CHAPTER 124: DANGEROUS TEMPTATIONS

The room was filled with a silence so heavy it seemed to press against the walls themselves. After her daring words, Xu Fang turned her head away, unable to meet Li Tian’s eyes. Her lashes fluttered, casting shadows across her cheeks, and though her expression tried to remain composed, the faint flush creeping across her pale skin betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

She had always been a woman of control—graceful, measured, dignified. Yet now, before the boy who should have been beneath her notice, she found her calm unraveling thread by thread.

Li Tian leaned back casually, his lips curving into that lazy, dangerous smile of his. His eyes glinted with amusement, like a predator circling prey that didn’t even realize it was already trapped.

So even this mature beauty can falter... how amusing, he thought, his gaze lingering on the curve of her neck, the subtle trembling of her shoulders.

He leaned closer, closing the distance between them until his breath ghosted across her ear. "Madam Xu," he murmured in a voice that dripped with dangerous charm, "are you certain you should be saying such things to me? What if I misunderstood and thought you were inviting me to cross a line that shouldn’t be crossed?"

Xu Fang’s body stiffened instantly. Her fingers dug into the fabric of her robe, clenching so tightly the knuckles of her delicate hands turned white. "You... you mustn’t twist my words," she whispered, her tone weak, lacking the commanding elegance she always carried.

Li Tian’s smile deepened, and he allowed himself a brief moment to savor the intoxicating fragrance radiating from her body. A delicate mixture of sandalwood and flowers—it wasn’t overpowering, yet it clung to him, pulling him in. The warmth of her body so close to his stirred something primal in his veins, and for a brief moment, the thought of shattering her restraint completely danced through his mind.

And then—

[Hidden Quest: Dangerous Temptations][Condition: Charm Xu Fang into revealing her true feelings. Reward: Seduction Technique – Thousand Petals Bloom.]

The system’s voice rang out inside him, cool and steady, as if mocking the fiery tension that filled the air.

Li Tian’s eyes flickered with intrigue. So even the heavens want to see her heart stripped bare... how interesting.

He tilted his head, voice lowering into something smoother, heavier, like silk sliding over bare skin. "Tell me, Xu Fang... do you truly not despise me as the others do? Or are you simply pretending, hiding behind your mask to keep appearances?"

Her lips parted slightly, as though to answer, but she faltered. Her chest rose and fell in uneven rhythm as she tried to calm the storm raging within her. Seconds stretched into eternities, and finally, she drew a long, trembling breath.

"You... remind me of someone I once knew," she whispered, her words fragile, almost breaking.

Li Tian’s heart stirred—not with sentiment, but with satisfaction. Perfect. The wall has begun to crack.

He allowed silence to linger, knowing well that silence could be more powerful than words. His gaze bore into her, unrelenting, and then he leaned back just enough to give her space to breathe—yet not enough for her to escape the invisible cage his presence had woven around her.

"Then perhaps..." he said slowly, his voice deliberate, "you should allow yourself to remember more clearly."

Her eyes widened at his words, her breath hitching. Memories long buried flickered across her face, but she quickly shook her head, as though terrified of them. She turned away, her hair slipping from her shoulder to veil her expression, but not before he caught sight of the vulnerability in her eyes.

"Li Tian..." Her voice was hushed, trembling, betraying the conflict inside her. "You are far too dangerous."

The boy smirked, his gaze never wavering. "Dangerous?" he echoed, his tone teasing yet heavy with intent. He leaned in once more, lowering his voice until it was a whisper that caressed her ear. "Or irresistible?"

Her body shivered ever so slightly at those words. She pressed her lips together tightly, but her silence only betrayed her more than any spoken answer could.

Li Tian reclined lazily, as if he hadn’t just set her heart into chaos, his eyes gleaming with amusement and satisfaction. She’s already caught. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of her walls collapse.