Chapter Fifteen: Embracing Through the Night

He pressed a gentle kiss to the girl's smooth forehead, then scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his own room.

"Zichen will go take a shower first and be right back to keep you company," he said, ruffling her dark hair.

"Okay~" The girl finally broke into a smile through her tears, her eyes shining with a watery radiance more brilliant than the sun.

Watching her smile, Mu Zichen felt there was nothing more important in the world than this little girl's happiness.

A soft, warm smile graced his refined and elegant features as he turned to fetch his pajamas and head to the bathroom, completely at ease.

Once he was gone, the girl stretched out comfortably on the bed, rolling over with satisfaction. So this was the bed of a dreamboat idol from the entertainment world—it really was comfortable...

The man's room was devoid of any lavish decorations; its design was a palette of black, white, and gray—cool, sharp lines, every detail crisp and deliberate, exuding a natural air of restraint.

She curled up under the covers, preparing to close her eyes and nap, bored.

Mu Zichen emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a touch of mist, dressed in soft, silken sleepwear that clung lightly to his body, the elegant lines of his collarbones subtly visible, hinting at the sculpted musculature beneath.

He looked for the petite figure the moment he stepped out, worried she might be waiting for him too long, only to find her already asleep in his bed. Helplessly, he smiled.

In fact, the girl had woken the moment Mu Zichen opened the door. She knitted her delicate brows.

"Mm~ Zichen, you’re done already," she murmured, turning over lazily and rubbing her eyes. Seeing him back, her lips curled in a smile, and she stretched out her arms, asking for a hug.

Mu Zichen laughed and drew her into his arms, brushing aside the mischievous strands of hair on her cheek, his eyes brimming with fondness.

"If you're sleepy, just go to sleep."

"I'm not sleepy anymore," she replied, habitually reaching for his jet-black hair—only to find it damp.

Thinking carefully, she realized Mu Zichen was always the one caring for her in every little way, and she had never done anything for him...

At last, a certain someone became aware of this.

"Zichen, sit up—let me dry your hair," she offered, grabbing a towel and kneeling on the bed to get started.

Unbeknownst to her, the movement left her ample curves fully exposed to the man before her.

Those slender, elegant hands, cool to the touch, with lustrous, well-kept nails, worked their way through his dark hair.

Mu Zichen found himself subjected to a double torment: his head cradled by her tender, inexperienced touch, while before his eyes, a soft, creamy fullness rose and fell with her breath, stirring a storm within his gaze.

He immediately snatched the towel away, muttering, "Jiujiu, be good, go to sleep," then rushed off to the bathroom in a hurry.

The girl was left bewildered, so she turned to her system for an answer.

[System, why did he run away?]

The system, bashful, replied that even though it wasn't human, it still felt shy. [Look down.]

Puzzled, the girl glanced down and saw that at some point her collar had come completely open, leaving everything exposed.

Calmly, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, showing not a trace of embarrassment at being seen.

So that was the reason...

She glanced toward the bathroom.

Did you feel something for me?

Inside, Mu Zichen was showering once more—this time with cold water.

The icy spray cascaded over his head, washing away all heat and the lingering, forbidden image from his mind.

Once calm, his heart was still in tumult. He couldn't believe he had fallen for this young girl...

Did he like her? What did he like about her? When had it started?

Mu Zichen couldn’t answer any of those questions. But what did it matter? If he liked her, why couldn't she belong to him?

Still, the girl was too innocent. He couldn't rush things; he had to proceed step by step, lest he frighten her away.

But what if she hadn’t realized her own feelings for him yet?

Perhaps he needed to keep his distance for a while...

With that thought, Mu Zichen's lips curved into a smile.

Once he had a plan, he returned to his usual gentle, refined self and stepped out—at which point he was immediately enveloped in a warm embrace.

He looked down to see the girl's eyes red with worry.

"Zichen, what's wrong? Why were you gone so long?" she asked anxiously, her voice trembling with confusion.

Strangely, Mu Zichen found this side of her immensely alluring.

Was it that, now that he'd realized his feelings, every little thing she did tugged at his heart?

In the past, he would have hugged her tightly, soothed her, and teased her a little. But now, he simply steadied her gently and replied coolly, "Nothing’s wrong. Go to sleep!" He patted her head, signaling her not to overthink.

But the sensitive girl could not help but notice his sudden coldness. She unconsciously bit her lip, unsure what had happened, and meekly followed him to the bed.

Mu Zichen lay down and closed his eyes, shutting himself off.

The girl settled quietly beside him, wanting to snuggle into his arms but not daring to. Clever as she was, she realized he didn’t want to be close to her right now. She turned her head slightly, gazing at his handsome profile in silence.

She dared not make a sound, afraid to disturb him.

The system was incredulous. [He’s acting distant? Unbelievable. He used to dote on you like a treasure.]

Jiujiu thought, [Was it because of what just happened? Does he not like me? Does he want to distance himself from me?]

The system could barely keep up with her thoughts. [Hmph, he’ll regret this.]

Jiujiu reflected that her system, though sometimes silly, could be sweet and comforting. She truly felt consoled.

[System... I can actually hear what you’re thinking, you know!]

A little annoyed yet excited, the system replied, [Love you!]

Jiujiu didn’t know why her system suddenly confessed, but she went along with it. [Love you too, mwah.]

After a while, seeing that Mu Zichen seemed truly asleep and her performance was no longer needed, she withdrew her disappointed gaze, closed her eyes, and drifted into a deep sleep.

In truth, Mu Zichen had only been pretending to sleep, agony twisting inside him. Every expression, every gesture of the little girl was like a heavy stone on his heart.

He adored her—how could he bear to see her hurt or upset?

But he’d always treated her with the utmost care, had never raised his voice at her. Without a little provocation, perhaps she would never...

The thought was so painful, he could hardly breathe.

Once certain she was truly asleep, he opened his dark eyes and gazed at her with deep affection.

Her long black hair was scattered like a flower on the pillow, her fair arms tucked beneath her cheek, her small body curled up, so endearing it made his heart ache.

As he watched, the girl unconsciously moved closer, her soft hands clutching at his shirt, her lips pursing in her sleep.

He couldn't help but smile. Even asleep, she instinctively sought his embrace. Did this mean she, too...

Content with this thought, he drew the little one closer in his arms.

He closed his eyes and slept.

And so, they both dreamed sweetly through the night.