For a fleeting moment, his heart seized in icy stillness before erupting into a thunderous drumbeat that resonated in the caverns of his chest.
The narrow pupils, fixed upon Li Mei, betrayed no hint of the internal tempest. Outwardly, he maintained an impassive facade in the face of Li Mei's sudden strike dumb.
"Hehehe," Li Mei's laughter reverberated within the recesses of his shocked mind, a sound obscured by the labyrinth of his contemplations.
Within his field of vision, Jin discerned the subtle ascent of her lips, forming a sly smile that unfolded like the petals of a mischievous flower.
"Bahh, you are no fun, big brother," she mumbled, accompanied by an overtly feigned pout. Yet, her words acted as a lifeline, jolting him back to the tangible world as he silently drew in a lungful of air.
Li Mei's surprise had ensnared him, catching him off guard to the extent that he momentarily froze.
