“Come here, you dweeb. Let me fix it.”
Will pouts, dragging his feet over and slumping half on top of him. Nico allows it with a smile and a roll of his eyes, pinching Will’s shoulder. He doesn’t react except for a wounded noise, muffled in Nico’s lap, so the situation is evidently quite dire.
“It’s just hair, Will.”
“But I worked on it!” He shifts around until he’s got his head in Nico’s lap, face turned towards him, body curled up on the grass around him. Nico brushes his tangled bangs off his forehead, meeting his big sad eyes. “I spent forty minutes with a stupid brush! And yet!”
“And yet,” Nico agrees, unable to appropriately school is face into one of somber understanding. Will scowls at him for his lack of proper sympathy, a little bit of genuine hurt in his eyes, so Nico leans down and kisses right between his brows in apology. He seems mollified, if only slightly, or at least he leans into Nico’s touch and stops mumbling quite so much.
“‘S’not fair.”
“Mhm.“
“Your hair listens to your instructions.”
“Yep.”
“Even Cecil’s hair listens to him, and no one listens to Cecil.”
Nico purses his lips thoughtfully. “I think Austin listens to Cecil.”
“Yes, I know. It’s an ongoing issue. I’m trying to train him out of it.”
“And how’s that going?” Nico murmurs, curling a strand of golden blond hair around his finger.
“Oh, well, I’m doing my best, so of course it’s going horribly.”
Nico snorts. He resists the urge to hold his palms to Will’s cheeks and kiss every single freckle at light speed, because he will screech something about how Nico is one-upping him in the romance department or something stupid like that. Instead he settles for looking at his dumb dramatic boyfriend’s face and marvelling over the fact that the cutest boy in the entire world, and Nico is being totally objective, hunts around camp until he finds whatever tree Nico is hiding under and curls up into a ball around him and trusts Nico to hold him while he complains about stupid things that genuinely hurt his feelings a little. It’s nice. So many people at camp are still so rigid around him, like he’s collecting information for their judgement day or something. Will prefers to exercise his lesser-known Apollonian talent of being a bigger drama queen than the god himself.
“Stay still,” Nico says softly, moving Will around so he’s laying perpendicular to Nico, now, head centered in his lap and staring up at the sky. Will sighs and squirms a little and turns his head to press a kiss to Nico’s knee, scrunching up his face and releasing it, and then settles in the position.
Humming something soft that exists on the fringes of his foggy memories, he sinks his hands into Will’s hair.
“It’s not that bad,” he promises, moving slowly and pausing whenever he comes across a knot.
Will harrumphs.
“I mean it, Marilyn Monroe. You can tone down the histrionics.”
“I used gel.”
Nico flicks a dried clump of it onto Will’s forehead, amused. “I can see that.”
“I followed every single one of Mitchell’s instructions!”
“I bet.”
“And yet!”
“And, yet.”
Nico has a sneaking suspicion that someone made a comment about Will’s hair, in the last few weeks. He can never confirm it and Will has been shifty about it every time he asks, but Nico has noticed the uptick in hoods and hats the past month and his little flinches every time Nico reaches up and tugs on it. Despite being oddly confident about the oddest things — why he is so proud of being able to fit his fist in his mouth, Nico will never know — Will is very sensitive to how people think of him. He needs to know he’s liked, and when people don’t like him, he gets…desperate, pleasing. The opposite of Nico, who becomes worse in an attempt to push them away on his own terms.
Nico leans down and presses a long, lingering kiss to his forehead.
“I like your hair, you know.”
“It’s a stupid mess.”
He smooths down a handful of it, pressing it over Will’s eye. He manages to keep a straight face for one, two, three seconds before he huffs a laugh, batting Nico’s hands away. Nico grins.
“I like the stupid mess.”
“Yeah, well, you like a lot of weird things.”
“Like you?” Nico suggests, pressing another kiss to the tip of his rounded nose.
“Shut up.”
Another strange thing about him, that Nico has to duck his head to hide his automatic smile: he gets embarrassed easily.
Nico never expected it of him, with all the dorky, medical-themed pickup lines and general shamelessness in his affection towards everybody on Earth, but especially Nico. When the poking, prodding attraction is turned on him, however, he shuts down like an overloaded Playstation. Nico can sometimes see the error messages playing behind its eyes. It’s hilarious.
“Will.” He pokes him in the cheek. “Hey.”
“What,” Will grumbles.
“I think you’re beautiful.”
Watching the slow spread of red from below the collar of his shirt to the roots of his hair is a delight. Nico watches in glee, wrestling Will’s hands away when he tries to slap them over his face.
“Shut up! Leave me alone! Go — flirt with somebody else!”
“You’d curse them to speak in rhymes for ten years,” Nico teases.
Will makes an agonised noise. “Who! Asked you! Shut up!”
“You’d sic Kayla on anyone who so much as winks at me, you jealous bitch.”
“I would not!”
“You would so. You rolled your eyes at everything Percy said for three weeks when you found out I used to crush on him —”
“I did not!”
“— and you didn’t even have the balls to ask me out, back then.”
“You are a — peddler of falsehoods! A prevaricator, a perjurer, and a fabulist!”
“And you sound like you swallowed a thesaurus,” Nico snickers. He catches the hand Will flails at him, pressing a kiss to the wrist, which only serves to fluster him more. He decides to take mercy when the kisses he trails down his arms result in one loud, long, tortured screech, pulling back and giving him some space.
Notably, he doesn’t move from Nico’s lap.
“I like it,” Nico admits, once Will has calmed down some. “I like that you’ve liked me for so long.”
Will peeks through the fingers he has covering his eyes. “It’s embarrassing.”
“Yes.” Nico squeezes his shoulders. “And endearing, which seems to be your sweet spot.” He presses a much softer kiss to the underside of Will’s ear, lingering there until he sighs, slumping under all the tension finally leaving his body. “I love you, Will. I love your clumsiness and your rambles and your nose and your freckles and your awkwardness and your jealousy and your hair and I love you, Will, all of you. Even the embarrassing weird parts.” He kisses him again. “Especially the weird parts.”
Will breathes slowly, carefully, evenly, face pressed to the inside of Nico’s thigh. His long eyelashes tickle his skin. Nico can feel the press of his Adam’s apple when he swallows, pulsing against his calf.
“I never thought you were a freak.”
Nico brushes his knuckles over his cheek. “I know.”
“I used to — talk about you. All the time. And your oxytocin levels.”
He smiles.
“I know.”
“Lee had a — chart.” Some of the flush rises back up in his cheeks. “A ‘Days Since We’ve Heard About Di Angelo’ chart.”
Nico bites his lip. Hard.
“The number never got higher than six.”
“…I am trying really, really hard, Will.”
Will sighs.
“You can laugh.”
Nico cracks up, trying desperately to muffle his giggles in his bitten fist. It doesn’t work very well, but the glare Will sends him is somewhat softened by the smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.
“Gods, you are — a mess.”
“Mhm.”
Nico cups the side of his face. Will turns, slightly, enough to press a kiss to the centre of his palm and then stay there, eyes closed, breathing against his sword-callused skin.
“I love you too, by the way. Obviously.”
“I know.”
“Don’t Han Solo me, you bastard.”
“Go ahead and try to stop me,” Nico challenges, grinning into the passionately indignant kiss Will presses to his lips, finally, letting Nico curl his hands in his hair.
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[CN] Li Zeyan’s Candlelight Date (Eng Translation)
⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 烛火之约, that is yet to be released on the global server! ♡
[Translation Under the Cut]
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
【Subbed Video】
─────────────
【Chapter 1】
After being stuck in traffic for over forty minutes on the way to the airport, I slam on the brakes once again, staring in despair at the unmoving stream of cars ahead.
The weather outside is gloomy, the sky overcast with heavy dark clouds, and the wind howls through the crevices of the car windows.
Even though the evening has barely fallen, the sky is already darkened completely.
MC: Feels like it’s gonna be pouring hard...
MC: I don’t know if Li Zeyan’s flight has been affected.
Just as I am about to look up the flight information, his call comes in.
LZY: I’ve arrived.
MC: That’s great! It looks like there’s gonna be a heavy downpour outside, so thank goodness you landed on time.
MC: On the downside, though, I’m stuck in traffic...
LZY: Given the weather, I could guess that already.
LZY: Don’t rush, safety first. Turn on your headlights and take your time.
MC: Don’t worry, I promise to follow the traffic rules~ So, I must apologize to CEO Li and ask him to wait for me a little longer~
LZY: No worries, I’ll just take this time to think about what to make for Pudding.
The day Li Zeyan is returning from his business trip also happens to be Pudding’s birthday, and we’ve planned to have a small celebration at home.
As I picture Li Zeyan making a birthday cake for the little kitten, the corners of my lips involuntarily curl upwards.
MC: Pudding’s parents are so thoughtful! The little birthday boy is blessed with the luck of tasty treats today.
MC: Rest assured, I’ll definitely get you to Pudding safely and in one piece.
LZY: With a certain someone “braving the wind and waves” to come pick me up, I’m already luckier than those who can’t get a cab.
MC: Hehe, this time it’s my turn to be the prince who cuts their way through thorns and thistles to rescue the sleeping princess!
LZY: Well, it seems like I’ll have to wait a hundred years then.
MC: ...you just told me to take my time.
A soft chuckle transmits from the other end of the phone, and carried by the car’s stereo, it spreads through the entire space, giving me the illusion as if he is right next to me.
LZY: It’s not contradictory.
LZY: Even if it takes you a hundred years, I’ll still wait.
–
──────
[Tidbits]: This conversation here is a reference to one of Li Zeyan’s earliest ASMRs, “Sleeping Beauty,” where LZY said in response to MC’s question that if he were the prince, he wouldn’t let the girl he loves wait a hundred years. Whereas, in the reverse scenario here, he tells you that if he were the sleeping princess and you the prince, he would gladly wait a hundred years (இдஇ; ) though, for a man who literally did wait 17+10000(*n) years for you— a hundred years is, well, still unbearable to think about ahah (ノಥ益ಥ)
–
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
【Chapter 2】
I park the car near the exit, and as soon as I look up, I see Li Zeyan walking towards me, dragging his suitcase.
I immediately push open the car door and run up to him, throwing myself into his arms as hard as I can. Both his hands are occupied by luggage, and I collide against him so hard that he staggers back a few steps.
His familiar scent wraps around me securely, instantly dispelling all the tension and fatigue from the road. I nuzzle against his chest contentedly, earning a soft chuckle from above my head.
LZY: Why the lack of courtesy right off the bat?
MC: I haven’t seen you for days, and I’ve made our big busy person wait so long. I can’t afford to be polite anymore.
Li Zeyan smiles, lets go of the luggage, and draws me into his arms, lowering himself to rest his head on my shoulder.
A soft sigh sounds next to my ear, and I sense how exhausted he is. I put aside my playful thoughts and stroke the back of his head.
MC: I hoped you could get some rest after getting off the plane, but I didn’t expect this weather…
MC: I’ll head out earlier next time!
LZY: You already got here much faster than I expected.
LZY: Let’s go, there’s a birthday boy waiting at home. It’s raining hard outside; I’ll drive on the way back.
┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✄ ┈┈┈┈┈┈
As we head home, rain begins pouring down in torrents. Even with the wipers operating at their highest speed, the visibility only clears for a fleeting moment.
Through the impenetrable curtain of rain, the emergency lights of nearby vehicles flicker faintly. The water pooling on the ground reflects the surroundings like mirrors, and the streets have transformed into an utterly bizarre kaleidoscopic labyrinth.
I hold up my phone to record the scene outside the window when suddenly, a blinding flash of lightning splits the sky not far away, followed by a rolling thunder approaching from the distance, pressing closer and closer.
I can’t help but shrink my neck and set my phone down.
MC: This weather is just ridiculous… I’m sure today’s Moments posts are gonna be flooded with candid shots of the rainstorm.
LZY: A certain someone has made significant strides.
LZY: A few years back, you would get so nervous in this kind of weather that you’d grab onto other people’s clothes. Now, you'd just make a fuss about it on Moments.
MC: Huh? When did I grab onto your clothes?
I turn my head to look at him with a puzzled expression. Li Zeyan glances at me, and before he can even speak, a smile creeps onto the corners of his lips.
LZY: That time when you asked me if I dared to like you.
I freeze for a second, the familiar feeling of nervousness and anticipation surging to the forefront of my mind.
Memories flood back along with the warmth of my cheeks, as I’m reminded of a similar night in the past mirroring this raging storm.
The pitch-black darkness that descended after the power outage was so thick that one wouldn’t even be able to make out their own hand in front of them. I felt like danger, and the unknown would swallow me whole at any moment. But he was there with me, accompanying me for what felt like an eternity on that apocalyptic night.
Back then, I felt like I couldn’t handle it on my own, so I wanted to cling to a straw, to hold onto this steady and exceptionally gentle person beside me.
Snapping out of the reminiscence, I clear my throat to dispel my embarrassment.
MC: Y-You don’t need to remember such things so clearly!
MC: But come to think of it, ever since I met you, I don’t seem to have gotten rained on much.
MC: Even if I forget my umbrella or can’t catch a ride, you always manage to “scoop” me up right on time.
LZY: So, as a result, a certain someone has developed the bad habit of not checking the weather forecast before going out?
MC: …It clearly taught me the good habit of how to “scoop” people up in crucial moments!
The car stops at the intersection, waiting for the traffic light. Li Zeyan casts a glance my way, his lips curving into a smile as he strokes my head.
LZY: Given that the person “scooping” me up is also the one I want to see, it does feel pretty good.
His warm palm rests on my head for a moment before sliding down to my cheek with yearning. A small sense of satisfaction leaps in my heart, and I smile, poking his cheek.
MC: I think I can understand why the prince braves countless perils to reach the princess.
MC: For this moment right now, I’m willing to endure any hardship~
–
──────
[Tidbits]: The call-back of the apocalyptic night is from one of Li Zeyan’s earliest dates, “Doomsday Date,” where MC asks him if he’d dare to like her and if he’d dare to be by her side even if doomsday arrived – and the rest, as they say, is history, quite literally in this case ahah~ (இдஇ; )
–
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
【Chapter 3】
“Bzzz!”
As I step through the doorway and flip the switch for the pendant lamp, to my surprise, the light flickers and then abruptly goes out.
The inside of the house is instantly taken over by the dimness from outside the windows. Pudding, who was originally crouching at the door to welcome us, lets out a yelp and scurries under the table.
My mind automatically starts concocting a horror movie scenario, and I immediately step back a few paces.
MC: What did the power suddenly go out? It was perfectly fine before I left...
My words are barely out of my mouth when a series of extremely bright streaks of lightning flash outside the window.
The howling gale rattles the window frames, while the water pipes exposed to the downpour on the side of the building, pelted by large raindrops, are making peculiar noises.
The continuous flashes of lightning project the wildly swaying shadows of the trees onto the floor, making the storm outside seem even more terrifying.
Li Zeyan sighs and steps forward, taking hold of my hand that is frozen in mid-air.
LZY: Are there any spare lights or flashlights in the house?
MC: Yes, there are, in my room...
While saying this, I clutch Li Zeyan’s arm and carefully start walking towards my room. A hand reaches out and pulls me into a familiar embrace.
LZY: Wasn’t a certain someone “scooping people up” pretty amazingly just now? Why are you so nervous now that we’re home?
MC: ...I guess I’ve been overdoing it with the horror movies lately, and the after-effects are still a bit strong.
I laugh awkwardly and, relying on the dim light of the flashlight, dig out a large, bulging bag from the storage box.
MC: Rechargeable desk lamps, some decorative fairy lights, and lanterns.
MC: They should work if we plug them into the power bank.
LZY: ...That’s it?
MC: They can provide light and serve as tools to set the ambiance. Isn’t that wonderful?
Li Zeyan turns on a palm-sized rechargeable desk lamp and releases a small sigh.
LZY: In that case, the gift I brought you can also be included to make up the difference.
MC: Huh? What gift?
Li Zeyan rummages through his suitcase, takes out an exquisitely wrapped box, and gestures for me to open it.
I lean in closer and find a very charming candle holder with a glass cover nestled inside.
MC: It’s so beautiful! As expected, CEO Li’s eye for things can never go wrong.
LZY: Simultaneously doing the job of adding flowers to the brocade and delivering charcoal in snowy weather一 it definitely seems to be maximizing its value.
LZY: Come on, let’s go and light up all the lamps that we can use first.
┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✄ ┈┈┈┈┈┈
With me “lending a hand” by holding the flashlight through the entire process, dinner and Pudding’s salmon cake are soon prepared.
Pudding, who had been hiding in the corner this entire time, also forgets his fear under the temptation of delectable food and begins prancing around again.
After eating and drinking to our fill, I sit on the carpet with another small blanket, light a scented candle, and carefully set it in the candle holder Li Zeyan gifted me.
Li Zeyan then casually plops down at the foot of the bed where I’m leaning, naturally stretching out his arm for me to use as a pillow.
I look at Pudding grooming his fur not far away and can’t help but sigh with emotion.
MC: Time sure flies! Pudding has grown another year older. I wonder what progress he’ll make this year.
LZY: He wasn’t very brave when he was younger, but now he, too, looks after the house on his own and appears to be fairly calm and composed.
MC: Why did you use “too“? I suspect you’re insinuating something about someone else.
LZY: Just stating facts.
LZY: The way a certain someone acted when she walked into the house earlier didn’t exactly resemble the “prince“ who came to pick me up.
I glance again at the flashes of lightning and thunder rolling outside again, scratching my cheek awkwardly.
MC: The house just went dark all of a sudden; I wasn’t mentally prepared.
LZY: What about now?
LZY: Are you still scared?
I turned sideways to watch him. The dancing candlelight paints his side profile in a warm glow, and the subtle fragrance of the scented candle melds into his calm gaze, making me gradually relax.
I hug his arm and pull him into my arms, beaming a wide smile at him.
MC: I have my “fragrant princess“ in my arms now, and I fear neither getting swept by wind nor being battered by rain any longer. [3]
LZY: Are we sure about who’s in whose arms?
MC: Does it really make a difference who’s in whose arms?
Li Zeyan gives me a look that says “whatever you say,” and I smile victoriously at having my way before turning to glance at the pitch-black darkness outside the window.
The small lights in the room are mirrored on the glass, reminiscent of stars, blurring into a cluster of halos by the unrelenting rain.
Serenity and turmoil are separated by only a wall. I grasp his wrist and tilt my head, pillowing into his palm and nuzzling against it.
MC: Luckily, you came back today. Otherwise, I would have definitely dragged you into “simmering a pot of telephone congee” with me all night long. [4]
LZY: That wouldn’t have been too bad either.
MC: Well, that’s true, but it would have made me seem like I haven’t grown at all...
I raise my head and look into his slightly puzzled gaze, feeling a little embarrassed as I lower my voice.
MC: I’m clearly not a child anymore, and many of the things I used to fear shouldn’t be a big deal now.
MC: Yet when running into situations where I’m not entirely confident, I can’t help feeling a little afraid.
MC: For instance, a pitch-dark empty house, not being able to find the kitten, and a thunderstorm that I don’t know when will end.
MC: I still can’t seem to be like you, to be able to keep myself from thinking the worst regardless of the kind of situation I’m confronted with...
I soliloquize in a whispered tone, and the palm I’m resting my head on suddenly moves. I look up, and my fingers are immediately swept up in a reassuring warmth.
Li Zeyan is pillowing himself on my bolster, covered by a blanket that is clearly not big enough for him, creating for a rather comical scene. Yet, I find myself solely captivated by his extraordinarily serious gaze.
He quietly watches me like this for some time before finally opening his mouth to respond.
LZY: Then just be afraid.
MC: ...Huh?
LZY: Building courage doesn’t mean you should be absolutely fearless.
LZY: If you have no reaction to the unknown and uncontrollable, that, on the contrary, is dangerous.
LZY: For a dummy, knowing how to dodge in the right direction at a critical moment is also progress.
He strokes the back of my hand meaningfully, and I clasp his fingers even more tightly in tacit understanding.
In moments of fear and anxiety, I always want to hold onto something, to reassure myself that I’m not facing it alone.
And this man in front of me, as fortune would have it, always happens to be within my reach, catching my insecurities and leading me along slowly.
I think back to the first time I “grabbed onto” him, the gentleness in his tone that I had rarely seen, and I can’t help but laugh.
MC: Well then, it seems I’ve been making progress since the first time I grabbed onto your clothes.
LZY: Mm-hmm, it hasn’t been easy.
MC: But I can only advance a little bit at a time. I’ve kept you waiting for so long.
The corners of his lips curl up slightly, and his eyes, sparkling with a smile, gently embrace me.
LZY: This isn’t work; nobody is asking anything from you.
LZY: If you’re afraid, just light up a lamp.
–
──────
[Tidbits]
[3] LI ZEYAN WRITERS!!! CRIES AT THE SACRIFICE I HAD TO MAKE AND HOW THE BEAUTY OF THE WORDPLAY JUST GETS LOST IN TRANSLATION HERE 😭 anywho, as you might’ve already noticed, “rescuing the sleeping princess“ theme and the “seeming“ role reversal has been one of the running themes of this date. The term used here is 软香 (lit. meaning soft fragrance), which is usually used to refer to the delicate scent of a woman or a woman in general and, in the context of the times, a palace beauty. The full term MC uses here is 软香在怀 (lit. meaning having ‘soft fragrance’ in one’s arms), which also conveys a deep emotional closeness, a sense of security and comfort as scent is something very sensitive. What the writing does here is kill three birds with one stone— (i) conveying MC’s “prince and princess role reversal“ quip, while also delivering the emotions of the candlelight monologue two sentences prior, i.e., (ii) the fragrance melding into his calm gaze, the vivid imagery of her sensitivity to his presence itself, (iii) the reassuring effect of his being.
[4] I’m gonna cry; this is such an adorable expression haha 😭 the term MC uses here is “煲电话粥,” which really does mean “simmering telephone congee.” The idea of it is to have a marathon phone call with sb, but it’s more intimate— similar to how simmering sth can take a long time and porridge essentially is a comfort food 😂
–
•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•
【Chapter 4】
The night is dark, and the rain seems to have weakened a bit. I hug the blanket and squeeze onto the small bed with Li Zeyan. No matter in which position we lay down, most of our bodies are pressed against each other.
I watch the person beside me becoming a part of the scene I’ve been familiar with since my childhood days, and for a long time, I find myself unwilling to close my eyes.
MC: It feels so surreal to have you and Pudding together at my place.
MC: It’s like having guests at home, but at the same time, it feels like welcoming new members to the family.
LZY: So, which one do you hope I am?
MC: I’ve long regarded you as the latter in my heart, obviously.
MC: However, this situation makes me seem like I’m not being a gracious host...
MC: Having to deal with the bad weather is one thing, but who knew the electricity in the house would be unstable at a critical moment, and now my bed isn’t big enough either.
I look up at the small pink pillow under Li Zeyan’s head and sigh softly. Li Zeyan, however, just smiles calmly and brushes aside the hair falling over my face.
MC: Be careful when you roll over. If you’re afraid of falling off, just hug me a little tighter~
LZY: [i’m cRY at how he just plays along with you haha] It’s certainly something to be afraid of.
Li Zeyan says this as he gets up to turn off the lights, and the room is plunged into darkness once again.
I reach out my arms towards him and am immediately swept back into his arms.
MC: Thank you, CEO Li~ How about I repay you with a goodnight kiss?
LZY: That’s it?
MC: Then what else do you want?
I blink my eyes at him, and suddenly, he lifts his hand to cover my sight.
A soft warmth captures my lips, swallowing my confusion.
He holds me too tightly in the square of his arms, and his broad palm accidentally presses on my nose, causing my already erratic breathing to become even more difficult to maintain.
I punch him indignantly, and Li Zeyan finally moves his hand away, his fingers cradling my face.
LZY: Didn’t you say you wanted to repay me?
MC: T-This isn’t what I had in mind!
LZY: Is this not good?
His warm finger pads caress the side of my face in a back-and-forth motion, leaving me with no refuge to escape but to gaze into his smiling eyes.
LZY: Instead of letting your imagination run wild every time you’re scared, why not think about something that can put your mind at ease?
LZY: For example, me.
LZY: So, consider this as collecting a tip in advance to cover your memories.
A soft chuckle drifts from above me, and he lifts my face again. With the last hint of light also overlaid, I close my eyes, welcoming this novel memory pertaining to the night’s darkness.
┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✄ ┈┈┈┈┈┈
The next morning, the sky finally clears up.
The entire city looks as if it has taken a bath. Under the early morning sunlight, there are glittering lights refracted by water droplets everywhere.
I summon every bit of my self-control and more to extract myself from Li Zeyan’s warm embrace and rise early to make breakfast.
Originally, I planned to have him take the day off and recover from jet lag, but as soon as he gets out of bed, he receives a call from LFG, saying there is an urgent matter that needs to be dealt with in person.
I watch as a certain someone at the dining table finishes his breakfast with a sullen look on his face and can’t help but burst into laughter.
MC: Who knew even CEO Li could show such a “rebellious” expression about having to work overtime.
LZY: ...It’s just that I haven’t gotten over the jet lag yet.
MC: Who told you not to sleep obediently last night?
I stand up with a laugh before he can glare at me and push his suitcase to the door for him. Li Zeyan dons his coat, seems to hesitate for a moment, and then turns back to look at me.
MC: What’s wrong?
LZY: Nothing.
MC: It doesn’t seem like you’ve left anything behind, have you?
I look around to check while speaking, but I realize that Li Zeyan has kept his gaze trained on me, with no intention of searching for anything.
I blink my eyes, and an adorable guess bubbles up in my heart.
MC: Could it be that... CEO Li is unwilling to leave?
Li Zeyan grips the handle of the suitcase, averts his eyes, and smiles.
LZY: Let Pudding stay at your place for one more day.
MC: No worries, we’ll get along perfectly.
He doesn’t give a direct answer to my question, so I take it as his tacit assent and continue along with his words.
LZY: He ate quite a lot last night, so feed him less cat food today.
MC: Understood~
LZY: Be careful with the electricity today, and if you run into any issues, reach out to me right away.
MC: Uh-huh, anything else you want to remind me of?
I stare at him, smiling giddily. Li Zeyan opens his mouth, but in the end, he just displays a helpless expression and says nothing.
The rare instance of not being able to find the words to say, the rare moments of being dumbstruck and not knowing how to reply, the rare scenario of dragging his feet about going to work...
All of this shows that he is really unwilling to leave.
I smile even happier and tiptoe up to lock my arms around his neck.
Li Zeyan seems a bit puzzled, but he promptly supports my waist and arches an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.
MC: Hehe, consider this as a tip you’re paying in advance.
MC: This way, whenever you feel overwhelmed in the future, you will think of only me.
I mimic his words from last night, and even reach up to muss his hair.
LZY: Little copycat.
Li Zeyan seems to want to resist this “childish” act subconsciously, but his arms betray his honest feelings and draw me in even tighter.
He looks at me with a silly smile on my face, about to say something when I suddenly feel a tickle on my ankle, as if something furry is rubbing against it.
Just as I’m about to look down, my face is pinched by someone.
I’m compelled to raise my head and see the sunlight falling on Li Zeyan.
The locks of hair hanging over his forehead and eyelashes are all bathed in dazzling, golden-bright luster. He reminds one of a big cat who has just woken up, making people irresistibly want to get closer to him.
And he does exactly as I wished, taking the initiative to bring this warmth to me.
The distance between us is reduced to zero, and I naturally close my eyes, welcoming this kiss infused with the warmth of the sunlight.
Even if a person grows accustomed to the humidity of this city, they will still rejoice when the sky clears and the sunshine beams down.
Even for those who can see the person they love every day and kiss them whenever they want, they will still find that any small separation feels too long.
The meow of the kitten rises from our feet, as if it also wants to participate in this wordless goodbye. I gently bite Li Zeyan’s lips, and he, rather reluctantly, pulls back just a bit.
MC: Mr. Customer, you’re being too generous with your tip.
With his eyes cast down, he continues to gaze at me, his breath still lingering at the edge of my lips.
LZY: Because I’ve already fulfilled the conditions you set.
LZY: Now that I’ve paid double the tip, I’m asking for an upgrade on the terms.
He raises an eyebrow, as if he is genuinely negotiating with me.
At such proximity, my mind is already a muddled mess, yet I still manage to capture the answer he desires from the look of yearning in his eyes.
I strive to muster my willpower, rise on tiptoe, and kiss his lips again.
MC: Then you must work diligently and clock out early...
MC: And who knows, perhaps I’ll suddenly appear when you’re missing me?
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