Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

Perhaps because her emotions were so intense tonight, Huiyuan Ai huddled tightly in Chen Shuo's arms from beginning to end, as if she had found her only safe haven. Her small body curled up against his chest, and no matter how Chen Shuo tried to soothe her, she refused to let go.

Chen Shuo looked helplessly at the girl in his arms, his eyes filled with a hint of doting and a wry smile. He reached out and gently touched her soft hair, whispering, "Xiao Ai, it's okay. Relax a little, okay?"

Huiyuan Ai just shook her head, and her voice came muffled: "No... let me stay a little longer."

Chen Shuo sighed and had to let her go, still holding her gently with his arms to prevent her from slipping off due to excessive fatigue.

This scene fell into Yuanzi's eyes. She tried to hold it back again and again, but in the end she couldn't hold it back anymore. She sat on the sofa, hugged her knees, gritted her teeth, and her eyes were filled with resentment.

"I say, Ai-chan..." Sonoko finally spoke, her voice sour, "Isn't it a bit too much for you to keep dominating Shuo-ge like this? You've been clinging to him all night!"

Haibara Ai raised her head and looked at Sonoko with her red and swollen eyes, pursing her lips slightly, as if she had no intention of explaining at all, and then buried her head back in Chen Shuo's arms.

"Hey!" Yuanzi stamped her foot in anger, "Brother Shuo! Are you just going to let her be so willful?"

Chen Shuo looked up at Yuanzi, shrugged helplessly, and spread out one hand in surrender: "You saw it too, what else can I do?"

"Damn it..." Yuanzi glared at Chen Shuo angrily, then glanced at Huiyuan Ai's tightly clasped hands. Suddenly, she felt a tingling sensation in her teeth, but she finally hugged her knees in frustration, turned her head and muttered, "Okay, okay, just give in to her this time."

However, at bedtime, the situation became even more outrageous. Huiyuan Ai still clung tightly to Chen Shuo's arm, refusing to let go no matter how much he tried to persuade her. She even lay on the bed, buried her little face in the quilt, and declared directly: "I want to sleep with you tonight."

Yuanzi stood at the door, staring at Chen Shuo intently, her lips moving in and out, unable to utter a single word for a long time. Finally, she stamped her foot in anger and turned away, "I don't care! Do whatever you want! I was so kind as to heat up the milk for you..."

Chen Shuo looked at Yuanzi's angry back, his heart full of helplessness. He raised his hand and stretched it towards her silently, as if asking for help helplessly: "Please help me..." However, Yuanzi did not look back, and still walked towards her room with firm steps.

However, neither Chen Shuo nor Huiyuan Ai noticed that after Sonoko returned to her room, her angry expression instantly disappeared. Instead, she had a mysterious and slightly cunning smile.

She closed the door gently, leaned against it, raised the corner of her mouth with a meaningful arc, and whispered to herself: "Hmph... Haibara Ai, do you think you won? This game is far from over." There was a hint of complexity in her tone, and her eyes seemed to be planning some ulterior motives.

---

Late at night, the room was utterly silent, its only traces of gentle breathing accompanied by the whisper of the night wind. However, the stillness of the night was shattered by a subtle noise. Chen Shuo's ears twitched slightly, and he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. He didn't move immediately, but instead carefully reached under the pillow, his fingers touching the cold metal.

He continued to pretend to be asleep, his eyes slightly narrowed, observing the movement at the door. The sound gradually approached, the footsteps were almost inaudible, but Chen Shuo clearly caught every rhythm.

When the visitor finally approached the bed, Chen Shuo suddenly jumped up like a beast, with extremely fast movements. He pulled out a pistol from under the pillow and pointed it directly at the visitor's forehead.

"Uh... don't shoot! Brother Shuo! It's me!" A voice filled with panic and grievance broke the tense atmosphere.

Chen Shuo's expression froze. He saw Yuanzi, under the gun, with her hands raised, tears welling up in her eyes. Her face was shrouded in a mixture of fear and grievance, making her look both pitiful and comical.

"Yuanzi?" Chen Shuo was stunned for a moment. He frowned and put the gun away. His tone was filled with an indescribable complex emotion. "What are you doing? You're not sleeping in the middle of the night and come to scare me? If Xiao Ai wakes up, then... uh? What's wrong with Xiao Ai?"

As Chen Shuo spoke, he suddenly realized something was amiss. His movements had been significant, so it was logical that Haibara Ai in his arms wouldn't have reacted at all. However, when he looked down, he found Haibara Ai peacefully curled up in his arms, soundly asleep, showing no signs of waking.

His eyes fixed, and an idea flashed through his mind. Then, he raised his head and looked at Yuanzi standing beside him. She was covering her mouth and laughing secretly, her face full of pride and cunning.

"Yuanzi..." Chen Shuo narrowed his eyes, his tone inquiring. "I was wondering why you were so kind today, taking the initiative to heat up milk for Xiao Ai...did you put something in it?"

Hearing this, Sonoko's smile grew even more smug. She proudly raised her head, her hands on her hips, and spoke with a hint of pride, "That's right! I added a little bit of the sleep aid she developed herself! So, it works great, doesn't it? Hahaha!"

Chen Shuo frowned slightly, looked down at Huiyuan Ai who was sleeping in his arms, then looked up and glared at Yuanzi helplessly: "You really dare to use that thing..."

"Don't worry!" Sonoko waved her hand and said nonchalantly, "This is something Ai researched herself. She said there are absolutely no side effects. At most, it will make you sleep better, and you won't feel any discomfort when you wake up tomorrow!"

Chen Shuo sighed softly, rubbed his brows, and looked helplessly at the garden in front of him: "What on earth do you want to do?"

Sonoko was stunned for a moment before she remembered why she had come so late at night. As she came to her senses, a shy struggle and complex determination surged within her. "This is my chance... and my last bit of courage. If I back down today, I'm afraid I'll never be able to face my feelings again."

She took a deep breath, her eyes shifting between hesitation and determination, but soon, her gaze gradually became clear and resolute, as if she had finally made a decision that could not be reversed.

Yuanzi stood up, her back to Chen Shuo, her movements slow and controlled. Her small hands slowly grasped the waistband of her nightgown, pausing for a moment as if giving herself a final mental reminder. Then, she took a deep breath and gently tugged. The waistband loosened, and the loose nightgown slid off her shoulders.

Chen Shuo's eyes fixed, and he was suddenly shocked. He instinctively wanted to speak, but the scene left him speechless.

As her robe slipped off, Sonoko's elegant back came into view. Her long, slender neck was naturally flowing, and her smooth shoulders were as flawless as white porcelain, with a faint sheen. Her waist was soft and slender, with a graceful curve. Her entire body seemed meticulously sculpted, exuding the tenderness of a young girl and the sensuality of a mature woman.

When she turned around, Chen Shuo realized that she was not wearing anything under her nightgown.

Sonoko's face was already flushed with shyness, spreading from her cheeks to her ears and then to her snow-white collarbone, exuding a heart-pounding temptation. Her arms were tightly folded across her chest, trying to cover her exposed skin, but her shyness and embarrassment only served to highlight her beauty.

Her body was slender yet voluptuous, her chest rising and falling with her rapid breathing, her fair skin gleaming with a pearly sheen. Her waist curves as softly as flowing water, and her straight legs are even more symmetrical and slender, perfect like a work of art.

Yuanzi's eyes held a complex mixture of stubbornness and shyness. She lowered her head slightly, not daring to look directly at Chen Shuo, but cautiously observing his reaction with her peripheral vision. Her hands clenched slightly, as if she was trying to overcome her inner tension and anxiety.

"Brother Shuo..." Yuanzi's voice trembled a little, with an unconcealable shyness and persistence, "I know... I may not be as good as Xiaolan... but this is my true heart... I don't want to hide it anymore."

She raised her eyes, and briefly met Chen Shuo's. In that instant, Chen Shuo read a myriad of emotions in her eyes—shyness, courage, uneasiness, and a long-hidden love.

Chen Shuo took a deep breath, frowned slightly, slowly closed his eyes, and whispered: "Yuanzi..."

"Brother Shuo!" Yuanzi interrupted him abruptly. There was a hint of anxiety in her voice, as if she was afraid that Chen Shuo would give her an answer that she could not accept.

Her eyes were extremely complex, a mixture of guilt, pain, and deep love. She lowered her head slightly and bit her lower lip lightly, as if trying to calm her inner conflict.

"I'm sorry, Ran..." Sonoko's mind kept turning to this thought over and over. The deep guilt weighed on her chest like a heavy stone, making every breath heavy. Ran was her best friend, her lifelong support. She had always considered Ran one of the most important people in her life, and yet, here she stood, revealing her deepest feelings to the man Ran loved so deeply.

"I'm a bad friend, right? I know you're Xiaolan's favorite, but I still... I can't control myself."

Yuanzi's fingers trembled slightly, and tears welled up in her eyes. She looked away, as if she didn't dare look directly at Chen Shuo, but she couldn't stop the desire in her heart.

However, love surged into her heart like a tide. Every time she saw Chen Shuo firmly protecting Xiaolan, every time she heard him call her name, every time she saw his calm and decisive back in a crisis... she could not deceive herself and deny her feelings.

"It's not like I haven't tried to let go... But, Brother Shuo, you are so different..."

She finally raised her eyes, looking gently at Chen Shuo with a hint of uneasy persistence. Tears flickered in her eyes, and her voice was low, but it revealed an irrepressible love: "Brother Shuo, I know... Xiaolan is the best girl. She is kind, gentle, and perfect... I also know that I shouldn't..."

Sonoko paused, her voice choking for a moment. Then, she took a deep breath, as if making up her mind, and continued, "But I can't help it... I don't know when it started, but you're the only one I have eyes for... Everything about you is engraved in my heart."

Her tears finally fell, but her expression was filled with relief and determination. "I'm sorry, Xiaolan. I also know that I may never be able to truly have you. But...but today, I just want you to know that my feelings are not casual, nor are they a joke. I love you, love you so much...even if it means a lifetime of pain, I don't want to regret it."

Her voice grew lower and lower, filled with deep pain and self-contradiction, but her eyes were still fixed on Chen Shuo, as if she was waiting for his answer, or as if she just wanted to find an outlet for her long-suppressed emotions.

Chen Shuo slowly opened his eyes and looked at Yuanzi in front of him with a complicated look. His voice was low and calm, but with a hint of helplessness that was hard to conceal: "Yuanzi, have you ever thought about what Xiaolan would think?"

Hearing this, Yuanzi's body trembled slightly, and then a bitter smile appeared on her face. Her smile was filled with self-deprecation and helplessness, as if she was accepting the darkest part of her heart. She slowly climbed onto the bed, her body trembling slightly with nervousness, and her arms tightly wrapped around Chen Shuo's neck.

"So..." Sonoko's voice was so low that it was almost inaudible, with a hint of despair and pleading: "You must not let Xiaolan know!"

Chen Shuo was stunned. He subconsciously raised his hand to push Yuanzi away, but she hugged him tightly, with greater strength than he imagined.

She pressed her body close to him, as if grasping at the last straw, her voice filled with deep despair and longing: "I know... I'm despicable and unbearable... But, Brother Shuo! Please, don't reject me... I... can't imagine a life without you."

Her voice trembled, choked with sobs and pain, and every word seemed to tear at her heart. That deep dependence and love caused Chen Shuo's hands to freeze in mid-air. A complex emotion suddenly surged in his heart, a mixture of pity for Yuanzi and a deep helplessness about the situation.

"If...if I didn't have you, I really don't know if I could survive."

Yuanzi's voice was barely a whisper, but it pierced Chen Shuo's heart like a knife. His eyes widened, and his breath hitched. In that moment, he heard so much in her tone—despair, pain, and even an uncontrollable paranoia and determination.

Before he could respond, Sonoko suddenly raised her head, put her arms around his face, and kissed him directly on the lips.

Chen Shuo's pupils shrank, his heart in turmoil. He didn't respond, but Yuanzi's kiss was filled with affection, carrying the love and pain she had suppressed for so long. Her trembling lips conveyed her determination and obsession.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment, the room so quiet that only the sound of their slightly rapid breathing could be heard. Yuanzi closed her eyes tightly, tears falling from the corners of her eyes, and pressed her lips against Chen Shuo's, as if she wanted to completely surrender her feelings to him through this kiss.

---

That night... Huiyuan Ai slept soundly...