Chapter 96

Chapter 96

As Chi Xiao carried Ming Can towards the bathroom, his gaze casually swept the floor and noticed something familiar lying on the clothes Ming Can had taken off.

Just as he was about to take a closer look, someone scratched his back.

"Let's go," Ming Can urged, her voice soft and gentle. "Don't stop here..."

Chi Xiao retracted his gaze, lifted her slightly, and strode forward with large steps.

With each step, Ming Can would draw in a sharp breath, her slender white arms tightly gripping his neck, leaving several scratch marks on his shoulders and back.

"Put me down..."

"Can you stand?" He held her waist, pressing her closer, and whispered, "This way feels pretty stable."

"..." Ming Can couldn't find words, lifting her eyes to see the hot water cascading down, the steam rising inch by inch, quickly blurring her vision.

In the narrow, oxygen-limited glass enclosure, Ming Can felt like a reed swaying in a strong wind, more precisely, a reed leaf, seemingly about to topple over at any moment, but then being resiliently brought back to its original position.

As their kisses deepened, their eyelashes almost intertwined. Chi Xiao, half-closing his eyes, saw her about to dissolve in the wind, and for a moment, it nearly made him retreat.

He whispered in her ear, asking her to be kind, but it took a very long time before he fiercely kissed her lips, pouring out his burning affection.

The next morning, Ming Can was awakened by a tongue licking her face.

Under her urging, Chi Xiao had gradually gotten used to holding her while sleeping, but did it have to escalate to licking her face while she slept?

Opening her eyes, Ming Can met a disheveled white-gold mop head, her gaze suddenly freezing.

"Xiao Xiao? What are you doing here?" Ming Can looked at the puppy standing by her bed, smiling as she rubbed its head. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she moved Xiao Xiao close to Chi Xiao's face, letting it lick him.

Chi Xiao, usually irritable when woken up, didn't even bother to open his eyes. With a long arm, he pulled Ming Can tightly into his embrace and said hoarsely, "Still hungry from last night?"

"Neurotic!" Ming Can blushed and pushed him away. "Hurry up and take Xiao Xiao out for some dog food."

Chi Xiao finally opened his eyes, glancing at the puppy beside them. He raised an eyebrow coldly, turned around, and pressed Ming Can down again, fumbling over her body as if searching for a button.

A series of urgent knocks broke the bedroom's intimate atmosphere.

Ming Can's master bedroom was usually left unlocked. After knocking a few times, Miaomiao burst in, rushing to the bed in a panic. "Mom, Dad, Xiao Xiao is missing! I can't find him anywhere!"

"Woof!" Xiao Xiao jumped off the bed, excitedly running to Miaomiao's side. "Woof woof woof!"

"There you are!" Miaomiao breathed a sigh of relief. "Weren't you sleeping next to me last night? How did you end up in Mom and Dad's room?"

Xiao Xiao: "Woof woof woof!"

Miaomiao's eyes widened in confusion. "What? What fight?"

Xiao Xiao turned to look at the adults slowly getting out of bed and continued, "Woof woof woof! Woof woof woof!"

Miaomiao suddenly clenched her little fists and tapped her head.

Superpowers must really be malfunctioning! Why can't I understand what Xiao Xiao is saying anymore!

Beside her, Dad got out of bed first, lifted Mom in a princess carry, and headed to the bathroom.

Miaomiao followed eagerly, a bit enviously saying, "I want a hug too!"

Ming Can, hanging onto Chi Xiao's neck, leisurely raised her foot. "Then you'll have to wait your turn."

"Okay." Miaomiao obediently stood by the bathroom door, waiting. "Dad, hurry up."

Chi Xiao carried Ming Can into the bathroom, but after a few steps, he suddenly turned back.

"No need to wait." Chi Xiao raised an eyebrow. "I can carry two."

In the next instant, Ming Can's body went vertical, all her weight transferred to one of Chi Xiao's arms. Her heart raced, sitting in his arm, steadier than she imagined, as he firmly held her legs, his gaze full of protective love.

Ming Can weighed more than twice as much as Miaomiao, yet Chi Xiao could easily carry Ming Can with one hand and scoop up the little one with the other, effortlessly.

As Miaomiao was lifted into the air, she scooped up Xiao Xiao from the ground.

"Woof woof woof!"

Xiao Xiao barked and pawed excitedly, while Miaomiao giggled and held onto its paws to prevent it from falling.

On the other side, Ming Can, fearing Miaomiao might lose her balance, extended a hand to support her shoulder.

"Dad is so amazing!" Miaomiao was overjoyed, leaning in to kiss Chi Xiao's cheek.

"Miaomiao, Dad works hard." Ming Can mimicked her, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "Supporting our entire family all by himself."

Her eyes were bright, but her eyes welled up inexplicably, feeling incredibly lucky to have met someone who made her heart race and loved her so deeply.

Ming Can's sweet, smiling voice seeped into Chi Xiao's ears, like a cloud made of sugary water, gently enveloping his heart.

"Put us down if you get tired." Ming Can said considerately.

"Not tired." Chi Xiao said arrogantly. "I feel like I could carry you for a thousand years."

-

Mid-April, deep spring, Chi Xiao picked up Miaomiao from school in the afternoon and called Ming Can on the way.

"I have some good news to tell you."

"I have some good news too," Ming Can's voice was calm. "When will you be home?"

"Within ten minutes."

Eight minutes later, Chi Xiao returned home with Miaomiao.

In the corner by the living room’s floor-to-ceiling window, which had been empty before, now stood a grand piano, pure black and glossy.

"Ding ding ding ding." Ming Can patted the lid of the piano proudly. "A gift for you. Starting tomorrow, whenever you have time, help me accompany."

Chi Xiao curled his lips and said teasingly, "Thank you for giving me the chance to be your accompanist."

Ming Can walked past him, deliberately stepping on his foot, then sat down on the piano bench, opened the keyboard cover, placed her hands on the black and white keys, and played "Für Elise" somewhat clumsily.

"The sound is pretty good, right?" Ming Can said as she played, asking Chi Xiao to fetch a violin. She wanted to play a duet with him right away.

Soon, Chi Xiao came out with a violin he had made himself, but instead of handing it to Ming Can, he placed it on his shoulder and picked up the bow, playing along with her tune.

Ming Can turned around in surprise, "You can actually play?"

And clearly, his skills were better than hers at the piano.

Only after saying this did she realize how redundant it was. A luthier, the person who knows violins best in the world, couldn't possibly not know how to play.

Chi Xiao raised an eyebrow at her and replied, "A bit worse than you."

Ming Can felt a grudging admiration and muttered, "Who asked you to like me so much?"

Chi Xiao turned sideways and continued playing. The sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a warm glow on his tall and lean figure. The music floating in the air carried a gentle note: "It's good that you know. I'm just afraid you don't."

How much I love you.

Ming Can smiled, her ears slightly flushed, and continued playing the piano, albeit haltingly.

Miaomiao was playing with toys nearby, occasionally perking up his ears to listen to his parents' conversation.

At some point, the words they said to each other began to align more closely with their inner thoughts.

They were no longer people who said one thing and meant another; whatever they wanted to say to each other, they could bravely speak it out first.

At this moment, Ming Can suddenly remembered something, "By the way, didn't you say you had good news to tell me too?"

Chi Xiao, hearing this, put down the violin on his shoulder and nodded, "Very important good news."

He then lifted their son from the pile of toys, making him get his backpack and find the good news to show Mommy.

The good news was a math test paper full of red checkmarks, a perfect score.

Ming Can held the paper in amazement, as if seeing the exhilarating number 100 for the first time in her life. Chi Xiao told her that the teacher had given Miaomiao a red flower today and praised him in the office, saying she couldn't believe how much Miaomiao had improved... Hearing this, Ming Can's expression gradually changed.

"Is that so?" Ming Can glanced at Chi Xiao, "Being called to the office for praise, you must have been very happy, right?"

"Of course." Chi Xiao nodded and then clicked his tongue, "That feeling, it was amazing..."

Before he finished speaking, Ming Can pounced on him, pounding and hitting him wildly.

So angry! Why did she have to be the one called to the office when Miaomiao scored 2 points? Who knew how broken she had been during that period, doubting her life every day, thinking her son and husband were both idiots...

Chi Xiao pulled her into his arms forcefully, restraining her hands, "I told the teacher it was all thanks to Miaomiao's mom."

Hearing this, Ming Can felt a bit more balanced, and her smile returned, "Mainly because Miaomiao worked hard."

"Right." Chi Xiao also hugged Miaomiao, ruffling his hair, "We'll go out for a big meal tonight to celebrate. What do you want to eat, baby?"

"I want to eat hotpot!" Miaomiao threw his arms around both his parents, "If I get a perfect score again, will we still go out for a big meal?"

Ming Can laughed, "Of course."

Miaomiao: "Great!"

It turned out he didn't have to be a silly kid to get more attention from his parents.

"Not only will we go out for a big meal, we can also take you to the amusement park," Ming Can checked her schedule on her phone, "Next weekend, both your dad and I are free. We'll go to Didi Land together."

"Yay!"

...

A week passed, and before their trip to the amusement park could happen, their lives underwent a dramatic change.

A few nights ago, Miaomiao woke up from a nightmare, ran to the master bedroom, and climbed into bed with his parents, saying he had dreamed of being in a room filled with the smell of disinfectant, with something covering his face, making it hard to breathe, and then he woke up suddenly.

Ming Can and Chi Xiao sensed something and held Miaomiao tightly all night.

However, when they woke up the next morning, only the two of them were left in bed.

They searched every corner of the house and watched the entire night's surveillance footage, but no one had entered or left the room, and there was no trace of Miaomiao.

He had vanished into thin air, just as he had appeared abruptly in the pavilion where Ming Can was taking a walk six months ago.

Ming Can sat on the bed, dressed in the same clothes for a long time after waking up, her eyes vacant as she said to Chi Xiao, "Now we can return to our normal student life, with more time to study, work, shop, and play games. That's good, isn't it?"

"Is it?" Chi Xiao leaned closer to her, wiping her damp cheeks with his fingertips, his voice trembling slightly, "Why do I feel it's not like that..."

In the next instant, Ming Can plunged into his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest, shaking her head vigorously.

Even though she had mentally prepared herself, her heart still felt a gaping void.

Tears filled her endlessly, but when shaken, they still sounded hollow.

With Ming Shu's help, Miaomiao's sudden appearance here had been perfectly transferred away.

Life had to go on. Both Ming Can and Chi Xiao were people with strong self-control. They were a bit dazed for the first two days of class, but quickly adjusted, burying all their sorrow deep inside. On the surface, they seemed no different from before.

Until the weekend arrived.

They had planned to go to the amusement park together and bought three tickets, but now only two of them remained.

In the days since Miaomiao left, they clung to each other like glue, sitting at the dining table with Ming Can's leg almost resting on Chi Xiao's knee.

"Have you ever been to Didi Land before?" Ming Can tilted her head and asked Chi Xiao.

"No."

"Really never?" Ming Can pouted, "Didi Land has been around for over a decade. I went there several times when I was a kid, and Miaomiao has been there too."

"Was it fun?" Chi Xiao asked.

"It was." Ming Can said, "Tomorrow, I'll take you there and you'll see for yourself."

As she spoke, both of them thought back to the happy and excited scene from last week when they had all planned to go to the amusement park together.

The atmosphere grew somber. Ming Can rubbed her face and suddenly said to Chi Xiao, "You're still a kid."

Chi Xiao was taken aback, not understanding.

Ming Can: "You've never even been to an amusement park. You're such a little kid."

It was as if he had never experienced childhood, but it was never too late to make up for it now.

Chi Xiao seemed to understand: "So, Big Sister Huoshan will take me to play?"

Ming Can's ears turned red at his words: "Can you take your hand off my leg first before you say that?"

Chi Xiao raised an eyebrow: "Not really possible."

The next day came quickly.

The two of them played crazily in the amusement park all day, eating all kinds of delicious food, trying every attraction, and taking photos at every scenic spot. Ming Can, who had been there many times, proved to be more useful than any guidebook, planning a tight and efficient itinerary. Chi Xiao had no complaints about her tour guide skills, except for the rabbit ear headband she forced him to wear, which messed up the hairstyle he had specially styled for their outing.

As dusk fell, they boarded the Ferris wheel by the lake.

Ming Can leaned against Chi Xiao's shoulder, gazing at the first stars appearing in the sky. She pressed her hand to her aching chest and whispered, "Do you think Miaomiao misses us?"

"He probably does, but not too much," Chi Xiao said, "Because we're there too."

He paused, then looked at the distant stars, a bit worried, and said, "But the relationship between us there isn't very strong. He might feel quite disappointed."

"Not necessarily," Ming Can suddenly turned to him, looking serious, "I used to think that if Miaomiao hadn't come through, in the original timeline, I wouldn't have fallen in love with you again. But later, I thought about it differently. My personality might be a bit stubborn and intolerant, but now that I like you so much, and considering how many years our future selves have spent together, how could I not be moved at all? Even if I wasn't moved at first, given enough time, ten years, fifteen years, as long as you don't change your heart, I would definitely fall in love with you again."

Hearing her words, Chi Xiao smiled, "That's quite a demanding condition."

Ming Can shot him a look, "What, is it too much to ask to like me for over a decade?"

"Not at all," Chi Xiao caught her hand, "For me, it's the simplest thing in the world."

Ming Can's heart raced, watching the smoky purple twilight seep into his light eyes, the world falling into a blue moment, and she found herself lost in his gaze, never wanting to escape.

"By the way," Chi Xiao said casually, "Could you repeat something you said earlier?"

"What did I say?"

"That I like you so much."

"No way," Ming Can turned away, "Didn't you hear it?"

"I want to hear it again."

"Then you say it."

"I love you."

The three unexpected words.

As the words fell, the Ferris wheel reached its highest point.

Looking out the window, several fireworks suddenly shot up from a nearby tech park, blooming in the half-lit night sky, showering down brilliant light.

Ming Can stared at the scene, her heartbeat deafening, completely drowning out the sound of the fireworks.

Suddenly, a voice broke the silence, "Can I take out a diamond ring?"

Ming Can gaped at him, her face turning bright red, annoyed at his lack of romantic timing, "Why are you asking me this!"

"It's not a proposal," Chi Xiao's voice was slightly tense. They were both too young; Ming Can was only four months away from turning twenty. Marriage wasn't something to consider right now, and if he were to propose, he wouldn't do it so casually, "I just want to give you a diamond."

Ming Can let out a soft breath, thinking that although she had been startled, not a single thought of refusal had crossed her mind. Her face grew even hotter, her lips parting slightly as she asked softly, "Then what?"

"Then I'll tell you that a diamond is just a piece of coal that has persisted," Chi Xiao said, lifting her left hand solemnly and slipping a simple diamond ring onto her middle finger, "Just like me."

For so many years, he repeated the same actions day after day, living a life without any distinctive features.

Waiting indifferently and hopelessly, perhaps for the dawn to shine on him again.

Until the day came when the sun fell straight onto him, and instead of being consumed by the intense heat, he embraced her.

"Then you must keep persisting," Ming Can stroked the diamond on her finger, suddenly turning to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss his lips, speaking clearly, "I will never let you go."

"Please, never let me go."

Their slightly reddened eyes met in the slowly rotating Ferris wheel.

Beside them, the fireworks burst with vigor, the diamond on her hand was resilient, and their hearts beat fiercely.

Everything will burn eternally with this love.

——————End of Main Text——————

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