Mingshen didn’t release her immediately, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. The subtle music of the next song carried on, filling a quiet of something aching and unresolved. Strangely enough, Jia became aware of her own heartbeat, ringing loud in her ears, as if it were trying to warn her or urge her forward.

She shifted, creating the smallest sliver of space between them - not enough to break contact, but enough to breathe. Yet, Mingshen was quick to close the distance while his gaze never left hers even for a moment. His chest tightened once again, those same erratic heartbeats causing mayhem across all over his mind. An urge to hold the back of her head and dive straight to kiss her rattled him from within but he didn’t know why it suddenly felt so difficult this time.

It was fairly easy enough to kiss her on her birthday during their little time at the hot spring spa bath. Kissing her was as natural as breathing to him. Yet tonight, he couldn’t muster the same courage. His fingers twitched to dig into the back of her head, but his body stood frozen in time.

Why do I want to kiss her so badly right now? Am I already having blood pressure problems at this young age?

But I take good care of my health.

"Mingshen."

That’s strange. I shouldn’t be feeling these palpitations at all.

"Mingshen," Jia called out.

Also, why am I sexually aroused? Spicy is expressing something very sincere and emotional.

Why am I feeling horny?

Am I a beast?

Have I strayed away from the world of mortal desires for far too long now?

"Mingshen, where are you lost?"

His trance lifted away and he looked down. "...Nowhere."

She chuckled. "You are acting strange tonight."

He frowned. "But you are not acting strange with me. Somehow...that’s not very appealing." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Count me out from your world of strangeness."

She tried to step away but felt Mingshen’s hand still pressed against her back.

"Can you move?"

As he saw, she was still neatly tucked in his arms. Mingshen didn’t feel like moving.

"I want to dance some more."

So out of goodness of her heart and considering that this was Mingshen’s first karaoke experience, Jia swung for a couple more songs, dancing to her fullest capabilities.

"Happy now?" She asked breathlessly.

"Some more."

"..."

"I am sweating already."

"You should exercise more to increase your stamina."

Her jaw dropped. "Why do I need to build my stamina for dancing?"

So that we can keep dancing forever, he pursed his lips, thoroughly dissatisfied.

"Also, it’s late now. I need to go to bed."

The look of dissatisfaction only increased more.

"...It’s not like it’s the end of the world. We can still come here again."

His eyes sparkled at that. "Tomorrow?"

"I mean, not tomorrow. We just visited tonight...Some other place perhaps."

Arriving back at Yang mansion, Jia smiled. "Good night."

As she turned to leave, her wrist was pulled back and she stumbled back two steps.

"W-What?" Jia looked up, surprised.

Mingshen didn’t have an answer to that. Not that he had thought of any yet. Somehow he instinctively reached out to stop her but wasn’t prepared for a response. He could feel her pulse in her wrist but he felt his own spiking up and down.

"You are going to sleep?"

"Yeah."

"I see."

Jia waited, thinking he had something else to say, but he only stood still, his fingers still curled around her wrist.

"Anything else?" She asked curiously.

"Do you really want to sleep so early?"

"It’s ten-thirty already, so it’s pretty much on time."

"I see," he pursed his lips.

"So..." Jia’s gaze pointed towards her hand, and he finally released her, albeit unwillingly.

Jia blinked. "Are you sure you will sleep well tonight? You really feel strange today."

"If I don’t feel well, can we share a bed then?" his face lit up with hope.

She smiled. "Share a bed with your wife, Mingshen."

"When do we get married then?"

"..."

Shaking her head with a helpless chuckle, she flicked on his forehead once. "You are impossible."

When her footsteps finally faded away was when a figure stepped out of the shadows, standing right beside Mingshen.

"Ah the bittersweet pain of one-sided love," Yang Bingqing nodded.

Mingshen’s stupor fell apart once again and he slowly turned towards her, grimace stretching his lips.

"What?"

"It hurts to see you so pitiful, Mingshen," she sniffled. "Aish, my son is so lovestruck, one can practically see the hearts in your eyes."

"Are you drunk right now?"

"Insult me however you wish, but you cannot hide anything from the mother who gave birth to you. My sixth sense never fails me!"

Mingshen stared at his mother as if she had just announced the sky earth was flat.

"One-sided love?" he said flatly. "That’s a bold accusation."

Yang Bingqing waved a hand dismissively. "Denial. Classic symptom."

She leaned closer, peering up at him with a dramatic, exaggerated scrutiny. "You have been hovering around her all evening like a restless ghost. Now you didn’t want her to retire to bed. If that isn’t love, it should be indigestion."

"I am not lovestruck," he said through clenched teeth. "I am not some teenager."

"It’s because you have never experienced love which is why you are acting like one~" she nodded sagely.

Mingshen rubbed his temple. The night air felt cooler now. Jia’s smile still lingered in his mind, the way she had looked at him just before turning away, unguarded with her laughter at the karaoke. His chest tightened again, uninvited.

This chest pain is frustrating...I should get an X-ray tomorrow.

"Aww, you seem like you will have *ahem* wet dreams tonight," she sheepishly grinned.

The twitch across his brow only grew violent. "Go back to your room. I feel like you are trying to project some of your unresolved sexual feelings here."

"Hey! Nothing remains unresolved between me and Cheng! We have a super healthy and functioning-"

"Good night. Enjoy the rest of the sentence with your husband."

"Whaaat? But I really feel you will have wet dreams tonight!"