All eyes in the hall instantly snapped to Lucian.

*Has he lost his mind? There is no way Lucian would ever apologize to a scholarship student.*

Expressions shifted across the room in a blur of shock and disbelief.

Beside him, Jing Lin was already lunging forward, ready

*"Tap."*

Like a single drop of water landing right between her brows.

*A kiss?*

*...Can I really?*

Lucian regained a fleeting moment of clarity. Borrowing strength from some unknown reservoir within, he suddenly shoved past Shao Ying, scooped Serena into his arms, a

A reward?

Serena's eyelashes fluttered slightly.

The way he phrased that...

She had merely stepped in to keep Lucian from losing his mind and flying completely off the rails. A simple kiss—what kind of reward was that?

Using the word "reward" for it felt inhe