Conquer the other worlds with abandon, they've fallen in love with me!

Arya untied the ribbon and opened the box—

Inside is that bottle of floral perfume.

The small glass bottle gleamed with an amber luster under the candlelight, and had an elegant handwritten label on its surface.

She picked up the bottle, gently uncorked it, and brought it to her nose to smell it.

It has a very delicate floral fragrance with a hint of fruity sweetness; it's not overpowering and is very pleasant.

It's a flavor she'll like.

"Perfume..." she murmured, her eyes brightening slightly, but mostly filled with heartache. "This must be very expensive, right? I don't usually need it..."

"It will come in handy," Lin Yu said. "I can use it every day from now on."

Arya's face flushed again. She didn't say anything more, but carefully put the perfume bottle back into the box, gently stroking the lid with her fingers.

Then she opened several other packages.

The lipstick is a natural rose color and comes in a small silver tube.

The porcelain jar of the face cream felt warm to the touch and had a faint herbal scent.

And those new dresses, the fabric felt soft and smooth to the touch, the kind she had only ever seen in shop windows before, never imagining she could own.

Arya bent down, tied the cloth bag, and placed it on the table.

She sniffed, looked up, and smiled at Lin Yu: "Thank you... thank you, Mr. Lin Yu... I... I like it very much."

"I'm glad you like it." Lin Yu looked at her calmly. "Put these things away and let's eat first."

"Hmm." Arya nodded, then carried the new clothes and cosmetics, and walked briskly into the bedroom, only to come out a few minutes later.

When she came out, her face still had a lingering blush.

Arya sat back down at the table and continued eating.

The two sat facing each other, with only the moonlight and the candlelight on the table barely illuminating their surroundings.

As the man and woman spent time together, the atmosphere became increasingly ambiguous.

While chatting with Arya, Lin Yu subtly nudged her little feet under the table with the back of his foot.

Arya's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, her hand holding the cutlery froze in mid-air, her eyes quickly glanced at Lin Yu, then quickly lowered again, staring at the food on the plate.

Her cheeks flushed at a visible speed.

Lin Yu's feet didn't leave, they just gently pressed against the outside of her little feet.

Through the thin fabric of her dress, I could feel the warmth and delicate touch of her skin.

He could even feel her little legs tense up slightly from the tension.

Arya didn't move or speak, but her breathing became erratic.

She picked up her glass, intending to take a sip to cover it up, but she drank too quickly, choked, and coughed softly.

Lin Yu withdrew his foot, walked over, and gently patted her back.

"Slower."

"Hmm..." Arya responded, her voice even lower.

She put down her wine glass, her fingers unconsciously twisting together, her gaze wandering, unable to look at him.

But not long after, Lin Yu's feet "unintentionally" moved closer again.

This time, he didn't just stick to her; instead, he reached out and gently grabbed Arya's little feet.

"!"

Arya's body jerked violently, and the fork in her hand almost fell onto the plate with a soft "clink".

She felt as if she had been burned and instinctively tried to pull her feet back, but for some reason, she stopped halfway through the movement.

Her legs remained frozen in place, letting Lin Yu's hand hold her; in fact, because of her stiffness, the contact became even closer.

She could clearly feel the warmth of Lin Yu's palm, a warmth that seeped through her skin, bringing waves of tingling, itchy sensation.

Her breathing became more and more rapid, and her chest rose and fell slightly.

Her fingers gripped the cutlery tightly, while her other hand gripped the hem of her skirt above her knee.

She lowered her head, her stray hairs falling down to cover most of her face, but her exposed ears and neck were completely red.

Lin Yu looked at her, who was so embarrassed she was practically steaming, yet trying to remain calm, and a hint of a smile flashed in his eyes.

He stopped teasing her, withdrew his hand, and casually picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

Arya felt the pressure on her feet disappear, and her tense body relaxed a little, but she felt a strange emptiness in her heart.

She glanced up quickly at Lin Yu and saw him eating as if nothing had happened, as if the little thing he did under the table just now was not his doing at all.

She bit her lower lip, her mind a jumble of emotions. Shame, nervousness, and a hint of... a secret anticipation she herself didn't want to admit.

The two continued eating, but the atmosphere became more subtle.

Something unseen seemed to be flowing in the air, carrying the aroma of food, the smell of burning candles, and a silent, gradually warming ambiguity.

However, just as Arya felt her face burning up and she was about to lose her balance, the candle on the table suddenly went out.

The sudden darkness startled Arya, and her hand instinctively groped on the table, touching the cold rim of a glass.

But soon, she took a deep breath, as if forcing herself to calm down.

"Did...did the candle burn out? Or was it blown out by the wind?"

Her voice rang out in the darkness, trembling slightly, but she tried her best to remain calm, even offering words of comfort to Lin Yu opposite her:

"No, it's alright, Mr. Lin Yu. Don't be afraid, it's just a little bit of darkness."

I'll go light the oil lamp right away. I remember it was next to the cabinet. It'll be ready in a minute..."

As she spoke, she tried to stand up, relying on her memory.

His fingers traced patterns in the dark void, trying to find a foothold, his body leaning slightly forward.

However, just as her fingertips touched the chair armrest, and her body prepared to exert force—

A warm, dry hand, with undeniable strength, gently pressed down on her shoulder.

The hand stopped her from getting up and gently pressed her back into the chair.

Arya's body froze instantly, and all her movements stopped.

In the darkness, the hand was warm, with a reassuring strength.

"Mr. Lin Yu?" Arya called out nervously.

"It's me, don't be afraid." Lin Yu's voice was very low, almost whispering in her ear, and it was exceptionally clear in the darkness, and also exceptionally... alluring.

"Close your eyes, I have a gift for you."

Before Arya could react, she felt a slight chill on her neck.

Something touched her skin; it was cold and had a metallic feel.

Her fingers touched it; it was a necklace.

The chain is thin, and the pendant is a small but bright pale purple gemstone.

The gemstone emitted a soft glow in the darkness, like a small, sealed ball of moonlight.

Arya's finger stopped on the gem.

This was the first time in her life she had worn something so valuable.

"Mr. Lin Yu..." Her voice trembled slightly, "This is too precious, I can't..."

"I've already bought it." Lin Yu's voice was calm as he fastened the clasp of the necklace behind her neck.

His fingertips touched the skin on the back of her neck; it was cool and sent a slight shiver down her spine.

The clips are fastened.

The necklace hung between her collarbones, the glint of the gemstones reflecting off her skin, making it appear translucent white.

Lin Yu did not retract his hand.

He remained in that position, lowering his head to whisper in her ear.

"Miss Arya," his voice was soft, like a feather brushing against her ear, "Do you like it?"

Arya's ears were on fire.

She could feel Lin Yu's hot breath tickling behind her ear and creeping down her neck.

"I like it..." she said subconsciously, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

"I like you too, Miss Arya."

The air was silent for a second, and Arya's mind went blank for a moment.

He said he likes her? Does he like the necklace, or... does he like her?

Arya thought she had misheard and turned her head to look at Lin.

But the next second, Lin Yu's arm reached out from behind her, one hand around her waist and the other around her knees.

He was picked up and carried.

At that moment, the world spun around.