What does a kiss feel like?
Li Qingyuan didn’t know. He felt as if he had turned into a fool, his usual clarity and intelligence vanishing completely, leaving only a dazed and stunned expression. His heart pounded rapidly, yet his breath seemed to be held in.
It wasn’t until he heard the soft laughter of the young girl beside him that his unfocused gaze finally gathered light again.
The first thing he saw was Gu Wuyou’s face—her curved eyebrows, crescent-moon-like eyes, and slightly upturned, rosy lips. It was a face that seemed to be uniquely blessed by the heavens, bearing all the favor of the Creator, so flawless that not even the tiniest imperfection could be found.
And at this moment, the owner of this face was looking at him.
With a bright and dazzling smile, lips pressed together, eyes curved as she gazed at him.
Li Qingyuan stared at the smile on her face, his gaze flickering slightly before finally settling on her lips. Her lips, still moist, appeared exceptionally soft and delicate, making him unconsciously recall that dragonfly-like kiss just now.
It carried a lingering warmth, entwined with her unique fragrance.
Clearly, she was just a delicate and gentle young girl, without even a trace of strength, yet just now, she seemed to have overwhelmed him with an all-encompassing momentum, rendering him immobile.
As he thought about that kiss, Li Qingyuan’s face suddenly flushed red, and his breathing turned rapid. His hand was still resting on the back of the little squirrel, and in his momentary loss of control, his grip tightened. The small creature in his arms let out a soft “squeak,” clearly in pain.
Gu Wuyou quickly rescued the little thing from his not-too-light but not-too-heavy grasp. While soothing its fur, she turned to look at Li Qingyuan.
Sunlight streamed brightly through the window, casting dappled light through the plum blossoms outside.
The young man in white sat beneath the window, seemingly enveloped in a halo of light. Yet even in this shimmering glow, Gu Wuyou could still see his flushed face and dazed expression. She could even see his lips parting and closing as if wanting to say something but not knowing how.
Seeing him like this, Gu Wuyou tilted her head slightly, wondering if she had been too forward.
The great general was only sixteen now, still quite innocent…
Thinking of this, she cradled the little squirrel in her arms and hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, “Um… did I scare you?”
Gu Wuyou was also a little helpless.
It was her first time taking the initiative to kiss the great general. How could she have expected this kind of reaction? She hesitated, wondering whether she should coax him or let him kiss her back. But before she could come up with a solution, her wrist was suddenly grasped by the young man.
The strength in his grip was firm and commanding, pulling her body forward until she stumbled into his embrace. Before she could react, a hand wrapped around her waist. And then—
A kiss landed on her lips.
The young man’s breath was hot, and his movements were domineering.
Yet, the kiss on her lips was cautious and reverent, as if he feared sullying her. Even the touch was fleeting, retreating the moment it landed.
Gu Wuyou was still holding the little squirrel, her body entirely without support, leaving her no choice but to lean into Li Qingyuan’s arms. She seemed momentarily stunned, tilting her head up, staring blankly at him.
Did… the great general just kiss her on his own?
The little squirrel, caught between them, was extremely uncomfortable. It squeaked twice in protest, but neither of them paid it any attention. Feeling aggrieved, it struggled out of their embrace, curling its fluffy tail around itself as it watched the two of them, both puzzled and intrigued.
But at this moment, who had the mind to care about the squirrel?
Their gazes locked, neither speaking a word.
Li Qingyuan’s hand was still holding her waist. He lowered his head, his breathing heavy, his face and ears flushed red. Looking into her clear, bright almond-shaped eyes, he seemed both shy and nervous. Uncomfortable, he turned his head to the side.
Even he hadn’t expected himself to kiss her.
Although this thought had played out in his mind countless times, and even on several mornings he had woken up from damp dreams of it, he had never truly believed…
That he would actually kiss her.
He had always feared that his feelings would sully her, so he had tried his best to restrain himself. But just now, when the delicate young girl had looked at him with her bright eyes and asked if he was scared, it was like a fuse had been lit—how could he possibly hold back?
His hands were still trembling.
Even without looking at her, he could feel Gu Wuyou’s gaze on him.
Like a shadow that followed him relentlessly. He gritted his teeth, and in the end, the only thing he could do was reach out and cover her eyes, his voice hoarse as he murmured, “Don’t look at me.”
In response, he felt her long eyelashes sweep against his palm.
Li Qingyuan’s body stiffened slightly, and the hand around her waist trembled as well. He wanted to hold her tighter, yet he was afraid of scaring her, so in the end, he simply hugged her, burying his face in the curve of her neck as if that alone could steady his emotions and calm his breath.
But it was completely useless.
The soft and sweet scent that belonged solely to her surrounded him, not soothing him but making him even more restless. His heart pounded wildly, his breathing grew chaotic, and his entire body burned with unbearable heat.
He could even feel his heart threatening to leap out of his throat.
“Mm.”
Being held too tightly made Gu Wuyou feel slightly uncomfortable. She placed her hands on his arm, trying to push him away a little, but as soon as her palm made contact, she realized—he was shaking.
She froze for a moment, her movements coming to a halt. “What’s wrong?”
She asked him.
The young man didn’t respond. He seemed too afraid to face her, keeping his face buried against her neck. It was only when he sensed that Gu Wuyou was turning her head to look at him that he spoke again in a muffled voice:
“Don’t look at me.”
“I…”
His voice was soft, hesitant. “I’m afraid of scaring you.”
He feared that his desire and the heat consuming him would frighten her. He feared that if he met her clear, glistening eyes, he would lose control. More than anything, he feared… that she would be afraid of him, that she would find him repulsive.
His love was sincere and passionate, yet it was tinged with the uncertainty of his youthful age. This nervousness, this unease—emotions foreign to Li Qingyuan, who was usually fearless—now consumed him.
Gu Wuyou paused at his words. She didn’t speak, only turned her head slightly to look at him.
The crisp and clean scent that belonged solely to a young man lingered at the tip of her nose. From her angle, she could only see the back of his head and the tip of his ear—flushed a deep, burning red.
But his emotions… she could feel them.
Shyness, nervousness, and… self-reproach.
Realizing this, she was momentarily startled. But before long, her lips curled into a soft smile, her brows arching with amusement.
Gu Wuyou lifted her arms and embraced him. Feeling the young man’s stiffened back beneath her touch, she didn’t let go. Instead, she spoke to him in an impossibly gentle voice:
“Don’t be afraid.”
Just those simple words made Li Qingyuan freeze.
His back remained rigid, yet unlike before, this time it was because he was being embraced.
By this delicate young girl in front of him.
Gu Wuyou held him, her hands slowly stroking his tense back as she whispered softly,
“I like you.”
Boom.
Li Qingyuan’s breathing first grew rapid, then suddenly stopped altogether. He sat there dumbly, leaning against her shoulder. Before he could even think of what to say, her voice continued, gentle yet unwavering—
“I love you.”
“You can—”
Soft, delicate hands caressed Li Qingyuan’s face, and the young girl’s voice followed closely after.
“Do whatever you want to me.”
It was as if a brilliant firework had exploded violently in his heart—boom, boom, boom—one after another, so loud that he couldn’t hear anything else. Only those three sentences echoed in his ears—
“I like you.”
“I love you.”
“You can do whatever you want to me.”
With each repetition, his heart clenched tighter.
She liked him.
She loved him…
By the time those words fully sank in, an electrifying tremor ran through his body, making him instinctively tighten his arms around the girl in his embrace.
He was still overwhelmed.
His breath burned, his body trembled slightly—every part of him was brimming with intensity.
But this time, beyond his excitement, there was no longer a trace of self-reproach.
It was as if she had untied the knot in his heart. Li Qingyuan could finally face his desires with honesty—his longing for her, his want for her… it was natural.
A warm breeze brushed against them.
Even his once erratic breathing began to gradually steady.
He had intended to loosen his grip and sit up straight, but then, for some reason, something flickered in his mind. Instead of pulling away, he suddenly nuzzled against her shoulder like a sulking big dog and muttered in a low voice,
“From now on, you can only kiss me. No one else.”
Hmm?
Someone else?
Gu Wuyou tilted her head slightly and glanced at Li Qingyuan. Noticing the faint trace of jealousy in her young general’s voice, she thought for a moment before understanding. A soft, amused smile crept onto her lips, and even her voice carried an unmistakable hint of laughter.
“There is no one else.”
Li Qingyuan froze, then slowly sat up, looking at her.
She was right in front of him, her clear eyes fixed unwaveringly on his, as she continued softly,
“Only you. No one else…”
Perhaps it was because his gaze was too focused, too intense, but a flush of pink crept up her cheeks, and she shyly lowered her head. Her voice, once steady, faltered slightly, growing softer and more delicate.
“I… I also gave my first time to you.”
This lifetime, her first kiss, was with the great general.
So…
Was this her first kiss?
Li Qingyuan seemed momentarily lost in thought. But when the realization struck, he couldn’t hold back his laughter.
It was the kind of laughter that came from the bottom of his heart—an uncontrollable urge to laugh out loud. He knew Gu Wuyou would be embarrassed, so he tried his best to suppress the corners of his lips from curving upward. But how could that be possible? The more he tried to hold it in, the more he failed. His gaze, locked onto Gu Wuyou, sparkled—so bright, so dazzling.
He even had the ridiculous urge to run outside and do a few laps, just to release the overwhelming excitement and joy surging inside him.
Yesterday, when she confessed, he had to run ten laps before he could fall asleep.
Today, ten laps wouldn’t be enough. He needed at least twenty.
Gu Wuyou, feeling even more embarrassed under his gaze, turned her head away, lowered her eyes, and tugged at his sleeve, murmuring softly,
“Stop laughing.”
“I’m not laughing,” Li Qingyuan replied with a straight face. But the moment the words left his lips, his throat betrayed him with a few barely suppressed chuckles, and the smile on his face was impossible to hide.
His eyes sparkled with excitement.
Half of it was the confidence of a young man, the other half the innocence of a child.
Gu Wuyou looked at his silly, unabashed grin and couldn’t help but feel helpless, though her heart was filled with joy. Only at this age could the great general laugh so foolishly, unable to hide either his happiness or his discomfort.
She could easily read his emotions—his joys, his sorrows—and she could soothe his unease in her own way.
Meanwhile, the little squirrel had finished all its pine nuts. Its already small belly was now slightly round and full. Seeing that the two had separated, it scampered over and plopped onto Gu Wuyou’s lap, rolling onto its back with its belly exposed, four paws in the air. Its tail drooped lazily over the soft couch, swaying gently—it looked completely at ease.
Gu Wuyou chuckled. “Now you look comfortable.”
She reached out, lightly poking the little squirrel’s tiny head before turning to Li Qingyuan. “Does it have a name?”
By now, Li Qingyuan had mostly calmed his emotions. Hearing her question, he shook his head. “Not yet. You pick one.”
Gu Wuyou was terrible at naming things. She rubbed the little squirrel’s round belly, furrowing her brows as she pondered, when suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind. She paused, then looked at Li Qingyuan.
“How about… Shiwuwu (Fifteen)?”
“Shiwuwu?”
Li Qingyuan was momentarily stunned. What kind of name was that? Just as he was about to ask, he saw the young girl beside him beaming brightly as she explained,
“Yesterday happened to be the fifteenth.”
It was the day they confessed to each other.
And in their past life, the day they first met.
Li Qingyuan instantly understood. His heart pounded—thump, thump, thump—but he said nothing. Under her expectant gaze, he simply nodded, his voice slightly hoarse.
“Alright. Then we’ll call it Shiwuwu.”
After saying that, he gently tugged at the little squirrel’s tail and grinned. “Hey, from now on, you’re Shiwuwu. Got it?”
He almost blurted out the nickname he had called Gu Wuyou in the carriage, but luckily, he caught himself in time. With a light cough, he quickly corrected, “Listen to her.”
The newly named Shiwuwu had no idea what they were talking about. It blinked its beady eyes at them, staying silent for a long moment before letting out a soft squeak—seemingly quite pleased.
Gu Wuyou found its silly expression amusing. Then she noticed Li Qingyuan tugging at Shiwuwu’s tail again and lightly patted his hand. “Don’t pull on it.”
Li Qingyuan snorted softly, the jealousy from earlier resurfacing. “I’ll pull it if I want.”
But even as he grumbled, the corners of his lips remained lifted in a subtle smile. It was clear he was in a very good mood.
Gu Wuyou thought that the current great general was ridiculously childish.
He got jealous easily. He liked to act spoiled. Sometimes, he was completely unreasonable.
But she liked it. She liked it so much.
The two played with Shiwuwu for a while longer. Just as Gu Wuyou decided to place it on a cushion to rest her legs, she suddenly heard Li Qingyuan’s voice beside her.
“What do you like?”
“Hmm?”
Gu Wuyou blinked, turning to him, momentarily not understanding the question.
Li Qingyuan, caught under her gaze, grew a little flustered. He grabbed Shiwuwu’s tail and stroked it absentmindedly, his voice turning slightly dry.
“I was just asking… What do you like?”
“Like…?”
Gu Wuyou tilted her head in thought. “I like delicious food and fun things. I like rare treasures. I like expensive, beautiful clothes. And I like extravagant jewelry and accessories.”
As she spoke, she carefully observed Li Qingyuan’s expression. Noticing something, she pursed her lips, then continued,
“The food must be made by the best chefs in the world. The clothes must be not only expensive but also beautiful—I wouldn’t wear anything cheap.”
“And I never wear the same outfit twice.”
“As for jewelry, it has to be crafted by the most skilled artisans in the world—one of a kind. Otherwise, I won’t wear it.”
Li Qingyuan frowned slightly, carefully memorizing every word she said.
The more he listened, the deeper his frown became.
So, raising this little pepper… was going to be quite the challenge, huh?
“Did you remember it?” Gu Wuyou asked him.
“Mm.” Li Qingyuan nodded. But as soon as he realized it, his face inexplicably heated up, and he muttered awkwardly, “I didn’t remember anything.”
Gu Wuyou didn’t argue. She just smiled at him.
The longer Li Qingyuan was under her gaze, the more flustered he became. In the end, he gave up and grumbled, “Alright, alright, I remembered, okay?”
After speaking, he lowered his head, continuing to tug at Shiwuwu’s tail. Lips pressed together, he spoke in a low voice,
“I just wanted to tell you… right now, I’m not good enough. I don’t deserve you, and I can’t help you. But I will work hard—work hard until the day I am worthy of you, until I can stand openly and honorably by your side.”
“I will buy you as many things as you want.”
“So—”
At this point, Li Qingyuan suddenly lifted his head.
His usual fearless self—the infamous Seventh Young Master Li, the terrifying God of Death Li, who made everyone tremble at the mere sight of him—was now looking at the girl before him with slightly trembling eyelashes. His words were not as smooth as usual, but his gaze remained unwavering, firm, and filled with deep seriousness.
“Gu Wuyou, wait for me.”
His love was fearless, yet it carried a cautious fragility, an underlying anxiety. His voice was hoarse as he continued,
“Don’t get impatient waiting and… don’t give up on me, okay?”
The smile on Gu Wuyou’s face suddenly froze.
She looked at the young man before her. The light cast a glow over him, making his face slightly blurred, but she could still see the unease he was trying to hide—the caution in his expression, the fear beneath his determination.
Her heart suddenly felt soft and sore. Even her eyes became slightly red.
She didn’t know how long she remained silent.
Just as Li Qingyuan was growing more restless, Gu Wuyou finally spoke.
“Li Qingyuan.”
He stiffened. “What?”
“I like fine clothes, I like golden hairpins and jade ornaments, I like all things beautiful and unique…”
These were the words she had told him earlier.
“But.”
Her tone shifted, and she continued, “What I like most is you.”
Noticing the stunned look on his face, she went on, “If it’s you, I can give up everything.”
“And—”
She was still speaking.
But when she saw the expression on his face, Gu Wuyou suddenly stopped.
She didn’t say anything else.
Instead, she lunged forward, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him fiercely.
This time, it was not the fleeting touch of before, yet it did not go too deep either.
She had simply felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to kiss him, to hold him, to show him all the love in her heart.
In the room, Shiwuwu was still letting out soft squeaks.
But after that heated kiss, Gu Wuyou didn’t loosen her grip. Instead, she pressed her forehead against his, her breaths mingling with his as she whispered,
“Have I ever told you how much I love you?”
The young man still seemed dazed.
He stared blankly at her, his expression utterly frozen.
Gu Wuyou cupped his face with both hands, keeping their foreheads together. With a long, slow breath, she murmured,
“You have never been unworthy of me.”
“You are the one—”
“I admire most.”
“I like most.”
“I love most in this world.”
Whether it was the great general of her past life or the young man standing before her now—
He had always been the person she loved most.
He was her one and only, unmatched and irreplaceable.