As the last of their playful tussle faded, Shen Yuan's gaze suddenly fixed on the crooked lace cuff of Li Zhi's sock.
Finger marks had stained her fair skin a translucent crimson, like rouge blooming beneath the glaze of white porcelain. In the slanting sunlight, the color seemed to pulse gently with her heartbeat.
The deepest impression was nestled right in the hollow of her anklebone, a deliberate-looking claim of territory that created a captivating contrast with the surrounding pink-tinged skin.
Shen Yuan leaned over slightly, his fingertip hovering above the marked ankle. His voice was much softer than when he'd been tickling her.
"Did I grab you too hard?"
Before he finished speaking, his index finger gently caressed the hollow of her anklebone.
Li Zhi's curled toes trembled slightly, and she instinctively flinched, pulling her foot back.
