Chapter 79 Continued

Chapter 79 Continued

The rustling sound in the dark was like leaves falling gently from deep within a forest, fluttering to the ground.

The car stopped far from the streetlights, and the already faint light was mostly blocked by the lush camphor trees, casting a dim glow into the car that barely illuminated two pairs of moist eyes.

One pair gazed blankly at the air, while the other stared intently, with cold eyes that held a flicker of mysterious fire.

Chi Xiao leaned down, his thumb brushing against her wet lips. His fingertips were slightly rough, sending an electric sensation as they grazed her skin. Then, just as she felt a shiver of fear, he kissed her without hesitation.

The kiss was icy, piercing through to her bones.

It was a cruel technique, one he might have learned somewhere or perhaps came up with on his own when he saw her buy him a bottle of ice water.

His lips and tongue were so cold, it reminded her of licking an ice lollipop in childhood, the sweetness lingering on the tongue as it clung to the icy surface, almost as if the ice cream would consume you.

Ming Can felt this way now.

Unexpectedly, this cold kiss dissipated faster than the previous one. The chill pierced her heart for a moment before being met with a counterattack, like cold air colliding with warm currents in early spring, where clouds gather and rain falls, warming the cold instantly.

Such generosity was surprising, and Chi Xiao couldn't help but praise her, his tone light and playful. His usually cold voice saying such words was like a flame igniting methane hydrate, burning fiercely and scorching her.

Ming Can wriggled like a fish out of water, trying to pull away, and scolded him, "Don't talk."

Chi Xiao was one of the few boys Ming Can had known who rarely used foul language. Yet, the more proper and clean his speech, the more skillful his flirtation seemed. Ming Can had already experienced this, and combined with her vivid imagination and the contrast of his stern face, Chi Xiao was the most adept at saying outrageous things among all the people she knew.

"Alright," Chi Xiao replied easily, then added, "But sometimes, I can't control myself."

Ming Can: "Then try harder."

"Suppressing too much is bad for your health," he said, his breath mingling with hers, the warmth seeping through. "Look how relaxed you are."

"Shut up..." Before she could finish, she was kissed again, only managing a faint murmur.

The rear windows of the car were tinted, allowing those inside to see out but not vice versa. This was why Chi Xiao dared to drive a car with a child seat to school every day. Despite knowing this, Ming Can couldn't help but glance outside, her heart tightening as she noticed movement through the dark glass. In this repeated anxiety, her adrenaline surged, making her neck crane forward, her gaze slipping through her fingers to see the swaying tree shadows and the cool moonlight.

In this absurd kiss, she was both wary and restrained. At first, Chi Xiao only pecked her, somewhat awkwardly, as if exploring. Later, he finally managed to pry open her lips, his tongue probing inside, only to be pushed back out. Chi Xiao was usually a patient person, persistence being his greatest strength. But tonight, he didn't seem to want to take things slowly, suddenly becoming fierce and relentless. The intensity of the kiss made Ming Can, who wasn't initially resisting, gradually lose herself and respond.

"Weren't you telling me not to talk?" His deep, hoarse voice seemed to resonate through her bones.

"Mm..." Ming Can bit her lip. "I meant you shouldn't talk."

She paused, suppressing her emotions. "Not me."

Rarely did Ming Can meet Chi Xiao's eyes.

From a distance, his dark gaze was unsettling, deep and intense, with an extraordinary resilience and passionate absorption.

She suddenly remembered thinking that Chi Xiao was indifferent to everything, but after getting to know him, she realized the opposite. He took everything seriously, never slacking off. Some things he had a natural talent for, and with effort, he excelled far beyond others. For other things, like cooking, it was clear he put in a lot of effort, but even after so long, his skills hadn't impressed Ming Can enough to change the group name.

Now, Ming Can discovered another thing he had both talent and dedication for.

His progress was nothing short of remarkable.

The sound of their kisses filled the car, and Ming Can felt like a house in the humid season, with endless moisture. The fire burned in this damp room, flames rising and consuming the humidity, the sounds around them telling a story of mutual understanding and trust.

...

In the deep night, the car entered the underground garage. As soon as it stopped, Ming Can hurriedly opened the door and jumped out.

She hid a large wad of tissues behind her back, eager to find a place to dispose of them.

Chi Xiao got out of the driver's seat and moved to the back. Ming Can quickly said, "I've already cleaned up."

Chi Xiao: "Oh."

He still opened the rear door, and Ming Can stopped him. "Do you need to install the child seat?"

Chi Xiao looked at her. "Not right now."

They both understood that the car needed to be cleaned inside before installing the child seat.

Ming Can: "Then why are you going in?"

"Before sending it to be cleaned, we should wipe it down first."

"I already told you," Ming Can said, "I've cleaned it."

Chi Xiao paused, looking down at her. "Where did you clean? Did you see it?"

"..." Ming Can stiffened, grinding her molars, remembering that she had covered her eyes and hadn't seen anything.

Fortunately, after tonight, she was no longer the same person.

Ming Can suppressed her racing heart, her face flushed red, and countered, "Didn't you catch it all?"

"..." Chi Xiao was taken aback by her sudden directness.

"First time, no experience," he licked his lips, speaking softly. "I didn't expect you to be so good."

Ming Can's hand behind her back almost crushed the tissues.

At this point, whoever backed down would lose.

"Be more careful next time," she stood on tiptoe, her clear eyes meeting his, much taller than her. Her other hand lifted lightly, her pale finger touching his prominent Adam's apple and slowly sliding down. "Catch it all."

...

In the elevator of the underground garage, Ming Can stared at her reflection in the elevator doors, her cheeks bearing two obvious handprints—she had slapped herself to clear her head, knowing she would soon see Miaomiao and needed to stop thinking about what had happened.

Behind her, the sound of a man’s footsteps approached. Ming Can suddenly remembered their conversation earlier, where she had the upper hand. Reflecting on it, she felt a bit embarrassed, but mostly satisfied.

Tsk. Just like me.

The elevator doors opened, and the two of them stepped in, one after the other. Ming Can leaned against the wall of the elevator, watching the doors close. The confined space easily made the atmosphere more intimate. To calm herself down, Ming Can brought up a serious topic: "Have you thought about what to do if we can’t hide Miaomiao anymore?"

Chi Xiao turned to look at her. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Not really, just some thoughts I’ve had before," Ming Can said. "I’m living off-campus without my family knowing. If my dad really wants to find out where I am, it wouldn’t be hard for him to track me down, and then he’d discover Miaomiao. If it comes to that, I’ll have to tell my family that Miaomiao is being raised by my aunt. Miaomiao will be six in a few days, and hiding him forever isn’t a solution. Eventually, the truth will come out. So, my aunt and I discussed it, and we think it might be better to tell our family and friends that Miaomiao is my aunt’s adopted child, giving him a proper identity and avoiding future complications."

Chi Xiao nodded. The elevator arrived, and he stepped out first, stopping just outside their door without reaching for the handle.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked Ming Can, "Do you think Miaomiao will stay with us forever?"

Ming Can was taken aback. "Are you saying he might leave?"

Chi Xiao: "I don’t know."

This situation defies all scientific explanation; it can’t be reasoned through with normal logic.

As time passed, Chi Xiao occasionally found himself thinking—

He hadn’t known this kid for very long, but he already liked him a lot.

If Miaomiao doesn’t return to his original world,

What about the person who gave birth to Miaomiao and took care of him for so many years in that world? What would happen to him and Ming Can?

The atmosphere grew heavy. Seeing that Ming Can hadn’t spoken for a while, Chi Xiao reached out and gently patted her head, speaking calmly. "What you said makes sense. No matter what, we should prepare for the possibility that Miaomiao will live here long-term."

From behind the door, they could hear the faint sound of a child running—Miaomiao chasing the dog, no doubt.

"This isn’t urgent," Ming Can exhaled softly, trying not to dwell on the disheartening thoughts. She hooked her arm around Chi Xiao’s and led him away from the door, whispering, "But Miaomiao’s birthday is coming up. How’s the preparation for what I asked you to do going?"

"It’s in progress," Chi Xiao replied, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Are you sure you want to do it this way?"

"Do you have any objections?" Ming Can asked. "Are the challenges too difficult?"

Chi Xiao: "Not really. I’m just worried he might be upset if he realizes he has to solve puzzles on his birthday."

"How would he realize that?" Ming Can countered. "Besides, what puzzles? Where are there any puzzles? These are super fun educational games that kids love. He’ll be thrilled when the time comes."

"Besides, aren’t you worried?" Ming Can leaned in closer, looking into Chi Xiao’s eyes. "He’s six now, and still at a first-grade level. It wasn’t like that for you or me. With the new semester starting and exams coming up soon, shouldn’t we seize every opportunity to train his mathematical thinking? If he fails again, what will we do? These kinds of educational games leave a lasting impression on children. You’re not supporting me, and you’re actually objecting?"

"You make a good point," Chi Xiao said, stepping back slightly as she rambled on. "Since you designed the entire game, you understand it better than I do. So, can we switch roles?"

...

So that’s what you were waiting for.

Ming Can shot him a sidelong glance and said bluntly, "No way. The roles were decided by drawing lots, not forced on you. Besides, what’s wrong with your role? It’s just a bit more work, isn’t it?"

Chi Xiao: "Just a bit?"

Ming Can shrugged. "Can’t help it. Who knew I’d have such good luck?"

She had always had great luck with drawing lots, except for that one time when they exchanged New Year’s gifts, and it seemed like Miaomiao had cursed her, making her lose her touch.

Ming Can unslung her backpack to the front and pulled out a stack of A4 papers bound together, the cover reading "Miaomiao’s Birthday Plan." Then she tugged on Chi Xiao’s arm and said, "Don’t rush to go back inside. Let’s go over the plan again..."