Overnight, dawn broke.
Qin Hanyue paced back and forth outside the door.
After a long while, he gently turned the doorknob. He didn't knock, afraid she might be sleeping and he would wake her up.
Qin Hanyue opened the door and walked in, seeing Qiao Ying's laptop still open on the coffee table.
As Cheng Jinyan said, she must have been busy all night.
He glanced towards the bedroom and quietly walked over. On the large bed, a lump curled up under the quilt, a few strands of hair hanging out over the bedspread.
It seemed she had vented enough and calmed down.
Seeing this, Qin Hanyue was relieved after worrying all night. Just as he was about to leave, the person wrapped in the quilt suddenly flung it open.
The room curtains were tightly drawn and it was very dark. Her hair covered her face and eyes so from a distance Qin Hanyue couldn't see clearly, but he vaguely sensed she was looking at him.
Had he woken her up?
Qin Hanyue hesitated, then walked over.
The girl lying on the bed moved at that time, scooting over to make space in the middle of the bed.
She had definitely been woken up, or maybe hadn't slept at all.
Seeing her gesture which seemed to be making space for him, Qin Hanyue uncertainly approached and sat down.
Just as Qin Hanyue wondered if he had misunderstood, the girl raised herself slightly, resting her head on his leg and curling into his arms with one hand on his leg.
Qin Hanyue's stomach immediately tightened, his body tensing up and finally going completely rigid. It wasn't that he was innocent or overexcited, they had been intimate before.
It was just where she was resting...she hadn't noticed?
Clearly she hadn't noticed anything wrong.
Qin Hanyue controlled his thoughts and slowly adjusted his breathing. Lowering his head then quickly looking away, not quite daring to look.
As if to cover up, he raised a hand to stroke her little head but stopped halfway, not daring to continue, his stomach tightening further.
His hand hurriedly changed direction, pulling up the quilt that had slipped to her waist and covering her shoulders.
"Feeling better?" he asked gently in a low voice.
Receiving no response, Qin Hanyue didn't speak again.
The girl in his arms suddenly turned her head so her face was towards his stomach instead of down. Qin Hanyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Only then did he dare to look down at her properly.
Carefully brushing the hair from her face, he saw her eyes were closed and she was breathing evenly, clearly about to fall asleep.
So he stayed as still as possible like a pillow.
As her breathing became long and peaceful, Qin Hanyue's tense body gradually relaxed. Watching her sleep soundly, his eyes softened and a trace of a smile appeared.
Qin Hanyue gazed at her as she slept.
Qiao Ying slept for over an hour before waking up. Her sleep was fairly peaceful but restless, dreaming of Feng Ying.
As Qiao Ying opened her eyes vacantly, a concerned male voice came from above her head, "Did you have a nightmare?"
Qiao Ying didn't react at first. After a moment she asked, "You didn't go back last night?" Her tone was neither cold nor indifferent, the same as usual.
Qin Hanyue: "Mm."
Qiao Ying: "Didn't sleep?"
Qin Hanyue: "No."
Qiao Ying then left his leg, resting her head on the inner pillow and turning her back to him, "Sleep."
Qin Hanyue: "...I'll just go next door."
Eyes still closed, Qiao Ying muttered, "Melodramatic."
Only then did Qin Hanyue take off his shoes and lie down beside her.
Just as Qin Hanyue was closing his eyes, she said, "I have a friend in Dark Shadow called Feng Ying."
Hearing this, Qin Hanyue looked at the back of her head in surprise.
He didn't expect her to suddenly mention Dark Shadow, much less that she had friends there. And quite close ones too.
The main point was their codenames also contained "Ying".
There was clearly some connection between her, Feng Ying and that genius assassin Blood Shadow.
Before he could think further, she continued, "He has twin younger brothers, Xiao He and the fake Xiao He."
Qin Hanyue only knew the fake Xiao He was one of Dark Shadow's people. Were Feng Ying and the fake twin brothers also in Dark Shadow?
No wonder she was so angry yet let the man go and even wanted to save him.
Qin Hanyue asked the back of her head, "Were you two like Ye Si and Cheng Jinyan?" Sensing it was more complicated.
Indeed, after a moment of silence Qiao Ying replied, "More than that."
Even more important than Ye Si and them?
Qiao Ying: "I've known him longer than Ye Si and them." Much longer.
Qin Hanyue unconsciously wondered if her fighting skills were taught by the assassin Feng Ying.
Just as he was thinking, the girl lying with her back to him suddenly rolled over to face him, but her eyes remained closed.
Her breath was closer now. Perhaps unintentionally, but Qin Hanyue felt comforted by her gesture.
So he asked, "What about the real Xiao He?"
He had roughly guessed what happened.
Qiao Ying: "Killed by his twin brother."
Kinslaying, no wonder her reaction was so huge.
Qin Hanyue: "He doesn't know, right?"
Qiao Ying: "Mm."
Qin Hanyue: "What about Feng Ying? Does he know?" Wondering if she would go to find Feng Ying next.
But Qiao Ying told him, "He died."
Her eyes were still closed.
Qin Hanyue looked at her, knowing her heart was far from as calm as her tone and expression. No matter how petty Qin Hanyue was, he wouldn't compete with a dead person.
So he didn't ask anything, just held her hand that lay in front of her face, a silent comfort.
Not competing didn't mean he didn't care. Qin Hanyue couldn't help but think, was Feng Ying's death caused by Dark Shadow?
Was Qiao Ying's grudge against Dark Shadow because of Feng Ying?
Just as his thoughts wandered, Qiao Ying fell asleep again.
Qin Hanyue was wide awake.
Qiao Ying slept until past 2pm. As she opened her eyes, she saw the man's face right in front of her, still holding her hand.
Unsure if he was asleep or not.
Qiao Ying's slender brows raised slightly. For a moment she seemed to have forgotten that she was the one who asked him to sleep here.
Luckily she regained clarity quickly, saving Qin Hanyue from undeserved grievance.
Qiao Ying retracted her hand and changed from lying on her side to on her back. She lazily yawned, looking up at the ceiling.
Noticing something, she turned to see Qin Hanyue open his eyes looking at her.
After a brief moment of eye contact, Qiao Ying's expression was blank. "What are you looking at?"
Rather irritable.
Qin Hanyue thought to himself: seems like she's fine now.
He asked aloud, "Still not fully awake?"
Why was she still grumpy.
Qiao Ying didn't reply. She got out of bed and went into the bathroom.
Qin Hanyue followed, tidying his wrinkled suit jacket and wondering if he should ask what she wanted to eat.
Just as he reached the bathroom door, a toothbrush was held out to him.
Qin Hanyue smiled and took it, going to stand beside her.
The two stood side by side at the sink, one tall and one short, brushing their teeth harmoniously.
Using her toothpaste, cup and face towel.
After Qin Hanyue finished washing his face, he turned to see Qiao Ying wiping her face directly with her hand, water droplets splashing everywhere.
He couldn't help laughing.
Just as he was about to take the towel to wipe her face, shamelessly he moved closer, rubbing his face against hers like an overgrown Golden Retriever to wipe away the water.
Her damp cheeks were warm and soft.
Qiao Ying looked at him, clearly not very happy.
