Chapter 22 Ignite the Fire: You Made Me Stay Yourself
The wind howled, the rain poured down, and lightning flashed intermittently.
The third-floor rooms were in a complete mess and were definitely uninhabitable.
Regardless of whether Xin Mian was willing or not, Chi Yu carried her and her belongings up to the second floor.
"You can sleep in my room tonight."
Xinmian: ......
"And what about you?"
He was helping her organize her things when he heard this, so he turned to look at her.
After a few seconds of thought, his expression returned to its usual languidness. "Me?"
"Of course, you should sleep wherever you're supposed to."
Alarm bells rang in Xin Mian's mind: "This is inappropriate!"
He chuckled softly, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "What's wrong with it?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Xiulian came upstairs carrying two cups.
Fat Orange followed closely behind.
"Mianmian, come here and drink your milk."
"You were scared when you were woken up in the middle of the night, weren't you?"
Xinmian put down what she was holding, took the cup, and said, "Thank you, Grandma."
"You're welcome."
The milk was given to her, and another cup of hot water was handed to Chi Yu.
Chen Xiulian said, "Mianmian, you can sleep in Ayu's room tonight."
Xin Mian hadn't expected Chen Xiulian to think the same way, and hesitated, "Grandma, isn't this a bit inappropriate? I'll just sleep on the sofa in the living room..."
Chen Xiulian took a new quilt from the large cabinet next to her. "Don't worry, Grandma will change your sheets and blankets."
That's not what I meant...
Chi Yu looked at her with a half-smile, "I'll sleep in the small living room on the second floor."
"Or, if you're worried, I can sleep in the living room downstairs."
Xin Mian quickly waved her hand, "No need, no need..."
She's already taken over his room and bed, which is already a case of cuckoo in the nest. If she doesn't even let him sleep on the sofa in the small living room upstairs, that would be going too far.
“Okay,” Chi Yu nodded immediately, as if he had been waiting for her to say that. “Then it’s decided.”
"Grandma, it's late, you should go home and rest."
"I'll change the sheets and duvet cover."
As he spoke, he gently nudged Chen Xiulian's shoulder and led her outside, saying, "Don't worry about it."
Chen Xiulian, still worried, added a few more words of advice, "After you change the sheets and blankets, go to sleep early too."
"Remember to get someone to fix the glass door after the typhoon passes."
Okay, I understand.
"Leave this to me."
Chi Yu escorted Chen Xiulian back to her room on the first floor. When he returned, Xin Mian was standing at the foot of the bed, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, struggling with how to change the sheets and duvet cover.
The girl wore a cotton nightgown and slippers with fluffy trim on the back.
The lustrous toes are hidden within, complementing the porcelain-white, slender ankles perfectly.
Chi Yu's bed was too big; it would be difficult for her to change the bedding by herself.
But her dilemma wasn't solely due to this.
After all, this is Chi Yu's bed, and if she's too impatient, it'll seem a bit odd.
Sure enough, the man came to her side and began to turn the tables, "Xin Xiaomian, are you so eager to sleep in my bed?"
Xin Mian blushed at his simple remark, "Don't talk nonsense."
He glanced at her flushed ear tips and chuckled, "So easily blushed."
Xinmian reflexively covered her ears, not wanting to discuss this issue with him anymore. She turned around and went to the small living room on the second floor to continue organizing her things.
Chi Yu was in a good mood and changed into her four-piece outfit quickly and efficiently.
It's already past 3 a.m. after a whole night of tossing and turning.
When he arrived at the small living room, Xin Mian was asleep on the sofa.
Outside the balcony door, the wind and rain continued to rage fiercely, but the room was brightly lit.
He went to the sofa and squatted down in front of her.
Under the light, the girl's curled eyelashes cast a light shadow on her lower eyelids, her breathing was long and even, and her porcelain-white skin seemed to be coated with a halo.
It's softer and fluffier than usual when it's asleep.
Chi Yu couldn't resist gently poking her cheek with his fingertip.
She didn't wake up, pouted, and went back to sleep.
He stared at her for a few seconds, then spoke softly to himself, "Xin Xiaomian, I called you, but you didn't wake up on your own."
After saying that, he straightened up slightly, put his arms around her, and picked her up in his arms.
From the small living room to the bedroom, a short distance, he walked more slowly than usual.
Xinmian was lighter and softer than he had imagined, with almost no weight.
Now that she was asleep, she could only snuggle against his chest, and the moment her head leaned in, her lips followed.
Even though there were clothes in between, the tactile sensation wasn't very noticeable.
But this time, it felt like it had crashed directly into his chest.
Outside the window, the wind and rain raged, but Chi Yu could clearly hear his own heartbeat.
Each beat is faster than the last.
Xinmian is a good sleeper; she doesn't kick off the covers or move around much.
Chi Yu gently placed her on the bed and pulled the blanket over her.
He turned off the main light in the room, leaving only the bedside lamp, its warm light enveloping her.
The girl was small and thin; when she was tucked under the covers, she was only slightly raised and occupied only a tiny bit of space on his bed.
On the dark gray pillow lay her long, loose hair, with a few strands brushing against her face.
He raised his hand and gently removed the strands of hair.
I don't want to leave.
Chi Yu leaned down along the edge of the bed and sat next to the bedside table, his straight shoulders blocking some of the light, and one long leg bent.
I turned my head and just looked at her.
A flash of white light from lightning pierced through the gap in the curtains, and he steadily covered her ears, shielding them from the ensuing thunder.
Xinmian still shifted uncomfortably, clutching the blanket tightly with both hands, her delicate brows furrowed slightly.
Her lips trembled, and she began to talk in her sleep.
"...Don't go..."
"...Don't go..."
He leaned closer to listen, and could only make out those two words, but he could tell that it wasn't a good dream.
Xinmian gripped the blanket so tightly that her fingertips turned white.
Without any hesitation, he cupped her hand in his large palm and gently covered it.
Her broad, warm palms seemed to have a calming effect; her fingertips loosened slightly, but her brows remained furrowed.
Chi Yu opened his hands and slowly separated her fingers from the blanket, pulling them apart.
Then, he led her hand to his arm.
After a brief period of helplessness, my fingertips found a place to lean on again.
In her sleep, Xinmian unconsciously grasped the other hand as well, and even gently pulled it to make the "driftwood" stick to her even more tightly.
The world seemed to fall completely silent in that instant, even the sounds of wind and rain outside were blocked out.
Chi Yu's Adam's apple bobbed heavily, and he leaned forward, following her slight movement, to sit closer to her.
He was so close that he could even feel the warm breath she exhaled, and her faint fragrance.
In the darkness, his deep gaze remained fixed on her.
After a long silence, he curled his lips into a slight smile.
"Xin Xiaomian, you asked me to stay here yourself."
——
After a night of storm, Wangshui Island was wet everywhere, with low-lying areas filled with rainwater and branches and leaves blown down by the wind scattered all over the roads.
In Dongpu Lane, neighbors came out as soon as the rain stopped, their voices echoing through the alley.
On the large bed in the second-floor room, Xin Mian rubbed her head against the pillow, her eyes half-closed, and tightened her arms to hug the pillow in her arms, wanting to continue to sleep deeply.
But... the feel of this cushion seems a bit off...
She was momentarily dazed, then suddenly woke up with a start.
Chi Yu's handsome, almost aggressive face was magnified in front of her.
The so-called "pillow" she was holding was actually his arm.
Because she was holding him, the man was leaning against the bed in an extremely uncomfortable position, his shirt collar was askew.
She could even see his straight, sharp collarbone below his collar.
All the drowsiness in Xinmian's mind was instantly banished.
"you..."
"Chi Yu, what are you doing here?!"
Chi Yu looked as if he had just been woken up by her, his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, and his dark eyes seemed to be veiled in a hazy mist.
He withdrew his hand, slowly turned his neck, and moved his arms.
He then slowly looked at her, "Have you forgotten what happened last night?"
Xinmian's heart skipped a beat, and she lowered her head, trying hard to recall.
However, all her memories abruptly ended after she fell asleep on the sofa in the small living room, and she had no idea what happened afterward.
"...Didn't I fall asleep on the sofa in the living room?"
She swallowed hard, and asked with difficulty, "You carried me in...?"
Chi Yu smiled at her, his voice lazy and slightly hoarse from the morning, "You were sleepwalking and walked in by yourself."
Xinmian: ?!
"They even kicked me out of bed."
Xinmian: ? ? ! !
"When I wanted to leave, you held my arm and begged me not to go."
Sleepless nights?!
"You're talking nonsense..."
This sound lacked confidence.
Chi Yu continued to make up stories at a leisurely pace, "Think back to when you woke up just now, weren't you holding my hand in your arms?"
"Isn't this evidence?"
Xinmian wanted to cry but had no tears.
Is she that kind of person?
She was only touching his abs in her dream, but in reality she was actually grabbing his hand and not letting him leave.
Wait a minute...
She looked up abruptly, her eyes instantly hardening with determination. "I never sleepwalk!"
“Oh,” he chuckled, his voice trailing off, “that means you’ve taken a liking to me. Sleepwalking is just your excuse.”
Xin Mian suddenly remembered a dream she had once had, and her ears turned red.
She... at most possesses only the aesthetic sense of a normal person.
People who don't love beauty will be punished by heaven and earth.
Chi Yu originally just wanted to tease her, but he saw her reaction.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at her with a leisurely air. "I didn't realize you were so domineering, Xin Xiaomian."
Xin Mian was completely outmatched in terms of momentum, and he easily changed the subject.
I didn't dare to say another word in rebuttal.
The more she said, the more mistakes she made. It would be too shameful if he found out that she had really made advances towards him in her dreams.
Seeing that her head was burying itself lower and lower, like a little ostrich about to tuck itself back into the blankets, Chi Yu stopped teasing her.
"Are you getting up?"
The little ostrich nodded and responded in a muffled voice, "Mmm."
After answering, she seemed to remember something and asked, "The glass door on the third floor..."
"I will contact the installation technician to come and take a look."
"But in previous years, there have been many cases of doors and windows being damaged after typhoons, and there will probably be a long queue of installers, so it may not be quick."
The implication is that she will have to stay on the second floor for a while longer.
Xinmian finally managed to lift her head from under the covers, her little face flushed red, but at least her expression wasn't as unnatural as before.
She saw that Chi Yu was already standing next to the bedside table, and thinking that she should go back to the third floor to wash up, she stood up as well.
However, she forgot that the blankets on the bed were not completely pulled back.
The moment he stepped out, he tripped and fell uncontrollably.
"ah--"
The expected dull pain did not occur; instead, she landed on a warm, broad "cushion."
The "cushion" cushioned her from below, catching her steadily.
A low, muffled groan escaped from his throat.
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Author's Note: Yu-ge, you're really something! [doge emoji]
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