Without his glasses, his slender, phoenix-shaped eyes tilted slightly upward. Maybe it was the unfamiliar feeling of not wearing them, but his gaze narrowed, showing only a sliver of his amber-colored irises. His high-bridged nose and full, rounded lips were enviably well-shaped. But combined with the cold, distant vibe around his brows, he gave off a sort of restrained allure. Under his sharp, penetrating stare, it felt like every hidden thought was laid bare—like there was nowhere to hide.
Mu Fu playfully waved her hand in front of his face. “Can you see how many fingers I’m holding up?”
Yu Mo caught her delicate hand in one swift move. “Five.”
Mu Fu laughed awkwardly. “Oh, so you can see.”
He replied calmly, “Anything past half a meter starts getting blurry.” Then, without warning, he leaned in—close. Mu Fu froze. Their eyes locked, and the space between them shrank to mere centimeters.
“I can see your face clearly again now,” he said in a cool, steady tone.
Her dark eyes blinked rapidly, and her soft pink lips parted slightly in surprise. She stared at him, momentarily stunned. Turning her head away, she avoided his intense gaze. “Why are you this close?”
At her words, Yu Mo backed away slightly. “You wanted to know how close I have to be to see clearly, right? I was just giving you a demonstration.”
Mu Fu couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to his words than he let on. She shrank her shoulders, an odd tingling sensation crawling up her neck. When she looked up again, she found Yu Mo still watching her, his gaze calm yet deep.
“Ahem. Let’s drink our tea. It’s going to get cold,” she mumbled.
“Good tea’s never afraid of a little wait.”
Mu Fu: “…”
It wasn’t until a few moments later that Mu Fu realized—Yu Mo was still holding her hand. When he had leaned in just now, she’d forgotten to pull away.
She tried to withdraw, but his grip didn’t loosen. Instead, his fingers threaded tightly with hers, lacing together as if there were no boundaries between them. And when she looked over at him, he squeezed her hand even tighter, as though afraid she might slip away.
Mu Fu glanced up at the owner of the hand holding hers. She’d honestly thought he could hold back a little longer.
Yu Mo’s expression was relaxed, his gaze soft. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable?”
“If I said I was, would you let go?”
He chuckled, answering without hesitation, “No.” His tone was calm and polite—but what his hand was doing was anything but.
Flustered, Mu Fu blushed. Realizing she couldn’t break free, she simply let it be. And truthfully, she liked the way his broad, warm palm enveloped hers.
Yu Mo took a sip of tea and let out a quiet sigh of contentment. Whether it was the flavor of the tea or the fact that he was finally able to hold the girl he liked, it was hard to tell. Whatever invisible wall had existed between them before—it quietly dissolved in that moment.
Yu Mo, clearly in no rush, gently played with Mu Fu’s delicate fingers, turning them over and over in his hand. Then he pressed his palm against hers to compare the size. “A-Fu,” he murmured, “your hand is so small—I can completely wrap it in mine.”
As if to prove his point, he did just that. His large hand completely enclosed hers, and the gesture was warm and intimate. To Yu Mo, Mu Fu felt just like her hand: soft, slender, and fragile. Someone who needed his protection.
Mu Fu’s eyes crinkled into crescents as she smiled. But then she suddenly remembered how cold his hands had felt before. “Are you feeling okay? Your hands were freezing earlier.”
Yu Mo was surprised—and pleased. He hadn’t expected her to notice something so small. Or to care.
“Don’t worry, it happens every autumn. Just an old issue.” What he didn’t say was that it got worse in winter. He’d fallen into icy water as a child, and the damage had affected his lungs and heart. But after years of careful treatment, it had improved.
A flicker of concern passed through Mu Fu’s eyes. “Later, soak in the hot spring a little longer.”
Yu Mo nodded obediently. During their break, he’d also ordered some fruit and desserts to be brought up. “Here,” he said, offering it to her.
As the grape was gently held to her lips, Mu Fu’s heart softened. She remembered mentioning once in passing that she liked sun-kissed grapes—she hadn’t expected Yu Mo to remember.
“Thank you,” she said.
She popped the grape into her mouth, but as she did, her lips lightly grazed his fingertips, holding them there for a brief second. Yu Mo’s breath caught. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and a subtle warmth spread through his fingertips—the touch of her lips soft, moist, and impossibly gentle. It was like fireworks exploding in his brain. His thoughts scattered; reason had long since left the room.
Mu Fu blinked in surprise when she felt his grip on her hand suddenly tighten. It even began to hurt a little. “What’s wrong? You’re squeezing too hard.”
Yu Mo’s eyes darkened slightly. “My leg cramped up a bit,” he murmured. He’d been sitting cross-legged on the cushion for too long. She believed him without question.
“Let’s go soak in the hot spring,” she suggested. “It’s about time anyway—good way to stretch out a little.”
Yu Mo glanced at his watch and nodded. “You go change first. The swimsuit’s on the bed.” His eyes darted away quickly, the tips of his ears turning pink.
Mu Fu’s cheeks also flushed a bright, delicate red. She shot him a playful glare. “Then let go of my hand.” He told her to change, but his hand still wouldn’t release hers. Yu Mo hesitated, clearly reluctant. But when she gave him a pointed look, he finally let go.
Once inside the room, Mu Fu shook out her left hand in embarrassment. Her palm was slick with sweat—she wasn’t sure why he was so reluctant to let go.
Laid out on the bed was a pink, strappy one-piece swimsuit with a light sheer cover-up. She noticed Yu Mo had a thing for pink—the band-aid he gave her last time was the same color.
Before long, Mu Fu emerged wrapped tightly in a towel. Seeing how thoroughly she’d covered herself, Yu Mo’s expression held a trace of disappointment. Mu Fu pretended not to notice. She quickly made her way to the edge of the pool and turned back to him. “Your turn. Go on.”
He didn’t need another prompt. Moments later, he came out—no towel draped over him, just casually slung over one arm. Wearing only swim trunks, he looked lean at first glance, but Mu Fu couldn’t help noticing the clearly defined lines of muscle beneath his skin—powerful and precise. If her current persona allowed it, she would’ve whistled at him like a total flirt.
Mu Fu glanced at him, then quickly turned her head away in shy embarrassment, her feet swaying gently in the warm water.
“Waiting for me?” Yu Mo asked as he set his towel down on the table beside the hot spring and stepped forward.
“No, the water’s just a little hot… I needed a moment to get used to it,” Mu Fu replied quickly, her voice soft but fast-paced, as if she were worried he might misunderstand.
Yu Mo raised an eyebrow but didn’t press her further.
He was the first to step into the water. Steam curled around them like a dream, veiling everything in a misty, ethereal softness. Through the haze, his usually sharp features appeared softened, less severe—almost gentle.
Only once Yu Mo had settled into the water did Mu Fu finally unwrap her towel and slip in as well. The heat of the spring licked at her skin, making her hesitate at first. She eased herself in bit by bit until her body was fully submerged. The water wasn’t deep—just about a meter. When she sat on the steps, it reached just above her chest. The warmth wrapped around her like a cocoon, and a soft sigh of contentment escaped her lips.
Yu Mo had moved to the other side of the pool, but the moment he saw her enter, he slowly began making his way over—stopping only when he was a meter away. With the mist blurring the view between them, they couldn’t quite see each other clearly. It gave Mu Fu the perfect excuse to sneak a look at him without being caught.
From her angle, she could only see his profile—clean lines and sharp contours softened by the steamy veil. He looked serene and elegant, as though carved from quiet moonlight. Her eyes drifted downward to his collarbone—refined and just begging to be admired. Mu Fu’s cheeks flushed even deeper. Whether it was from the heat or something else entirely, she wasn’t sure.
Without realizing it, she’d slowly drifted closer—so close that her fingertips suddenly brushed against something warm and firm. Startled, she gasped, “Why are you so close? I can barely breathe.” Her toes curled as that fleeting contact sent a shiver through her body, making her feel weak and unsteady. She sank slightly into the water, thankfully landing on one of the submerged steps—otherwise she might’ve embarrassed herself even more.
Yu Mo turned to look at her. His gaze was intense, the emotion in his eyes almost palpable, like a fire that might melt her right there on the spot. And just as he expected, Mu Fu’s entire body was now blushing a soft, irresistible pink.
“That side’s too hot,” he murmured, “This side is a little cooler.”
Mu Fu couldn’t exactly move, so she had no way to verify his claim. She wanted to ask him: Fine, you moved closer—but why did you have to touch my hand too, you rascal?!
Mu Fu blinked slowly and said casually, “Oh… would you like to sit next to me? There’s a step here.” As she spoke, she scooted to the side, making room. That was her way of telling Yu Mo to come closer already. After all, if he’d already taken ninety-nine steps toward her, what harm was there in her taking the final one?
The hot spring only had three spots with submerged steps for sitting. Mu Fu had taken the only one on their side, leaving Yu Mo with no choice but to rest his knees against the edge of the pool.
“Mm.” His reply was hoarse, his eyes shadowed and unreadable. Her invitation felt like an open door—one she had just flung wide to a wolf at her gate.
Yu Mo’s amber eyes darkened, dangerous and hungry, like a storm barely held at bay. His desire churned like a beast unchained, its heat boiling just beneath the surface. He stared at the curve of her pale neck and delicate collarbones. Only when he realized she had noticed did he lower his gaze, trying to conceal the rising tide inside him.
Slowly, he moved over and sat beside her. The distance between them vanished. Mu Fu shivered slightly but didn’t move away. Her arm brushed his thigh, firm and smooth under the water—every nerve in her body instantly aware of it.
The moment he sat down, she felt his arm slide across her bare shoulder. A flicker of surprise crossed her face. Her body instinctively drew in on itself. But that movement—meant to retreat—only brought her closer, as if she were leaning willingly into his embrace.
Yu Mo’s arm tightened around her, pulling her in gently. A soft chuckle slipped from his lips, as if savoring her surrender. Mu Fu’s face bloomed crimson, his voice a low, tantalizing hum against her ear—a sound that left her dizzy. Her skin burned where they touched. No matter how hard he tried to play it cool, the heat behind his mask could no longer be contained.
Mu Fu rested her head on his chest, and the steady thrum of his heartbeat echoed in her ears—fast, strong, overwhelming. Each beat synced with her own, stirring something deep within her… urging her to follow his rhythm, beat for beat.
Axolotl Translations 
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