115: Chapter 115 Woman, You're Playing with Fire

Cao Kun thought he had already made himself very clear.

He hadn't helped her for this; she didn't need to repay him with her body.

But Feng Hua Lian was standing at the guest room door now, wearing pajamas, her wet hair clinging to her cheeks, with a look of desperate determination in her eyes.

It would be a lie to say he didn't have any thoughts about it.

Feng Hua Lian was beautiful—not a flamboyant beauty, but a clear, pure one that remained even after being polished by hardship.

Her scars were healing, and her skin, now that the bruises were fading, was fair and delicate. When those eyes looked at someone, they always held a sense of cautious testing and absolute trust.

"Woman," Cao Kun finally spoke, his voice carrying a hint of helpless compromise, "you really are playing with fire."

Feng Hua Lian was stunned, not yet understanding the meaning behind those words. Cao Kun continued, "Come on, let's go to your room."

They arrived at Feng Hua Lian's room.

Cao Kun naturally got straight into the bed.

In contrast, Feng Hua Lian, like a startled fawn, climbed onto the bed with somewhat stiff movements.

She lay down cautiously beside Cao Kun, with a distance of about twenty centimeters between them.

It was enough for another person to lie down.

The room was so quiet that they could hear each other's breathing.

Feng Hua Lian lay flat, her hands placed properly at her sides, her eyes staring at the ceiling.

She could feel Cao Kun's body heat beside her and smell the faint scent of shower gel on him, mixed with a unique masculine aura.

Nervousness, shyness, and a trace of inexplicable anticipation filled her.

Cao Kun turned onto his side, facing her. "So nervous?"

"N-no..." Feng Hua Lian's voice betrayed her.

Cao Kun laughed, his laughter sounding exceptionally soft in the darkness. "Turn over and look at me."

Feng Hua Lian hesitated for a second before slowly turning around.

The two lay face to face, the distance closing to just over ten centimeters. She could clearly see Cao Kun's silhouette in the dim light.

"You said before that the injuries on your back still hurt?" Cao Kun suddenly asked.

"Ah? Um... sometimes they do, especially when the weather changes..."

"I'll give you a massage," Cao Kun said naturally. "I've learned a bit of massage technique; it's good for recovery."

Without waiting for Feng Hua Lian's answer, he had already reached out and gently pressed his hand on her shoulder.

Through the thin fabric of her pajamas, he could feel the stiffness of her body.

"Relax," Cao Kun's voice seemed to have a magical quality. "I won't hurt you."

His fingers began to move, applying moderate pressure to the acupoints on her neck and shoulders.

Feng Hua Lian was tense at first, but Cao Kun's technique was indeed professional.

It wasn't an ambiguous caress, but a truly methodical massage.

Her aching shoulders gradually relaxed under his pressure, and the sense of comfort made her let out an involuntary sigh.

"Does it hurt here?" Cao Kun's hand moved to the center of her back.

"Mhm... a little..."

His fingers began to press in circles over that area, the pressure perfectly relieving the deep-seated ache.

Feng Hua Lian closed her eyes and relaxed completely.

At this moment, she was no longer that constantly vigilant victim, but just an ordinary girl enjoying a massage.

The massage lasted for about ten minutes.

Cao Kun's hands moved from her shoulders to her back, and then to her waist, meticulously attending to every spot.

Feng Hua Lian's body went completely soft, like a cat that had been comfortably groomed.

"There," Cao Kun withdrew his hand. "How do you feel?"

"Much better..." Feng Hua Lian's voice was soft and sleepy. "Thank you..."

"Turn back over; it's more comfortable to lie flat."

Feng Hua Lian did as she was told and turned to lie flat, but this time, the distance between her and Cao Kun had unknowingly shrunk.

Their arms were almost touching, and she could feel the heat radiating from Cao Kun's body.

A brief silence fell over the room.

Then Cao Kun suddenly said, "It seems a bit cold."

Feng Hua Lian was taken aback.

The heating in the room was sufficient; it actually wasn't cold.

But before she could react, Cao Kun had already turned and moved closer, naturally wrapping an arm around her and pulling her gently into his embrace.

"It's warmer this way." His voice was right by her ear.

Feng Hua Lian's body froze again.

This was completely different from the touch during the massage.

That was treatment; this was a hug.

Cao Kun's chest was broad and warm, his arm strong but not oppressive. His breath brushed against the top of her head, creating an indescribable intimacy.

"Cao Kun..." she whispered his name.

"Hmm?"

"Us doing this..."

"What about it?" Cao Kun's voice held a hint of amusement. "Didn't we say we'd sleep together? Isn't this what sleeping together is like?"

His hand began to stroke her back gently—not the pressure of a massage, but a softer, slower caress, moving from her shoulder blades to her waist, over and over again.

Feng Hua Lian's heart beat rapidly.

She could feel the changes in Cao Kun's body; that masculine instinctual reaction was transmitted through their pajamas.

She should be nervous, she should be afraid, but strangely enough, she wasn't.

Perhaps it was because this was Cao Kun.

The person who had pulled her out of hell, the person who had given her a new life, the person she trusted completely.

"Don't be afraid," Cao Kun said, as if seeing through her thoughts. "I won't force you to do anything. If you say no, we'll just sleep like this, holding each other."

His hand stopped at her waist and no longer moved, resting there quietly.

This restrained tenderness instead made a surge of impulse rise in Feng Hua Lian's heart.

She thought back to everything over the past few months.

Cao Kun feeding her porridge in the hospital, Cao Kun helping her teach Liu Zhen a lesson, Cao Kun arranging things for her family, Cao Kun giving her a job and a place to stay...

And just now, he clearly could have taken advantage of the situation, yet he only gave her a massage, only a hug, and even now gave her the right to choose.

"Cao Kun," she mustered her courage and looked up at him, "I... I won't say 'no'."

In the darkness, their eyes met.

Cao Kun's eyes were as deep as the night sky, with something surging within them.

"Are you sure?" His voice grew even lower.

Feng Hua Lian didn't answer but showed him with her actions.

She slightly tilted her head up and pressed a kiss as light as a feather onto the corner of his mouth.

This kiss became the fuse.

Cao Kun's gaze darkened instantly.

He tightened his arms, pulling Feng Hua Lian completely into his embrace, and then lowered his head to kiss her lips.

Once the kiss ended, both were a bit breathless.

Cao Kun's forehead rested against hers, his voice husky. "Last chance. It's not too late to stop now."

Feng Hua Lian shook her head and took the initiative to lean in and kiss him again.

This time, Cao Kun no longer held back.

...