"Is beauty a sin as well?" Yun Yao began with this question. "A woman's appearance is not something she can determine herself. I wish I could be an ordinary girl, living a peaceful life like everyone else."

I said, "Being beautiful is a blessing for women. We have the Nine Golden Flowers at Longteng University. I once knew eight of them. Now with you included, it's finally complete—the two generations' roster of beauties."

Yun Yao spoke softly, "Brother Zhao keeps track of campus affairs closely. But I've never paid attention to those titles. My sole ambition is to excel in dance and earn money to improve my parents’ lives. Yet this face draws unwanted attention—my mother and I suffer both admiration and trouble because of it."

She curled into a corner of the bed, trembling as she spoke. "I won’t dwell on my past. After countless hardships, I finally gained admission through special recruitment at Longteng University’s Arts Department. I thought this was the start of happiness until returning home for summer vacation when I discovered... my father had died and my mother gone insane. No one could endure such tragedy. Though our family lived in poverty before, with my father's love and mother's care, we were still happy people. But now..."

I sat beside her gently, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Yun Yao, since you've called me Brother Zhao today, from now on I'll protect you and give you happiness. You needn't fear anything—just see me as your own brother. Tell me what happened to your father."

She pressed her head against my chest, "My mother remains in a daze every day with no memory of past events. The kind neighbors told me about it: when my parents went to the market selling vegetables, they encountered this man called Kuangge. He desired Mother and began scheming. At first he tried to bribe Father for separation, but their bond was unbreakable despite financial struggles. So Kuangge orchestrated a plot against Father—my father who knew nothing about such matters was lured into Holiday Entertainment Center under the pretense of buying vegetables. They fabricated evidence and brutally killed him."

I asked, "Was there any report filed?"

Yun Yao replied, "Who dares? They're gangsters. Anyone meddling with them gets murdered. Worse still, police are complicit. With so-called 'evidence'—a fabricated adultery scene complete with photos—how could we fight back against such power? After Father's death, Mother didn't even inform me but silently endured it herself. But those villains targeted her all along! Framing Father was just their first move. Perhaps Father’s death was accidental—or perhaps he refused to submit. Their real goal was my mother. Even if she wanted to live quietly, they wouldn’t allow it. Before the seventh day of mourning passed, these men came knocking again. My mother resisted with her life but... how long can one woman stand against such violence? After their assault, she suffered complete mental collapse."

Yun Yao became increasingly agitated until finally breaking down in sobs. I held her tightly and swore, "Yun Yao don't cry. From tomorrow we'll uncover the truth behind this tragedy. No matter who's behind it or how powerful they are, I will kill them to avenge your parents!"

"Brother Zhao," she whispered while kissing my lips fiercely, "I don’t understand why our feelings develop so rapidly. Perhaps there was fate in this—being alumni and meeting here in a small town thousands of kilometers away from campus."

My hand traced from her back down to the tender curve of her neck where I paused. Her body felt soft from years of dancing. "No matter what happened before, starting now I will make you the happiest woman on earth," I vowed earnestly. "Brother Zhao here swears by heaven itself that without killing those villains and avenging your parents’ deaths, I am not a man!"

"Brother Zhao!" Yun Yao kissed me again through her tears. The taste was bitter with salt as our lips fused—her untouched inexperience left her flustered and disoriented.

One hand supported her back while the other gently massaged her scattered hair. My tongue slowly explored her mouth, deepening the intimacy beyond mere kissing.

Yun Yao's throat emitted indistinct murmurs from the unfamiliar contact—a mix of whispered words and low sobs—yet the tremors in her body betrayed her pleasure.

My supporting hand slid toward her chest where she wore only a thin nightgown due to summer heat and bedtime comfort. Beneath its fabric, hardened nipples jutted out invitingly under my fingertips' exploration.

Her body had melted into pure pliability now, entirely dependent on my strength for balance. When I withdrew my support, she collapsed onto the pillow with eyes half-closed. With a quick pull of the mosquito netting, I encased us in our own world and pressed her beneath me.

Slowly raising her nightgown revealed inch-by-inch snow-white skin while Yun Yao emitted nonsensical moans through clenched teeth—either from anxiety or residual sobs. When full-sized D-cup breasts finally emerged into view, her face flushed crimson as she helplessly fumbled where to place her hands before tightly closing her eyes in shy embarrassment.

I guided her trembling fingers onto those lush mounds until they grew damp with nervous sweat. "Will you marry me?" she suddenly asked through parted lips.

I nodded solemnly. Though I'd never entertained such thoughts toward her previously, the truth was clear—since witnessing her hunched over picking vegetables at the market, a deep affection had already taken root within me.

Holding my hand tightly, Yun Yao worried aloud, "Marriage will burden you greatly. Besides, I'm too young—you won't wait for me."

I pinched one hardened nipple and teased, "Have you reached fourteen? If you've passed fourteen, nothing frightens Brother Zhao. Waiting ten or twenty years would be no problem at all."

A shiver ran through her body as she confessed, "I turned seventeen last year when admitted through special recruitment to Longteng’s Arts Department. If not for needing three additional high school credits first, we might have met at university already."

Inside I silently thanked my lucky stars—better yet if she never discovered my other secrets... such revelations would certainly spoil this moment's intimacy.

"Seventeen is a suitable age," I declared, "From now on you're mine. Whatever happens, I'll shield you from harm and build another sky of happiness for you to dwell within. Will you embrace me?"

Yun Yun closed her eyes with flushed cheeks while pouting lips begged for another kiss. As expected, my descent onto those soft lips elicited a whisper in my ear—her question trembled faintly: "Will Brother Zhao make me his tonight? I... have no experience. You must teach me what to do..."

Her body had already grown feverishly hot from our previous contact while my hands exploring her elastic buttocks (surely sculpted by dance and labor) reminded me of Zhou Ni's similarly shapely derriere—though Yun Yao’s form was more petite in proportion.

After careful consideration, I decided, "No—for now Brother Zhao won't do anything to you yet. Wait until you fully understand my identity after avenging your parents' deaths. You must decide for yourself when ready to become my true wife. Until then..."

Though she didn’t comprehend my meaning clearly, repeated rescues had earned me her deep trust as evidenced by the way she clutched my waist and vowed, "As you wish Brother Zhao—I'll do whatever you say."

I let her rest against my arm in this comforting position while explaining our plans. "Brother Zhao will stay at Liangshan for a time to investigate your father's murder and handle some other matters. With summer vacation underway at Longteng University, I suggest working temporarily as government cafeteria staff until we return to Beijing City where you can resume dance studies and become the nation’s greatest dancer!"

Her excitement surged with this promise of restored stability and career continuation—so much so she forgot entirely about her trembling when someone touched those very mounds. "Really? Can I truly return to Longteng University?" But practical fears lingered...

I reassured, "Leave your mother's medical expenses to me—I'll find the world’s best doctors for treatment. If you genuinely love dance, sending you overseas isn't a problem. Though international study is complicated, I could hire several famous global instructors instead—they can come here directly and personally mentor you."

"Brother Zhao is only teasing," she responded with concern evident in her voice. "I know life must be difficult for you too—Little Ning said you couldn’t even afford bed linens yet eat at the cafeteria because County Magistrate Zhao pays your meals."

I smiled while beginning a back massage to soothe her obvious fatigue from hard labor, but soon she insisted switching roles. "Brother Zhao should let me do it instead," she argued before flipping me onto my back and asking with playful teasing, "Want me to give you a foot-press? Girls in our dormitory say this is popular in cities."

"Of course I don’t resist," I laughed as her voice gained flirtatious tones—proof that the girl was slowly regaining her natural femininity.

"Even girls can harass men sometimes," I teased further just before she asked with worry, "Brother Zhao, isn't Little Ning also very interested in you? She won’t be jealous?"

I chuckled, "She has a boyfriend already but... if she develops feelings for me, should I stop her?"

Yun Yao’s voice turned resolute. "No! You promised to marry me so I forbid you from liking Little Ning at all. If you must choose between me or her, just don’t marry me!"

This golden flower proved difficult to claim—accepting other women would certainly prove challenging later. But for now...

With a final soothing massage, we both drifted off to sleep as the night deepened.