Chương 53: An "Unexpected" Visitor in the Early Morning

The alarm clock rang crisply beside his pillow. Lin Che almost reflexively reached out and pressed the cancel button. He withdrew his arm, feeling as if his eyelids were filled with lead, his consciousness struggling and lingering on the edge of wakefulness and sleep.

Memories of last night, when I transformed into a star, practiced alone, and pondered until late, flashed through my mind like shattered dreams. Every cell in my body was protesting the overload I had endured last night.

The emptiness after his magic was depleted, mixed with the mental fatigue that was hard to shake off, made him feel as if he were shrouded in an invisible pressure, and even his breathing was a little sluggish.

"hiss……"

He inhaled a breath of cool air, trying to dispel the drowsiness in his mind, and couldn't help but feel a sense of helpless complaint.

Since his rebirth, he seems to have never enjoyed a truly peaceful night. He is either forced to transform by the system or fumbling to practice magic skills in the dead of night. And the night before last... someone simply slept right next to him.

Subconsciously trying to turn over, Lin Che found himself tightly entangled by something. A soft touch pressed against his side, carrying a faint, familiar fragrance of shower gel and sunshine.

This feeling is...?

He froze, slowly turned his head, and his gaze followed the arm draped over his waist upwards, finally landing on a sleeping face so close to his.

Su Yuqing was curled up in his arms, her cheek pressed gently against his chest. One of her legs was wrapped around his waist like a koala, while the other leg was restlessly sticking out of the thin blanket and protruding from the edge of the bed.

She was fast asleep, her breathing light and steady. Her soft hair was scattered messily on the pillow, a few strands playfully brushing against Lin Che's chin, bringing a slight tickle.

The thin blanket covering the two of them slipped down a bit as she turned over, and the collar of her pajamas tilted to one side, revealing her slender waist and the soft curves of her chest.

The morning light streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft glow on her fair skin and outlining the girl's beautiful features.

Lin Che remained in the embracing position, his body stiff and his mind blank. He had no recollection of when Su Yuqing had quietly slipped into his room.

He got home very late last night, and he was so exhausted that he fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. But he was sure that the girl next to him was not sleeping when he fell asleep.

"Why... why is she here again?" He wailed silently in his heart, the embarrassing situation of being forced to share a bed the night before was repeating itself.

Su Yuqing seemed to sense the stiffness coming from his body. She unconsciously hummed in her sleep and rubbed her little head deeper into his chest, like a little animal that loves its owner's embrace and is unwilling to let go, searching for a more comfortable position.

"Hmm... Ah Che..." she murmured indistinctly in her half-awake state, her voice filled with drowsiness and dependence.

Lin Che sighed softly and carefully reached out to cover her with the blanket that had slipped off. His fingertips inadvertently touched her warm waist, and the softness made him instantly pull his hand back as if he had been electrocuted.

Just as he lay there stiffly, not daring to move, Su Yuqing's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she opened her eyes groggily. Still half-asleep, she saw his slightly flustered and embarrassed expression.

"Hmm... Good morning..." She stretched and hummed lazily, seemingly not fully awake yet. The girl tilted her head, looking puzzled.

"Ah Che? What are you doing in my room?"

Lin Che was speechless, feeling both amused and exasperated. He looked at her helplessly and said, "This is my room."

A few seconds later, Su Yuqing seemed to finally realize where she was and in what intimate way she was nestled in whose arms. Her cheeks visibly flushed red, which then spread to her neck.

However, she didn't panic and jump away like she did the first time. Instead, she just moved back a little, her eyes darting around with an undisguised playfulness and cunning.

"Ah!... How come I'm sleeping here again?" she asked, feigning surprise, but her tone couldn't hide her mischievousness.

Lin Che sighed: "... Shouldn't I be the one asking you this question?"

"Maybe... I'm just not used to it." Su Yuqing shrank back, pulled the blanket up a little, revealing only her bright eyes, and looked at him innocently.

"Didn't we live together for so long before? I can't sleep well without you next to me."

These words softened Lin Che's heart, and she also understood why she had "lost her way" in the middle of the night.

He sighed again, helplessly: "Even if you're not used to it, you can't just come to my room in the middle of the night."

"Why?" Su Yuqing tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She suddenly leaned closer, lowered her voice, and said with a wicked grin, "Then how about... we sleep together every now and then?"

Lin Che abruptly sat up in bed, creating distance between them, his face filled with rejection: "No! Doing this now is too inappropriate!"

"Not now?" Su Yuqing's eyes lit up as she seized on the loophole in his words.

"You mean, it will be appropriate to do it this way in the future?"

"We're siblings now!" Lin Che emphasized, trying to use this relationship to build a boundary and prevent her from crossing the line further.

Su Yuqing chuckled, "I only said that because we're siblings now~" She deliberately dragged out her words, leaned forward slightly, and whispered in his ear in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Otherwise, I'll come to your room in the middle of the night every day~" The warm breath brushed against his earlobe, bringing a tingling electric sensation. Lin Che almost immediately thought of the secret of how he transformed into "Star Frost" to go out or train at night.

If Su Yuqing really does barge into his room from time to time without any discrepancy, then his dual identity will have nowhere to hide and will be at risk of being completely exposed at any time.

If he agrees to the "every now and then" agreement, at least the frequency is limited, and he can anticipate or find an excuse to deal with it in advance, so the risk is relatively controllable.

Seeing the triumphant gleam in her eyes, Lin Che knew that this girl was confident he wouldn't let her really run wild.

"And..." Su Yuqing suddenly drew out her words, glancing down with a hint of mischief in her tone.

"You're so quick to refuse, are you afraid I'll catch you watching something 'unhealthy' like last night?"

As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly, and the neckline of her pajamas opened naturally with the movement. Although only a small part of it was exposed, it was enough for Lin Che to feel the subtle allure.

Lin Che's cheeks instantly burned. He looked away, but his mind was racing as he weighed the pros and cons. Hiding the secret of "Star Frost" was his biggest weakness and his highest priority.

"... Fine." After weighing the options internally, he finally chose to compromise, his tone filled with obvious helplessness and resignation.

"Every now and then... it'll be every now and then."

Su Yuqing's eyes immediately lit up, and a bright smile bloomed on her face. She leaned closer to Lin Che again and whispered in a voice only he could hear, "I knew you were the best~ Che."

She gave him a quick, light kiss on the cheek, like a bird pecking at food, then jumped out of bed like a gust of wind, saying with light steps, "I'm going to wash up!"

Lin Che sat blankly on the bed, the warmth of the girl's soft lips and the affectionate, coquettish "A-Che" still lingering on his cheek.

The room returned to silence, with only the morning light gently streaming in. Lin Che reached out and touched his kissed cheek; his ears were still burning, but a warmth he couldn't quite describe welled up inside him.