chapter 15

Chapter 15

Qi Mubai closed the door, slipped on a thin shirt, and frowned when he saw the snow in my hand. “Why are you holding this?”

With a couple of shakes, he brushed the snow off, his frown relaxing a bit. “What do you need from me?”

He hadn’t buttoned up his shirt, so I could still see his perfectly toned abs-if anything, they seemed even more enticing than before.

With a body like his, paired with that face, who could possibly resist?

“I-I-I’m fine, I’ll go now!”

I fled in panic.

My face felt burning hot. Afraid Xiao Nan would notice, I struck first.

“Ow,” Xiao Nan yelped as I hit her, “sneak attack!”

We traded blows back and forth, laughing and shrieking. After a few rounds, I looked up and saw Qi Mubai standing there watching me.

He was holding a coffee cup, dressed in a thin white shirt and black pajama pants, looking lazy and nonchalant as usual.

The snow was falling thick and fast, tumbling over his shoulders.

The swirling flakes made it hard to read his expression, but somehow, I just knew-he was watching me.

Watching me very intently.

Usually, I’d have thrown a snowball at him. But today, for some reason, I did nothing.

I just kept goofing off with Xiao Nan, laughing, acting as if no one else existed, not even sparing him a glance.

Yet that burning gaze made my heart go wild and out of control in the silence of the heavy snow.

I thought, maybe I was coming down with a cold.

When I told my mom I caught a cold playing in the snow today, she let out three sharp laughs. “Are you out of your mind? Have you spent so long with us you’ve forgotten what you are? Do you know what you are? A Zombie! To be precise, you’re a corpse! Would a corpse catch a cold? Huh?!”

Me: “…”

I hung my head in defeat, but Qi Mubai just chuckled softly from the side.

I don’t know where he gets the nerve. If it weren’t for him, would I even be doubting myself and getting scolded by my mom?

Fuming, I stormed back to my room, turned on a show on my phone, but no matter how wide my eyes were, I couldn’t focus-my mind was filled with Qi Mubai.

I was so frustrated I almost threw my phone when someone knocked on the door.

It must be Xiao Nan.

But when I opened the door, I froze.

How could it be Qi Mubai?

“Why are you just standing there? Weren’t you complaining about being cold? Get inside.”

“Oh.”

I moved aside awkwardly. Qi Mubai came in and closed the door. Seeing my reaction, he frowned again. “Not feeling well?”

I just shook my head dumbly.

“Strange,” he muttered, then put his hand on my forehead. “No way you’d get a fever.”

His hand was very cool. In my memory, it’s always been ice-cold. But how could such a cold touch make my ears feel so hot?

My heart started to beat erratically again. I barely dared to breathe.

“Don’t move, let me try again.” He pushed me gently against the wall. I had no chance to resist. He lifted my face in his hands and leaned in, pressing his forehead tightly to mine.

I was completely stunned. My panicked eyes met Qi Mubai’s deep gaze.

Our breaths mingled, close and intertwined. I could smell the fresh, natural scent on him, and I suddenly wanted to take a greedy breath.

There was a wild heartbeat-was it his or mine? I couldn’t tell.

I don’t know how long it lasted before he abruptly let go.

“You’re fine. If you’re cold, just wear more layers.” He turned away, his voice a little hoarse, and left, leaving me standing there, dazed for a long, long time.

Now I understood, completely.

I wasn’t sick. There was nothing wrong with my body. I just… I’d fallen for someone.

This wasn’t the first time I’d liked someone, but it was definitely the first time I’d felt it so strongly.

I clenched my hands, then loosened them, clenched again, then let go.

Forget it.

It’s not like I haven’t liked handsome guys before-like that school heartthrob. But when I confessed, all I got was humiliation.

Qi Mubai is a hundred times more handsome than him, and his personality is so much better. How could someone like him possibly like me?

He’s a free and mysterious bird, bound to leave this barren land for a vaster sky one day.

And I’m just a little turtle curled up in my shell, clinging stubbornly to my tiny plot of land, unwilling to take any more risks.

It’s fine like this.

There’s nothing reason can’t control.

Feelings, too.

I decided to keep my distance from Qi Mubai. I’d treat him as just a friend, and never let him see through me.

At the same time, I should meet more guys. Maybe I’d like someone else.

For some reason, being rejected by someone else seems far less terrifying than being rejected by Qi Mubai. Maybe it’s because we see each other every day-if that happened, it’d be so awkward.

The next time Xiao Nan brought up Qi Mubai, I wasn’t as calm as before-actually, I was a bit flustered. But thanks to all my mental preparation, I managed to hide it almost instantly.