stamp
The room was silent, the only sound being the slowly moving path of sunlight and the occasional, subtle purring of the kitten, Bai Yan. Lin Xiyan sank into the soft, cloud-like quilt, her body and mind languishing in a state of exhaustion. Her fingertips curled unconsciously, feeling the subtle yet genuine warmth brought by the small, furry creature beside her pillow.
The door was gently pushed open, and Jiang Yibai walked in, carrying a cup of water and a small medicine box. He walked lightly, and when he saw the person on the bed still had their eyes closed, sleeping with the kitten, his eyes instantly softened like a pool of water.
He placed the water cup on the bedside table, the medicine box beside the bed, and sat down on the edge of the bed. The mattress sank slightly.
Lin Xiyan wasn't asleep, he just had his eyes closed. Feeling the movement and gazes around him, his eyelashes trembled and he slowly opened his eyes.
Jiang Yibai gave him a gentle smile, and lowered his voice, afraid of disturbing anything: "Did I wake you? It's time to change the dressing on your hand."
Lin Xiyan shook her head, her eyes fell on the medicine box he brought, and her fingers subconsciously retracted into the quilt.
"It's okay, it will be fine soon. It won't hurt." Jiang Yibai seemed to know what he was thinking, and his tone was light and soft, as if he was coaxing a child. He opened the medicine box and took out an iodine cotton swab and new gauze.
He carefully lifted Lin Xiyan's injured wrist, his movements incredibly gentle. The cold iodine swab touched her skin, bringing a slight sting and cooling sensation.
Lin Xiyan's body tensed up almost imperceptibly for a moment.
"Does it hurt?" Jiang Yibai immediately stopped moving, raised his head, and looked at him nervously, his purple eyes full of heartache, "I'll be gentler."
"...It doesn't hurt." Lin Xiyan's voice was very low. The slight sting was nothing compared to Jiang Yibai's focused and distressed eyes at the moment.
Jiang Yibai then lowered his head and continued his work. He handled the wound meticulously, his brow furrowed slightly, as if he were completing a delicate work of art. He disinfected, applied medication, then carefully wrapped clean gauze around it, one circle at a time. His fingertips would occasionally brush against the skin on the inside of Lin Xiyan's wrist, sending tiny, heart-pounding shivers down his spine.
The sunlight fell on his drooping eyelashes, casting a small shadow. The profile of his face looked particularly serious and gentle under the light.
Lin Xiyan watched him quietly, watching his hands, usually twirling pens and playing basketball, so nimble and aggressive, now doing something so delicate and clumsy for him. A sour, swollen feeling settled in his chest, making his throat constrict.
After finally tying the gauze knot, Jiang Yibai breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had accomplished something great. However, he did not immediately release his hand, but instead used his fingertips to very lightly stroke the edge of the gauze.
Then he looked up.
Their eyes met.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment, and even the tiny dust particles dancing in the sunlight slowed down.
Jiang Yibai's gaze was deep, filled with so many complex emotions - fear, heartache, relief at having lost something and regained it, and a burning affection that was almost overflowing.
He leaned down slowly.
Lin Xiyan watched his face, which grew larger and larger before him, and those purplish eyes, which seemed to draw him closer, as his heart suddenly lost its rhythm, beating wildly, his eardrums buzzing. He instinctively tried to retreat, but his body seemed pinned down, unable to move. He could only watch helplessly as the shadow engulfed him.
A gentle, almost reverent kiss fell on his lips.
Slightly cool and soft, with a hint of moisture from freshly drunk water, and a clean scent that is unique to Jiang Yibai.
Instantly separate.
It was like a feather brushing gently, but it carried an astonishing electric current that instantly ran through the whole body.
Lin Xiyan's eyes suddenly opened wide, and Jiang Yibai's face, so close to her, was clearly reflected in her pupils. Her mind went blank, and all the blood seemed to rush to the place where she was touched. Her cheeks, ears, and even her neck instantly felt hot.
Jiang Yibai didn't retreat. His forehead rested lightly against Lin Xiyan's, their noses brushing against each other's, their breaths mingling, hot and turbulent. Her purple eyes gazed deeply into his, shimmering with a warmth that bordered on fragile, and an unmistakable possessiveness.
"Are you scared?" He asked, his voice very low and hoarse, with lingering breaths and a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.
Lin Xiyan was speechless and just stared at him blankly, her heart beating so fast as if trying to break free from the constraints of her chest.
Jiang Yibai laughed softly, a whisper that tickled the very tip of someone's heart. He leaned in closer, and this time, he kissed Lin Xiyan's eyes, which had widened slightly in surprise, kissing away the slightest bit of physiological moisture.
The movements were incredibly gentle.
"Stamp it." He murmured softly, his breath brushing against her sensitive eyelashes, "From now on, you're mine. Don't scare me again, don't get hurt again, don't... hide alone again."
His voice was domineering and coquettish, but it also concealed deep fear and dread.
After saying that, without waiting for Lin Xiyan's reaction, he lifted a corner of the quilt and lay down in it smoothly and naturally. Then he stretched out his arms and pulled the person, who was still in shock and confusion, into his arms tightly and hugged her tightly.
Lin Xiyan was completely frozen.
Her entire body was instantly enveloped by the warmth and clean, pleasant scent of Jiang Yibai. Through the thin fabric of his pajamas, she could clearly feel the rise and fall of his chest, the strength of his sturdy arms around her waist, and... the sound of his heartbeat, which was just as absurdly fast as her own.
Plop, plop, plop...
Can't tell whose it is.
"Go to sleep." Jiang Yibai buried his face in the crook of his neck and took a deep breath. His voice was muffled, filled with a strong sense of fatigue and a sense of relief after everything had settled. "I'm so sleepy. Sleep with me for a while."
He seemed truly exhausted. After saying this, he tightened his arms around him, finding a comfortable position. His breathing quickly became even and long, his warm breath spraying on the skin of Lin Xiyan's neck.
Lin Xiyan was frozen in his embrace, not daring to move. Her senses became hyper-sensitive. The warm chest against her back, the heavy arm around her waist, the furry head at the crook of her neck...
And on my lips... that lingering, slightly numb feeling.
All of this was too overwhelming, too shocking. His brain felt like it had rusted, unable to process the overwhelming amount of information. His heartbeat was still frighteningly fast, his cheeks were burning, and even his fingertips were slightly numb.
He wanted to push him away, to escape this suffocating intimacy.
But... that embrace was too warm, too secure. The sleeping face leaning on him, as if considering him the safest harbor in the world, completely robbed him of all his strength to struggle.
Beside the pillow, the kitten Bai Yan seemed to be startled by the noise here. He raised his head in a daze, looked at the two people hugging each other tightly with his amber eyes, yawned lazily, curled up into a ball again, and continued his sweet dream.
The warm sunlight enveloped the big bed.
The only sounds in the room were the intertwined breathing of the two people and the contented purring of a cat.
Lin Xiyan's stiff body relaxed little by little and extremely slowly under the steady breathing and reassuring warmth.
The tense nerves seemed to be soaked in warm water and gradually relaxed.
Jiang Yibai's pleasant scent lingered on her nose, and her ears were filled with his steady heartbeat. An unprecedented, heavy sense of security slowly enveloped her like a soft feather blanket.
The extreme fatigue and sleeplessness from a sleepless night finally came back like a storm.
He took a very soft breath, his eyelashes trembling before they finally closed. His fingers, which had been slightly clenched, gradually loosened and rested softly on the arm that was wrapped around his waist.
Like a silent acquiescence and dependence.
A second before falling asleep, only one thought remained in my hazy consciousness—
So... this is what it feels like to fall asleep while being held tightly like this.
It seems...even in dreams, I won’t feel cold anymore.
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