After dinner, He Fang moved a chair next to her and had Qin Guanglin blow-dry her hair.
The hairdryer buzzed with strong wind, and Guanglin did not have the luxury to be distracted. It was finished in a short while, and as he put away the dryer, he asked, "Are you still feeling sore? Shall I give your shoulders a rub?"
"I think you have ulterior motives, so I refuse," He Fang flicked her hair and dove into the covers.
"How is giving a shoulder rub ulterior?" Guanglin huffed. "Am I that kind of person?"
"Then what was with the nosebleed that one day?"
"I... uh, over-nourished." Suddenly feeling guilty, he grabbed his clothes and prepared to take a shower.
"Hmph," He Fang glanced at him sideways—you dare to be dishonest.
"You were the one who intentionally opened the video call that day," Guanglin teased again, and seeing her start to get up, he quickly ran into the bathroom and shut the door.
This woman did it on purpose; when he didn’t think about it, she just had to tease him, and when he did, she wouldn’t give in.
He took a quick shower and came out. Guanglin gave He Fang a peck and lay back in his own bed, closing his eyes without moving further.
"I’m going to sleep," he announced.
He Fang checked the time, puzzled. "So early? It’s only a little past eight."
"Tired. Going to bed early; you should sleep soon too."
"You’re like a pig. You just had a nap this afternoon," He Fang pouted, "I’m not sleepy yet."
Guanglin remained silent, recalling the activities of the past few days with his eyes closed.
A day-long car ride on Saturday, a day of fun on Sunday, a day of kneeling in worship on Monday, a stroll on Tuesday, and then an afternoon nap while being held.
Drying hair, carrying her down the mountain, snatching candy, making a wish, praying to the gods, buying clothes—oh, and sending photos to the father-in-law for recognition.
Fulfilling.
Perfect.
Especially the part about sneaking into his bed—it made him feel extra pleased. They really had a tacit understanding: not only did he want to sleep together, but she did too; she was just too shy to openly admit it, sneaking in at midnight and trying not to let him notice.
He’d just play along and pretend to be oblivious. Her reasoning made sense, after all, there would be plenty of time in the future; what’s the hurry? They were bound to get married sooner or later anyway.
But with the return trip tomorrow, he needed to give some thought to the Dragon Boat Festival painting...
He let his mind wander who knows how long when some noise came from He Fang’s side, as though she had gotten out of bed. Then her voice was close to his ear, "Are you asleep? Talk to me."
Guanglin’s heart leaped with joy, but he cooperated and did not make a sound.
This woman was finally going to bed...
He Fang tiptoed over, pulling Guanglin’s arm out of the way and softly nesting in a comfortable position; just as she was about to kiss him before sleeping, she suddenly felt something off, and her body stiffened.
"You didn’t sleep?!"
Guanglin’s heart skipped a beat as he stubbornly continued to feign sleep.
Blast it. If he had known, he would have slept flat on his back as usual. Why did he have to lie on his side?
Seeing him still pretending, He Fang, flustered and annoyed, began to crawl out—this guy was too unreliable!
She had gotten halfway up when Guanglin couldn’t resist anymore. He reached out and pulled her back, tightly embracing her.
He Fang squirmed, trying to get free, frustratedly hitting his arm twice, "When did you wake up?!"
"I never slept..." Guanglin admitted the truth.
"..." He Fang was frozen. "You knew all along?!"
"Um... I knew the first time." Guanglin hesitated, admitting while holding on to her tightly, "Let’s just sleep like this, I promise not to move."
"Ah!" She let out a low cry, infuriated, "You did this on purpose!"
"Pretend I’m asleep; I won’t move."
"..."
He Fang attempted and failed to rise again, "You promise not to move?"
"I promise, let’s just sleep like this," Guanglin remained completely still.
Being held was enough for him. She wouldn’t have to sneak back quietly in the morning, and he could wake up holding her.
He Fang was silent for a moment before she twisted his arm, "No, let me go."
"Just sleep." Qin Guanglin didn’t let go, now that she was here, there was no way he would let her leave.
"How can I sleep?" She asked, wriggling her waist slightly.
"...It’ll be fine in a bit." Qin Guanglin struggled to control his thoughts and pulled back a little, "Just sleep."
"Loosen up a bit."
"Mhm."
He Fang stopped fidgeting and allowed him to hold her as she prepared to fall asleep, convinced that she would be back by tomorrow and that nothing would happen for just one night.
After a long time, she spoke again, "Why is it still like this after so long?"
"It’ll be fine once you fall asleep."
...
...
Time passed again.
"Do you feel uncomfortable?" He Fang asked once more.
"Don’t talk, you’ll fall asleep in a bit." Qin Guanglin was resigned, "Talking will keep you even more awake."
"..."
He Fang hesitated, "Should I help you?"
The guy bled just from being looked at, if he got sick from holding it in, it would be disastrous.
"Don’t, just sleep." Qin Guanglin quickly rejected the idea; how could she even help with this?
"Then let me go back."
"No."
"..."
She decisively turned over to fumble around, "Let me help you."
"No need." Qin Guanglin stopped her, "Don’t fidget, go to sleep."
He Fang ignored him.
"..."
Qin Guanglin resisted for a moment before giving up, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and closed his eyes without speaking anymore.
A short while later, He Fang turned over and sat up, turned on the bedside lamp, and started helping earnestly.
"Why turn on the lights?" Qin Guanglin murmured softly, glanced at her and feeling embarrassed, flipped his pillow over to cover his head.
"It’ll get everywhere without the light."
"..."
Outside the tightly closed curtains, the moon quietly peeked through the clouds, its light bright and unblemished.
Qin Guanglin suddenly tensed up his body as if fighting the murmurs from the legendary Crimson Moon or perhaps resisting the whispers of the primal witch. As time ticked by, he gradually lost control of his body, a sign of impending loss of control.
The consequence of losing control was the extraction of his special powers, which would then be consumed by the unspeakable, invisible evil deity from the legends, discarded as if it were mere trash.
The next moment, he let out a pained grunt, no longer able to resist the soft evil deity, and completely lost control; his tense body suddenly relaxed as his special powers were forcibly extracted.
"I’ll do it myself." He wanted to gather his special powers.
"Is it just by that much?"
He Fang carefully cleaned up and threw everything in the trash bin, then went to the bathroom to wash her hands. When she came back, the bedside lamp had been turned off, and the room was pitch-black.
Feeling her way in the dark back to the bed, Qin Guanglin reached out and pulled her back into his arms, burying his head in her neck and taking a deep breath.
"Feeling sleepy now?" He Fang closed her eyes and shifted a bit to make herself more comfortable being held.
"Mhm."
Qin Guanglin still felt somewhat embarrassed, consumed by an indescribable sensation.
She was his future wife; he would need to spoil and indulge her doubly so.