Mr. Zhongli, we can't slack off anymore!

"Oh." After a brief response, Elhesen turned around without hesitation and picked me up in his arms. His movements were fluid and natural, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

"I'm so sleepy I can barely stand." His voice was deep and gentle as he steadily supported my back and knees, letting me lean completely against him.

"Ugh..." I rubbed my eyes and couldn't help but yawn again, tears welling up in my eyes.

Exhaustion washed over me like a tide, making my limbs feel heavy and my head feel dizzy. Leaning against his strong chest, I could clearly hear his steady heartbeat, a rhythm that strangely soothed my restless nerves.

“Elheisen, don’t close the door!” Kavi shouted behind us, his voice still tinged with worry and disapproval. I could feel his burning gaze on our backs, trying to separate us with his eyes.

Al-Hysen didn't speak, but simply kicked the door lightly, shutting out Kavi and his unfinished warning.

boom!

The sound of the door closing was particularly clear in the quiet night.

“Why do I feel like this has happened before?” Kavi’s voice came through the heavy door.

This scene did indeed happen, and I couldn't help but chuckle softly in Elhesen's arms.

"What are you laughing at?" Elhesen looked down at me, his eyes questioning, as if to say—why are you doing something stupid with him too?

"You two are always arguing like this... how can you work on a project together?" I asked as I lay down after he gently placed me on the bed.

This question has been lingering in my mind: two people with such different personalities.

“It wasn’t like this before.” Elhesen looked away, his gaze falling on a point in the void.

His profile appeared particularly sculpted in the shadows, his jawline taut, revealing a subtle, complex emotion.

"Do you want to tell me?" I asked tentatively.

He didn't want to tell me, otherwise he wouldn't have waited for me to ask.

"For a long-lasting relationship, individual goals, hobbies, and living environments are not important factors. I believe the decisive factor is distance. And close relationships are determined by two aspects: personality and compromise," he said slowly.

“Oh…” I nodded, trying to understand the meaning behind his words.

These theories about interpersonal relationships are too abstract for someone like me with amnesia; I can only vaguely grasp some fragments.

Sometimes his words are more effective than bedtime stories.

"Didn't understand at all?" He saw through my pretense—I didn't want to listen to these profound theories anymore.

His gaze pierced through all my pretenses, reaching straight to my truest thoughts.

"I understand! I understand!" I nodded vigorously, and to prove my sincerity, I sat up and gave him a big hug. "I'm so sleepy! You should go to sleep early too, goodnight."

After quickly finishing all of this, I lay back on the bed, pulled the covers over my head, turned my back, and curled up like a little animal escaping reality.

"Don't sleep." He hugged me from behind, his arms around my waist, his breath on my neck, bringing a slightly itchy sensation.

His voice was deep and stubborn, an emotion I had never heard before.

"Let's talk about it tomorrow." I shrank my neck, my voice hoarse with exhaustion.

Sleepiness washed over me like a tide, and I could almost feel my consciousness drifting away from me little by little.

"..." He didn't speak, but tightened his arms around me, as if the choice was in my hands.

"What's wrong?" I seemed to sense his unusual behavior and turned to face him.

In the dim light, his face appeared exceptionally gentle.

Al-Hysen simply buried his head in the crook of my neck and rubbed against me gently, a gesture that surprised and warmed me.

His soft hair brushed against my skin, making me feel a little more awake.

His head pressed heavily against me, making it hard for me to breathe, but I guessed he needed it, so I just went along with him and hugged him.

I put my arm around his shoulder and unconsciously stroked his back, trying to offer him some comfort.

He's nothing like the person I know.

We haven't known each other for very long, so it's normal to discover he has another side to him.

“I won’t leave you, Al-Hysen,” I promised absentmindedly, my voice muffled by sleep.

This promise came out without thinking; it stemmed from the deepest emotions within my heart.

*

Something very strange happened again.

The very next morning, I saw Al-Hysen again, with his hair still wet, drinking hot coffee to keep warm.

Water droplets slid down his gray hair, spreading dark water stains on his light-colored pajamas.

This scene overlapped with a memory, making me frown involuntarily.

Could he be... an aquatic creature? This absurd thought flashed through my mind, but I immediately shook my head in denial.

Pshaw, pshaw, pshaw... He just dislikes me!

This realization immediately made me feel down, and a sense of rejection spread through my heart.

"Is the bathroom really where you sleep? Is the bathtub your bed?" I asked him, frowning, my tone clearly showing dissatisfaction and confusion.

“No,” he said curtly.

"Why is that? Don't you like me staying in your room?" I asked seriously, standing in front of him with my hands on my hips, trying to get his attention.

I don't know who it was that insisted on sticking to me last night, and after we were satisfied, they went to take a shower.

This contradictory behavior baffled me, and I couldn't understand his logic at all.

Is there something wrong with him?

"I'm just not used to it," he replied, but the faint dark circles under his eyes betrayed his true condition—he hadn't slept well at all.

This discovery calmed my anger somewhat, replacing it with worry.

“If you’re not used to it, we can sleep separately.” I’m not insisting on taking over his bed. If he’s really uncomfortable, I’m willing to compromise.

"You have to get used to it." He took a sip of his coffee, remaining perfectly calm.

“I think you’ll die of insomnia before you get used to it,” I said angrily, both worried about his health and frustrated by his stubbornness.

“There’s another solution.” He casually put down his coffee cup and steadily approached me.

His gaze held an intention I couldn't decipher, which made me involuntarily feel a sense of tension.

Hmm? I have a feeling it's coming for me.

I instinctively stepped back until my knees hit the edge of the sofa, and I fell onto the soft cushions.

He braced himself against my sides, trapping me beneath him: "It's... doing really bad things to you." His voice was deep, his grey-green eyes fixed on me, as if observing my reaction.

"Something bad?" I tilted my head and looked at him, feeling confused.

In my limited understanding, I couldn't possibly imagine what he meant by "very bad things".

I had absolutely no defenses against him and didn't think he would really do anything to me. This complete trust made me nod without hesitation.

“Okay,” I replied naively, my eyes as clear as a newborn baby’s, completely unaware of the potential consequences of this agreement.

His eyes were filled with emotions I couldn't decipher, but he smiled. Did that mean I had done something right?

I felt a surge of joy, as if I had received some precious reward.

However, beneath my naive joy, some unknown change was quietly taking place, like a butterfly gently flapping its wings, which might trigger a storm in the future.