Chapter 49 Actively Demanding
After sharing a bed the previous night, Lin Xili stepped into Huo Nanchen's bedroom again.
The initial awkwardness and restraint melted away somewhat, like thin ice warmed by the spring sun.
The body is no longer taut, and the tense nerves relax.
The heat lingered on her cheeks, and her fingertips curled up helplessly.
She often dissected corpses and was extremely familiar with the human body's structure, but when it happened to her, she still couldn't help feeling ashamed.
Huo Nanchen sat leaning against the headboard reading a book, his posture as calm as ever.
He heard the noise, looked up, his gaze lingered on her briefly before returning to the pages of his book.
He seemed to have gotten used to her presence; it seemed that this room was meant to have a place for her.
Lin Xili remained silent, climbed into bed, lay down on her side, and pulled the blanket up.
In the winter nights of the South, the chill seems to penetrate the walls, seeping in bit by bit.
Her feet were the first fortress in her body to fall, and they quickly became cold.
She instinctively curled up, crossed her legs, and tried to warm the cold area with her own body heat.
But this little bit of heat had very little effect, and just then, the man next to him noticed it carefully.
The book was placed on the bedside table, making a soft rustling sound.
He naturally leaned over, reached out, and just like last night, gathered her cold feet between his warm calves.
The warmth of life enveloped her icy feet once more, gradually dispelling the chill.
Lin Xili let out a comfortable sigh, her tense body completely relaxing.
"I should have bought a hot water bottle tonight," she said, staring at the ceiling as if talking to herself.
She felt a little guilty for always troubling him like this, but deep down she also wanted to enjoy the pampering he gave her.
Huo Nanchen picked up the book again, his gaze focused on the pages.
"Hot water bottles cool down quickly and cannot be maintained all night, and the heat is static and uneven."
"The human body is the best and most constant source of heat."
“Living body…” Lin Xili murmured the word repeatedly, her heart skipping a beat.
As a forensic pathologist, she faces cold, stiff corpses every day.
That word represents the end of life, but when a living person utters it, it sounds completely different.
It carries a vibrant life force and a genuine warmth, creating a strange collision with the world she is familiar with.
He actually used such rational words to explain the warmth of this moment.
This action was calm to the point of being almost cold and hard, yet it carried an awkward kind of concern.
She quietly turned her head and looked at him; he always seemed extremely focused when he read.
He had a straight nose, thin lips, and a calm and composed expression.
This man always seems to be like this: calm, restrained, and emotionally reserved.
Her gaze was uncontrollably drawn to his broad chest.
Her fingers slid back to the arm that had embraced her the night before, the one that had held her so tightly in that warm embrace during the rest of the night…
She slept more peacefully and deeply than ever before.
That feeling of being completely enveloped and carefully protected was now resurfacing and stirring within me, stirring restlessly.
An impulse overwhelmed reason; the longing for that warmth triumphed over all restraint.
She spoke softly, almost without thinking:
"Can you... hold me while I sleep tonight?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Lin Xili regretted them, her cheeks burning as if they were on a hot stove.
She immediately closed her eyes, wishing she could bite off her own tongue. How could someone make such a bold request?
What will he think? Will he think she's shameless and taking advantage of him?
At this moment, only the howling wind outside the window made the room even quieter.
The sound of each other's breathing was amplified infinitely in the silence.
She almost blurted out, "I was just kidding," but the expected rejection didn't come.
That suffocating silence didn't last long.
A soft sound—the sound of a book being closed.
Then, the mattress sank slightly, and a rustling sound of fabric rubbing could be heard.
The next second, a warm arm passed under her neck, while another arm firmly wrapped around her waist.
With a little effort, he pulled her slender body into his arms, a broad and warm embrace enveloping her completely.
His movements weren't exactly gentle; he held her firmly in his arms, carefully avoiding her chest area.
Huo Nanchen's deep voice sounded above her head, slightly hoarse.
As always, he was concise and to the point: "Go to sleep."
He didn't ask for the reason, nor did he say anything extra; he simply responded to all her expectations with the most direct actions.
Lin Xili's stiff body softened little by little in his arms, her cheek pressed against the soft cotton pajamas on his chest.
Beneath the fabric, his heartbeat was steady and powerful.
Thump, thump, thump, the sound struck her eardrums and her heart.
That strange rhythm soothed all her panic and shyness; his embrace was even warmer and more solid than she remembered from last night.
She could clearly feel the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, a completely new experience, more intimate than she had ever known.
But she didn't reject it, or even feel uncomfortable at all. On the contrary, she felt an unprecedented sense of peace and security.
She adjusted her position very slightly, burying her face even deeper into his chest.
She mustered her courage, quietly reached out her arm, and tentatively and gently embraced his lean waist.
The moment she hugged him, Huo Nanchen's body visibly stiffened for a second.
That stiffness was fleeting, so fast it was almost an illusion.
He then wrapped his arms around hers, seemingly tightening them a little more.
Outside the window, it was a cold winter night with howling winds.
Inside, a single lamp cast a dim light, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
The two slept in each other's arms, their breaths mingling, their body heat passing between them, and a silent understanding quietly blossomed.
Lin Xili closed her eyes, listening to his steady heartbeat, feeling this warmth and closeness, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly in the darkness.
So this is what it feels like to actively ask for something and have it readily accepted.
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