"Stop crying."
Chu Liuyue's tone couldn't help but soften a little.
She pulled out a tissue and handed it to him.
"You just said you weren't a little brother anymore."
"Yet here you are, still crying in front of me..."
As soon as she finished speaking.
Li Xichen took the tissue and wiped his cheeks fiercely.
He wiped so hard that he even left a red mark.
"Sigh."
Chu Liuyue sighed softly again.
She pulled out another tissue and waved him over.
Li Xichen stepped forward.
She gently wiped the tear stains from his face, but her wrist was suddenly grabbed by him.
Li Xichen's voice sounded again.
"Sister Xiaoyue."
His tone carried a subtle hint of acting spoiled.
"Didn't you say you didn't want to be a little brother anymore? Why are you calling me sister again?" Chu Liuyue didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Li Xichen stared straight at her.
He spoke slowly, as if reminiscing.
"I still remember you wiping my tears for me in the past."
"At that time, my sister's illness worsened, and I was terrified. Aside from being a drug test subject to earn enough money for her medical bills, I didn't know what else I could do."
"But the way you looked at me back then told me not to be afraid."
"So, I'm not afraid."
The young man shed his hard outer shell.
He looked at her quietly.
"Sister Xiaoyue."
"Can you give me a chance?"
He paused, then added, "Dr. Zhou doesn't mind, really. He's the one who called me in."
After speaking, he pointed outside the door.
Chu Liuyue spoke.
"Can you distinguish clearly what is love?"
"And what is gratitude?"
Li Xichen nodded decisively.
"Sister Xiaoyue, it is love."
...
Early morning.
The team of ability users was getting ready to depart. The other team members looked on in astonishment as Li Xichen walked out of Chu Liuyue's room, their eyes filled with envy and speechlessness.
"Isn't Lady Liuyue with Dr. Zhou..."
"Xichen, you lucky bastard."
Li Xichen pretended to be aloof, lifting his chin and humming a song as he walked past, but the upward curl of his lips betrayed his good mood.
Yan Qingdu was also in the crowd.
Watching this scene.
A trace of regret flashed in his eyes.
He turned and went to find Zhou Yu'an.
"Zhou Yu'an, this isn't what we agreed upon in the beginning," Yan Qingdu said, his hands shoved in his pockets as he leaned lazily outside the door.
Zhou Yu'an, who was busy handling affairs, looked up.
He glanced at Yan Qingdu.
Then lowered his head again.
And continued working.
"Hey!" Yan Qingdu strode into the room, dissatisfied.
He tapped his fingertips on the desk.
"You're the one who sought out Li Xichen, aren't you?"
Zhou Yu'an smiled, finally raising his head and looking at him calmly.
A hint of wariness flashed deep in his amber eyes.
After all, this man was the one Liuyue had written a love letter to during her teenage years.
"Yes." He admitted.
Yan Qingdu suddenly smiled too.
The corners of his lips curling up.
"Are you scared?"
Zhou Yu'an pretended not to understand and asked, "What would I be scared of?"
Yan Qingdu said with a smile:
"Of course, you're scared that if Yueyue gets together with me, she will love me the most."
"You're afraid of falling out of favor."
"That's why you pulled in Li Xichen, who poses no threat at all."
Zhou Yu'an's mind was read, but his face maintained its usual faint smile.
He put down his fountain pen.
Appearing casual but with a stiffened back, he said:
"Unfortunately for you, that is an 'if'."
"It is Liuyue's freedom to be with whoever she wants."
"Of course, it seems you aren't among the choices."
The smile on Yan Qingdu's face froze.
He took a few steps back.
Turned around and left.
...
She didn't know if all young boys in love were this clingy.
At least Li Xichen was.
When they went on missions together, aside from being in combat, Chu Liuyue didn't need to lift a finger at any other time.
With just a glance or a raise of her hand, Li Xichen knew whether she wanted to drink water or read a book.
He would fetch the item for her a step ahead of time.
Chu Liuyue expressed with some helplessness.
"It's not like I can't do it myself. You're treating me like a child."
"That's right, I'm the adult, I'll take care of you," Li Xichen enjoyed it, handing her a sandwich as he spoke.
The other team members watching this scene all showed knowing, affectionate smiles.
This operation went even more smoothly than imagined.
In half a month, they eliminated the two escaped mutants and some of the seeds that had landed.
They also scavenged food from several large warehouses.
After returning to the Kyoto Survivor Base, Chu Liuyue went to ask Zhou Yu'an if everything at the base was normal, as usual.
He hesitated to speak.
"What's wrong? An'an."
Chu Liuyue pinched his cheek.
Zhou Yu'an blushed and took a step back.
But he still couldn't help speaking up.
"Yan Qingdu still hasn't given up."
After saying that, he quickly added, "I'm not that petty. I'm willing to let Xichen accompany you too, it's because he..."
"Because of what?" Chu Liuyue pressed.
"Because he has hurt you before," Zhou Yu'an said in a serious tone, lowering his head apologetically after speaking.
"Yan Qingdu has a strange temperament. I'm worried, and I don't want you to get hurt again."
Chu Liuyue smiled and rubbed the top of his head.
She stood on her tiptoes.
And pecked him on the lips.
"An'an, you're so good to me."
Zhou Yu'an's eyes flickered with emotion.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he looked at her with restraint for three seconds.
He lowered his head and deepened the kiss.
