Chapter 83: After Kissing Me, How Can an Apology Be Enough?
Chen Mo pushed open the door and walked in slowly, carrying a glass of warm milk as he always did.
Su Yuqing was shyly hiding half her face in the blankets, revealing only her affectionate eyes, which were as lively and flustered as a startled fawn’s.
A gentle smile graced his lips. "Don’t forget to drink your bedtime milk," he said.
From under the covers, Su Yuqing gave a shy little nod, looking like a flower trembling in a gentle breeze.
Just as Chen Mo was turning to leave, she suddenly called out in a small voice, "Wait..."
Surprised, Chen Mo turned back. He looked at Su Yuqing’s face, flushed as red as a ripe apple, and was filled with confusion, wondering why she had suddenly stopped him.
"I’m sorry," Su Yuqing said, her voice barely a whisper. It was so faint it seemed to drift in from a distant horizon, laced with an indescribable mix of shyness and guilt.
"I’m sorry? Why are you suddenly apologizing?" Chen Mo scratched his head, his face a mask of confusion, looking like a bewildered child.
Then, it suddenly dawned on him: Su Yuqing was probably apologizing for kissing him just now.
Chen Mo gave a wry smile. ’Silly girl,’ he thought to himself. ’What’s there to apologize for?’
But he didn’t say that out loud. Instead, he walked over to her side and said with a feigned seriousness, "Just saying ’I’m sorry’ won’t be enough."
Hearing his words and seeing his serious expression, Su Yuqing’s heart skipped a beat. Her already flustered heart began to pound in her chest, and she nervously clutched the blankets.
But then she saw Chen Mo lean down, his movements as gentle as a feather drifting to the ground.
His lips, warm and full of affection, gently pressed against her forehead.
"You kissed me. How could a simple apology be enough? For us to be even, I have to kiss you back. This is your goodnight kiss." Chen Mo smiled and gently booped the tip of her nose, which was peeking out from the blankets. His smile was like the spring sun—warm and enchanting.
Then, Chen Mo stood up with a smile and said, "Finish your milk and get some sleep."
With that, Chen Mo turned and left the room, leaving Su Yuqing frozen in a daze, as if time itself had stopped.
A few seconds later, she reached up in a daze and touched her forehead. It felt like she could still feel the warmth of his lips there. The sensation sent a jolt through her, like a gentle electric current, making her tremble slightly.
The next moment, like a joyful fawn, she happily burrowed her head completely under the covers. She giggled to herself, her laughter as clear and bright as a silver bell.
’This is great! He’s not mad at me.’ Her heart swelled with joy, and it felt as if the entire world had become a more beautiful place.
Once she had calmed down, Su Yuqing poked her head out from under the covers and took several deep breaths of fresh air. A relieved and happy smile spread across her face, as radiant and captivating as a blooming flower.
After finishing the bedtime milk Chen Mo had so thoughtfully prepared, Su Yuqing went to the bathroom to rinse her mouth before getting back into bed.
Even after all that time, the sensation of Chen Mo’s kiss still lingered on her forehead.
As she touched her forehead, Su Yuqing couldn’t help but think back... Back when she was a little girl, her mom and dad would always give her a gentle goodnight kiss.
But once they started fighting, those nightly goodnight kisses stopped.
After more than a decade, this long-forgotten feeling of being cherished and cared for before bed suddenly washed over her again, and her mind was a whirl of emotions.
After so many years, to be blessed with such a wonderful feeling again... she truly never wanted to lose it.
She immediately clasped her hands together and began to pray silently.
She didn’t pray to any god, but to her own grandfather and grandmother, asking them to bless her and Chen Mo and keep them happy together.
’And if we could take things a step further,’ she added, ’that would be even better.’
But as soon as she prayed for that, she blushed and quickly told her grandparents to disregard that last part.
It was the same shyness she would have felt if she had accidentally blurted out to her grandparents that she had a crush on a boy, only to be teased about it.
Amidst her prayers, Su Yuqing gradually drifted off to sleep.
That night, Su Yuqing had a dream that made her blush.
The dream was about her, Chen Mo, and sweet kisses...
The next morning, when sunlight streamed through the window, a blissful smile was still on her face.
She was reluctant to leave the world of her dream.
Chen Mo, on the other hand, dreamed of the little girl he had met as a child.
This time, when he met the little girl in the park, she wasn’t crying.
She came up to him with a cheerful smile, took his hand, and even gave him a kiss, saying they were all a family now.
In the dream, Chen Mo was a Little Boy, innocent and a bit clueless. He didn’t quite understand what was happening, but he was very happy.
He even introduced the new member of the family to his mom and dad.
His mom and dad welcomed the little girl with open arms. They were all one big, happy family, and it was wonderful.
The dream shattered the moment his alarm clock rang. Chen Mo sat up, trying to recall the strange dream he’d just had.
He couldn’t remember the details, only that it had been a rather strange one.
He shook his head, shrugging it off. He got out of bed, showered, and got ready, then headed to the kitchen to start making breakfast.
Su Yuqing woke up later than usual that day.
Chen Mo was making a time-consuming noodle dish for breakfast, and by the time he finished, Su Yuqing still wasn’t up.
A sense of panic suddenly welled up inside Chen Mo.
Even though they were in his own home, in the safest possible environment, whenever he couldn’t see Su Yuqing, the horrific image of her death would flash in his mind.
He was terrified of that happening again. Seeing that she still wasn’t up so late, he hurried over and knocked on her door. He only let out a heavy sigh of relief when he heard her answer from inside.
The knots in one’s heart are always the hardest obstacles to overcome.
Until he found the truth, Chen Mo would never be able to feel at ease.
The only way he’d feel safe was if he could keep an eye on Su Yuqing every single second, but that was obviously impossible. He couldn’t exactly sleep in the same bed as her.
But even with just a living room between them, there was still some distance.
There was still a chance an accident could happen and he wouldn’t be able to get to her in time.
The trauma from his past life had made him paranoid, making him jump at shadows. Whenever he even thought about the possibility of Su Yuqing being in danger, his heart would start to pound.
He decided he would install a security camera outside the guest room window to ensure he could protect her without any blind spots.