39: They were about to commit an unforgivable mistake.

She walked to Lin Chao's side, slowly raised her hand, and lightly touched his cheek with her cool fingertips.

"You drank so much, is your body really okay?"

His cheek felt burning hot.

Xie Mengya's unique scent of orchids mixed with red wine once again forcefully wafted into his nostrils.

The strong alcohol he had just consumed seemed to rush to his head at this moment, instantly clouding Lin Chao's mind.

He reached out and grabbed Xie Mengya's hand that was pressed against his cheek.

It felt warm and soft, like a piece of high-quality warm jade.

Lin Chao's heart suddenly skipped a beat, then began to race wildly.

He lowered his head, his voice somewhat hoarse.

"There's nothing wrong with my body."

He paused and looked up at Xie Mengya.

"But I think my heart... might be having some trouble."

He took Xie Mengya's hand and slowly placed it on the left side of his chest.

Through the thin shirt, she could clearly feel the heart beneath it thumping strongly and powerfully, beating at an astonishing speed.

"It's... beating so fast right now."

Xie Mengya's hand trembled slightly.

But she didn't pull it away.

Her breath seemed to freeze at that moment.

She raised her eyes and looked into Lin Chao's.

Those eyes, which usually held a gentle smile, were now churning with a strong drunkenness and an... indescribable sentiment.

The air seemed to have been sucked dry, leaving only ambiguity fermenting.

Only the faucet at the sink continued to drip, "drip, drop, drip, drop," tapping against their strained nerves.

In the narrow space, the scent of orchids mixed with wine on Xie Mengya became richer than ever, dominantly invading Lin Chao's every breath.

He couldn't help but take another step closer.

The distance between them almost vanished.

"Sister Mengya, can you hear it?"

"My heart is beating faster and faster."

Xie Mengya's heart also skipped a beat.

She could clearly feel the heart under her palm, as if it were about to jump out of his chest.

And hadn't her own heart lost its rhythm as well?

She looked up into Lin Chao's eyes, shimmering with drunkenness; the surging emotions within startled her, yet sparked a... strange anticipation.

"Then, little brother, what can your sister do for you?"

Seeing her like this, Lin Chao's breathing grew heavier.

He smiled, a smile that was somewhat dangerous.

"Sister Mengya..."

His voice grew even hoarser.

"If you really do something, I'm afraid... I might commit an unforgivable mistake."

"Oh?"

Xie Mengya smiled charmingly. Instead of backing down, she stood on her tiptoes and leaned in even closer.

"What kind of mistake is my little brother going to commit that would be unforgivable?"

Lin Chao could no longer hold back.

He suddenly lowered his head and fiercely captured those lips, as delicate and alluring as rose petals.

"Mmm..."

Xie Mengya's eyes widened instantly.

A trace of disbelief and shock flashed through her eyes.

This boy, who had always appeared docile, obedient, and even a bit green in front of her... how could he be... so rough?

Just then—

"Knock, knock, knock!"

A sudden, rapid knocking on the door rang out.

A somewhat familiar female voice came from outside the door, sounding a bit tipsy.

"Meng Ya, are you in there? What's taking you so long?"

It was Zheng Bingqing's voice!

Immediately after, another wealthy lady's voice chimed in, filled with obvious giggling.

"Oh, Bingqing, don't go disturbing them."

"The young couple is inside... hee hee! It's quite inconsiderate of you to knock now!"

The abrupt knocks from outside hit Lin Chao's burning nerves like a heavy hammer.

His whole body stiffened, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him, waking him up instantly.

He subconsciously released the person in his arms, retreated half a step with ragged breaths, and distanced himself from Xie Mengya.

The ambiguous atmosphere between them was torn open by the sudden noise.

He looked at Xie Mengya's misty eyes, her slightly swollen lips, and the lipstick that had been smudged to the corner of her mouth; his Adam's apple bobbed.

"I'm sorry, Sister Mengya," he said, his voice hoarse from the alcohol. "I... I was too impulsive."

Xie Mengya, however, wasn't flustered at all.

She simply watched him quietly, her gaze quickly regaining its composure, while a faint, enigmatic smile touched the corners of her mouth.

She extended the tip of her tongue and lightly licked her lips.

"Little brother..." her voice was lazy and seductive, "you aren't as well-behaved as you look on the surface!"

Lin Chao's heart skipped another beat.

He looked down at this charming woman and forced down the restlessness surging within him once more.

He suddenly laughed. "Could it be that Sister Mengya really thought I was a good little brother?"

His voice was very low, carrying a hint of dangerous magnetism.

"Does Sister..." He leaned in slightly, getting closer to her again, "only like me when I'm being well-behaved?"

As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand.

His fingertip, burning hot, gently brushed over Xie Mengya's smudged lipstick.

The movement was as gentle as if he were handling a rare treasure.

"If you like it... I can pretend."

Xie Mengya felt her heart beating like a drum.

This version of Lin Chao was someone she had never seen before.

Unfamiliar.

Dominant.

Yet he possessed a fatal attraction that fascinated her.

However, she was Xie Mengya, after all.

She quickly steadied her mind.

"No matter what you're like, little brother..."

"I like it all!"

Lin Chao chuckled.

He lowered his head again, planting a light kiss on the corner of her slightly smudged mouth.

"Sister Mengya, you should go out."

His voice regained some clarity.

"Otherwise, they'll really make fun of you."

At this moment, Xie Mengya clearly felt that the initiative was now completely in the hands of this man, who was nearly ten years younger than her.

She took a deep breath, her eyes flickering slightly.

She decided to take back the initiative.

"Is it..."

"Is it that my little brother is afraid they'll laugh?"

Lin Chao's body paused slightly.

He lowered his eyes, looking at the beautiful face just inches away.

He let out a low laugh, one filled with the aggressiveness only found in an adult man.

"Of course I'm not afraid."

He pulled her closer into his arms and said word by word, his lips almost brushing against hers.

"Isn't it Sister Mengya who... is afraid of them laughing?"

Xie Mengya's breathing was also slightly ragged.

She looked into Lin Chao's bright black eyes, and just when he thought she was about to do something more, Xie Mengya giggled and pushed him away with the fingertip that was still teasing his Adam's apple.

"Then, little brother, have a good rest."

Her voice carried a hint of laziness after getting her way.

"I'll be going out first."