After having his face and body mercilessly ravaged, Lu Chen finally escaped from Yae Miko's clutches, his hair tousled like a bird's nest.
A chill from the bedroom swept across the living room, making him feel like Qiqi had turned up the A/C again.
Was Ei angry?
Yae Miko curled her lips and sat back down on the sofa with her usual elegance, casually playing with her nails.
"No fun... I wasn't finished yet~"
Backed by the mighty Electro Archon, Lu Chen shot a smug glance at Miko, the kind of look that said, "Come at me if you dare."
In the current food chain of the Lu household, only Ei could keep this fox in check.
Then again, Ei's pure and innocent demeanor often left her blushing from Miko's teasing. It was a tangled web of mutual manipulation.
As for Lu Chen—he floated outside the food chain. Sometimes he was played by both, and other times he had them both wrapped around his finger.
Yep… complicated.
Yae Miko caught his smug grin and rolled her eyes hard.
"What are you so proud of? You're so weak now—I'll get my revenge soon enough!"
She lifted her dainty, fair hand and showed off her pastel-pink nails in a mock-threatening pose. But with her fox ears twitching, it just made her look adorable.
Lu Chen smirked shamelessly. "Then from now on, I'll stick to Ei like glue. You won't even get a chance."
"Hmph! Shameless! Is that all you've cultivated in the last 500 years—your thick skin?" Yae Miko looked helpless at how seriously he wasn't taking her.
She finally waved her hand in defeat. "Fine, off you go. Your lovely wife's waiting for you in your room—it's late~"
She dragged out those last words, dripping with innuendo.
...
Lu Chen kept his poker face until he turned away. Then, a nervous energy crept up inside him.
He wasn't even sure what kind of mood he was in as he walked back to his room.
Opening the bedroom door, he found the room neatly tidied. Fresh white sheets covered the double bed, and two pillows had already been set.
Ei sat at the edge of the bed, staring straight at him without blinking.
When she saw him, a soft blush slowly crept across her cheeks.
Outside, the lights of the harbor twinkled in the night. A damp sea breeze slipped in through the window, gently tousling her still-damp hair.
He caught a faint fragrance in the air—was it perfume?
Or just her shampoo or body wash?
Lu Chen reached out and gently brushed her cheek, smoothing out a few strands of messy hair.
"Your hair's still wet."
Ei didn't reply. Lu Chen picked up a towel, wrapped it around her hair, and began to dry it with careful strokes.
Her cheeks reddened further.
He set the damp towel aside and ran his fingers through her now-silky hair. Her flushed face glowed in the lamplight, and his heart thudded faster.
She was... stunning.
"Were you mad earlier?"
Ei lifted her head. Her clear purple eyes reflected nothing but him, and Lu Chen felt his heart tremble.
"Ei..."
"I..."
He held his breath. The room was so still, their heartbeats were the only sounds in the air.
"Chen..."
Ei could barely hear what he said over the pounding of her own heart. She just slowly closed her eyes, her lashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
Her soft, cherry-pink lips hovered just before his, and her warm breath made the air thicken. Everything about her was becoming more beautiful, more irresistible.
To Lu Chen, the room now shimmered with a pink, magical haze of intimacy.
It was perfect.
...
...
The next morning, Lu Chen was woken by the soft strumming of a harp.
Was Venti already up?
Groggily rubbing his eyes, Lu Chen tried to sit up—only to find himself locked in place. Ei had latched onto him like an octopus in her sleep, arms and legs tightly coiled around him.
He turned his head to see her peaceful, sleeping face just inches away. Her breath was light and rhythmic.
Lu Chen brushed aside a few stubborn strands of her hair, gazing at her delicate, porcelain features.
A sense of peace and contentment bloomed in his chest. The whole world felt calm.
Maybe it was the harp music, or maybe his movements stirred her, but just as he looked at her, she stirred and slowly opened her eyes.
Her purple gaze met his, still dazed and confused from sleep—clearly unhappy to be disturbed.
Even her morning grumpiness was adorable. Lu Chen propped his chin on his hand and chuckled softly.
They lay there for a while, just silently staring at each other.
Then her eyes grew wider... and wider...
In an instant, Ei unwrapped her limbs from Lu Chen and dove under the blanket.
A breeze slipped in through the slightly parted curtains, bringing a chill to the room. Lu Chen looked around—and noticed that she had taken three-quarters of the quilt for herself.
Wrapped in it like a cocoon, she'd left him with barely a corner.
His nose felt cold, and just as he was about to sneeze, he suddenly realized why he'd slept so cold last night.
Ei had stolen the blanket!
"If I catch a cold, it's your fault..." he muttered, climbing out of bed and stretching with a long, satisfying yawn.
Still... what a perfect night.
He turned back to look at the bed. Ei was still buried under the covers.
"Wake up, sleepyhead." He tugged at the blanket.
No response. Not even a twitch.
She'd rolled herself up like a little caterpillar and wasn't moving an inch.
"Huh?" Lu Chen looked puzzled. She was clearly awake—so why was she ignoring him?
"Whatever, I'll call you for breakfast."
He figured she was just exhausted and let her rest a while longer.
After getting dressed, Lu Chen yawned and left the room.
Venti was playing the harp in his room, his daily morning ritual like clockwork.
Qiqi was out on the balcony, doing some very slow stretching, her little arms reaching toward the sun.
"One-two-three-four, two-two-three-four..."
"Three-two-three-four..."
"..."
"Two-two-three-four..."
Why is she counting backwards?
Lu Chen looked at her cartoon-themed tracksuit, wondering if she'd forgotten how many sets she'd done.
"Ah... it's Lu Chen." Qiqi heard him and turned around.
"Morning, Qiqi."
"Good morning..."
He greeted her, then headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
Qiqi watched him go, tapping a finger to her lips. Her wide eyes filled with confusion.
Where was I again?
It was just past 6 a.m. The sky was barely light. Lu Chen reheated some eggs, bread, and milk and set it all on the table for everyone to grab as they woke.
Then he bit into a piece of bread and slipped out the front door for his morning workout.
That's the mark of a disciplined man. Even after a night like that, he didn't skip his training.
Lu Chen always got up early, using Anemo to run out to a quiet, empty beach—searching for treasure chests and occasionally fighting Slimes.
It had become a routine.
Hmm... Today's Slimes seemed... unusually numerous. Lu Chen looked at the group of Hydro Slimes bouncing around him, realizing they were twice as many as usual.