Chapter 24: The Fairy by the Sea

"Hey, didn't you say you've never seen the sea before?" Shen Lang tightened his grip on Su Lexuan's hand a bit. "How about we go play on the beach?"

"Okay."

Su Lexuan nodded eagerly, and the two of them walked along the sandy shore toward the sea. Su Lexuan wore flat shoes and white thermal stockings, so they could only stroll along the edge of the waves.

"Shen Lang, what are you doing nowadays?" Su Lexuan asked suddenly, gently squeezing Shen Lang's warm hand in return.

Feeling her soft fingers, Shen Lang was thrilled, almost stumbling over his words. "You might laugh, but I'm writing novels at home."

"Really? What kind of novels?"

Su Lexuan, who occasionally read romance novels on the Tomato app, didn't ask about Shen Lang's income but instead inquired about the genre he wrote.

"Well, martial arts mainly, lots of fighting and stuff. Not really the type of stories girls like. I've written over a million words so far."

"That's great! At least you're doing something you enjoy."

Su Lexuan smiled, unfazed. "I didn't expect you to be a big writer."

"Haha, not quite," Shen Lang said, handing her the sugar painting. "Just making a bit of pocket money. Not sure if I'll keep doing it."

They chatted as they walked along the beach, leaving footprints in the sand. With the system's help, their conversation flowed naturally, covering topics from their campus lives to future plans and friends.

Most couples start this way—just being together, even without doing anything, can strengthen their bond. The moonlight on the shimmering sea reflected their laughing figures.

**Ding! Su Lexuan's affection increased by 5 points, now at 22 points. Keep it up!**

Nighttime certainly made emotions richer; just ten minutes of chatting had increased her affection by 5 points. Shen Lang noticed that Su Lexuan was getting closer to him, sometimes even leaning on his shoulder, acting like a lively girlfriend.

Whenever she realized this, she shyly pulled away, though her clear eyes still reflected his image. They walked until they reached a patch of rocks.

"There's no more path!" Su Lexuan said, her voice filled with disappointment.

Shen Lang looked back at where they had entered the beach. "We walked quite a distance."

"Time flies when you're chatting."

"Yeah, haha…"

They laughed softly, gazing at each other, then fell into a comfortable silence. At that moment, the system options appeared.

**System options:**

1. Hold her waist, press her against the rocks, and kiss her passionately.

2. Ask eagerly: "There's no one around. Can I touch your feet in those white stockings?"

3. Gently touch her face, look deeply into her eyes, and kiss her softly.

"Should I take her back now?" Shen Lang hesitated. He didn't want to send her home just yet. But weren't options 1 and 3 too bold? It was only their second meeting. Would kissing her be too much?

Shen Lang finally spoke, "Um…"

Su Lexuan jumped. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Oh…"

They exchanged shy glances and then looked away, still holding hands. The night was silent except for the sound of waves crashing against the rocks. The leaves of the ginkgo trees rustled softly in the sea breeze.

"Don't be a coward!" Shen Lang encouraged himself. He released Su Lexuan's slightly sweaty hand and slowly reached for her delicate, white cheek.

The system had given two intimate options, which meant Su Lexuan was likely open to being kissed. Shen Lang reminded himself to back off if she showed any discomfort, to avoid scaring her away.

Under Su Lexuan's slightly dazed gaze, Shen Lang's hand touched her soft cheek. Just as he imagined, her face was smooth and warm, and she trembled slightly at his touch.

Su Lexuan wanted to ask, "What's our relationship now?" But in the quiet, romantic night, she didn't want to break the atmosphere. She just pursed her lips, looking at Shen Lang.

"No objection? That means…"

With Su Lexuan watching, Shen Lang slowly leaned in. He could smell the sweet scent of her lips, a remnant of the sugar painting they had shared. Would the taste be even sweeter?

Thump, thump...

Feeling the warmth of his hand and his approaching face, Su Lexuan's heart raced. Her lips trembled, and she tightly clutched her skirt. Soon, Shen Lang's nose touched hers, and his lips met her soft ones.

The first sensation was softness and sweetness. He could clearly feel her heavy breaths. Being inexperienced, Shen Lang clumsily pressed his lips against hers. He wanted to mimic the movies and use his tongue, but worried she might reject him.

After a few minutes, Shen Lang slowly pulled back, looking at Su Lexuan's surprised and dazed face in disbelief. He couldn't believe he had gotten her first kiss so soon after meeting her.

Su Lexuan, equally shocked, turned away, covering her blushing face. She mumbled to herself, "Su Lexuan, what's wrong with you? You just met him, and you gave him your first kiss?!"

In the quiet night, under the romantic ambiance, two young people by the sea were lost in their new feelings.