Chapter 115 He Doesn’t Dare to Approach, But That Doesn’t Mean Someone Won’t Move Forward

Chapter 115: He Dared Not Approach, Yet Someone Else Pressed Forward

“Fang Ran, you told me more than just one secret that night.”

More than one secret?

Fu Zhangzhou’s words startled Fang Ran, his gaze fixed, unblinking, on the man before him.

The sentinel’s expression was intensely serious, devoid of his usual playful teasing.

Fang Ran’s heart began to pound wildly, each beat reverberating through his nerves.

Could Fu Zhangzhou truly have discovered something?

But... this man loved to put on airs, and sometimes, not a single truthful word escaped his lips.

Was he just trying to trick him?

Fu Zhangzhou watched him back, his gaze deep and inscrutable, as if harboring hidden currents that could pierce through the thoughts in the other’s mind.

They stood there, locked in a silent stare, each waiting for the other to speak first.

Silence descended upon the room once more.

On the screen nearby, the art film had reached its most dramatic peak. The two protagonists, caught in a rainy night, erupted in emotional outbursts, yelling hoarsely at each other.

“You’ve been lying to me all along, haven’t you? Something like this couldn’t possibly have happened.”

“How could I be lying to you! I love you so much! All of this is true—are you denying it now?”

“But... I... I could never have told you...”

“Don’t you love me? Why couldn’t you have told me? Back then, when you were burning up and out of it, you grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let me leave, and even forced...”

“......”

Fang Ran couldn’t take it anymore.

He shot a sidelong glance at the screen, where the two figures—one tall, one short—were still entangled.

These lines... weren’t they a bit too coincidental? Who were they hinting at?

Noticing Fang Ran had averted his gaze, Fu Zhangzhou’s eyes followed suit.

On screen, the two suddenly drew closer. Intense, emotional music swelled abruptly, and then the scene began to shift in an indescribable direction.

Fang Ran finally reached his limit. He snatched the remote from the table and, with a sharp click, turned off the projector.

“......”

“This movie is too loud.”

Seeing his reaction, Fu Zhangzhou chuckled softly. “Is that so? I thought the acting was quite good, and the emotions were spot-on.”

His expression seemed subtly suggestive, yet he made no move.

If this were any other day, this guy would surely have seized the opportunity to lean in closer.

But no.

The sentinel seemed to be patiently waiting... for something.

This realization utterly flustered Fang Ran, making him afraid to meet Fu Zhangzhou’s gaze again.

Silence fell between them once more, and in this slightly awkward atmosphere, they quickly finished their dinner.

After Fang Ran set down his utensils, Fu Zhangzhou stood up and automatically began clearing the table.

Fang Ran paused, then also rose to help, casually remarking:

“Fu Zhangzhou, how about... after I finish the purification later, you head back to your own dorm? I’m a bit tired today and want to rest early.”

He wasn’t entirely lying.

This dinner had indeed been mentally exhausting.

The sentinel’s probing gaze never left him.

Fang Ran constantly felt... his own pheromones gradually intensifying, mingling with the sentinel’s scent, incessantly jarring his nerves. It even sparked a strange thought within him.

He both desired to get closer and feared getting closer.

With too many thoughts swirling in his mind, standing up now made him feel suddenly lightheaded.

Fu Zhangzhou’s hand naturally settled on his forehead.

Fang Ran’s skin was exceptionally fair, almost translucent and cool-toned, so whenever he was shy or feverish, the blush on his face was always particularly noticeable.

The room’s light now slanted across his face, his long eyelashes half-lowered, casting soft gray shadows. His cheeks were tinged with a delicate pink, and his lips, perhaps from just finishing dinner, still held a subtle, moist sheen.

To Fu Zhangzhou, all of this was nothing short of a fatal allure.

“You’re not... getting a fever again, are you?”

Fang Ran couldn’t stand hearing the word “fever” right now and immediately pulled his hand away.

“No, I don’t feel unwell.”

“Is that so?” The sentinel looked at the hand Fang Ran had grabbed and said, “Since you’re a bit tired, let’s skip purification today.”

Remembering the immense energy Fu Zhangzhou had unleashed on the training field earlier, Fang Ran felt uneasy about skipping purification.

“I’m just a bit tired. I can still manage the purification.”

Though not feverish, Fang Ran still felt a little warm.

He released Fu Zhangzhou’s hand, walked to the entrance, and increased the air conditioning and ventilation system.

Noticing the sentinel’s gaze still following him, he forced himself to explain: “The room smells a little strong after eating.”

“Hm.” Fu Zhangzhou sat back down.

“Then let’s begin the purification,” he said, no longer objecting.

Their mental synchronization rate was now exceptionally high. The moment Fang Ran released his energy, he instantly entered the sentinel’s Spiritual Sea.

Within that black desert, a cool breeze began to stir once more—energy brought from Fang Ran’s own Spiritual Sea, carrying vitality, continuously dispersing the restless energy left behind after the sentinel’s surge.

Fang Ran breathed a sigh of relief. Good thing he hadn’t sent him away.

Although Fu Zhangzhou’s current Corruption Value remained above the safety threshold, his condition was unique; any slight negligence could easily push him to the brink of an outburst. Performing a purification today was the right decision.

With this thought, Fang Ran steadied himself.

His spiritual energy slowly swept across every inch of the desert. The central oasis remained the sole splash of color in Fu Zhangzhou’s Spiritual Sea, and Fang Ran’s energy gradually drifted toward it.

As if sensing his presence, the black rose once again emerged from the cracks in the oasis.

The bewitching black flower, carried by the cool breeze, curled upward, stretching its leaves and petals, even quivering slightly as Fang Ran arrived.

It was welcoming him.

But Fang Ran dared not get too close.

This rose had a history.

His own condition was somewhat off today. If another incident of spiritual merging with Fu Zhangzhou were to occur... he didn't even want to imagine how severe the consequences could be.

It might... directly trigger his heat cycle.

However, his reluctance to approach didn’t mean someone else wouldn’t make a move.

Fang Ran’s spiritual energy lingered around the oasis, his attention entirely fixed on the black rose. He completely failed to notice a thin vine that had already coiled around his ankle.

The ash-colored vine gently wrapped around his foot, quivering almost affectionately.

Suddenly, Fang Ran felt his body temperature begin to rise, as though he were enveloped by a searing energy.

Why? He hadn’t even gotten close to the rose!

Hold on—that vine! That was also a manifestation of Fu Zhangzhou’s spiritual energy!

He glanced down.

Too late.

Back in the physical world, Fang Ran’s eyes flew open, glaring at the person in front of him.

“Fu Zhangzhou!”