Chapter 134: Let's Go Out

With no defense against Chen Zhe whatsoever, Krystal Jung was pulled forcefully by him. Her entire body lurched toward Chen Zhe, leaning backward slightly as if she were about to fall.

Seeing Krystal pulled by him like this, completely unprepared and on the verge of toppling backward, Chen Zhe had no time to think of anything else; he simply reached out and pulled her straight into his embrace.

Now, with one hand gripping Krystal's arm and the other wrapping around her waist, their posture resembled the grand finale of a waltz.

With his arm gently supporting her lower back, Chen Zhe and Krystal stood face-to-face, their gazes locking. Looking into each other's eyes, each could see their own reflection in the other's pupils.

Gazing at Krystal's face, which carried a hint of cold, striking beauty, Chen Zhe swallowed involuntarily. His mind, already somewhat dazed and muddled by the intense onslaught of spicy numbness, grew even more chaotic.

"Soojung, I..."

With his thoughts spiraling further into disarray, Chen Zhe looked at the girl whose cheeks were faintly flushed, an inexplicable urge suddenly surging within his heart, urging him to take things a step further.

Watching Chen Zhe, whose brow was furrowed in a tight knot, Krystal was momentarily stunned. Her lips parted softly, looking somewhat surprised that the prank she had just played on him could cause such a severe reaction.

Staring quietly at each other like this, the atmosphere between Chen Zhe and Krystal grew increasingly peculiar. Krystal, with her flushed cheeks and slightly parted lips, exerted an even more intense impact on Chen Zhe.

Whether the atmosphere had reached its peak, or impulse had finally overridden reason—perhaps a mix of both—Chen Zhe suddenly lowered his head, his face slowly moving closer to Krystal's.

Seeing Chen Zhe's sudden action, Krystal seemed to understand something in an instant. Instead of pulling away, she chose to gently close her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, betrayed by her overwhelming nervousness.

Seeing that Krystal did not choose to evade, but instead closed her eyes as if tacitly permitting his next move, Chen Zhe could not help but accelerate his pace.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly. As Chen Zhe gazed at those reddened lips drawing ever closer, a trace of tension inevitably stirred in his heart. In that single instant, countless chaotic thoughts flashed through his mind, only to vanish in the very next moment.

The moment their lips touched, all stray thoughts and every bit of hesitation were automatically discarded by their brains. All anxiety and nervousness melted away from them.

Nothing remained save for slightly clumsy movements, the expression of their mutual feelings, and a natural, instinctive response to each other's hearts.

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed before their lips finally parted, with a lingering reluctance. Both Chen Zhe and Krystal were breathing somewhat heavily, as if suffering from a lack of air.

After a long moment of recovery, their breathing finally steadied. The mental blankness caused by oxygen deprivation gradually receded, and reason slowly returned to their minds.

"A-Zhe, don't you have anything else to say to me?"

Gently pressing her lips together and looking at Chen Zhe's somewhat dazed and foolish expression, Krystal—a distinctively bold American-Korean who loved and hated with passion—had always bravely fought for what she wanted.

Just as Chen Zhe had yet to make his formal declaration, Krystal chose to take the initiative. Yet her words were remarkably clever, designed not to force the confession out of her own mouth, but to guide Chen Zhe into saying it.

"Well, although I really wanted to tell you these words in a romantic and atmospheric setting, it looks like someone was already too impatient!"

Without immediately giving Krystal the answer she longed to hear, Chen Zhe supported her waist and gently raised her by the hand, just like leading a leading lady up at the end of a waltz.

Clasping Krystal's hand, Chen Zhe helped her slowly stand straight and steady herself once more. Though the words he spoke, paired with the faint smile on his face, made it seem as though he had been fully prepared and completely calm, his heart was actually in a state of utter panic. That soaring tension filled his chest, throwing the rhythm of his heartbeat into disarray.

Her cheeks carried an unnatural blush, perhaps lingering from the spice, and the rims of her eyes were slightly red. Her gaze seemed to harbor a clear spring, sending ripples across the tranquil lake of Chen Zhe's heart.

"Indeed, it must be the fruit of our joint efforts, infused with our full devotion to each other. That's why this Mapo Tofu is so delicious. So open wide, I'm going to feed A-Zhe a bite too."

To Chen Zhe's surprise, the half-joking, straight-faced remarks he had made were met with such a serious and earnest response from Krystal.

Moreover, Krystal's words about being infused with full devotion gave Chen Zhe such severe goosebumps that he unconsciously reached out to rub his arm.

Hearing her final demand—asking him to open his mouth and let her feed him—Chen Zhe couldn't help but inwardly groan, knowing full well that there was no escaping this time. He could only obediently part his lips.

Seeing that Chen Zhe was actually being this cooperative, Krystal didn't hesitate for a second. She picked up the spoon, scooped up a generous heap of Mapo Tofu, and before he could defend himself, shoved it straight into his mouth.

Having no idea that Krystal wasn't feeding him Mapo Tofu mixed with rice, but a pure, massive spoonful of the fiery tofu itself, Chen Zhe chewed a few times before an exceptionally intense, burning numbness flooded his entire mouth.

With no rice to help alleviate the burn, Chen Zhe's eyes turned blood red from the spice, tears threatened to spill from the corners of his eyes, and his entire face flushed crimson with veins slightly bulging at his temples.

"A-Zhe, are you alright? If it's too spicy, spit it out quickly! I'll go pour you a glass of water right now to rinse your mouth!"

Krystal had never anticipated that her mischievous prank would yield such a drastic outcome. The sight of Chen Zhe's flushed face, bulging veins, and reddened eyes genuinely terrified her.

Just as she turned to head toward the sink, a hand caught her wrist. Her heart skipped a beat, and a strange, profound feeling flooded her very soul.

Before she even had a chance to voice a question, a powerful force pulled from the hand holding hers, dragging her backward just like a scene straight out of a television drama.