[Morning]
Zane looked at the girl sleeping beside him, her face so close at hand. It would be a lie to say he felt nothing.
On the bed, the girl slept peacefully, breathing evenly. Her black hair, mixed with a few strands of silver, spread across the pillow.
With her eyes closed, the usual mature aura she carried was gone, replaced with a quiet softness that made her seem even more youthful.
Her red lips, so close, were slightly parted, and with each breath, the tip of her rosy, glossy tongue could be seen.
Perhaps she was dreaming. She lightly licked her lips and let out a soft murmur. The already perfect shade of her lips was now moistened, making them even more tempting.
Zane suppressed the stirrings in his heart and body, recalling what had happened last night.
'Did I… fall into a gentle trap yesterday?'
He had to admit, when Rover, who was usually so aggressive, suddenly became gentle, the impact was just as strong. Combined with the bonus of a lap pillow and the critical damage from black stockings…
Zane felt that any man would find it hard not to be moved.
'So I got moved. I'm a man.'
'I'm attracted to her body. I'm honest.'
Feeling Rover's affection, Zane was touched… but didn't quite dare to act.
'If she becomes a wife, she won't be able to knock my head with a blade anymore… If she becomes a wife, then we'll only be able to curl up under the blanket together at night and sink into desire and love… So a she can only be a wife… no… I mean… a wife can only be a her… sorry… I mean… she…'
'But… being a wife doesn't sound bad either?'
His gaze unconsciously focused on her chest, slightly raised from the pressure. He had always known Rover had a great figure, but sharing a bed like this had a completely different feeling.
Wiping the drool at the corner of his mouth, Zane suddenly felt a bit reluctant to get up.
Just as he was staring blankly at the girl in front of him, Rover suddenly opened her eyes.
Her golden eyes were full of teasing.
"What, mesmerized?"
Caught in the act, Zane hurriedly shut his eyes, but his face still flushed red.
'This is way too embarrassing.'
'My cold, domineering CEO persona has completely collapsed!'
Of course, all of this was seen by Rover, and the smile in her eyes grew even stronger.
"Let me tell you the truth, I woke up a long time ago, back when you were still snoring.", Rover chuckled. Seeing Zane pretending to be an ostrich with his eyes closed, she couldn't help but want to tease him properly.
"Oh my, how did this strap come undone? You better not open your eyes."
"Huh? Where did my stockings go? Have you seen my stockings?"
"Oh no! My clothes are so dirty, looks like I need to change into something else."
On the other side, facing Rover's relentless teasing, Zane kept his eyes tightly shut, desperately looping a calming chant in his mind, trying to make his little brother retreat.
But his little brother had grown up now. It had its own thoughts.
A faint scent of the girl drifted over. She laughed softly near his ear, light and ticklish, carrying a natural charm.
'Damn it! I'm going all in!:
As the saying goes, if you don't explode in silence, you perish in silence.
Zane suddenly opened his eyes and sprang up. Amid Rover's startled cry, he instantly reversed their positions, pinning the cunning little fox beneath him.
Faced with Zane's sudden counterattack, Rover hadn't even reacted before feeling the world spin, and then she was completely restrained.
Feeling the weight pressing down on her, her teasing smile froze on her face. Her fair cheeks were instantly flushed red. For a moment, she even forgot that if she wanted, she could easily throw Zane off.
"You… what are you trying to do… I'm warning you, don't mess around!"
Although her tone was threatening, combined with her blushing face, it lacked any real force.
"Oh? So you're all bark and no bite. I thought you were braver than that."
Seeing Rover's startled, kitten-like expression, Zane finally understood what it meant to turn the tables.
"Weren't you acting bold? Come on, let's hurt each other."
As Zane's face got closer and closer, Rover's face turned as red as a ripe apple. Her whole body felt light and dizzy, like she was drunk.
"I… you… wait…"
Her soft lips opened and closed unconsciously, letting out incomplete syllables.
"Don't…"
Even she didn't realize that every word she spoke now sounded soft and weak.
Looking at the girl in front of him, tempting yet hesitant, Zane swallowed unconsciously, his warm breath brushing against her face.
Seeing his face almost pressed against hers, Rover's mind went blank. She forgot even how to struggle, her face growing hotter and hotter.
"Zane, time to get up!"
A lively voice came along with a loud bang as the door was suddenly pushed open.
"Do you know where Rover went? I couldn't find..."
"Chixia, why did you stop? Is there something inside..."
"…"
"…"
Seeing the two tangled together on the bed, Chixia, holding the door handle, and Yangyang, who had come along, both blushed instantly.
"Sorry, we came at the wrong time, please continue!"
Then Zane heard the door close…
And the sound of his heart shattering.
"Hm?"
Maybe it was just his imagination, but Zane felt that single sound carried both anger and killing intent.
"Um… I can explain, this is force majeure…"
In the next second, Zane felt his feet leave the ground, instantly breaking free from gravity. He spun three and a half times in midair, traced a perfect arc, and flew out the window.
And the female lead who had just performed this physics-defying feat buried herself completely under the blanket.
Feeling her heart pounding wildly, Rover thought something must be wrong with her.
When she touched her face, she realized it was burning hot.
But in the darkness, she never noticed… or perhaps deliberately ignored… that a gentle, happy smile had formed on her lips.
———
"Zane, you were something else yesterday. I didn't expect you had that kind of brain."
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, Chixia and Yangyang might have thought everything earlier was just an illusion. But seeing the two walking ahead, arm in arm, it didn't seem like it.
"You didn't actually think I was that dumb, did you?"
Zane responded confidently to Rover's teasing.
"Yes."
After thinking for a moment, Rover seriously confirmed that yes, he was that dumb.
'That's a bit rude.'
Although that's what he thought, Zane didn't dare show it on the surface.
No choice. Rover could selectively forget what happened earlier, but if he wasn't careful, he'd end up with actual memory loss.
Seeing Zane's obedient look, Rover nodded in satisfaction.
"Since you're being so well-behaved, then I…" She smiled teasingly and winked at him. "I'll reward you by letting you sleep in my room tonight."
"!"
Happiness came too suddenly. Zane was instantly dizzy from this unexpected blessing.
At this moment, he had already planned what kind of underwear to wear tonight.
"I'll sleep in your room with the Doctor."
"!!"
The cruelest thing in the world is giving someone hope, then throwing them into despair.
But seeing Rover with a mischievous smile, holding the Doctor who looked helpless, Zane could only smile indulgently.
'What's so bad about that?'
"I'm going too!", Chixia was the first to apply to join.
"Rover, can I come?"
Yangyang wasn't willing to fall behind.
"Sure, you're all my wings."
Rover readily agreed to this newly formed team that might turn into a group chat at any moment.
Only…
"Great, great, I'm always included for work, but when it's time for fun you don't call me? Wait… I've become the extra one!?"