Chapter 96 - A Night That Brought Them Closer (4) (2/2)

I cannot let things stay as they are.

Zhiyuan caught up to Xinyi but now he was stumped.

”Umm...that…”

Xinyi's heart thudded faster.

Zhiyuan stared at her back. His hand reached her shoulder and he turned her to face him. His heart skipped a beat to see her flushed face. Her eyelashes that he loved to see were trembling once again. He felt a strange sense of joy.

Was she also affected by it just as I was?

He softly whispered, ”Please look at me.”

But she couldn't face him at all. She didn't have the courage to meet his gaze.

Zhiyuan nervously smiled. ”Si-Siying must have seen it somewhere so…*cough* I mean what happened…”

His sight fell on her shivering lips and he gulped. He throated a slight cough and looked away. A fuzzy but equally scorching hot feeling erupted in his chest as if it would burn him whole.

What should I say?

Forget it? Don't think of it? Let it not affect you?

Zhiyuan didn't want to say those things. It felt as if he would be lying to himself and hurting her more by those words.

Things were awkward for sure but he didn't want to just move on from it as if it never happened.

So what do I want to really say…

Zhiyuan took a while to gather his thoughts. All this time, Xinyi was finding it hard to bear the silence.

What will he say? Will he a-apolo-

”I didn't hate it,” he said.

She froze. She finally raised her head, looking at him, stunned. That unflinching gaze of his shook her heart.

”I didn't hate what happened...It was an accident but I didn't mind it... neither today nor...at that night too.

Xinyi parted her lips, but words failed her. She couldn't say anything.

Didn't hate it?

Zhiyuan slowly held her cheek and stared at her. ”I won't lie. Something has changed between us.”

Xinyi trembled.

”I don't know when and how, but I feel things are not the same as they were for all these years. I know I am being vague. I am sorry I cannot put myself more clearly but...I just want to let you know that I won't apologize and neither do I want you to feel embarrassed about it.”

Xinyi softly nodded. The incident and then words right now were too much to take. She felt as if her heart would jump out of her chest any moment with these mixed feelings bubbling in her.

”B-But of course it's what I feel. I don't want to impose my thoughts on you. If you felt…” he felt nervous as he spoke, ”I mean if you didn't like it...I will apologize-”

”No, no! You don't have to feel sorry,” Xinyi quickly said. She looked away, slightly blushing. ”It's not your fault. I-It's fine.”

Relief washed over his heart. He felt as if a huge burden lifted off his chest.

”En. So-so... please don't *ahem* run away from me anymore…”

Now Xinyi felt embarrassed for real. Of course, he noticed how she avoided him the last few days.

”I won't…” she shut her eyes, making an adorable expression that made him chuckle.

Ah, I want to run away!

He cleared his throat. ”Also, don't scold Siying. He was just…”

”No, no. I won't,” she shook her head.

Zhiyuan nodded. He felt as if the situation became a whole lot lighter now. At least even if a little bit, things were better than before.

Zhiyuan softly smiled. ”Let's go back.”

”En.”

---

Zhu villa.

When Caihong read the medicine's label and its contents, she found that there was a part in it that was used to treat pain. She had read that it was used to treat headaches but overall, this medicine was new to her. She didn't have time to think about it so Caihong brought the medicine back and fed it to Xiaosi.

This should do…

Now, Xiaosi only needed proper rest and sleep. But he was uneasily shifting and struggling on the couch. It was evident that he wouldn't be able to sleep properly.

'We will not be on the same bed!'

Caihong pursed her lips and clenched her fist. She let out a deep breath in frustration and wrapped his arm around her neck. She lifted him to make him stand.

Heavy!!

With herself as the support, she somehow brought him to the bed.

That felt as if I climbed a mountain! She gasped heavily.

Caihong hastily wrapped the blanket over him, but when she was about to leave, Xiaosi had held her hand once again, stopping her.

He mumbled. ”Don't go…I don't...want this dream to...end…”