172: Progress in Joanne cp, Ah Fang drunk again (see beyond the question

He reached out, his hand cradling her chin, "I'm unmarried, single, an adult male."

She was completely baffled.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Her face started to heat up, her neck as well, and her ears—all of them turned red. She instinctively wanted to dodge but couldn't escape because he was holding her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.

Fiery, urgent, and an unmistakable desire, things she had never seen in his eyes before, seemed to be drawing her in.

She understood but had never thought of it that way before.

Staring at him for a long time, she finally retreated until her back hit the refrigerator. It was so sudden, she hadn't had time to think it over and felt a bit dizzy, her sign language slow and sluggish.

Blushing, she responded, "I have a lot of respect for you." After a pause, she added, "Always."

...

Respect.

Meaning there was no romantic feeling.

He was too hasty; this girl had just grown up and still saw him as an elder.