Qi Xingzhou was slightly bent over, seeming a bit weak, resting his head on one side of Jiang Ning’s shoulder.
Jiang Ning was wearing a single layer today, and when Qi Xingzhou’s head came to rest on her shoulder, even though their skin wasn’t directly touching, the thin layer of fabric still allowed Jiang Ning to feel his body heat and his hot breath.
Jiang Ning’s body stiffened.
She, who was accustomed to being alone, had almost never been this close to someone before.
At the moment Qi Xingzhou lowered his head, Jiang Ning originally wanted to step aside to avoid him, but because he was Qi Xingzhou, she forcibly suppressed the impulse.
"Where do you feel uncomfortable?"
Jiang Ning looked up, watching the last little hedgehog disappear above Qi Xingzhou’s head, and couldn’t help touching it: "Does your head hurt?"
Before Qi Xingzhou could answer, the system in Jiang Ning’s mind couldn’t help saying: [Host, you can’t say that!]
[The products of this system are absolutely faultless!]
[Merit Points, such a great thing, are something ordinary people can’t even beg for. Having them should not cause any discomfort; on the contrary, they will only make him smarter!]
The System defended itself vigorously and with certainty, as if afraid of being falsely accused.
Hearing Jiang Ning’s question, Qi Xingzhou seemed suddenly to realize what he had done.
He blinked, his expression dazed and innocent, with a glint of guilt flashing through his shining black eyes.
He wanted to immediately lift his head and put some distance between him and Jiang Ning.
He felt he shouldn’t be this weak.
But resting on Jiang Ning’s slender shoulder, feeling her body heat, and smelling the faint scent coming from her, each made Qi Xingzhou immensely reluctant to leave.
He was like a fledgling facing the world for the first time, full of dependence as he leaned on his only friend.
Far from wanting to distance himself from Jiang Ning, Qi Xingzhou instead wanted to spread his wings and tightly wrap his smaller companion in an embrace, marking each other thoroughly with their respective scents.
Qi Xingzhou’s hands, hanging at his sides, with long and slender fingers, twitched slightly, as if eager to put his thoughts into action.
Yet, a voice called reason mysterously sprouted in his mind, warning him that he couldn’t do this yet.
Those hands, distinct with bone and tendon, barely began to lift before being forced to stop.
Qi Xingzhou, with closed eyes, rubbed against Jiang Ning’s shoulder with a hint of grievance, his voice low and restrained: "I’m hungry."
Jiang Ning tilted her head, thinking it made sense.
She and Qi Xingzhou had set out after breakfast and had come straight here.
Qi Xingzhou seemed to have a sort of compulsion; whether on a plane or a high-speed train, Jiang Ning had never seen him eat anything, and even when offered, he would just droop his eyebrows and shake his head to refuse, not even drinking water.
"I have a small bread in my bag, you can have it for now. Once we’re done here, I’ll take you to have something tasty," Jiang Ning said.
Qi Xingzhou obediently responded with a low monosyllable.
He lifted his head, regaining some strength, and put a little distance between himself and Jiang Ning.
Jiang Ning also bent down to take a soft small bread and two milk candies from her crossbody bag and placed them in Qi Xingzhou’s hand.
Neither of them noticed that the action of Qi Xingzhou rubbing his head against Jiang Ning’s shoulder just now seemed somewhat affectionate, and moreover, he had apparently self-taught the art of acting coquettishly and changing the subject.