unconsciously loosened their grip.

Although she knew in her heart that he was just trying to coax her, why did his words sound so pleasant and make her heart race?

"Hmph! You smooth talker!" She turned her head, pretending to scoff, but the anger in her tone had long since dissipated, leaving only a hint of the sweetness and shyness of being doted upon.

She pulled back the hand Lu Jing was holding, though her movements were much gentler, and she said with a huff: "Consider yourself lucky! I'll let you off this time!"

Lu Jing breathed a sigh of relief, secretly thinking, "That was close," while maintaining a gentle smile on his face.

He stole a glance at the Snow Empress nearby and noticed that the glint of amusement in her eyes had vanished, returning to her usual coldness, though the faint curve at the corner of her mouth seemed to have deepened just a fraction.

"Alright, alright,"

Lu Jing gently put his arm around Wang Donger's slender waist and guided her to the ship's railing, letting her look at the magnificent view where the sea met the sky in the distance. Changing the subject, he said: "Since we can't participate in the competition, when we return to the mainland, I'll take you to Heaven Dou City to look around and see what's new. I've heard the mainland has changed quite a bit over these four years; who knows, there might be something fun. Besides, you can see how your peers are doing—think of it as… a senior's inspection?"

Wang Donger's attention was diverted by his words. As she imagined the scene of returning to the mainland, her eyes lit up with anticipation once more.

She snuggled up to Lu Jing and nodded gently, gazing at the distant horizon—that was where her homeland, from which she had been separated for four years, lay, and it marked a new beginning.

…

As night fell, the last trace of orange-red twilight where the sea met the sky sank into an ink-blue abyss, surrendering the entire sky to the bright moon and countless stars.

Moonlight poured onto the ocean like liquid silver, creating shimmering ripples that danced with the stars, casting a dreamlike veil over the tranquil sea.

The massive hull of the hanhai ship glided steadily across the water, carving a long, moonlit trail through the sea.

Inside the cabin, the lights in most rooms had been extinguished; only a few night-watch sailors remained at their posts on the deck and in the wheelhouse.

Everything was shrouded in the quiet atmosphere of the voyage.

However, in an elegantly furnished VIP cabin on the upper deck, the atmosphere was starkly different.

The air was thick with a faint, lingering, and intoxicating scent that made one blush—a mix of passion and the unique, delicate fragrance of a young woman, creating an indescribably sweet and cloying atmosphere.

On the large, soft bed, the disheveled bedding silently told the tale of the intense battle that had just taken place.

Lu Jing leaned against the head of the bed, his exposed upper body revealing smooth, well-defined muscles that cast powerful shadows under the dim light of the spirit guidance lamp.

He was panting slightly, his hair damp with sweat and clinging to his forehead.

Beside him, Wang Donger was curled up against his chest like a satisfied kitten.

She buried her face in the crook of Lu Jing's neck, greedily breathing in the scent of him—a mixture of sweat and a unique, masculine fragrance.

She was covered only by a thin silk sheet, revealing her delicate shoulders and a long, shapely arm that looked as if it had been carved from the finest mutton-fat jade.

Her skin was flushed a faint pink, incredibly delicate and smooth, as if bathed in a soft glow under the lamp.

Her eyes were closed, and her long eyelashes cast faint, fan-shaped shadows beneath her eyelids, trembling slightly as if she were still immersed in the afterglow.

After a long while, she slowly and lazily opened her eyes. Her azure irises were watery, like gems soaked in a clear spring, filled with a hazy, languid satisfaction.

She reached out her exposed arm, which looked like a work of art in the dim light.

She didn't get up, but with a slight movement of her mind, a gentle ripple of Soul Power surged from her palm.

Immediately, a faint but vibrant green light illuminated her open palm. The green light rapidly solidified, eventually taking the form of a strange plant.