Chapter 15 - Dream Talk: The Long Night Is No Longer Like Before...
Lin Xi closed her eyes wearily, feeling him very close, his steady breath hitting her cheek, causing a slight tickle.
She looked up somewhat uncomfortably and saw his long eyelashes trembling slightly, his expression focused, and his deep black eyes reflecting her own small figure.
The long-lost sense of cherishing brought tears to her eyes, and she couldn't help but want to cry again.
When they first met, she was five years old and Fu Qingli was seven.
Her mother passed away early, and her father, a policeman, was very busy, so he could only entrust her to Aunt Yao next door for care.
After the boy was taken home by his father by chance, he clumsily tried to take care of Aunt Yao, dressing her, washing her up, and taking her to the amusement park.
It seems that from that time on, he shouldered the heavy responsibility of being an elder brother.
Although they were thousands of miles apart, he remained a part of her life in various ways. During holidays, he would fly to the northern city to spend his brief but memorable youth with her.
As the older brother, he was far too good at it.
So much so that she couldn't tell whether such meticulous care stemmed from habit or tenderness.
Seeing her pouting lips and tears welling in her eyes, she looked like she wanted to cry but didn't want to.
Fu Qingli's heart ached terribly. He cupped her face in his hands and pressed his forehead against hers: "Xiaoxi, don't cry!"
"I know it's my fault, I've made you suffer a lot. I will deal with those irrelevant people and things as soon as possible, and I won't let them hurt you again. I won't leave you alone anymore!"
*
After taking a shower, Lin Xi lay on the bed, holding her phone and lost in thought, feeling that everything that had happened tonight was not quite real.
In the car, Fu Qingli cupped her face and coaxed her, his face revealing a vulnerability that made people's hearts soften.
His warm breath brushed against her ear, his voice low and slightly hoarse: "Xiaoxi, I've been waiting for you for the past six years, hoping to reunite with you. Don't be afraid of me, don't ignore me, okay?"
He lowered his head, his wisps of hair falling loosely between his brows. The dappled sunlight from the window filtered into his cool eyes, allowing her to see the unease and anticipation in his heart.
It reminded her of a dog soaked in the rain, pitiful and longing for its owner's affection.
Her heart softened, and she nodded in agreement.
The man's eyes lit up instantly, like countless starlight falling into them, and he reached out to pull her into his arms with immense tenderness.
"Little stream—"
"Don't leave me again..."
The moment the unease began to surface, it was soothed and comforted.
This time, my emotions didn't plummet; instead, they gradually calmed down with gentle reassurance.
She leaned against Fu Qingli's chest and sobbed. The emotional turmoil she had experienced earlier had exhausted her energy, and as her tense nerves relaxed, a sudden wave of fatigue washed over her, and she couldn't help but yawn.
Fu Qingli noticed her drowsiness, stepped back slightly, and looked down at her: "Sleepy?"
He had been crying for so long that his shirt was visibly wet from her gaze.
Lin Xi was too embarrassed to look up, and nodded with her head drooping.
"I'll take you upstairs to rest."
Fu Qingli paused, still leaning forward, and asked with a hint of trepidation, "Can we add each other on WeChat? I'd like to say goodnight to each other before I go to sleep."
We said goodnight to each other before going to sleep.
That was something she longed for when she was young and just beginning to experience love.
Back then, Fu Qingli followed Lin Fengyuan back to Nanqing and lived in her house, and also repeated her senior year of high school in the same class as her.
As they spent more and more time together, she belatedly realized that her feelings for him and her possessiveness had crossed the line between siblings.
She was afraid that if her girlish secrets were discovered, he would hate her, and she was also afraid that in his heart she was just a little sister.
The secret crush of youth is hidden, yet one tries to discover his special feelings for her from the smallest details.
As a result, relationship analyses in various youth literature journals and magazines became guides for probing and guessing.
I can't remember where I saw the definition of "goodnight," but the pinyin for "goodnight" is an abbreviation of "I love you, love you." Goodnight means that you are the last person he thinks of before he falls asleep.
She wanted to be the special person Fu Qingli missed, so she pestered him to say goodnight to her before going to sleep.
Even though their bedrooms are next to each other and their schedules are almost synchronized.
Faced with her unreasonable and willful request, Fu Qingli did not raise any objections. Instead, she affectionately ruffled her hair and said with a smile, "Okay."
At that moment, her heart was pounding like a drum.
She knew, of course, that Fu Qingli wouldn't understand the childish meaning behind saying goodnight, but it was precisely because he didn't know, yet readily agreed with the attitude of "I'll do whatever you like, no reason needed," that she dared to think about it for the first time—
He might also have feelings for women.
From that day on, this habit remained between them.
Now that he brought it up, Lin Xi had a dazed feeling, as if they had just had a simple argument and would make up soon.
But clearly, they had been separated for six whole years, and many things were no longer the same.
The medicine I took before washing up started to take effect, making my already tired body even weaker, and my mind began to become somewhat muddled.
Lin Xi sighed and stopped forcing herself to think about it.
Knowing that he and Su Yi'an are not together, at least I don't have to feel morally burdened anymore.
As for the rest, just follow your heart and take it slow.
As she was thinking, her phone suddenly vibrated, showing a new message from F.
[F: Little Creek, I've arrived. Are you asleep?]
[Murmure: I'm already lying down.]
Not long after, Fu Qingli replied.
[F: Is it convenient for a video call? I forgot to ask Gun Gun to say goodnight to you, and it's angry with me. Can you help me soothe it?]
Lin Xi hesitated for a moment before replying, "Is it okay if the lights are off? But not for too long, I'm a little sleepy and might fall asleep at any moment."
As soon as the message was sent, a screen popped up requesting a video call.
Lin Xi didn't react for a moment and subconsciously pressed the answer button.
When she saw Fu Qingli's well-defined face appear on the screen, she realized that the room was dark and that she must look terrible from the angle of her lying on her side.
But it was too late. She hurriedly pulled the blanket up to cover most of her face, leaving only her eyes showing.
Across from her, Fu Qingli sat with her legs spread wide on a black leather sofa, with a large light gray curtain behind her.
The indoor lighting is soft, and the low-saturation colors in the picture are comfortable for the eyes.
He looked at the screen with a slight smile on his lips, his voice low and magnetic: "Xiaoxi, it's okay. As long as Gun Gun can see you, that's enough. If you're sleepy, just close your eyes and go to sleep. I'll turn off the video later."
"Little Creek~" Gun Gun jumped into Fu Qingli's arms from nowhere and put its big head in front of the screen to greet Lin Xi.
But it was too close, and suddenly a large area of white appeared on the screen, which was a bit dazzling.
Lin Xi felt a little uncomfortable and couldn't help but squint.
The next second, Gun Gun was grabbed by the back of the neck and lifted up by Fu Qingli.
He got up, placed Gun Gun on the sofa, and gently scolded, "Sit still. You can watch, but you can't disturb Xiao Xi's sleep, or I won't let you go out tomorrow."
"Okay, Gun Gun knows, Fu Lili, you're not cute at all right now~" The little voice carried obvious pride and grievance.
Fu Qingli clicked her tongue lightly, looking helpless.
Watching their interaction, Lin Xi couldn't help but smile, but then she couldn't help but yawn.
With sleepy eyes, Fu Qingli's gaze softened even more: "Sleep peacefully, I'll have Gun Gun keep you company. Goodnight, Xiao Xi."
Sleepiness came quickly, Lin Xi's eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and her consciousness continued to wander.
In a hazy state, I heard the pattering of rain, mixed with the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze.
Before the last ray of clarity disappeared, a thought flashed through Lin Xi's mind: Had she not said goodnight to Fu Qingli yet?
On the other side, the man stared intently at the screen.
In the dim light, the girl lay on her side, her sleeping face peaceful and docile, her long, curled eyelashes trembling slightly with her breath.
Amidst the soothing white noise, she unconsciously opened her mouth and murmured softly.
Fu Qingli heard it, and his beloved girl said, "Goodnight, brother."
At this moment, he finally felt a real sense that Lin Xi had returned to his side.
The long nights are no longer as unbearable as before.
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