In just a short time, the wardrobe of No. 13, which had originally been dominated by black and white, had transformed into a beautiful rainbow of colors.
While he was busy, Xia Miao was also curiously looking around the small room, which could be taken in with a single glance.
"By the way, Miao Miao, you haven’t had this yet today."
A cup of red liquid was handed to Xia Miao. The vibrant red was eye-catching, matching the young man’s bright hair color—radiant and full of passion.
He tilted his head slightly, his blue eyes curving into a charming arc. "Miao Miao, if you don’t drink it, your health might suffer."
Xia Miao blinked and said, "I don’t have an appetite right now. I don’t want to drink it."
No. 13 crouched in front of her, looking troubled as he muttered to himself, "So much has happened today, and Miao Miao must still be shaken. It’s understandable that she has no appetite… but she has to drink it. I don’t want to see her get sick."
He pondered deeply, likely trying to figure out a way to restore her appetite. After a moment, his eyes lit up.
"Miao Miao, let me feed you!"
No. 13 suddenly poured the red liquid into his own mouth, cupped her face, and pressed his lips against hers.
His tall frame leaned forward slowly, and Xia Miao’s body tipped backward. From her perspective at that moment, his looming figure seemed overwhelmingly large, completely enveloping her in his shadow as she was gently, yet forcibly, made to swallow the liquid he passed to her.
No. 13’s fingers lightly traced the rise and fall of her throat as she swallowed. A soft laugh escaped him while their lips were still locked, reluctant to part. His fingers trailed down her neck, past her delicate collarbone, and slipped beneath the collar of her dress.
With practiced ease, his hand cupped and caressed her, slowly and gently, teasing every inch.
"Miao Miao, I love you."
Though he seemed like her captor, the way he knelt over her made him appear more like her prisoner.
One long leg pressed between hers, his muscular frame taut like a drawn bow ready to release. The veins in his arms, braced beside her face, betrayed a primal wildness beneath his smiling facade—his presence undeniably aggressive.
"Miao Miao, I really, really love you."
Each kiss was punctuated by these sticky-sweet words.
"You’ll keep loving me too, right?"
At some point, he had undone the buttons and zipper of his pants before helping her remove the last small barrier between them.
"Miao Miao, ah, Miao Miao… We’ll stay like this forever, won’t we?"
The moment they succumbed to tenderness, he finally let out a satisfied chuckle by her ear.
Falling in love with someone was intoxicating—so effortlessly addictive, even for someone who had grown weary of humanity’s complicated emotions.
To love someone was beautiful.
To be loved in return was bliss.
To be in love was to see the world burst into color, as if gazing into the dark expanse of the universe and suddenly spotting a dazzling rainbow.
Not even the radiant brilliance of a supernova’s explosion, capable of illuminating the cosmos, could compare to such splendor.
Exhausted, Xia Miao curled up in his arms and fell asleep. No. 13, however, remained wide awake, his energy undiminished. Insistently, he interlaced his fingers with hers, locking them together as if sealing her in place—even if she tried to pull away, he wouldn’t let her.
His eyes gleamed as he reveled in the fact that his scent now clung to her. Leaning down, he stared unblinkingly at her sleeping face.
Having a girlfriend was wonderful.
Being in love was wonderful.
Miao Miao was wonderful.
After three straight days of being entangled, waking up each morning in a state of overindulgence, Xia Miao finally couldn’t take it anymore.
"Don’t you have to go to work?"
No. 13 was crouched on the floor, helping her put on her shoes. They had woken up late again, and if Xia Miao hadn’t mentioned being hungry, he wouldn’t have left the bed.
At her question, he looked up with a smile. "The battles from before were exhausting, so I’ve been given some time off."
Xia Miao frowned. "But didn’t you say all the alien creatures were cleared out? Shouldn’t the passengers from the second-class cabins be returning soon?"
"Maybe." No. 13 replied absentmindedly. "Transferring passengers isn’t my responsibility, so I’m not sure. Miao Miao, is there someone among them you’re concerned about?"
He lifted his face, his smile bright and sincere, as if the question were nothing more than a passing thought.
But that would only be believable if he hadn’t heard the rumors about Xia Miao and Long Shenting being a couple.
Xia Miao answered firmly, "No!"
No. 13’s grin widened. "Mm, I know Miao Miao only cares about me."
He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom, where they brushed their teeth side by side. Over the past three days, their routines had synchronized so perfectly that Xia Miao sometimes wondered if he was trying to merge them into a single being.
As they stood together in front of the mirror, toothbrushes in hand, Xia Miao suddenly remarked, "Even during a break, no company would let an employee take this much time off under special circumstances."
No. 13 watched her reflection. "They wouldn’t?"
"No." She turned to face him seriously. "Human society isn’t that generous to workers."
A flicker of panic crossed his eyes. "Ah, you’re right! I must’ve remembered wrong. I’ll have to return to work tomorrow!"
He couldn’t afford to let Xia Miao suspect anything. Maintaining the facade of a normal human was crucial—and what kind of normal person would laze around for days on end with their girlfriend?
So, he had to "resume work"!
Truthfully, he despised "work," but he needed to prove to his girlfriend that he was a driven man. Only then would she stay with him.
"Miao Miao, I’ve left your dress here."
"I’ll come back to have lunch with you. If you get hungry before then, snack on something."
"And don’t forget to drink the nutrient solution—I left it on the table."
No. 13 fussed like a mother hen before leaving, bombarding her with reminders until Xia Miao’s ears nearly bled. She finally pushed him out the door. "Alright, alright, I got it!"
A little dejected, he bent down to steal one last deep, lingering kiss before reluctantly stepping away, glancing back every few steps as he headed off to "work."
Once silence finally settled in, Xia Miao changed out of her nightgown and into a green dress. Just as she finished, a knock sounded at the door.
She opened the door and saw the girl she had met once before. She wasn’t surprised—instead, she felt a strange sense of inevitability, as if she had been waiting for this moment all along.
Jiang Jiang was nervous. Her eyes darted around cautiously, her fingers clutching the hem of her clothes. In a hushed voice, she said, "Miss Xia Miao... something’s wrong with this world."
