He distinctly felt her slight fear—It was an inner demon she couldn’t cast aside, no matter how intimate they had become.

But his desire was extraordinary. Truly, since the first time he saw her, he had longed for this moment. When he first had her, his wish hadn’t come true. Even after two or three years together, it remained unfulfilled. Even when they broke up and he had resorted to force, his wish still wasn’t granted. Until this very moment... he could no longer bear it. His hand moved forcefully, wanting to rip away the obstructive bathrobe.

His anticipation was like that of an artist seeing a landscape painting by Wu Daozi, a red-eyed gambler staring at a massive pile of chips, or a gluttonous epicure facing a table piled high with delicacies... Truly, if he didn’t partake now, he felt he would suffocate.

"Xixi..."

His breath came in ragged gasps.

But her fear only intensified. She instinctively clutched herself tighter. In truth, she had never truly bared herself to anyone in her entire life. From a very young age, she had excelled in her studies. Her parents always told her, "Child, the girl who always ranks first is the most beautiful in the world..."

She always took first place. For a long time, she had believed that people praised her beauty only because of this: her top rank. It had nothing to do with her body itself.

As she grew older, she paid little attention to her own looks, never considering them an advantage. After her family suffered a sudden catastrophe and she had to navigate the world of various men, she guarded herself even more fiercely. She never believed that a pretty face made one superior to others. In fact, she was never comfortable standing naked before a large mirror after a bath to look at herself. Never.

"Xixi... Xixi..."

But he—his desire was simply too overwhelming. He so badly wanted to properly admire this elfin creature, as beautiful as a work of art.

"My darling... May I take a look? Just this one time..."

His large hands, driven more by an insatiable craving than mere passion, itched to act countless times. He truly wished he could just use force. With one reach, he wanted to completely obliterate that robe—he wanted to see her that badly.

However, he couldn’t use force. Whenever his hand applied the slightest pressure, he could clearly feel her recoil.

"Xixi... my darling... don’t be afraid... what are you afraid of?"

He knew she was scared, so he turned off all the lights. Even admiring her by the hazy moonlight would be good enough. He had to take it step by step, lest he frighten her.

However, she still adamantly shielded herself, carefully protecting her robe. Her heart hammered so violently it felt as if her chest would burst. She was surprisingly terrified.

"My darling..."

She remembered her promise—this was the price for the grilled lamb chops tonight.

Her cheeks burned, and she was so ashamed she couldn’t control herself. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, "No... No... I’m scared..."

He patiently coaxed her, "My darling... What are you scared of? Don’t be afraid. I’m merely admiring you... Do you know? You are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen..."

Suddenly, she jumped down and clung to his neck. Caught off guard, he was knocked back onto the carpet.

She pounced on him unceremoniously, almost fiercely. To his utter astonishment, in a flurry of movements, she had ripped off his robe.

He didn’t resist—because he’d completely forgotten to.

Under the moonlight, the man’s well-built body was fully visible. He had a firm chest, faintly visible abdominal muscles, and not a single ounce of excess fat. His physique was a symbol of strength and beauty, like a sculpture by Michelangelo.