The villa's lobby was dimly lit, with only two warm yellow lights remaining at the stairwell and entrance.
The living room lights were off, and the man's tall figure crouched down in front of the sofa, blending naturally into the darkness.
Using the dim light from the phone screen, He Liyu could easily see the girl's sleeping face. Unlike her usual lively and active self, she was quiet and cute at this moment, like a flawless little white rabbit, making one want to pat her head.
He Liyu did raise his hand, but stopped when it was two or three centimeters away from her head, his eyes deep and focused.
"Ah Yue, thank you." His voice was low and husky, and he looked at her as if she were a priceless treasure.
Whether the girl heard it or not, she tightened her grip on the blanket, let out a soft moan as if disturbed, and turned over to face the inside of the sofa.
Her figure was petite enough that the sofa, though not very big, could accommodate her perfectly; she could roll over and roll around without falling off the sofa.
He Liyu's long, dark eyes held a hint of a smile as he said softly, "Is A-Yue awake? If not, I'll carry you back to your room."
He was met with silence.
It was as if the sound of the girl turning over was his imagination.
He Liyu raised an eyebrow, sighed softly as if resigned, stood up, and then bent down to easily pick her up in a princess carry.
Shen Linyue wasn't sleeping soundly; she was having a nightmare. It wasn't until that familiar, crisp, cool fragrance wafted into her nose that her consciousness was pulled back from the dream.
She should have opened her eyes to greet He Liyu, but her mind was clear and her body was still very tired, so she didn't want to move. She could also feel the man's burning gaze on her, just as she was about to lose her composure.
The man suddenly whispered "thank you" in her ear. At that moment, she froze completely, too afraid to open her eyes. In her panic, she resorted to the stupidest method.
Shen Linyue guessed that he might know something, and when he was held in his strong arms, she was completely stiff.
Leaning against his chest, Shen Linyue could clearly hear her own heartbeat, wondering if the man holding her could feel it.
At that moment, she was burning with energy, feeling no cold at all despite the dead of winter, and was extremely annoyed at herself for being so foolish as to wait for him in the living room.
Every moment they spent together was agonizing. He Liyu's steps were as steady as his body, and he barely felt any bumps. After an unknown amount of time, he opened the door and gently placed her on the bed.
Just as Shen Linyue breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he was about to leave, a rustling sound rang out again, and the next second, her ankle was grabbed by a large, burning hot hand.
This time, Shen Linyue could no longer hold back; she was afraid that if she continued to pretend, her heart would jump out of her chest.
She didn't understand why she was so excited, but every time she got close to He Liyu, her heart pounded like a drum and she couldn't control it.
"Who?!" The girl suddenly opened her eyes. It was pitch black in front of her, and she could only make out some outlines of the man.
Shen Linyue was stunned for a moment before belatedly realizing whether she should scream as a sign of respect in this situation.
However, before she could even open her mouth, the man's low, husky voice slowly came through.
"Ah Yue, don't be afraid, it's me."
Shen Linyue stared blankly at He Liyu in the shadows, feeling that his voice was unusually sexy at that moment.
"Ah, He Liyu? What are you doing here? When did you get back? Did you take me back to my room?" Her urgent questions gave the impression that she was trying to cover something up.
Shen Linyue noticed this, and her cheeks became even hotter.
Help! She's still an innocent young girl, she's never experienced anything like this before! What should she do?
"Heh." The man chuckled softly and replied gently, "I've been back for a while. Why are you sleeping on the sofa in the living room? Were you waiting for me?"
Shen Linyue finally remembered her purpose, but glancing at the sky, she had no idea what time it was.
"It's not anything particularly important. Do you get a holiday for New Year's Day? I'll talk to you about it then," she said softly, sounding a little annoyed.
What she really wanted was accurate information about her disappearance.
She still remembered what Jiang Yanxin had said last time, so she wanted to find out the truth. She also felt that at this point, He Liyu had no need to hide anything from her.
Who knew she would wait so long that she would fall asleep?
The room was dark, which gave people a different sense of security and gradually relaxed Shen Linyue's tense nerves.
“Hmm, one day.” He Liyu stared at the little girl on the bed, not daring to rush forward for fear of frightening her.
“I’ve been quite busy lately and come home very late. If you need anything next time, you can leave a message on WeChat and I’ll reply as soon as I see it.” He paused for a moment: “Don’t wait on the sofa; it’s cold and you’re likely to catch a cold.”
Shen Linyue was stunned for a moment, then looked up at the man in the shadows. For some reason, she felt like laughing, and she actually laughed.
When He Liyu didn't understand, she took the initiative to explain: "You're acting like an old father who worries about everything every day."
He Liyu: "..."
“Yes, I am indeed the right age to be your father.” He said seriously after thinking for a moment.
Now it was Shen Linyue's turn to fall silent.
She looked at him, though she couldn't see anything, but Shen Linyue could feel that he was looking at her too.
I don't know why, but I feel uneasy.
"Oh, Dad, it's late, you should go to sleep."
He Liyu: "..."
Shen Linyue, who opened her mouth without thinking, was speechless. She'd been saved!
"Ahem, I was just kidding, haha..." Shen Linyue was so embarrassed that she wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into and disappear from this world. Why did she have to be so cheeky as to call He Liyu "Dad"?!
It's a very serious scene that's being made to look like flirting.
Realizing this, Shen Linyue was about to get angry again, but this time she just wanted to lie down and burn herself to death.
After a few seconds of silence, He Liyu slowly hummed in response, then comforted her, "It's okay."
Shen Linyue: "..." It would be more direct to scold her and make her completely wake up.
"Get some rest, it's late," the man said softly. "Goodnight, A-Yue."
“…Oh, goodnight.” Shen Linyue said blankly, her mind no longer able to process what she was saying.
...
The next morning, at the dining table.
He Xiao almost choked on his breakfast when he saw Shen Linyue walking towards him looking lifeless with huge bags under her eyes.
"Damn, did you go catch a thief last night? Your eyes are so dark."
The boy didn't control his volume, and all eyes in the living room instantly focused on Shen Linyue.
Shen Linyue paused slightly, subconsciously glancing guiltily at He Liyu beside He Xiao. Seeing his concerned gaze, her heart clenched.
Could she say that because of what happened last night, she didn't get a good night's rest, and when she closed her eyes, all she could see were details of her past interactions with He Liyu?
People I used to dislike and hate now seem so handsome and refined in retrospect. Details I never noticed before now replay in my mind, prompting me to ponder and savor them...
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