Xingtetsu: You are not included in Elio's script!

"Silly boy, what's there to apologize for?" Lin Yu felt as if the tip of his heart was pricked by a tiny electric current, making it soft and bitter.

His fingertips slid down and gently smoothed her slightly wrinkled brows. "You did the right thing. In a place like this, it's always better to be cautious. I'm just worried that you're too tired from being so tense all the time."

He sat down naturally on the edge of the bed, took her in his arms, let her lean on his chest, and combed her soft long hair with his fingers from time to time, trying to dispel her uneasiness caused by being peeped at.

Ruan Mei did not resist. Instead, she adjusted herself to a more comfortable position in his arms and relaxed completely.

His reassuring scent, a mixture of stars and sunshine, lingered at the tip of my nose, and my tense nerves finally relaxed completely.

"I'm not tired." She closed her eyes, her voice muffled in his clothes, "I just don't like this feeling."

"It's like a carefully cultivated experimental sample being touched by an unrelated person with dirty gloves... It makes people feel disgusted." She used a metaphor that only they could fully understand.

Lin Yu chuckled softly, and his chest vibrated slightly. "Then should I be glad that I am the one you allow to enter the 'sterile operating area'?"

Ruan Mei's lips curved slightly upon hearing this, but she didn't respond. She continued, "The spy's technique is very sophisticated. The energy fluctuations are extremely subtle, almost blending in with the environment."

"If I weren't exceptionally sensitive to spiritual fluctuations, I wouldn't have been able to detect it. Their motives are unclear, but they clearly have a keen interest in the 'Starry Sky Seed', or perhaps in the relationship between us..."

Her analysis was calm and clear, and even when she was relaxed, her mind was still working efficiently.

"Do you need me to take care of it?" Lin Yu's voice sank, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes.

No matter who the other party is, anyone who dares to make Ruan Mei feel uncomfortable will have to pay the price.

Ruan Mei shook her head. "Not yet. It would be bad to alert the enemy."

"The Black Tower's space station is not a monolithic entity. The various factions have complex intelligence networks. We should wait and see what the other party is planning to do."

"Perhaps... I can also take this opportunity to deduce some useful information." Her way of thinking always tends to turn all conditions into research advantages.

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Lin Yu respected her judgment and tightened his arms. "But you have to promise me that you won't just do it alone. If anything goes wrong, tell me immediately."

"Yeah." Ruan Mei responded softly.

This feeling of being protected and cared for brought a warmth to her heart, dispelling the gloom caused by prying eyes.

She is not actually fragile, but it is always good to have someone to rely on.

The two of them hugged each other quietly, listening to the sound of water coming from the bathroom, enjoying this moment of tranquility and privacy.

After a while, Ruan Mei suddenly spoke softly.

"Just now in the laboratory... when you simulated the power of the end of your destiny, it was very dangerous." There was a hint of fear in her tone, although it was extremely subtle, but Lin Yu caught it.

"But I did a good job, right?" Lin Yu smiled, trying to reassure her, "At least, I didn't really blow up the hard work of you and Heita."

Ruan Mei raised her head and looked at him seriously. "Not just good, but excellent."

"Your ability to control and balance the various forces of destiny far exceeds my expectations."

"Especially at the last moment, you forcibly restrained the final power that was about to backfire, creating a critical window for Ester and Yu Qingtu to intervene... This was difficult." She was never stingy in giving objective and high evaluations in the professional field, especially to him.

Lin Yu was a little embarrassed by her praise. "Maybe it's because... I don't want to see you disappointed." He paused, his voice softer, "I don't want to see you hurt."

Ruan Mei looked at him quietly, and stars seemed to melt in her deep eyes.

She didn't say anything, but just raised herself up slightly, took the initiative to move forward, and placed a soft and brief kiss on his lips.

This was a kiss without any sensuality, more like a silent thank you, a mark of affirmation, a silent yet deep tacit understanding that belonged only to them.

Instantly separate.

Ruan Mei leaned back into his arms, her ears slightly red, but she tried to maintain her usual calm tone, "This is...a reward."

Lin Yu was stunned for a moment, then laughed softly, his chest vibrating, and hugged her tighter.

"Then I'll have to rush to do more dangerous missions like this in the future."

"Don't mess around." Ruan Mei patted him lightly, but without any intention of blaming him.

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped, and the sound of Lin Ruan humming a song was heard.

Ruan Mei sat up from Lin Yu's arms, the soft and relaxed expression on her face quickly subsided, and she was covered with a calm and self-controlled shell again, but the glimmer that remained in her eyes was much warmer than usual.

"She's almost done washing." Ruan Mei said softly.

"Yeah." Lin Yu nodded, knowing that the warm time alone was temporarily over.

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped abruptly.

After a moment, the door lock made a slight "click" sound, and misty water vapor began to spread out.

Then, Lin Ruan, wrapped in a soft white bathrobe, with wet hair sticking to her forehead and face, came out skipping and humming a tuneless little tune while wiping the ends of her hair with a towel.

"Mom, I'm done! The bubble bath I used today smells so good..." Her cheerful voice came to an abrupt end as if her neck was strangled the moment she saw the scene in the room clearly.

Her steps stopped where she was, and the movement of wiping her hair froze. She blinked twice, and the scene on the bed was clearly reflected in her pupils.

Ruan Mei was sitting on the edge of the bed, slightly leaning to one side.

Her always calm and reliable father, Lin Yu, was standing in front of her, one hand gently supporting the back of her neck, and the fingers of the other hand... were delicately and even with a hint of affection, helping her to carefully tuck a strand of hair that was obviously a little messy and fell disobediently on her cheek back behind her ear.

There seemed to be a very faint, unusual blush on Ruan Mei's cheeks, and her eyes were much softer than usual. She was slightly raising her head to cooperate with Lin Yu's movements.

Lin Yu's expression was focused and gentle, and the intimacy in his actions was extraordinary.

More importantly, my mother's long hair, which was always combed neatly and smoothly, now had a few strands of slightly curled hair loose, revealing a lazy and soft aura that Lin Ruan had never seen before.

Lin Ruan's little head suddenly buzzed, and countless fragments and speculations about "parental love" that she had read from novels and her sister's whispers flashed through her mind like a barrage of comments.

"Did Mom and Dad just... kiss?"

"Is that why Mom's hair is a little messy? And her face is a little red?"

"Did I...come out at the wrong time?"

"What if I disturb my parents' time alone? Will they feel embarrassed?"

All kinds of thoughts flashed through Lin Ruan's mind rapidly, causing her cheeks to turn red in an instant, even redder than her face that had just been smoked by hot water.

She lowered her head suddenly, her fingers subconsciously twisted the towel tightly, and she scratched her toes awkwardly in her slippers. Her eyes were wandering and she didn't dare to look at her parents again.