In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

Her voice trailed off as she poked at each other with her two index fingers, not daring to lift her head: "My energy is unstable. Once you enter a dream, your actions will be controlled by the dreamer... Whatever he dreams about, you will appear in that scene and do whatever you want. It's not up to you to decide... Simply put, you are part of his dream and have to follow his 'script'."

Xie Yige was stunned.

"So...should I still try?" Dudu secretly glanced at her, her little face full of guilt.

The room fell silent.

She remembered the hoarse voice when he said "I'm sorry" and the burning heat of his body when he held her.

My heart suddenly started beating very fast.

She gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white. A long time passed, so long that Dudu thought she wouldn't answer, before she heard a very soft yet exceptionally clear voice:

"try."

Night falls. Darkness. Then comes light.

Xie Yige felt as if she had fallen into warm, deep water, her consciousness floating and sinking. A beeping voice sounded in her ear, from a great distance: "Master, concentrate, think of his appearance..."

His appearance.

A pair of deep-set phoenix eyes, long eyelashes, a cool and restrained gaze, and skin as white as porcelain...

The image became clearer, as if a hand was tearing a rift in the darkness. Light poured in from the rift, so bright that she closed her eyes.

When I opened my eyes again—

She was standing on tiptoe, reaching out to touch the cluster of pear blossoms in full bloom on the branch. She was wearing a light green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), the hem of which was gently lifted by the wind, brushing against her calves and tickling them.

This scene...

Xie Yige's heart skipped a beat.

She turned her head. Sure enough, the figure stood not far away, quietly watching her through the swirling petals.

But he seemed different. His features remained aloof, but his deep, pool-like eyes churned with emotions she had never seen before—thick, scalding, like magma suppressed for a long time, ready to erupt at any moment. His gaze fell upon her, burning her face like a physical heat.

She wanted to move, to speak, but found her body completely out of her control. As if pulled by invisible threads, she could only continue to tiptoe, trying to reach the pear blossom.

The small stone underfoot suddenly slipped—

"oops!"

The exclamation escaped her lips, her voice so soft and sweet it sounded unlike her own.

The figure in sky-blue robes arrived as expected, faster and more swift than during the day. His arm firmly encircled her waist, but this time, he did not immediately let go.

His hands were clasped tightly, his fingers almost digging into her waist. The warmth of his palms seeped through her thin spring dress, sending a shiver down her spine, as if she'd been electrocuted.

Xie Yige turned her head in a panic.

Their eyes met, so close they were almost touching.

His eyes were so beautiful, the pupils a deep, dark black, reflecting her face. She could see herself in his pupils—her cheeks flushed, her eyes darting around nervously, her lips slightly parted.

His gaze lingered on her lips for a moment.

In that instant, Xie Yige felt as if the air itself was on fire.

Then, he lowered his head.

It wasn't an accident.

It was a clear and premeditated intention.

His soft lips covered hers. Unlike the hasty touch during the day, this was a burning kiss with an irresistible force. His breath was hot, spraying onto her face with each breath, carrying the cool scent of sandalwood, mixed with an indescribable, masculine aroma.

Xie Yige's mind went blank.

She tried to push him away, but her body felt as if it were under a spell, limp and powerless. Somehow, her hand had climbed onto his shirt, her fingertips gripping the fabric of his chest until her knuckles turned white.

His kiss was much deeper and more forceful than during the day. His tongue gently traced the shape of her lips, as if savoring something precious. She instinctively closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling violently, feeling as if the whole world was spinning.

Between her lips and teeth, she tasted a slightly salty and bitter flavor—she didn't know if it was his or her own.

His kiss was deep and slow, as if he wanted to crush her bit by bit and swallow her whole. His hands on her waist tightened more and more, so much so that it hurt her a little, but within that pain, a strange, trembling thrill arose, spreading from her waist all the way to her limbs.

After an unknown amount of time, he slowly backed away.

As the lips parted, a very soft, ambiguous sound of water was heard, which was particularly clear in the quiet dream.

Xie Yige's face was burning hot, her lips were numb and swollen, still tinged with his heat. She gasped for breath, her chest heaving, and her legs felt weak.

Cui Yutang looked at her, his eyes filled with an unyielding darkness. He raised his hand, his fingertips gently tracing her slightly swollen lower lip, the movement almost reverent, yet his eyes churned with a painful struggle, as if joy and despair were burning together simultaneously.

"Yige..." he called her softly, his voice hoarse, as if he had a mouthful of sand in it.

Xie Yige trembled all over.

How did he know her name?

Before she could figure it out, he suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. His arms were so tight, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones, to embed her into his body. His chin rested on the top of her head, his breath heavy, trembling almost imperceptibly, his breath tickling her hair.

She heard his heartbeat—thump, thump, thump—fast and heavy, coming through the fabric of her clothes, mingling with her own heartbeat, making it impossible to tell which was whose.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered in her ear, his voice filled with suppressed pain, as if squeezed from deep in his throat, "I know I shouldn't... but I really... couldn't control myself..."

Pear blossoms fell in a flurry, covering them from head to toe, like a never-ending snowfall.

Xie Yige buried her face in his chest, her nose filled with the cool scent of sandalwood and a faint trace of his own body odor. She could feel the warmth of his chest, his heartbeat, and his slightly trembling arms.

She should be afraid, she should push him away.

But in some corner of my heart, a small, trembling flower quietly bloomed.

Then, the dream began to sway.

The surrounding pear trees, fallen blossoms, and courtyard all distorted and rippled like reflections in water. Cui Yutang's figure also became blurred, like smoke scattered by the wind; only the thick pain in his eyes remained clear and glaring.

"Yige..." he called again, his voice drifting as if it came from a very, very far place.

Darkness descended once more.

Xie Yige suddenly opened her eyes.

Her chest heaved violently, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of her chest. The burning sensation on her lips still lingered, and the strength and warmth of his arm still seemed to remain around her waist. All she could hear were his suppressed, painful whispers.

"sorry……"

"I can't control myself..."

She was panting heavily, feeling her whole body burning up.

"Master? Master, you're awake?" Dudu's voice sounded cautiously in my mind.

Xie Yige came to her senses and found herself still lying in bed, the embroidery on the canopy blurred in the dim light. Outside the window, it was still dark, the darkest hour before dawn, and the first bird song could be faintly heard from the courtyard.