Forced to Love (GL) - Chapter 55

A damp, cool fingertip gently lifted her chin, and in the light brown pupils, the reflection of the finger’s owner appeared.

Her inner garments were soaked, and even the hazy mist could not conceal the curves that clung tightly to her body.

Xie Xisui’s hair tips curled slightly, resting casually against her collarbone. Transparent droplets of water slid down, disappearing into the loose neckline of her robe.

Lingxi only took one glance before quickly lowering her gaze, feeling uneasy.

“What are you thinking about?”

But the fingertip against her chin held her in place, forcing her to meet those dark eyes.

They were as calm and unfathomable as a deep pool.

“Nothing.”

Xie Xisui’s brows moved slightly. “Why are you nervous?”

Even though she asked, she didn’t give her a chance to answer. The wind brushed past them, lifting the mist before Lingxi’s eyes. Xie Xisui’s fingertip, still resting on her chin, slowly traced downward along her neck.

The soft, slippery touch ignited a spark, spreading from the fingertip and burning deep into her heart.

Lingxi unconsciously held her breath. But when that finger pressed gently over her collarbone, even through the fabric, she could feel her heartbeat quicken.

Heavy and fast, completely beyond her control.

The deep pool shimmered with rippling light, reflecting the panic in Lingxi’s eyes.

The person before her spoke in a light tone, “The spring water of Chuanze Stream will help heal your wounds.”

The barely-there touch sent a shiver down Lingxi’s spine. Her peripheral vision caught sight of something that felt like scorching flames—like they could consume her outer robe at any moment, following their owner’s will.

“So,” Xie Xisui continued, “are you going to undress yourself, or shall I do it for you?”

At that moment, Lingxi seemed to see a flash of lightning tearing through the dark clouds.

Before the darkness could fully descend again, Lingxi loosened her robe.

A lingering coolness remained on her chin, but as she submerged into the warm spring water, it was quickly replaced by heat.

Mist filled the air, obscuring the emotions in her eyes. Even the sound of the wind seemed to fade, leaving only the gentle murmuring of the water.

The heat in her body clashed with the warmth of the spring, like two tigers fighting for dominance. Yet, the moment Xie Xisui reached out and held her palm, all the tension dissipated.

Unlike the spring water, Xie Xisui’s touch felt like the cool drizzle of early spring—soothing, yet making one want to hold onto it tightly.

Lingxi did just that.

The person before her lowered her eyes slightly. The swirling mist blurred her expression, but soon, Lingxi felt the faint, ticklish sensation of fingertips gliding over the back of her hand. It was both a comfort and an unspoken response.

Lingxi gazed at her. Despite the pain of the demonic energy and spiritual power tearing within her, she felt grateful—because she could see and feel her presence.

“The trial down the mountain is over. From now on, you won’t have any free time.”

“As punishment, you are confined to Chuanze Stream. Without my permission, you are not allowed to leave.”

Xie Xisui paused briefly, her voice softening. “Just focus on healing. Don’t worry about anything else.”

A gentle wave of spiritual energy swept over, easing the damage caused by the demonic energy.

Perhaps it was the misty atmosphere, or perhaps because Xie Xisui’s eyes were closed, Lingxi watched her for a while before finally asking, “Will Master stay here too?”

Lingxi’s voice was so soft that even the sound of the water could have drowned it out.

But the person before her stilled for a moment, then suddenly opened her eyes. “Do you want me to stay?”

Her tone was calm, devoid of emotion, yet Lingxi could hear the undeniable authority in her voice.

It was something rare—something different from the Xie Xisui she knew.

Like falling into a dark storm cloud without a chance to struggle, Lingxi surrendered without resistance.

“I do.”

She stared directly into her eyes.

Then, as if remembering something, Lingxi furrowed her brows. “And I don’t want Master to face tonight’s events alone.”

She had done nothing wrong, yet everyone blamed her.

“Then will you face it with me?”

After a brief silence, Xie Xisui suddenly raised her hand and brushed against the corner of Lingxi’s eye. Her damp, soft fingertips lightly traced over the faint flush there.

Lingxi had no idea what she looked like at that moment. But that touch made her heartbeat thunder in her chest.

“Yes.”

Her throat was dry. She barely managed to force out that single word.

Xie Xisui let out a soft hum, a faint smile curving her lips, brightening her gaze.

Lingxi’s eyes followed her closely, unable to look away.

She watched the sharp contours of her brows, the faint curve of her lips, her fair neck, the strands of black hair floating on the water like raven feathers, the delicate collarbone peeking beneath the water’s surface.

At that moment, Lingxi was drawn to the light—burned by it, yet unable to stop moving forward.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Lingxi realized something had taken root in her heart. What had once been a fragile sprout had already grown into a towering tree, lush and strong, nearly impossible to contain.

People are drawn to light, yet scattered by it.

But if she could, even if one day she faded away, she would still choose to stand beneath Xie Xisui’s glow.

A flush of red spread from the corners of Lingxi’s eyes. Something fell into the water, rippling outward in tiny crimson waves.

She shut her eyes abruptly, but in the darkness, Xie Xisui’s face remained clear and familiar.

Spiritual power spread through her veins, inch by inch, relieving the pain. Yet, it could not ease the turmoil in her heart.

She wanted to be close to her. She wanted to hold her hand. She wanted to embrace her.

She… wanted to love her.

A raging sea surged within her, swallowing her whole.

…

When she opened her eyes again, crimson had overtaken the light brown of her irises—like vivid red plum blossoms blooming in the dead of winter.

She tilted her head slightly and smiled.

A dangerous yet mesmerizing smile, her lips curved with a hint of fiery red.

Suddenly, she moved closer. The hand Xie Xisui had been holding was now reversed, pressing Xie Xisui back against the stone platform behind her.

The warmth of the water was gone, replaced by the cold hardness of the rock.

Her skin, soaked in the spring for too long, had become fragile. The moment her hand brushed against the stone, a bright red mark appeared.

But the person in front of her did not notice—or perhaps she simply did not care.

Lingxi straightened up slightly, looking down at her.

The movement stirred the water, breaking the silence.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Lingxi leaned in, her red eyes reflecting Xie Xisui’s calm gaze.

“What should I say?”

Her tone was light, but to Lingxi, it only made her lean in closer.

She pressed her nose against Xie Xisui’s skin, brushing past her earlobe, trailing downward until she rested against her collarbone.

The heat of her breath burned like fire.

Lifting her gaze, Lingxi saw the faint blush on Xie Xisui’s ear.

So close, she could catch the lingering scent of Ahangya blossoms.

Tilting her head, Lingxi sighed. “You smell so nice.”

Xie Xisui watched her. “Lang Yue,” she said softly. “What should you call me?”

Lingxi froze.

For a brief moment, her red eyes wavered. But soon, the binding tightened again.

She tilted her head in confusion. “I don’t know.”

Xie Xisui didn’t speak and frowned slightly.

“Ah, don’t frown,” Lingxi quickly reached out and gently touched the space between her brows, looking a little heartbroken. “Do you know? Whatever you say, I’ll listen to you.”

The warmth of her fingertips felt like it could burn, even from just a light touch.

Xie Xisui was silent for a long while before saying,
“You should call me Master.”

“Mas… ter,”

Lingxi said softly. Something seemed ready to burst out from those two syllables.

But before that could happen, deeper and older emotions rose up first. They rushed out uncontrollably, spilling down like a flood.

The person in front of her suddenly clutched her forehead in pain, struggling as a low groan escaped her lips.

In Xie Xisui’s eyes, it was like a curtain of rain flashed across the sky. She frowned slightly and used the hand that wasn’t restrained to pull Lingxi into her arms to calm her.

It was unclear how much time passed. Slowly, Lingxi began to settle down. She gasped heavily, then suddenly looked up at her.

Xie Xisui paused slightly the moment she saw her eyes clearly.

Lingxi’s eyes were bl00d-red, even the whites of her eyes had turned an alarming shade of crimson.

She spoke slowly:

“Master.”

“Do you like me?”

In that instant, Xie Xisui saw waves in her eyes that were darker and more violent than demonic energy.

The hand resting on Lingxi’s shoulder tensed slightly.

They looked at each other in silence, as if falling into each other’s gaze.

“But I like you.”

After a moment, she suddenly leaned in. The red in her eyes seemed to soften, wrapped in gentle light. With heat and sincerity, she pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Xie Xisui’s lips. Her lips were warm and carried the faint scent of Ahan buds, intensified by the heat between them.

At that moment, the red veil in front of her eyes seemed to be torn open, and something appeared behind it.

Lingxi didn’t move. Xie Xisui didn’t move either.

They stayed like that for so long that when Lingxi couldn’t hold back her desire to deepen the kiss—

Suddenly, a hand gripped the back of her neck. It was light, almost gentle. In the next moment, a palm pressed against her, and a wave of warmth flowed in. Without any resistance, Lingxi lost consciousness.

The person who had been kissing the corner of her lips slowly slid downward, as if all strength had left her. Her soft lips brushed past Xie Xisui’s earlobe, then her neck, before she finally collapsed tightly into Xie Xisui’s arms.

The soft moonlight shone faintly on the side of the person in the pool. Her eyes were slightly lowered, lashes fluttering like wings and casting shadows below.

You could just barely see the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Her once-loose collar had already slipped to her shoulders.

Xie Xisui looked down at the person in her arms. Her fingertips, now cold from the night wind, lightly touched her lips and traced along their curve, as if a bit helpless.

She casually adjusted her collar, then carried the person out of the spring. With her eyes half-closed, the long robe fluttered like a breeze and gently wrapped around the person in her arms.

A moment later, she opened her eyes. When she looked down again, the dark clouds overhead had returned to how they were before.