Chapter 190 Improper Intimacy

Chapter 190 Intimacy

He rose up on his toes slightly and naturally gathered Lin Nanshu's loose hair.

His fingertips occasionally grazed against Lin Nanshu's earlobe and the back of his neck, sending faint, almost imperceptible shivers through him.

Lin Nanshu stood frozen in place, as if turned to stone.

He could clearly smell the faint scent of alcohol on Cheng Ge as Cheng Ge leaned in, along with a trace of his clean, unique scent.

They were so close that Lin Nanshu could even trace the outline of Cheng Ge's eyebrows and eyes.

He could see the slight flutter of Cheng Ge's eyelashes as he earnestly fixed his hair, the straight bridge of his nose, and his lips pressed together in concentration.

Warm breaths brushed against his neck as if unintentionally, and Lin Nanshu's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

He could tell Cheng Ge wasn't very skilled at this, his grip alternating between too tight and too loose.

Cheng Ge's fingers were still tangled in Lin Nanshu's cool, smooth strands, but the hand holding the Bamboo Knot Hairpin didn't immediately slide it in.

"Yuli..." The alcohol seemed to spark a different kind of whim and playfulness in him.

He lifted his face slightly, looking at Lin Nanshu's sharply defined jawline, stiff from tension, and the subtly bobbing Adam's apple.

He blinked, his eyes shimmering with a dewy glow, carrying a hint of naive curiosity.

Then, with a gentle movement of his wrist, he brought the warm jade tip of the bamboo-knot hairpin to Lin Nanshu's cheek, extremely lightly and slowly.

The sudden cool sensation of jade against his skin made Lin Nanshu flinch violently, almost wanting to recoil, but his body seemed rooted to the spot.

He could only feel that cold jade tip, along his cheek, sliding downward at an agonizingly slow pace.

The tip traced the curve of his jawline, sending a subtle shiver through him.

Lin Nanshu held his breath, his hands clenching unconsciously at his sides, his nails digging deep into his palms.

Cheng Ge seemed amused. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze focused intently on the trajectory of the jade hairpin.

Next, the tip gently brushed against Lin Nanshu's lower lip. The soft sensation made Cheng Ge pause for a moment, his fingers unconsciously pressing just a bit harder.

Lin Nanshu's lips parted involuntarily, a barely audible breath escaping, but he couldn't utter a word.

That cold jade briefly pressed against his lips, creating a strange and forbidden sensation.

Then, the hairpin slowly moved upward, brushing across the tip of his nose. The cold touch made his brow twitch, yet he remained unable to move.

And that troublesome jade hairpin, almost like a feather brushing by, traced over the edge of Lin Nanshu's brow bone and eyelashes.

Lin Nanshu had to close his eyes, his long lashes sweeping against the cool jade surface, sending an indescribable tingling sensation from his eyelids straight down to his tailbone.

The entire process was suffocatingly slow.

Cheng Ge's breath was right there, warm with the scent of alcohol, alternating with the cold of the jade hairpin to overwhelm Lin Nanshu's senses.

Just as Lin Nanshu felt he could no longer endure this silent torment, Cheng Ge finally stopped his movements.

He seemed to have had enough fun, or perhaps finally remembered his original purpose.

At last, the green jade bamboo knot hairpin was gently pushed into the coiled bun, securing the dark hair.

The cool jade shaft was completely buried in the hair, leaving only the few bamboo leaves at the tip exposed.

Cheng Ge withdrew his hand, as if he had accomplished a major task, his face full of pure satisfaction.

As if that almost intimate tracing of his features had nothing to do with him.

"All done," he said softly, his tone with the casual ease of someone having finished a task.

Cheng Ge withdrew his hand and stepped back half a pace, appraising his work.

His eyes, especially bright from the alcohol, shimmered under the lantern light, as if filled with stars, enough to make anyone lose themselves in them at a glance.

He tilted his head, a satisfied, almost childish smile spreading across his face.

His voice was soft, as if speaking to himself or murmuring to Lin Nanshu: "It's beautiful. It suits you perfectly."

The night wind rustled through the bamboo grove beside the residence, rustling softly.

The breeze brushed against the skin at his temples, but did nothing to dispel the heat rising from Lin Nanshu's ears and neck.

Cheng Ge's murmur, like a stone dropped into a still lake, stirred ripples in his heart that were hard to calm.

He stared dumbly at the person before him. Cheng Ge's star-filled eyes were still fixed on him, unblinking.

With the innocent look of a drunk man, as if what he had just done was the most natural thing in the world.

The night sky was still for a moment, the only sound the wind passing through the bamboo leaves, so that they could hear each other breathing.

Lin Nanshu could feel his heartbeat hammering in his chest, fast and heavy, almost hurting his ribs.

"Hmm…"

Cheng Ge was still smiling, even with a hint of smugness, and took half a step closer, nearly invading Lin Nanshu's personal space again.

"Not drunk... I'm clear-headed," he mumbled, his gaze landing on Lin Nanshu's newly styled topknot, nodding with satisfaction. "Yuli looks good wearing this."

His gaze was too direct and open, leaving Lin Nanshu's attempts to brush things off stuck in his throat.

Faced with a Cheng Ge who acted purely on instinct after drinking, his usual composure and restraint seemed somewhat useless.

Lin Nanshu turned his face slightly, avoiding the burning gaze, his eyes falling on their almost overlapping shadows on the ground.

He could feel Cheng Ge's breath once again brushing against his jawline, carrying the sweet scent of green plum wine.

"The night is deep and the dew is heavy," Lin Nanshu tried to steady his tone with the proper concern of a friend. "I'll have someone make a hangover soup. Muyu should drink it before going back, all right?"

He tried to steer things back to normalcy and politeness, but Cheng Ge shook his head, his movements slow.

His gaze finally moved away from Lin Nanshu's hairpin, shifting to the greaseproof paper package on the stone steps that had almost been forgotten.

"Chicken..." As if suddenly reminded of something important, he bent down to pick it up and shoved it into Lin Nanshu's hands, his expression serious. "For you. I promised."

The grease

Lin Nanshu had barely finished speaking when Cheng Ge’s stomach let out a low, undignified gurgle.

He didn't seem to notice—or rather, the drink had dulled any awareness of that embarrassing moment, his focus entirely on the oil-paper bundle.

Lin Nanshu watched him, a faint glimmer of amusement flickering in his eyes.

The two of them sat down together on the bluestone steps, and Lin Nanshu carefully unwrapped the parcel.

Though the baked chicken was no longer piping hot like when it first came out, its rich aroma immediately filled the air.

The scent of sauce and meat mingled, somehow cutting through the chill of the night and the awkward tension of moments before.

Without a second thought, he tore off the plumpest drumstick and held it out to Cheng Ge.

Cheng Ge shook his head firmly, pushing Lin Nanshu’s hand back: “No… I’ve eaten… three whole chickens… this is for you…”

Yet his gaze seemed glued to that golden, glistening drumstick.

As Lin Nanshu’s hand moved slightly, his Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily, and he gulped.