Chapter 025: Caught in the Act

He had never kissed a girl before, though he had often fantasized about what it would feel like. Now the moment was right before him — his heart was pounding with a mix of nervousness and an indescribable anticipation.

A few seconds later, Lin Feng took a deep breath, leaned down, and gently pressed his lips to Tian Mengqian's.

Feeling Tian Mengqian's body tremble slightly, Lin Feng startled, and before he could even savor the kiss, he quickly lifted his head, then tiptoed out of her room.

The moment Lin Feng left, Tian Mengqian suddenly opened her eyes and shot upright. Her cheeks were flushed a deep crimson, and the corners of her lips carried a trace of shy sweetness. She gently patted her chest with one hand, and after a moment, let out a soft murmur before lying back down, pulling the covers over her entire head.

Back in the living room, Lin Feng also let out a breath of relief, and quickly took out the Peach Blossom Manual to check.

Mini Chain Mission triggered. Mission 2: Obtain Tian Mengqian's first kiss. Mission Grade: Grade-B. Reward upon completion: 5 Peach Blossom Points. Mission Status: Completed.

Just like with the Grade-A mission, Lin Feng didn't actually receive the 5 Peach Blossom Points reward.

The Grade-C mission in the Mini Chain had also triggered.

Mini Chain Mission triggered. Mission 3: Caress Tian Mengqian's chest for 30 seconds. Mission Grade: Grade-C. Reward upon completion: 10 Peach Blossom Points. Mission Status: In Progress.

Lin Feng put away the manual, his expression conflicted.

First a compliment, then a kiss, and now this — it seemed to follow the classic progression of a guy trying to break through a girl's last line of defense.

A quick accidental touch would've been one thing — he could've played it off as a mistake — but thirty whole seconds? No matter how "accidental" it was, you couldn't exactly keep your hand on a girl's chest for thirty seconds and call it unintentional.

Still, this mission was something Lin Feng had to complete.

Though it felt like a violation of Tian Mengqian's dignity, Lin Feng had no choice. He made up his mind that he would make it up to her — he would protect her well from now on.

Caressing her chest for thirty seconds was a far cry from a simple kiss.

Lin Feng didn't rush to complete the mission. Instead, he waited in the living room for nearly two more hours, and it wasn't until one o'clock in the morning that he quietly slipped back into Tian Mengqian's room.

Once inside, Lin Feng decided to climb onto the bed itself, reasoning that if he stood beside the bed and reached over, Tian Mengqian waking up would leave him with no defense. But if he were lying in the bed, he could always claim he'd stumbled into the wrong room after getting up to use the bathroom.

Lying down beside Tian Mengqian, gazing at her slender, delicate shoulders, Lin Feng felt a genuine urge to wrap her in his arms.

He glanced briefly at her chest.

Since she was sleeping on her side, her figure was all the more pronounced — her thin sleepwear clung to her curves, tracing a silhouette that brought to mind the phrase "viewed from the side, a towering peak."

He took several deep breaths, trying his hardest to calm himself, then reached out and gently placed his hand on Tian Mengqian's chest.

The instant he made contact, however, Tian Mengqian's body gave a sudden spasm. Lin Feng held his breath and immediately froze.

After waiting a moment and seeing that she didn't wake up, Lin Feng slowly let his hand apply a gentle pressure. Without a bra, the soft, supple sensation — separated only by a thin layer of sleepwear — along with the astonishing firmness beneath, caused his heart to beat erratically.

Lin Feng was still completely inexperienced, and this level of stimulation quickly provoked a strong physical reaction in him.

As he continued, however, he noticed that Tian Mengqian's body seemed slightly stiff, and was trembling ever so faintly.

He didn't know whether it was an involuntary bodily response or whether she was actually awake. He didn't want to think about it, and chose not to. Either way, he had to keep going.

Having thrown caution to the wind, Lin Feng allowed himself to indulge in the moment more fully, no longer simply going through the motions but rather savoring every sensation.

Tian Mengqian's chest was full and soft, yet brimming with remarkable elasticity. When he pressed down with a little more force, he could sense a subtle firmness beneath. He estimated her size in his mind — though she didn't appear particularly impressive when clothed, without the restraint of a bra, a single palm of his could not fully contain her.

Feeling her trembling grow more and more intense, Lin Feng couldn't withstand the mounting psychological pressure and temporarily stilled his hand.

When he stopped, Tian Mengqian shifted, rolling from her side onto her front, pressing her chest down against the mattress.

Lin Feng had a vague suspicion that she wasn't actually asleep.

But the Mini Chain Mission was nearly complete, and he wasn't about to give up now. Steeling himself, he reached around her body and pushed his hand under her.

This time, Tian Mengqian actually grabbed his hand.

Lin Feng's mind went blank with a sharp buzz. He had only suspected before — now he was certain: Tian Mengqian was awake.

Taking a deep breath, he still wrenched his hand free and continued pushing forward.

Tian Mengqian's cheeks were flushed scarlet, her breath warm and faint as an orchid's fragrance. She was trembling with shyness and embarrassment, her dark eyes glistening with a misty shimmer as she bit her rosy lip and curled herself into a ball.

Having been frightened earlier in the evening and then left alone with a boy in the house, Tian Mengqian had been far too restless to sleep. She had noticed when Lin Feng first crept into her room — she'd assumed he was looking for something, never expecting that he would steal a kiss from her.

Tian Mengqian had always felt something very particular toward Lin Feng. She would feel happy the moment she saw him; time seemed to fly when they were together; and when she saw him talking to other girls, she would feel an inexplicable pang of loss and bitterness.

When Lin Feng kissed her, a flood of overwhelming shyness and happiness washed over her entire being. It was then she finally realized, somewhat belatedly, that she liked Lin Feng — and that she had for a very long time.

What does it mean when a man secretly kisses a woman?

Tian Mengqian believed that Lin Feng liked her too. Perhaps because they had known each other so long, he simply hadn't yet worked up the nerve to confess.

After that kiss, falling asleep was utterly impossible for her.

When Lin Feng slipped back into the room a second time, Tian Mengqian's heart was filled with anticipation — she thought he had come to steal another kiss.

The first kiss had caught her so off guard that she hadn't even had the chance to properly enjoy it.

What she never expected, however, was that Lin Feng's hand would reach for her chest.

Tian Mengqian felt ashamed, mortified, and helpless. She wanted to refuse, yet feared that doing so would wound his pride. So she gritted her teeth and endured it in silence.

Though she found Lin Feng a little naughty, she didn't truly dislike it. She knew that plenty of students at school were already openly living together.

When a woman doesn't like you, even your virtues go unnoticed. But when she does, she'll even make excuses for your flaws.

Tian Mengqian was no different.

When Lin Feng paused again, Tian Mengqian deliberately rolled onto her front and pressed her chest against the mattress, hoping he would give up.

But under Lin Feng's relentless persistence, the soft part of her heart was moved. She thought he must be holding himself back painfully.

They had grown up together since childhood. She knew Lin Feng, and she knew his family. She felt that if something happened between them, she wouldn't regret it for the rest of her life.

Having made up her mind, Tian Mengqian suddenly turned over. Her large, glistening eyes were veiled in a hazy mist, and she looked at Lin Feng with tender, longing tenderness.

"Brother Xiaofeng…"

Gazing at the breathlessly lovely Tian Mengqian lying there as if offering herself to him, Lin Feng's heart stirred. Still as inexperienced as he was, it was nearly impossible for him to resist this fatal temptation.

But just at that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the living room.

"Qianqian! Qianqian…!" A voice rang out, choked with tears — a voice Lin Feng recognized immediately. It was Tian Mengqian's mother, Li Mingyue.

The two of them jolted in shock. Before either could react, the bedroom door was already being pushed open by Li Mingyue.

"Qianqian…!"

Li Mingyue switched on the light. Though there were clearly two people in the bed, she automatically ignored Lin Feng — seeing that Tian Mengqian was safe and unharmed, she rushed over joyfully. "Qianqian, Mama's precious girl, are you all right? Those people didn't hurt you today, did they?"

Tian Mengqian kept her head low and said nothing, her face so red it looked ready to bleed.

At that moment, Li Mingyue sensed something was off. She turned and glanced at the figure lying beside Tian Mengqian — and immediately shuddered, her expression one of utter shock.

"Auntie." Lin Feng forced out a greeting, his face hot with embarrassment.

"Qian…" Tian Mengqian's father, Tian Guoliang, also stepped into the room. He hadn't even finished calling her name before the sight before him left him completely dumbstruck.

"Qianqian, Qianqian…!" The last one to rush in was Jiao Zhibin. When he took in the scene, he too was left absolutely stupefied, mouth hanging wide open, frozen on the spot.

Earlier at the school grounds, Jiao Zhibin had witnessed Tian Mengqian being dragged away and had immediately called Tian Guoliang and his wife. Tian Mengqian was their only daughter — a sweet, well-behaved, and beautiful girl they had always cherished as the apple of their eye. Hearing that she was in danger, they had been scared out of their wits and rushed back through the night — only to walk into this scene.

"Let's step outside first." After a long moment, it was Tian Guoliang who finally broke the silence. He turned and walked out of the room.

Li Mingyue's expression was still tinged with bewilderment. She looked back and forth between Tian Mengqian and Lin Feng, still unable to make sense of what she was seeing.

Jiao Zhibin came back to his senses, and the rage that overtook him was incandescent. His face was twisted with fury and anguish as he jabbed a finger at Lin Feng, his teeth grinding audibly.

"Zhibin, come out here." From Tian Guoliang's tone, it was clear his mood was anything but pleasant.

Any father who suddenly walked in on his high school daughter — a sweet, well-behaved girl at that — in bed with a man would find it hard to stay calm.

If the man beside Tian Mengqian had been anyone other than Lin Feng, Tian Guoliang would have already thrown punches.