Chapter 45

The night was misty, with moonlight spilling onto the ground.

On a winter's night in this housing complex, there was no endless square dancing music like in the summer.

It was so quiet that speaking seemed to echo.

Xiao Chen tentatively asked, "You're not expecting me to carry you on my back, are you?"

Yu Na shook her head.

Because she had drunk too much, she really had no strength. Even shaking her head looked so strenuous.

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Seeing her shake her head, before Xiao Chen could ask, the girl in the car, like a spoiled child, uttered softly in a coaxing voice, "Carry."

"..."

He really didn't expect that this girl would be so direct.

Xiao Chen hesitated for a few seconds before finally giving in.

He had never carried a girl before, not once from when he was little up until now.

So his actions were somewhat awkward.

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Luckily, Yu Na was very light and it didn't take much effort to carry her out of the car.

Yu Na buried her head in the crook of his neck, her forehead pressing against his skin. The warm sensation made Xiao Chen's body stiffen up like a robot as he mechanically carried her upstairs, enduring her hair rubbing against his skin from time to time.

The distance from the ground floor to the third floor had never felt so long before.

After reaching the third floor, Xiao Chen put Yu Na down, opening the door with one hand while supporting her waist with the other.

Her waist was slender without an ounce of fat.

After opening the door, Xiao Chen carried Yu Na horizontally again, using his elbow to close the door behind them as he brought her to the bedroom.

After carefully placing her on the bed, Xiao Chen turned on the bedroom light.

Yu Na's fair red-tinted face appeared especially clean and bright under the stark white light.

Her brows were furrowed as she slept very uneasily.

Xiao Chen wanted to leave but his footsteps just wouldn't move. He thought that if he left and something else happened, what would he do?

So he sat at the edge of the bed again and asked, "Do you want to throw up?"

Yu Na shook her head. Just as Xiao Chen was about to cover her with a blanket, Yu Na opened her eyes again.

The glaring light hurt her eyes so she blinked before opening them again. After napping for a while, her eyelids looked heavier than before.

She used her palm to prop herself up, wanting to get out of bed, but the action looked difficult.

Seeing this, Xiao Chen immediately helped her up and asked, "What do you want to do?"

Yu Na picked up the pajamas on the side, "Bathe." Xiao Chen: "......Are you sure?"

She was staggering about when walking. Was she sure she wanted to bathe? What if she fell in the bathroom?

Yu Na nodded.

"Then you-" Xiao Chen hesitated for a moment, "Be careful."

The bathroom was beside the foyer. The swooshing water amplified as it flowed, echoing loudly in Xiao Chen's ears.

The sound insulation of this house wasn't very good. Sitting in the living room, he could clearly hear the sounds coming from the bathroom.

Luckily all that could be heard from inside was just flowing water and no sounds of falling or screams. Xiao Chen felt slightly relieved.

Just then, his phone in his pocket buzzed. Qiao Rui sent a message on WeChat:【Bro, why haven't you come back yet?】

Xiao Chen: 【I'll be back soon, something came up】

Xiao Chen:【You go to sleep first】

Qiao Rui:【Could you still be with Ms. Yu? [laugh/]】

Xiao Chen:【None of your business, go to sleep】

Qiao Rui:【Didn't deny, I got it】

Xiao Chen:【20 extra spellings for dictation tomorrow】

Qiao Rui:【Good night】

Xiao Chen put away his phone just as Yu Na came out from the bathroom.

Her half-dried hair and wearing a furry pajamas, her skin was flushed pink after being in the misty bathroom for so long.

Xiao Chen went up to support her, "Go to sle-"

The "ep" from "sleep" hadn't been uttered when he felt a warmth covering his chest again.

This was the second time Yu Na hugged him tonight without warning.

"Xiao Chen..."

Xiao Chen didn't push her away or hug her back. He just stood there dazed, like a male mannequin in a clothing store.

He didn't say anything, waiting for her to speak.

The scent of her body wash lingered around him making him uncomfortable all over.

"Did I tell you before why I liked you at first?"

Perhaps this was the magic of hugs - enveloped in each other's presence yet able to casually avoid a certain gaze.

Xiao Chen honestly answered, "You didn't."

"Then shall I - " Yu Na sniffed and gently continued, "tell you now?"

His breathing grew heavier and he couldn't tell what his feelings were.

Yu Na rested on his shoulders, looking left and right before sweeping her gaze around. Her expression wasn't very clear. Hooking Xiao Chen's neck, she frowned and complained, "There are too many people here. Let's go back to the room."

"............"

Xiao Chen's hair stood on end as he exclaimed, "Excuse me miss, just what kind of ghost story are you telling me?"

Who else could be here? Ignoring his reaction, Yu Na dragged him by his hand into the room.

That's right, dragged.

For a moment, Xiao Chen doubted if she was really drunk or just pretending.

After entering the room, Yu Na's red face stuck to the door as if listening for movements outside.

After about 5 seconds, she finally heaved a sigh of relief, "I think they've all left."

Xiao Chen:"......"

He couldn't take it anymore, "Go to bed."

Yu Na sensed something amiss as she stubbornly stared at him. Her eyes were clear like a shallow spring or an innocent child unfamiliar to the world's ways.

Xiao Chen felt awkward under her gaze and turned away.

But the next second, an outrageous sentence came out of her mouth -

"Are you afraid of them?"

"......"

Yu Na obediently climbed onto the bed and patted the empty spot next to her, her expression and tone completely sincere, "You take the inside! I'll protect you."

"......"

Xiao Chen took back his earlier doubts. He was certain she was really drunk now because her current expression wasn't something she could pretend.

Yu Na saw that he didn't get on the bed and urged again, "Hurry up, don't you trust me? I learned taekwondo when I was young. I even learned horse riding. When horses saw me, they'd, they'd call me Master."

Xiao Chen didn't say anything or got onto the bed.

After covering Yu Na with a blanket, his expression became much more serious. "You should consider yourself lucky that the person standing in front of you now is me." He slowly added, "If you said this to someone else, do you know what would happen?"

He seemed somewhat angry now.

Perhaps the alcohol bolstered her courage. Yu Na wasn't afraid of his anger this time.

"You've got it reversed," she shook her head. She looked drunk but her words seemed rather sober, "It's exactly because it's you that I dared to act this way."

Beyond the window, lights from the estate could be seen switching off one by one.

It was very late.

Only the meowing of the old granny's cat from downstairs and the faint barking of dogs in the distance could be heard.

Xiao Chen had a complicated expression on his face.

But Yu Na was very clear. Her eyes were clouded as she asked innocently, "Have you ever seen me give other men a chance to get close to me?" She answered her own question, "No. I'm too lazy to deal with those men. I only have you. No, I only want you. That's enough for me. In my heart, no one can compare to you."

Xiao Chen was suddenly reminded of the school sports meet.

A male teacher had talked to her back then.

Men understand men the best. Although it was just small talk, Xiao Chen who stood not far behind them saw and heard everything. That male teacher's gaze was different.

But Yu Na really didn't give him a chance to get close to her. She skillfully kept her distance, not afraid of making things awkward between them.

Thinking about this, he had nothing else to say.

With Yu Na's perfect looks and aloof personality, many could only admire her from afar rather than dare to approach her.

Seeing that he had no rebuttal, Yu Na smiled in satisfaction. Her flushed face was very pleased with herself.

She picked up the earlier topic again, "I haven't told you why I liked you at first."