CHAPTER 81: CHAPTER 80: AWARENESS IN A CERTAIN ASPECT

Zhao Meimei was twisting wildly in the bathroom, entertaining herself.

The bathroom door in the hotel was fitted with frosted glass, through which a vague silhouette could be seen inside.

Shi Yang watched the swaying shadow through the door, listening to Zhao Meimei singing loudly and off-key, laughing so hard he couldn’t close his mouth, trying his best to resist the urge to pull open the glass door for a peek.

Zhao Meimei finished cleaning up, got dressed, and rushed out from the bathroom. As she suddenly met the cold air, she immediately shrieked: "Oh! I’m freezing!"

Zhao Meimei dove onto the bed where Shi Yang was lying, and without thinking, Shi Yang quickly lifted the blanket covering him and wrapped her up, pulling her into his arms.

Zhao Meimei lifted her head, shaking it like a wet puppy, her long damp hair flinging directly onto Shi Yang’s face, its cold touch carrying a fresh scent.

Shi Yang was just about to laugh at Zhao Meimei’s silly look when a strand of wet hair swung straight into his mouth. He spat it out, reached out to cup Zhao Meimei’s face, stopping her from shaking her head randomly: "Stop it, you’re splashing water all over me."

Zhao Meimei laughed heartily, with a faint blush appearing on her freshly washed fair face, her jet-black eyes seemed washed by rain, sparkling and bright.

Shi Yang couldn’t help but laugh: "What are you giggling about? Just took a shower! So pretty!"

Zhao Meimei laughed mischievously and started to playfully mess with her Brother Yangyang, reaching out to tickle him. Shi Yang laughed out loud and retaliated by tickling Zhao Meimei’s ticklish spot at her waist, causing her to dodge and laugh: "Hahaha..."

Shi Yang laughed, pounced on her, pinning her down, grabbing one of her arms with one hand while tickling her with the other.

Zhao Meimei laughed until she cried and begged for mercy: "Brother! Please! I was wrong!! Hahaha... Oh! It’s so ticklish!!"

Shi Yang was completely infected by Zhao Meimei’s joyous mood, freeing him from worries, acting completely subconsciously, genuinely, he let go and playfully bit Zhao Meimei’s lightly trembling cheek.

Zhao Meimei covered her face with her hand: "Huh... Oh!!"

Shi Yang: "Mm."

Zhao Meimei gazed at Brother Yangyang, who was pinning her down, with teary, bright, narrow eyes from laughing. The spot on her cheek where she’d been bitten hurt fiercely. She reached out to touch it, feeling a shallow circle of teeth marks with her fingertips.

When Zhao Meimei looked up at Shi Yang, their eyes met. Shi Yang suddenly propped himself up, unveiling the blanket and getting out of bed, his eyes dark with moisture, and without saying a word, he turned and went into the bathroom.

Shi Yang stood in front of the bathroom mirror, turned on the tap, splashed water on his face a couple of times, then raised his head to glare at his flushed reflection, experiencing a newfound realization for the first time.

He was a bit embarrassed by getting too cozy with Zhao Meimei, feeling inexplicably guilty.

For the first time ever, Shi Yang stood in front of the mirror, examining his face, with a slender, long oval face, dark brows, handsome eyes, high nose bridge, and full lips.

Is he really as handsome as Zhao Meimei always says?

Shi Yang pinched his chin, turning his face left and right in the mirror, gazing at his prominent Adam’s apple, seemingly looking a bit better than others, dignified and heroic, with quite a masculine charm.

Shi Yang grabbed a towel, wiped his face, and turned to leave the bathroom, only to see Zhao Meimei reaching up to try and grab the drinks from the cabinet.

Shi Yang picked it up, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to her, his gaze lingering on her damp hair, frowning, and then turned back into the bathroom to get a dry towel and wrap it around her head.

Zhao Meimei shrank her neck: "Brother, it’s really cold in here!"

Shi Yang touched the heater: "Just turned on the heat, it won’t get warm until the evening."

Zhao Meimei didn’t sleep well last night, and was mentally tense with traveling and looking for someone this morning, now that her stomach was filled with lamb hot pot broth, her eyelids felt a bit heavy.

Shi Yang looked at her tired face and asked: "Sleepy?"

Zhao Meimei snuggled into the blanket and yawned: "Yeah, didn’t sleep well last night."

Shi Yang yawned along, helped her tuck in the blanket: "Then sleep, I’m a little sleepy too."

Shi Yang hesitated for a moment while undressing, leaving his shirt and pants on.

Zhao Meimei watched him from under the covers, Shi Yang’s physique was very standard, slender but not frail, not very muscly, yet his shoulders and back looked broad and safe.

After Shi Yang finished undressing, he tidied up both his and Zhao Meimei’s clothes, and arranged the shoes under the bed, restoring order to the previously chaotic room caused by Zhao Meimei.

Zhao Meimei pursed her lips, zoning out as she watched her Brother Yangyang work, her mind drifting back to the little mansion, where the young Brother Yangyang helped her fold clothes and quietly organized household chores.

Shi Yang turned on the bedside lamp and pulled the curtains closed, the room instantly dimmed, leaving only a dim and warm glow, he reached back to touch the radiator, feeling only a little warmth.

Shi Yang pulled open the blanket on the other bed, lay down in it, feeling quite chilly, he took a deep breath before burrowing in.

As the environment quieted down, the cold seeped into the blanket from all sides. Though exhausted, Zhao Meimei found herself unable to fall asleep, feeling her damp hair cold and uncomfortable against her scalp.

She wriggled into the blanket, curled up her feet, pressed the edges under her, but still felt so cold.

After lying still for a moment, Zhao Meimei began to shift around. Barely moving, Shi Yang opened his blanket and climbed up, carrying his blanket over, pressing it atop Zhao Meimei’s: "I’ll hold you while sleeping, so you don’t feel cold."

Zhao Meimei consciously scooted to make space, and once Shi Yang lay down, she snuggled into his arms.

Shi Yang was naturally warm, like a human heater. Shi Yang put his arms around Zhao Meimei, wedging her cold feet between his, and after a while, their shared blanket started to warm up.

"Sleep now." Shi Yang adjusted the blanket over Zhao Meimei’s shoulder: "It’ll be warm once the heat kicks in later."

"Mm." Zhao Meimei moved slightly, pressing her knees to Shi Yang’s thigh, arranging herself into a comfortable position, and closed her eyes.

Shi Yang was also exhausted, almost as soon as he lay down, he felt a stabbing pain at his temple, closed his eyes, and fell asleep shortly thereafter.

The two slept deeply and soundly, and when they woke up, it was already the next morning.

Zhao Meimei vaguely heard the sound of the shower and toilet flushing from the bathroom, and hazily woke up, blinking open her drowsy eyes, squirming around like a little bug wrapped in the blanket, unwilling to leave the warmth and comfort.

Shi Yang came out from the bathroom, saw Zhao Meimei lazing in bed, and chuckled as he said, "It’s already ten, let’s get up, I’ll take you out for something to eat. Hungry?"

Just as Zhao Meimei was about to speak, her stomach let out a loud growl: grumble...