Volume 4: Hidden Battles – Chapter 284: Enchanting

Along the way, Chu Tianyu kept using his eloquence to tell various interesting stories, keeping the little-experienced Ao Xue fully engaged. Her expressions changed with the rhythm of his voice, her emotions fluctuating as she was completely captivated by the stories he told…
As they chatted, they reached a secluded place. Suddenly, Chu Tianyu said, “Ugh, after walking for so long, I forgot to take off my mask. No wonder I’ve been feeling uncomfortable!”
He glanced around. There weren’t many people around, and they were far enough away that no one could notice them. He then lowered his head and touched his face, and a mask as thin as a cicada wing appeared in his hand. At the same time, the face that Ao Xue had seen countless times in her dreams—the face that haunted her—was revealed.
For a moment, Ao Xue couldn’t help but stare in awe, her beautiful eyes fixed on Chu Tianyu, filled with an indescribable affection and devotion.
Chu Tianyu, however, was puzzled by her gaze, thinking there might still be some residue on his face. He quickly followed her fascinated look and touched that area again, asking in confusion, “What’s wrong? Isn’t my face clean?”
Hearing his question, Ao Xue realized her mistake and quickly lowered her head, embarrassed. If not for her own mask covering her face, her already blushing cheeks would have revealed her feelings outright.
“On such a beautiful morning, why don’t you take off your mask too and get some fresh air? Wearing it all the time is bad for your skin. I thought girls cared the most about their skin?” Chu Tianyu said as he neatly folded the mask he had just taken off.
Ao Xue hesitated for a while, weighing the pros and cons before slowly reaching out to take off her mask as well.
This was the second time Chu Tianyu saw Ao Xue’s true face. But when he saw her face again—angelic yet exquisitely carved as if by divine hands—he was once again stunned, his breath catching as he stared at her in a dazed state.

Whether looking at others or being watched, it seemed to Ao Xue that both were equally embarrassing. Thus, under Chu Tianyu’s piercing gaze, Ao Xue’s face turned red once again. This time, without a mask to hide it, her rosy cheeks and fair skin showed a faint blush, as if covered in a layer of misty glow that stirred the heart and inspired endless thoughts…

“Are you done looking?” Ao Xue, feeling increasingly embarrassed as Chu Tianyu remained in that posture for so long, asked in asweetly voice.

“Not yet!” Chu Tianyu replied bluntly without hesitation.

Faced with Chu Tianyu’s straightforward answer, Ao Xue angrily uttered a “You?”, stamped her foot, and, like a spoiled child, left Chu Tianyu behind, striding forward while he was still lost in thoughts about the “beauty” he had just seen.

When Chu Tianyu caught up, both fell silent for a while before calming down from their earlier embarrassment. Gradually, as Chu Tianyu’s smooth voice rang out again, they relaxed.

However, after this little incident, their relationship seemed to break through some barrier, drawing them closer together. For Chu Tianyu, the moment he saw Ao Xue’s true face for the second time, all his tactics and strategies seemed to be forgotten. Being with her, he felt an innate attraction and endless charm emanating from her that he couldn’t resist.

He couldn’t explain this feeling; all he knew was that his heart was filled with warmth, and the invisible charm around Ao Xue could be described in one sentence: “Enchanting and infinitely desirable!”

…

As they chatted along the way, before they knew it, they arrived at the breakfast shop that Chu Tianyu had highly recommended. Chu Tianyu and Ao Xue seemed to return from their world of mutual attraction back to the “ordinary world”.

“Is it here? It’s so busy!” Ao Xue asked, looking at the unassuming but already crowded small shop.

“Mm, it’s small, but did you see? It’s already full of customers early in the morning. Come, let’s line up quickly, or it’ll get even busier!” Chu Tianyu said, naturally taking Ao Xue’s hand and joining the queue.

Aoxue’s heart trembled immediately. She gave a soft hum and stood behind Chu Tianyu. Amidst the bustling crowd, she quickly regained her composure and started chatting casually with Chu Tianyu about things like why the fried dough sticks here were so delicious. In no time, the two became engrossed in their conversation, acting as if no one else was around. To onlookers, they resembled a newlywed couple in a sweet, inseparable relationship, unwilling to part even for a moment to buy breakfast.

But just as Chu Tianyu and Aoxue were lost in their talk, almost all the men around the breakfast shop stared at Aoxue, their faces filled with infatuation. Some even drooled. This strange behavior soon caught Chu Tianyu and Aoxue’s attention. Aoxue remained calm, but Chu Tianyu was upset. No matter how beautiful she was, it was just a look—looking a few more times wouldn’t hurt. After all, men are driven by lust!

It was understandable for people to take a closer look at something beautiful, especially since Aoxue was truly stunning, her beauty enough to make flowers fade and birds fall from the sky!

But for them to act like lustful demons, staring at her shamelessly without any sense of modesty, was completely unacceptable! What was most infuriating was the guy who fried the dough sticks—he too stared at her intently, holding the dough in both hands, completely oblivious to his wife beside him kneading dough…

Seeing this, Chu Tianyu realized something was wrong. Considering his own feelings, he guessed the problem lay with Aoxue. He turned to look at her doubtfully.

Aoxue smiled calmly and said, “It seems we can’t have breakfast today. Let’s leave.”

With that, she turned and, under everyone’s gaze, quickly led Chu Tianyu away. A few onlookers even followed closely, their eyes never leaving Aoxue.

Seeing this, Chu Tianyu quickened his pace. He used a bit of his inner strength to shake off those pursuers in an instant.

When Chu Tianyu stopped using his strength and slowed down, he turned to look at Aoxue. She had put on her mask again, though he could see her expression. Deep down, he could sense a sense of indifference and sadness in her heart.

“What’s going on?” Chu Tianyu stopped and asked concerningly.

Before Aoxue could reply, Chu Tianyu’s phone rang. It was his grandfather calling, asking him to go to his villa immediately for an important matter to discuss. Without waiting for Chu Tianyu’s response, he hung up, seemingly in some kind of emergency.

Just as Chu Tianyu put down the phone, Aoxue wisely said, “If it’s urgent, go take care of it first!” Before Chu Tianyu could respond, she added, “Don’t worry. I’ll go wherever you arrange for me to go. I won’t cause you any trouble. I know you took me away from my master because you were afraid I’d reveal your identity…”

As she spoke, sadness welled up in Aoxue’s eyes. If not for what had just happened, if not for her grandfather’s call, she could have indulged in her beautiful dreams a little longer, enjoyed them a bit more, and stayed in that tender state a bit longer…

But dreams are not reality; there’s always a moment to wake up. So after saying those words, Aoxue’s eyes were filled with tears, though she tried hard to hold them back. Hearing her explain everything and seeing her sad and self-pitying expression, Chu Tianyu’s heart was in turmoil, unable to calm down. His mind went blank—he didn’t know what to say or do. He felt ashamed of his earlier thoughts and plans. Facing Aoxue’s understanding and her pure heart, Chu Tianyu even wanted to hide in some crack in the ground.

Yet, despite Chu Tianyu’s complicated emotions and awkward expression, Aoxue felt immense happiness. It meant the person in his heart still cared about her, valued her feelings, was troubled by her situation, and still had her in his heart…

So Aoxue quickly changed her mood. Looking at Chu Tianyu, she chuckled and said, “What are you waiting for? Were you going to ask what happened at the breakfast shop? Let’s talk as we walk. Oh, by the way, do you mind taking me to your grandfather’s villa too? If possible, could you arrange a place for me as well…”

Before Aoxue could finish speaking, Chu Tianyu, as if grabbing at a lifeline, quickly interjected, “Of course it’s possible! How could it not be? My grandfather’s address can be found in Beijing’s yellow pages. How could it be inconvenient?”

Hearing Chu Tianyu mention checking the yellow pages, Aoxue laughed lightly again, and the atmosphere between them improved greatly.

Along the way, to ease Chu Tianyu’s mood, Ao Xue couldn’t help but share her own situation. She said she was born with an innate charm, and the energy within her was the most alluring Ice Soul Energy in the world—especially powerful when it came to the opposite sex. Yet fate is often the fairest judge. While this Ice Soul Energy brought endless temptation, it also left any man who tried to approach her helpless, unable to get even a step closer, even at the cost of their life.