The first rays of morning light pierced through the heavy curtains, casting a pale golden streak on the expensive floor.
Ye Mochen’s consciousness abruptly returned amidst a deathly silence.
Unlike the grogginess most people feel upon waking, the moment he opened his eyes, his gaze instantly regained its sharpness and alertness.
There was the sound of another person’s breathing in the room. Extremely soft, extremely faint, yet it struck his line of vigilance like a drumbeat.
Killing intent silently flooded his entire body.
His muscles tensed, ready at any moment to snap the source of that breathing.
But the next second, his movements froze.
Something was holding his hand.
It wasn’t a restraint, but a kind of warm, soft envelopment. An unfamiliar warmth was continuously flowing from their clasped hands, dispelling the perpetual chill in his fingertips.
He stiffly shifted his gaze downward.
It was a very small hand, with slender fingers and skin so pale it was dazzling.
Ye Mochen’s gaze moved inch by inch from their clasped hands upward, finally settling on that exquisitely beautiful little face, even in sleep.
Long hair was scattered messily, a few unruly strands clinging to her slightly parted lips. There were faint dark circles under her eyes, revealing a hint of weariness.
Weiyi…
So it wasn’t an illusion.
The killing intent in Ye Mochen’s eyes instantly melted away. A corner of his heart, long frozen, was unexpectedly warmed.
The feeling was unfamiliar, not painful, but rather indescribably… itchy.
A familiar and comforting scent drifted in the air. It was the fragrance of medicine, clear and cool with a subtle hint of sweetness—this was the scent that had pulled him back from the endless fall.
He didn’t withdraw his hand, only watched her quietly, as if examining something beyond his comprehension.
This was the first time someone, in his most wretched state, hadn’t shown disgust or fear but instead said she would save him.
Just as Ye Mochen’s gaze seemed almost capable of burning holes through her, Ran Weiyi stirred.
Perhaps the posture of sleeping face-down was truly torturous; her entire body was stiff as a rock. She let out an unconscious groan, half of her body numb.
Ran Weiyi’s eyelashes fluttered lightly as she slowly opened her eyes. Hazily lifting her head, she met Ye Mochen’s deep, dark eyes, which clearly reflected her slightly startled face.
She abruptly sat up straight, carefully trying to pull her hand back. But the moment her wrist moved, it was firmly seized by a powerful force.
Ye Mochen’s fingers had, at some point, taken the initiative, enveloping her entire hand in his palm.
His hand was much larger than hers, his fingertips bearing thin calluses, yet his temperature remained on the cooler side.
“Good morning.”
His voice carried the unique hoarseness of early morning, magnetic enough to make one’s ears tingle.
Ran Weiyi’s heart skipped a beat.
“Good morning,” she replied softly.
Ye Mochen didn’t move, only watched her intently with those eyes, as if trying to etch her image deep into his soul.
[Doudou: Sister! Ye Mochen’s Abhorrence Value toward the world has decreased by another 1%! It’s now 79%!]
[Doudou: His affection value for you has also risen to 22%! The moment he woke up and saw you, his affection increased!]
In her mind, the System Doudou’s voice was chirping with excitement.
The corners of Ran Weiyi’s lips involuntarily lifted slightly.
“How are you feeling? Is there anywhere you’re still uncomfortable?”She tried to conceal herself with professional inquiries, along with the hand that was still being held tightly.
Ye Mochen did not answer. He continued to stare at her without blinking.
“You didn’t leave.” After a long pause, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and he finally spoke.
It wasn’t a question, but a statement.
Ran Weiyi’s heart skipped a beat.
She remembered his humble plea of “Don’t go” while he was unconscious, and now, looking at the almost obsessive fixation in his eyes, her heart inexplicably ached.
“I’m a doctor. I won’t leave until my patient has fully recovered.”
She tried once more to pull her hand back. “Can you let go now? My hand is numb, really.”
Instead of releasing her, Ye Mochen tightened his grip even more.
The distinct pressure on her knuckles made Ran Weiyi unable to hold back, her brows furrowing slightly.
His gaze fell on her slightly reddened eyes, and the depth in his eyes intensified.
Had she stayed up all night watching over him?
This thought transformed the unfamiliar itch in his chest into a more domineering heat.
Then you’ll never think of leaving!
“Numb?”
Ye Mochen’s thumb suddenly moved, the slightly calloused pad pressing firmly but not too hard against the back of her hand, slowly massaging it.
“Let me help you rub it.”
This gesture was a bit too intimate.
Ran Weiyi felt half her body go numb along with it, and her heartbeat completely lost its rhythm.
The pressure of the massage was just right, perfectly easing the stiffness. The faint calluses on his thumb brushed intentionally or unintentionally against the most delicate skin on the back of her hand, sending shivers down her spine.
Ran Weiyi felt as if she were being roasted over a fire, the heat spreading from the back of her hand all the way up, burning her ears red.
This guy… he’s doing it on purpose.
He looked up, his dark eyes locking onto hers, a faint trace of amusement seeming to flicker in their depths.
Ran Weiyi’s heartbeat was completely thrown into chaos.
Just as she thought this sweet torment would continue, the movement of his thumb stopped.
After a moment, he finally loosened the restraining force.
Ran Weiyi breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he was about to let go. But the next second, his hand didn’t pull away. Instead, it slid down.
His cool fingertips, carrying a hint of careful reverence, slipped between her fingers, then one by one, forcefully yet gently, intertwined her fingers with his, forming a tight clasp.
His hand was still cold, but the moment their palms touched, Ran Weiyi felt the point of contact was frighteningly hot.
She instinctively tried to pull away, but he suddenly tightened his grip, pulling her even closer with a forceful motion.
[Doudou: Warning, detecting unidentified emotional fluctuations, analyzing… Analysis complete. Sister, Ye Mochen’s possessiveness value has skyrocketed from 0 to 10%!]
[Doudou: Sister, according to database analysis, interlocking fingers in human intimate behavior symbolizes “possession” and “belonging”! He’s marking you.]
Ran Weiyi’s heart raced, but she tried her best to maintain a calm expression.
Looking at Ye Mochen’s handsome yet pale face and the deepening curve at the corner of his lips, only one thought crossed her mind.
He’s so good at this! How does he know how to flirt like this!
That overwhelming possessiveness almost felt tangible, flowing through their intertwined fingers and continuously transmitting to her.
This position was too close. She could even count the slight tremble of his eyelashes and smell the clean, crisp scent on him.
In this suffocating silence, an untimely sound suddenly broke through.”Gurgle…”
The sound was faint, but in this room so quiet you could hear a pin drop, it rang out as clear as thunder.
It came from her stomach.
Ran Weiyi’s face flushed instantly. She had stayed up all night, her nerves stretched taut, and now that she finally relaxed, her stomach immediately began to protest.