At 7:55 the next morning, Jiang Lijin was woken up right on time by her optical computer's alarm. This time, it finally wasn't Xiao Yi who woke her up.
She lay in bed for three seconds, staring blankly at the ceiling with only one thought in her mind: Why did she have to wake up so early? As someone who fully embraced the slacker lifestyle, she didn't have to commute or work.
But remembering that she had to go to the Academy of Sciences for a test today and had an appointment with Chiron at 8:30, she struggled out of bed to wash up and change clothes.
At eight o'clock sharp, she opened her room door on time.
The corridor was very quiet, with only the faint sound of machinery humming in the distance. Jiang Lijin followed her memory to the living room, and this time she didn't get lost. As she reached the living room entrance, she spotted Xiao Bai right away.
The chubby, round robot was standing by the dining table, its mechanical arms holding a tray, gently placing two plates on the table. On the plates were warmed sandwiches and two cups of hot milk.
And someone was already sitting at the table.
Chiron was wearing a light gray, thin turtleneck sweater today. The fabric looked soft and fine, clinging to the lines of his body and accentuating his broad shoulders and narrow waist. On his wrist, he wore a simple silver optical computer that gave off a low-key luster. The morning sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.
Jiang Lijin stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked at him for two seconds.
Handsome, he was truly handsome. Chiron's attractiveness was non-aggressive, gentle, ascetic, and incredibly pleasing to the eye.
But she only looked for those two seconds before her gaze shifted to the dining table. In front of Chiron was a sandwich and a glass of milk, and on the seat next to him was also a sandwich and a glass of milk, arranged neatly.
Jiang Lijin unceremoniously walked over and plopped down.
"Morning?" she said.
Chiron looked up at her, the corners of his mouth seeming to curve up slightly. "Morning. You're very punctual."
Jiang Lijin picked up her sandwich, took a bite, and mumbled an indistinct "Mhm."
"We agreed on eight-thirty, but you came down at eight." Chiron picked up his milk and took a sip, his tone as flat as ever.
Jiang Lijin paused her chewing. She looked up at Chiron, trying to discern from his face whether his words were a genuine compliment or passive-aggressive sarcasm. But his face was as expressionless as always, and no emotion could be seen in his eyes.
Forget it, she was too lazy to guess.
She went back to burying her head in her sandwich, polishing off half of it in two quick bites. She also downed half the glass of milk in one breath.
Chiron glanced at her without saying a word, just continuing to eat his breakfast unhurriedly. His movements were very slow, taking small bites, elegant and leisurely.
After Jiang Lijin finished her portion, she rested her chin on her hand and watched him eat. She wasn't in a hurry anyway.
[Oh my god, a beauty eating!] Xiao Yi exclaimed exaggeratedly in her mind.
Jiang Lijin rolled her eyes inwardly. [Can you be normal for once?]
[Watching a beauty eat is also a kind of enjoyment, don't you think?] Xiao Yi's tone was entirely righteous.
Jiang Lijin couldn't be bothered to argue. But she had to admit that Chiron did look good while eating. It was a natural elegance—he was just a bit too slow.
Jiang Lijin was an impatient person. Back in her original world, she never liked those rule-abiding, slow-paced people who did everything strictly by the book, because she was the exact opposite. She was lazy and casual, doing whatever came to mind, and hated being restrained the most.
But now, looking at Chiron, she found that she didn't seem to dislike him that much. Maybe because he was handsome, or maybe because he had taken her in. In short, she could manage not to hate him.
Chiron finally finished his last bite of sandwich and picked up a napkin to wipe the corners of his mouth. His movements were still perfectly unhurried.
Jiang Lijin subconsciously glanced at the clock in the living room. 8:28.
She clicked her tongue in her mind.
Chiron stood up and looked at her. "Let's go."
Jiang Lijin stood up and followed him toward the door. Xiao Bai glided over from who knows where, its round body stopping at the door, its electronic eyes curving into two crescent moons. "Take care, Master. Take care, Guest. Be safe on the road and come back early."
Chiron nodded and pushed the door open. Jiang Lijin followed closely behind.
Stepping outside, Chiron stopped, turned to her, and said, "Wait for me here. I'll go get the car."
Jiang Lijin nodded and stood obediently at the door. Chiron turned and walked toward the garage, his pace still leisurely.
Watching his figure disappear around the corner, Jiang Lijin withdrew her gaze and stared blankly at a nearby flowerbed.
Suddenly, she caught something out of the corner of her eye.
A figure appeared at the intersection not far away, wearing a light pink dress with smooth long hair, walking with a light and elegant posture. Jiang Lijin didn't even need to look closely to know who it was.
She stared at the approaching figure and suddenly noticed one thing: Felwin's eyes were glaring openly at her, filled with undisguised disgust, disdain, and a hint of unconcealable hostility.
Jiang Lijin raised an eyebrow. Oh, so she wasn't pretending anymore?
Just as she was thinking this, she saw Felwin's expression rapidly switch the moment she got closer, reverting back to her usual gentle and innocent look.
Jiang Lijin looked at that instantly changing face and clicked her tongue.
A leopard can't change its spots.
She looked away, not bothering to watch any longer.
But Felwin clearly didn't intend to let her off. The light pink figure drew closer and closer, her footsteps quickening until she was almost jogging toward her.
Jiang Lijin's brow furrowed slightly. She was really annoyed with Felwin now, ruining her mood first thing in the morning.
Fortunately, just as Felwin was about to reach her, a silver-gray hovercar drove out from the garage and stopped steadily in front of her. The car door opened automatically.
Chiron sat in the driver's seat, turned his head to look at her, and said calmly, "Get in."
Jiang Lijin bent down and zipped inside in a flash.
Before the door could even close, Felwin's voice drifted over, sickly sweet: "Sister Jiang Lijin—"
The corner of Jiang Lijin's mouth twitched, and she forcefully pulled the door shut.
Chiron glanced outside through the window, then looked at Jiang Lijin, a hint of confusion in his tone. "Is she calling you?"
Jiang Lijin didn't even turn her head, answering resolutely, "I don't know her! Hurry up and go, go, go!"
Chiron's gaze swept across the window again, landing on the approaching light pink figure. He frowned slightly, as if he recognized something.
Then he secured the door, and the hovercar accelerated smoothly, leaving the still-shouting figure behind.
Jiang Lijin leaned back in her seat and let out a long breath.
"So annoying!" she muttered.
Chiron didn't say anything, just focused on driving.
