137: E-sports genius forced love 7

"You, you wait a moment..." She tried to push him away, but he grabbed her wrist and pinned it above her head.

The locker rattled with a 'clank', and several oil pastels rolled off the shelf, their sound particularly jarring in the silent art museum.

Lu Chen's gaze fell on her reddened lips, his Adam's apple bobbing violently: "I can't wait any longer."

The next second, he leaned down and kissed her.

This kiss carried a long-suppressed desire, so fervent it almost melted her.

Wen Ci's gasp was completely swallowed by him, her mouth filled with his scent.

Lu Chen's hand moved from her waist to the back of her neck, his thumb gently caressing that sensitive skin, forcing her to tilt her head back and accept a deeper taking.

He kissed her fiercely and urgently, as if pouring all the longing of these past days into this one kiss.

Footsteps and laughter suddenly came from outside the door.

"I heard Lu Shen came to our school?"

"Someone saw him walking this way..."

Wen Ci stiffened all over, instinctively wanting to hide, but Lu Chen cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss.

His tongue swept over her upper palate, sending a shiver through her.

Only when the footsteps faded did he reluctantly pull back, yet still lingered, lightly pecking her swollen lips as if savoring some delicacy.

"Now," his voice was hoarse beyond recognition, his thumb wiping her moist lip corner, "can you give me an answer?"

Wen Ci's chest heaved violently, her mind dizzy from lack of oxygen.

She looked at the man before her, whose eyes were red and breathing was erratic, her voice tinged with annoyance: "Lu Chen, you actually forced a kiss on me..."

"Did it work?" He chuckled softly, the vibration in his chest directly transmitting to her tightly pressed chest.

She suddenly paused, then admitted in a low voice, her face flushed, "Yes… but next time you can’t…"

Before she could finish, her lips were sealed by him again.

This time it was a gentle, lingering kiss, like a silent promise.

He held her lower lip, gently sucking, his tongue tracing the shape of her lips.

"Wen Ci." When they parted, he leaned his forehead against hers and whispered, his voice holding an unprecedented seriousness, "Everything I have is yours."

Sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on them, and the scattered oil pastels on the floor looked like blooming little flowers.

Wen Ci gazed into his star-filled eyes; this young man, who shone brightly before thousands, was now a devoted follower to her alone.

*

Lu Chen really didn't return to the training room all day.

Even though Wen Ci repeatedly promised to find him after school, and even coaxed him in a soft voice: "You go back first, I promise I won't run off."

But the young man stubbornly stood at the school gate, like a silent statue, guarding her every step of the way.

"..." Wen Ci was helpless, yet couldn't help but feel her heart soften.

Lu Chen didn't speak, simply stayed put at the school gate, as if terrified she might be abducted.

"...Really, his possessiveness is excessive."

Wen Ci mumbled softly, but the corners of her mouth curled up uncontrollably.

*

When she returned to the classroom, her friends immediately gathered around, their eyes gleaming with gossip.

"Oh, oh, oh—" Lin Xia hooked her arm around Wen Ci's neck, her gaze sweeping over her slightly swollen lips, smiling meaningfully, "I was wondering why our campus belle ignored all those seniors who pursued her; turns out she already had a boyfriend, huh?"

"And it's the famous Lu Shen!" Chen Yue dramatically clutched her chest, "Oh my god! He's the high-and-mighty figure of the e-sports world! The man countless female fans dream of marrying, and you snagged him?"

"..." Wen Ci's ears burned; she instinctively touched her lips, remembering the scene of being pressed against the locker by Lu Chen and kissed until she couldn't breathe just now, her heartbeat instantly falling out of rhythm.

"Tell us!" Lin Xia leaned closer, lowering her voice with a mischievous grin, "Did you do something bad to him? Otherwise, why would Lu Shen look like a 'discarded puppy' and come straight to school to block you?"

"...What nonsense are you talking about!" Wen Ci pushed them away in embarrassment and annoyance, "Class is starting, class is starting! If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll tell the dorm supervisor about you secretly cooking hotpot in the dorm!"

The girls giggled and dispersed, and Wen Ci finally let out a sigh of relief, turning to look out the window.

Under the distant Wutong tree, the young man leaned lazily against the trunk, his slender figure enveloped in dappled tree shadows, his profile distinct, his lowered eyelashes casting a shadow beneath his eyes, exuding an aura of coldness that kept others at bay.

But only Wen Ci knew how clingy this 'Lu Shen,' who appeared cold and distant to outsiders, truly was in private.

It turned out he would get jealous over a casual remark from her, overthink if she didn't reply to messages, and even, when she returned his money, would pout and press her into his embrace, kissing her until she relented.

...He was practically a large, insecure dog.

Despite being a tall, broad-shouldered, long-legged man of 188 cm, he acted adorably childish in his actions.

Wen Ci couldn't help but curve the corners of her lips, but the next second, she remembered how she had impulsively hooked her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, and her cheeks flushed instantly, as she covered her face in chagrin.

...It's over, she really seemed a bit like a beast.

When she got back, she definitely had to make things clear with Lu Chen.

Otherwise, if this continued, she was afraid she really wouldn't be able to resist...

No matter what, she had to wait a bit longer.

*

At the same time, Lin Xia stood in the kitchen, the oil in the pan sizzling, as she mechanically stir-fried greens, her mind long since drifted.

Ever since she got together with Zhou Yu'an, her life had been like hitting a pause button.

He would always coax her in a syrupy voice: "Don't go to class, I'll support you."

But in reality, she was trapped in this apartment, like a free nanny, cooking and cleaning for him day after day, and even spending her own money to buy him things.

Her phone suddenly vibrated, the screen lighting up. She casually swiped it open, and a message from her best friend instantly pierced her eyes.

"Lu Shen came to school to find you! The whole school is buzzing about it now!"

The accompanying image was a blurry candid photo, but Lin Xia still recognized the tall, slender figure at a glance: a black trench coat, a stern profile, standing in front of the teaching building she frequented, his gaze fixed intently in a certain direction.

Her fingers trembled violently, and the phone almost slipped.

Lu Chen... went to look for her?

Her heart felt as if it had been tightly squeezed, then suddenly released, blood surging wildly through her veins.

She stared intently at the screen, as if to engrave every pixel into her eyes.

He still loved her.

This thought spread like wildfire through her entire body, making her almost unable to stand.

Lin Xia suddenly remembered her previous life, how foolish she was then! Lu Chen never spoke sweet words, but he silently paid her tuition, gave her pocket money, and even, when she skipped class, would softly persuade her: "Lin Xia, study hard, leave everything else to me."

But what about her? She found him dull and boring, squandered his money with her dubious friends, and even flirted with other men behind his back...

And now? Zhou Yu'an only knew how to coax her with sweet talk, yet even a decent dinner had to be made by her own hands.

She was truly blind!

Now that she knew Lu Chen still loved her, she felt confident.

"Bang!" The spatula was slammed onto the stovetop by her, oil splattering everywhere. She ripped off her apron, the sound of tearing fabric sharp and jarring.

She was going back to Lu Chen!

This time, she would never make a mistake again.

Her suitcase was dragged out, clothes haphazardly stuffed inside, her movements quick and urgent, as if fearing she would regret it if she delayed even a second.

She didn't even notice her fingertips trembling, until,

"Click."

The sound of the door lock turning suddenly rang out.

Lin Xia abruptly looked up, meeting Zhou Yu'an's gloomy gaze.

He stood in the doorway, sunlight streaming in from behind him, yet it only made his complexion appear more dark and uncertain.

His gaze slowly swept over her suitcase, then landed on her face, a cold sneer playing on his lips:

"Xiaxia, where are you... going?"

The air instantly solidified.