Chương 19: You can lean on me

Lixue barely had time to process what was happening before she felt herself lifted off the ground.

"Mo Ran! Put me down!" she protested, her fists pounding against his chest as he carried her with ease.

His expression was unreadable, but the faint smirk tugging at his lips sent shivers down her spine. He didn't respond, his strides purposeful as he carried her straight to the bedroom.

With a deliberate motion, he dropped her onto the bed. The mattress dipped under her weight, and she let out a startled gasp at the heavy thud.

"Mo Ran!" she hissed, scrambling to sit up, but he was faster. He leaned over her, his arms braced on either side of her, effectively caging her in.

"Still so stubborn," he murmured, his voice low and teasing. His dark eyes roved over her flushed face before locking onto her wide, indignant gaze. "Even your body has so many secrets, Lixue. Why don't we explore some of them?"

Her breath hitched, and she pressed her palms against his chest, trying to push him away. "Stop this, Mo Ran. You're being ridiculous!"

He didn't budge. Instead, he chuckled, his lips curling into a mischievous smirk. "Ridiculous? You're the one hiding things, refusing to talk. Maybe your body will tell me the truths your lips won't."

"…!"

"Let me go!" she demanded, twisting under him, but it only made his smirk deepen.

"Not until you start talking," he countered smoothly, his face inching closer to hers. "What are you so afraid of, Lixue? Afraid I'll discover the real you?"

She froze, her eyes narrowing. "You think this is funny? You think you can just pin me down and get what you want?"

"Funny? No," he said, his tone darkening slightly. "Necessary." His fingers brushed a strand of hair from her face, his touch surprisingly gentle despite his imposing presence. "You've made it clear you don't trust me, Lixue. But here's the thing—I don't have the patience to wait forever. If you won't share your secrets willingly, then maybe I need to take a different approach."

Her heart pounded in her chest, a mixture of anger and fear coursing through her. "You don't own me, Mo Ran," she bit out. "And this isn't how you earn trust."

His gaze softened for a fraction of a second before hardening again. "Then tell me, Lixue," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Tell me why you're hiding, why you're running, why you're so desperate to keep me at arm's length. Prove me wrong."

For a moment, the tension hung heavy between them.

But Lixue, stubborn as ever, clenched her jaw and looked away. "You wouldn't understand."

"…"

"Mhm…what makes you so sure I wouldn't understand?" Mo Ran asked, his hands trailing to her shirt, cupping her breast gently a smile blossoming on his lips.

"Many secrets you hide from me indeed, but I can tell they haven't been touch by another man before.."

"…!!"

Lixue's face reddened as she quickly thought of a comeback.

"This is harassment!"

"Harassment? Haha…but the look on you face makes me think you're enjoying it.. my love.."

By the time he finished saying his, he had reached the third button and he could see her delicate, milky white skin.

"I did not! I was just embarrassed you're not exactly mince with your words?"

"Oh…haha, you're so incredibly cute when you pout, do you know that?"

Mo Ran switched their position, placing Lixue on top of him so they could both face each other.

"Lixue, it might sound funny but I just want to help you." Mo Ran sighed burying his face into her stomach, then raising his head slightly to watch her expression.

This was a gesture that Lixue couldn't resist, he was too handsome and him acting doctile made her unable to resist.

Lixue's breath hitched as Mo Ran's face rested against her stomach, his movements unexpectedly tender, contrasting sharply with his earlier dominance. The man before her was an enigma—blunt, persistent, and infuriatingly handsome.

"Mo Ran," she murmured, her voice trembling with a mixture of frustration and vulnerability. "You're impossible."

He raised his head slightly, his dark eyes locking onto hers. A faint smirk tugged at his lips again, but there was something softer in his expression now. "Impossible, am I? Yet here you are, unable to push me away."

Her lips parted to retort, but the words died in her throat. Instead, she clenched her fists, her gaze darting away from his piercing stare. "You don't understand… You're making it harder for me."

"Harder?" He raised a brow, his tone teasing. "Is that your way of admitting I'm breaking down your walls?"

Her face flushed crimson. "That's not what I meant!"

Mo Ran laughed, a low, rich sound that sent a shiver down her spine. His hands gently gripped her waist, steadying her as she straddled him awkwardly. "Relax, little bunny. I'm not here to hurt you." His smirk faded, replaced by a serious look. "I just want you to stop acting like the weight of the world is yours to carry alone. You have me now."

She swallowed hard, the sincerity in his tone catching her off guard. "You say that like it's so easy," she muttered.

"It is," he countered, his voice firm. "If you let it be. If you let me be."

Lixue's heart clenched at his words. She hated how they made her chest ache, how they chipped away at the armor she'd spent years building. But she couldn't ignore the truth behind them.

"You're stubborn," she said quietly, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt.

He smiled, his hands brushing her hair back with a tenderness that surprised her. "So are you."

For a moment, the tension between them shifted, softening into something gentler, more intimate. Mo Ran tilted his head, his gaze searching hers.

"Lixue," he said softly, "I don't know what you've been through. And maybe I'll never fully understand. But if you let me, I'll stand by you. I'll fight for you. You just have to let me in."

Her vision blurred as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She hated how his words affected her, how they unraveled the tightly bound threads of her resolve.

"I…" she began, but her voice cracked.

Mo Ran didn't push. He simply pulled her closer, resting her head against his chest. His steady heartbeat filled the silence, grounding her in a way she hadn't expected.

"You don't have to say anything now," he murmured, his lips brushing against her hair. "Just promise me you'll stop running."

Lixue closed her eyes, her hands gripping his shirt tighter. For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to lean into someone else's strength.

"Okay," she whispered, the word barely audible.

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