"Sister, why haven't you agreed yet?" Ning An shivered as she quickly stepped back, sensing danger from the atmosphere within her body, breaking free from Nan Gong's grasp.
She regained her composure, looking at the young man shrouded in shadows. Perfectly concealed by the large trees' shadows, he didn't raise his head, and his posture was indiscernible. Yet, she could feel the oppressive aura emanating from him.
Instinctively, she felt a chill run down her spine, but she forced herself to remain calm and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Without hearing an answer, Ning Xuan's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness. His obsidian-like eyes seemed to emit a bewitching glow in the darkness. Suddenly, he felt his patience couldn't contain the raging demon within him any longer.
Taking a deep breath, he looked up, restoring his usual demeanor and smiled, "The moonlight is beautiful. Can't I come out and enjoy it? I also get to hear lovers confide in each other. It's truly a sight to behold."
His tone was calm, as if he wasn't angry about anything. There even seemed to be a hint of pleasure in his words. However, Ning An keenly sensed the darkness lurking in the depths of his eyes, like a snake restraining its venomous fangs, waiting to strike when the enemy let their guard down.
"Ning Xuan, stop talking nonsense," Nan Gong said from behind. Though he had a gentle temperament, he was also a man. He knew where the young man's animosity toward him came from. The way Ning Xuan looked at Ning An was far from the gaze one would give their sister. Ning Xuan raised an eyebrow, "I'm talking to my sister. Who are you? Her boyfriend?" There was no attempt to hide the malice in his words, and he took a step forward.
"Don't intervene between us!"
Oops... Ning An saw the flicker of malice in Ning Xuan's eyes and realized she had provoked a dangerous snake.
She hurriedly grabbed Ning Xuan's restless body, miraculously preventing him from moving forward.
"Nan Gong, you go in first. Ning Xuan and I have something important to discuss," Ning An said.
Nan Gong hesitated for a moment. Leaving Ning An with this dangerous brother of hers made him look worried, but he noticed Ning An's serious tone and her somewhat reluctant expression. He silently clenched his fists and obediently left.
"Sister, no need to be so nervous. I haven't done anything yet," Ning Xuan said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
She released her grip on Ning Xuan's hand and looked into the eyes of the young man in the shadows. "Was the dress on me a gift from you?"
"Didn't my sister already guess? How do you like the dress I gave you?"
As expected... "You switched the dress in the box, making me think it was from Nan Gong. Why did you do that?"
Ning Xuan seemed to find something amusing. "Do I need a reason? I don't like my sister wearing clothes given by others, but I really want to see Nan Gong's disappointed look, so I switched it…"
His mood suddenly improved, and he gently tucked Ning An's loose hair behind her ear. "Seeing how beautiful my sister looks in it, I won't be mad today."
Ning An frowned. Her momentary closeness to him dissipated. He was still the same, no different from before. Everything was about satisfying his desires. Ning Xuan...
A newfound courage surged within her. Coldly, she looked at the young man before her. "Congratulations, your prank was successful. Do you enjoy deriving pleasure from others' pain?"
With that, she turned and left without mercy, leaving Ning Xuan standing there, his face darkening.
Back in the bustling hall, surrounded by glittering glasses under the lights, graceful dancers, and a crowd that flocked to her as soon as they saw her… Everything began to feel suffocating. She suddenly felt that she still lacked the ability to confront Ning Xuan, even though the moment of accessing the Ning family's power had arrived. She was still afraid of him.
Suddenly, a glass of wine was handed to her. She looked at a man raising his glass to toast her, and she snatched it, downing it in one gulp.
With the first glass down, more people came to toast her, and she accepted them all.
After several glasses, her cheeks were tinged with a hint of intoxication, and her blurred gaze made the men around her unable to help but freeze in place.
As the unfamiliar scent and unashamed stares became unbearable, Ning An began to feel like leaving. But her vision started to blur, and her body felt heavy and uncontrollable.
The man closest to her showed a hint of dark emotion in his eyes, pretending to be concerned as he reached for Ning An, but another hand reached faster, wrapping around her slender waist and pulling her into an embrace.
The scent filling her nostrils made her unable to distinguish, but she still felt a sense of relief. She uncomfortably rubbed against the chest, burying her face deeper into the embrace.
The young man holding her suddenly calmed down, feeling the girl squirming uncomfortably in his arms. He hadn't realized how drunk she was, and she had made him feel particularly worried.
From the moment Ning An nestled in his arms, his emotions surged. Feeling her squirming against him, he couldn't help but tighten his hold, wanting to meld her into his bones and blood, pressing her tightly against his chest. His other hand firmly held the back of her head, suppressing Ning An completely.
Then, their lips met without a gap. His tongue forcefully opened her mouth, exploring it eagerly, absorbing everything inside with a hint of intoxication, taking everything from the girl.
Ning An whimpered, unable to break free from this suffocating sensation, completely powerless in his embrace.
In the shadows where no one was around, intoxicated and deeply entrenched...