Cloud Castle.
Located outside the imperial city, on the waist of Mount White Cloud, it's encircled in fog throughout the year, with only half of the towering circular tower being visible.
Sunlight, piercing through the colorful stained-glass windows, comes in as a dazzling and whimsical array of light.
On the beautifully decorated antique European-style bed, a girl clad in a silk pajama lazily rolls over, her eyes groggy as they open.
There's a man standing by the bed.
His thick eyebrows lay relaxed, phoenix-like eyes slightly squinting, a defined chin gently raised, his cryptic gaze fixed on her.
Meng Xiaomeng groggily opens her eyes, seeing the flawless face before her, and gives a silly smile, "I dreamt of you again, my idol~"
She reaches out to touch his eyebrows, oh, the dense hair is soft, a great touch indeed. Her fingers continue to glide down along his prominent nose bridge, to the defined lips, soft and full, resembling a piece of cherry red cotton candy.
As the lips stir slightly against her fingers, it sends a tremor through her, as if her heart was scratched by a cat's paw.
Meng Xiaomeng quickly retracts her hand as if jolted by an electric shock.
"My idol?" her face turns beet red as she asks with apprehension yet anticipation.
On the man's precious face, his aloof lips curl into a masculine smile that is captivating. He reaches out, gently touching her face, leans down to her and whispers.
"Mm, yes, it's me.”
His warm words spray by her ear, like a surge of electricity, a 'zzz' sound flows over her body, and her heart throbs violently at over 200 beats per minute, as if it is going to jump out through her mouth.
"Thump, thump, beep—"
"Darn, she had another dream about her beloved idol again, such a handsome man, and so absurdly real, she could even feel his breath.
Meng Xiaomeng stretched out her finger, intending to touch him again, but just as she was a centimetre away from her idol, he seized her collar and threw her onto the ground first. Meng Xiaomeng fell into a crouching position, and the pain had her eyes streaming with tears.
Wait a minute.
Why does it hurt in a dream?
Meng Xiaomeng's hand that was touching her bottom froze, she stood up and looked at her idol, so close that she could even see his minute pores. This... wasn't a dream?
"Ah!" Meng Xiaomeng jumped a meter away in an instant, "What... what's going on!"
Meng Xiaomeng staggered backward and almost stumbled, but was caught by Jin Xijue who pulled her into his arms, gripping her collar, his hawk-like gaze bearing down on her, "Mai Mengmeng, what kind of stunt are you trying to pull this time? Want to rebel or to seek death? If you really want to die, go find a place where no one is!"
His cold voice was spoken, and then his hand suddenly released.
Meng Xiaomeng fell on the ground with a 'plop', landing on her buttocks, her eyes filled with tears due to the pain, "Idol, it's true that I like you, but that doesn't mean you can abuse me!"
The man came into her view, wearing black velvet deer leather shoes. She looked up from his straight legs, muscular chest, distinct jawline, up to a pair of brooding dark brown eyes, shadowed with pent-up anger.
The owner of those eyes leaned over, staring into Meng Xiaomeng's eyes, making her feel as if she was being torn apart by his gaze.
"Mai Mengmeng, are you seeking death or planning some other trick?"
"Seeking death? How could I seek death? I'm such a coward, even if you kill me, I would never seek death!" Meng Xiaomeng rubbed her buttocks.
The man narrowed his eyes, feeling that she was faking madness and stupidity, then coldly turned and left.
Looking at his receding back, Meng Xiaomeng pouted and came to a round floor mirror in confusion, then suddenly froze, followed by a scream.
"Ah... who... who is this?"