"I…" She paused, her breath catching as she gently pulled her hand away from Long Jianyu's grip.
Long Jianyu's expression darkened, his brows knitting together in a stern, questioning gaze.
"I'm... just checking on you," she stammered. "You were so still, I thought you weren't breathing. That's why... that's why I touched your face."
At her words, a faint, teasing smile tugged at the corners of Long Jianyu's lips.
"Alright. But instead of checking if I was breathing, you decided to poke my eyebrows? I suppose in your world, the nose and eyebrows have swapped places, haven't they?"
Yu Xiao sank onto the edge of the bed, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment.
"I... I just wanted to know why you slept like that. The floor is so cold, it can't be good for you to spend the whole night there."
"Then where do you want me to sleep?" His voice was soft but laced with a subtle challenge, as if daring her to answer.
Yu Xiao's eyes widened in realization as she glanced down at the bed beneath her.
Only now did it dawn on her that the bed she had occupied all night belonged to Long Jianyu.
"I almost forgot," she murmured with a sheepish, apologetic smile. "This... this is your bed."
"Hmpt... silly girl," Long Jianyu murmured, his voice tinged with a faint amusement.
He straightened his posture, eyes half-closed in a calm, almost ethereal focus.
"I'm not sleeping. I'm just meditating."
"Meditating? That's inappropriate." Yu Xiao scrunched her nose in disbelief, her tone both incredulous and playful.
Long Jianyu leaned back, smirking mischievously.
"Alright, then, if I weren't meditating, I'd almost think I spent the whole night next to the piggery. Your snore is louder than any pig's oink."
"Ha?" Yu Xiao gasped, hastily covering her mouth in embarrassment as her cheeks flushed red.
A heavy silence hung between them, the air thick with unspoken thoughts.
After a moment, Yu Xiao hesitated, then leaned forward so she could meet his gaze.
"Does that mean you didn't sleep the whole night?"
"Hmn."
"I'm sorry," she whispered, guilt lacing her voice. "But you shouldn't do that again. You can't stay on the floor—you'll get sick..."
"You're worried about me?"
"Of course I'm worried," she insisted earnestly. "You're my benefactor. It's perfectly normal to worry about someone important. Besides, you told me to stay by your side and not leave your sight. How am I supposed to give you medicine if you'll get sick?"
Long Jianyu stared at her, rendered speechless by her sincerity.
"Was your saying, is true?"
"What else could it be?"
Yu Xiao pressed, then glanced over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the entire bed. Satisfied, she turned back to Long Jianyu and patted the empty space beside her.
"Look, your bed is huge. There's plenty of space for you to rest here."
Long Jianyu's eyes widened in astonishment at her suggestion.
"Me? Sleep here? With you?" he stammered, disbelief coloring his voice.
"Hmm..." Yu Xiao responded, her lips curling into a playful pout as she gave him an innocent, wide-eyed look.
Long Jianyu turned away in exaggerated disgust, waving his hand dismissively through the air.
"Ridiculous. You have no shame," he muttered under his breath.
Yu Xiao's brows knitted together as she caught his low mumble.
"What are you saying?" Yu Xiao shot back, her tone indignant. "We're just going to sleep here! I never said we'd do anything else!" She pursed her lips, eyeing him up and down. "Handsome but shameless... how brazen. Hmpt!"
Long Jianyu whipped his head around, eyes wide and lips parted in astonishment at her blunt insult.
Did she really just say that to me? The thought spun wildly in his mind as his gaze lingered on Yu Xiao's wide-eyed innocence.
Perhaps he had misunderstood her intentions all along.
With a resigned sigh, he let the tension in his shoulders melt away.
"Yu Xiao, do you know that men and women aren't supposed to sleep together unless they're married? It's inappropriate."
"So you know it—and so do I. But nothing happened yet! Instead of letting me finish my explanation, you jumped to your own conclusions. If anyone here has a dirty mind, I'm pretty sure it's you."
Long Jianyu opened his mouth to reply, but faltered, repeating her words as if tasting them for the first time.
"Dirty-minded? Is that...?"
"Immodest!" she shot back with a huff.
Immediately, Long Jianyu shot to his feet, wounded by her accusation.
"That's not true! I didn't harass you—don't slander me," he protested, his tone taking on the pleading quality of a scolded puppy.
Yu Xiao couldn't help but snort with laughter at his obvious unease, amused by how fragile Long Jianyu's pride could be.
She slipped out of bed and approached him, watching him sulk in a rare display of vulnerability.
"Are you... angry?" she asked softly, her head tilting with genuine curiosity.
"No." He turned his face away, trying—and failing—to hide his pouting expression.
"You are," she teased, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"If you do this again, I won't let Tiaopi out," he warned, his tone stern but edged with a sulky threat.
"That won't happen. I'm sorry," Yu Xiao replied, her lips jutting out in a contrite pout.
Long Jianyu shot her a quick glance before looking away, folding his arms tightly across his chest and scowling deeper.
Yu Xiao took another step closer, determined to coax her sulking benefactor out of his foul mood.
"Stone-Honey, peace," she cooed in her sweetest tone, hoping to win his attention.
Long Jianyu, however, ignored her completely.
Undeterred, Yu Xiao leaned in closer, peering up at him with a playful glint in her eyes.
"Hey, handsome. Pretty boy. Look at me," she coaxed softly, her voice teasing.
Then, with deliberate slowness, she reached up and gently twirled a lock of Long Jianyu's loose hair around her finger, playing with it until she caught his attention. His gaze finally dropped to her playful hand.
"Do you really think your little act can soothe my temper?" Long Jianyu asked, trying to sound stern but unable to hide the wavering in his voice.
"What if I say yes?" Yu Xiao replied, her eyes shining with warmth and a gentle, knowing smile spreading across her lips.
"Silly girl," he muttered, a faint sneer tugging at his lips, though his eyes softened just a little.
"You keep saying I'm silly, but you like it," she murmured, her pout deepening as she looked away, feigning annoyance.
Long Jianyu looked at her, momentarily speechless, caught off guard by her honesty and charm.
"If you don't say anything, that means it's true," she added, unabashed, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
Long Jianyu's eyes widened in shock at her boldness.
"You're getting bolder, A'Xiao. Where is your shame?" he challenged, fixing her with a piercing gaze.
"Fine, since you call me shameless, then let it be so. As long as you don't forgive me, I won't give up. At least I apologized. Am I... at least bearable?" she asked, her words laced with stubbornness and vulnerability.
Long Jianyu's gaze lingered on her, silent and searching. He held her in his eyes for a long moment before finally blinking and letting out a deep, weary sigh, his shoulders slumping in resignation.
When Yu Xiao noticed his resignation, she smiled softly in return. Her innocent expression seemed to melt Long Jianyu's cold exterior, and a warm, amused smile broke through his usual composure.
"How long are you going to play with my hair?" he asked with a faint chuckle. "If you like it, then go ahead."
Unfolding his arms, he pulled his hair forward and placed Yu Xiao's hand onto it.
"Here, enjoy it."
Yu Xiao's expression faltered, and she quickly pulled her hand away, flustered by his unexpected reaction.
"What's wrong now? Are you shy because you played with my hair without permission? Silly, silly girl." He reached out and gently brushed his finger along the bridge of Yu Xiao's nose, teasing her.
Yu Xiao ducked her head, cheeks tinged pink as she felt his gentle touch linger on her skin.
"You said we'd share the bed. So, what's your plan now?" Long Jianyu abruptly changed the subject, jerking his head toward the bed.
Yu Xiao instantly glanced over her shoulder, then turned back to meet his expectant gaze.
"Easy," she replied with a mischievous smile, turning on her heel toward the bed.
Then she spun back around, raising her hand for Long Jianyu to see.
"Look at my hand."
Long Jianyu's eyes followed as she pointed to her middle finger, where a delicate, silver ring shimmered—the spatial ring she always wore.
"This ring is magical," Yu Xiao explained. "Han-Yun and Han-Qing gave it to me. They call it a spatial ring—it lets me store anything I need inside."
"And then?" he prompted, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"I'll show you. Watch me," she said confidently.
Turning on her heel, she strode to the bed.
With a silent wish, she summoned a mountain of quilts and pillows from her spatial ring, piling them high on the mattress.
Long Jianyu watched in genuine fascination as she finished.
"Look what I did!" she announced proudly.
"I see," Long Jianyu said, nodding enthusiastically, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes.
"Come on, help me arrange the bed," Yu Xiao called, beckoning him over.
Without hesitation, Long Jianyu moved to her side, generously lending his hand as they fixed the bed together—moving in sync like a real couple.
Once the bed was set, Yu Xiao turned to him with a triumphant smile.
"See? I told you there was another way. This side is yours, and the right side is mine. The two pillows are our barricade. Now you can sleep in your own bed. Stone-Honey, you should thank me."
"Fine, as you wish. Thank you for your concern," he relented, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips.
Yu Xiao smiled and gently tugged at his sleeve.
"Come on, give it a try."
Long Jianyu couldn't resist and allowed himself to be led by Yu Xiao, letting her guide him to the bed.
As he settled onto one side, Yu Xiao lay down opposite him, a playful satisfaction lighting her face.
"Do you like it?" Yu Xiao asked, watching him eagerly.
Long Jianyu pressed his eyes shut and let out a soft, contented sigh.
"It's so comfortable," he admitted. Then he opened his eyes, meeting Yu Xiao's gaze.
The world is vast, yet here I am, having met someone so open-minded, kind, and carefree. Others look at me with reverence, treating me as someone important in the realm, but with you, everything feels so different—so much more genuine. The side of you I see on the outside... is that truly the same as who you are within?