Chapter 22
While washing up at night, Nan Yayin thought about what she had done during the day. What was she saying? What about not wasting money, what about recording it? What was she talking about?
Are they really that close? When did they become so close? He was starting to doubt if there really was another Nan Ya Yin in this world.
He touched his burning ears, feeling both ashamed and secretly happy about it.
Then he realized he couldn't get involved, he absolutely couldn't get involved. The gap between him and Qiao Yan was too vast; he didn't want to ruin himself. Before that smile had even faded, a bitter feeling instinctively welled up in his heart again.
Nan Ya Yin followed the sensation to the glands on the back of his neck. She had said last night that she wouldn't mark him. He deliberately tried to recall that what she had said today was just to coax him, just words to make him happy during his heat, only because Qiao Yan was a kind person and would see things through to the end.
What does it feel like to release that soft flesh, yet still unable to suppress the urge to be marked? Will it be painful or joyful? Will it store a portion of her pheromones in my body, as others have said? Will our pheromones blend together until they become a new scent?
What would sage and cream taste like?
He wouldn't sleep with Qiao Yan tonight; instead, he went back to his own room. Nan Yayin wasn't intentionally trying to rely on Qiao Yan, but he felt completely unsafe in this room where only his own scent lingered. He could feel anything, even just touching a small strand of hair, like he did yesterday.
Nan Shuyin went to bed early because Nan Yayin was there today, and Xiao Lu went downstairs to her own charging room to rest.
After turning off the lights, he closed his eyes uneasily. When he opened them for the umpteenth time in the silence, he resigned himself to it. He was certain that if Qiao Yan hadn't been beside him, he could have kept his eyes open until dawn. Nan Yayin blamed everything on Qiao Yan. How cruel! Was it really necessary to sleep separately the very next day while he was still in heat?
Just this once, for the very last time, before Nan Yayin could convince herself, she had already left her room and stood at the door of Qiao Yan's bedroom.
He hoped Qiao Yan could check the surveillance footage so he wouldn't have to knock. Given Qiao Yan's understanding nature, he would find a reasonable excuse for his nighttime visit.
But he had already walked back and forth in the corridor several times. The night was deep, and the moon had already passed through the curtains in the living room downstairs. Qiao Yan did not notice the uninvited guest at the door.
Even with his face pressed against the door, Nan Yayin could only faintly smell the scent of pheromones, a sensation he found unbearable, so he had no choice but to knock on the door.
Qiao Yan often works on lesson plans until midnight. She doesn't really want to sleep anyway, but work helps to wear away some of her sleepiness.
Today was the same, except that besides all those reasons, Nan Ya Yin had already gone back to her room to sleep. She didn't consider Nan Ya Yin's little mood a disturbance, and now that it was suddenly gone, she felt like she was missing out on a bit of her bedtime experience.
When I heard the knocking, I thought I was hallucinating. Writing until midnight really is bad for your nerves.
-kkk-
There was another knock on the door, and Qiao Yan realized it was real. She got up to open it, and standing outside was none other than Nan Yayin.
"What's wrong?" Qiao Yan asked him, standing at the door.
Nan Ya Yin didn't say anything, but easily sat on her bed and curled up in the spot where she had slept before. It was still illuminated by the warm yellow light from one side, and she felt very safe now, as if she had found her own home.
Qiao Yan went over and touched his forehead. It wasn't burning hot, but he still came. Why?
"I don't think it's over yet." Nan Ya Yin only turned her back to her until the warm yellow light shone on her again.
Qiao Yan climbed onto the bed from the other side and reached out to hug him. "Okay, I understand. I've already told Xiao Lu to take care of Shu Yin. Don't worry."
"Hmm." Nan Yayin was grateful that Qiao Yan didn't have that thirst for knowledge this time; he had finally returned to a sweet ocean.
After finally getting a good night's sleep, Nan Yayin opened her eyes and saw Qiao Yan's face. He should jump up right now and run back to his room before she woke up.
But he didn't. He threw all the mental preparation he'd done in front of the mirror last night to the back of his mind, and even secretly snuggled closer to her. Well, not really secretly. As he tried to get closer, Qiao Yan half-opened her eyes. To make it easier for him, Qiao Yan kindly reached out and pulled him into her arms.
Nan Yayin tried to discern the truth, but he felt that Qiao Yan was not awake at all, so he went back to sleep without any qualms.
Qiao Yan had classes in the morning, and she had confirmed that they would be face-to-face, so she couldn't hold Nan Yayin. Just as he was about to take his second nap, Qiao Yan reminded him, "I'll be teaching in the study in a bit. I won't close the door, so you can come in but don't talk."
Nan Yayin wanted to take a second nap, so she waved her hand and said, "I'm not coming in."
He thought a class would only be forty or fifty minutes long, but who knew she would teach three classes in a row!
When Qiao Yan reached the last section, she saw him walk into the room looking like he had been humiliated, sit on the chair she had prepared yesterday, and casually flip through a book. She lowered her head and suppressed a laugh.
She thought everything was fine, but then Nan Shuyin actually came in. She had been hugging her brother while sleeping that night, but when she woke up, she had turned into Xiao Lu. How could she not be startled? Her legs were getting worse every day, and being a lively person, she hopped over on one leg to find him.
"Brother!" Nan Shuyin ran into the study, panting. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that both of them were in the room. "How come you disappeared as soon as I woke up?"
Nan Ya Yin was startled when she saw her come in. Her ribs had just healed, and fearing something might happen to her, she quickly and carefully picked her up, saying, "Don't jump."
Xiao Lu came in from outside the door at this moment, saying, "Don't run, don't run."
Okay, the whole family is gathered.
Nan Yayin, holding her younger sister, remembered that Qiao Yan was still in class. She looked at him stiffly, and could see that he mouthed "sorry" with great difficulty before turning and leaving.
The class was already quite boring, so the students were just waiting for some unexpected events to make them laugh. And just when get out of class was about to end, such a wonderful thing happened.
There were rumors on the forum before that Qiao Yan had a partner, but who knew he already had three children. This is what people are saying in the question section on the side.
Professor Joe has so many children.
Good heavens, I thought the forum was full of nonsense, but they already have a child?! Professor Qiao is only 26, isn't he?
- Three? Weren't there already three in the team? As expected of Teacher Qiao.
Qiao Yan knew that leaving the door open meant accepting possible accidents, so she simply smiled at the camera and said, "I don't have children yet. There was a slight hiccup just now, but let's continue with the lesson."
-I thought it was the one Professor Qiao kept as a mistress.
- They could be partners.
The key point is the sudden appearance of pheromones; if it were a partner, how could they not have smelled them before?
-Did you sleep with Qiao Yan? Do you think she deals with her pheromones before going to work?
Qiao Yan wasn't easily angered; she glanced at the information on the side while lecturing.
"Don't discuss things unrelated to class."
Professor! Can we discuss this after class?
"No, that won't work either." Qiao Yan smiled and turned off the sidebar's chat function.
After class, Qiao Yan touched her terminal, pondering words like "partner" and "lover." What then was her relationship with Nan Ya Yin?
She walked out of the study, and Nan Yayin was leaning against the door, clearly waiting for her. But when she came out, her eyes darted away.
"What's wrong?" Qiao Yan stopped, knowing that something must have happened to him.
Seeing that she didn't seem angry, Nan Yayin felt even more guilty. "I'm sorry."
Qiao Yan hadn't taken it to heart, and shook his head, saying, "No need to apologize. I was the one who booked the room, and it's normal for Shuyin to be worried about you."
She is always considerate of others, like an unshakable rock, as always.
But there is something more important now: Nan Ya Yin's heat will eventually end, and one day he will no longer be so shy about getting close to her. Where will he find so many excuses to let her hold him?
Qiao Yan was more frank than Nan Ya Yin, so she wasn't able to go against her own feelings. Could she really be so kind as to hold him for days, letting him take whatever he wanted? Was she really so ignorant of people's hearts that she was almost stupid? Or was she even going to deny her own true thoughts?
Suddenly, the word "lover" appeared before her eyes—a tender yet romantic phrase.
Qiao Yan never imagined this day would come, but now she can't deny it.
Her gaze towards Nan Yayin wouldn't remain pure forever; without realizing it, she had begun to worry and indulge. She simply couldn't believe that "falling in love" could be so sudden and unexpected, unrelated to meticulousness, logic, or even rationality.
But then what? Qiao Yan thought about it. Nan Ya Yin's past living environment was not good, which meant he hadn't met many good people, and probably hadn't met many people in the old city either. If she confessed her feelings, he might hesitate for a couple of days before agreeing. His affection might not take his own feelings into account, and after meeting more people, he might regret it.
I regret making my choice too quickly, and because of his gentle nature, it will only end in tragedy.
It might be better for him to speak first rather than for her to say it. The older person can't always hold the initiative, and she didn't want to use her age, experience, or status to pressure a child who was just starting out in life.
This is the only thing that can be resolved these days; it's the first thread found in a tangled mess.
Qiao Yan felt lighter. "If you feel bad, I hope you can stay with me a little longer. I really need your pheromones."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
