Ren Zexi successfully snuck himself into Lu Yizhou's room and occupied the man's bed. He laid down nervously, eyes kept drifting toward the bathroom door. The sound of water came from inside and warm mists floated out from the gaps underneath the door.
Lu Yizhou didn't take long. A few minutes later, he came out with his hair damp, a towel across his shoulder. He only donned a bathrobe which he took off after he sat by the side of the bed.
Ren Zexi's eyes were trained on the beads of water that slid down the man's nape. The dim light from the nightstand lamp illuminated his side profiles, making him look pale and soft all over. "Uncle Lu... aren't you going to dry your hair?" He mumbled.
"It will dry by itself." Lu Yizhou tossed the towel to the chair and proceeded to lay down straight, his eyes closing.
From this distance, Ren Zexi could see his faintly undulating chest and his unblemished, flawless face. Lu Yizhou was so different compared to Papa. He didn't have chest hair, nor did he smell like smoke. He also didn't like to laugh or play with him. Ren Zexi could tell that he was originally cold and stoic, one that didn't have much feelings to begin with.
But Ren Zexi liked him. He liked Uncle Lu very much.
He didn't know why… was it because Lu Yizhou was the person who brought him away from that place? He tried to imagine the scenario where it wasn't Lu Yizhou but someone else and his heart constricted painfully in an instant. No… Ren Zexi couldn't imagine any other person other than Lu Yizhou. It was like if it hadn't been Lu Yizhou, then no one would have saved him.
"Still not asleep?" Lu Yizhou asked without opening his eyes.
Ren Zexi flinched in shock then hastily shut his eyes and calmed his breathing. A slight rustle was heard from the side and he could feel Lu Yizhou turning sideways.
"Don't pretend anymore." Lu Yizhou poked his forehead. "Your eyeballs are twitching like crazy."
Ren Zexi slowly peeled his eyes open, guilty. "Sorry, Uncle Lu…"
"One more thing you have to remember when you're staying here." Lu Yizhou suddenly said. "No need to say sorry if you haven't made any mistake."
Ren Zexi suppressed the apology that almost slipped off his tongue and nodded meekly. "Okay…" Nonetheless, his eyes were wide open, staring straight at Lu Yizhou as if anticipating something.
[What is he thinking about?]
[666: Sorry, Host. 666 isn't equipped with mind-reading ability~]
[Then scan that useless library of yours.]
666's cries echoed in his mind. As a good system, it still helped its Host wholeheartedly whilst sobbing. [In...In Admin God's library, there is a book titled "What To Do If Your Child Can't Sleep". It is stated that first, make sure that your children use the bed that's familiar to them. Umm, should we go to bring Ren Zexi's bed here?]
Lu Yizhou gritted his teeth. [Next.]
[666: O—Oh! Next...ensure the bedroom is comfortable and try to maintain the same sleep schedule—]
[Can't you find something useful?]
[666: QAQ Host is such a meanie... Oh, this! This should be it! Spend quality time together! You should sing a lullaby or tell him bedtime stories, Host!]
[Next.]
[666: There's no moarrr ヽ(≧Д≦)ノ! Host is so dense at times like these! You should choose one among the choices!]
Lu Yizhou pressed on his temple and frowned.
Seeing that, Ren Zexi grew worried again, especially when Lu Yizhou had looked a bit uncomfortable at noon earlier. "Uncle Lu, are you sick?"
"No." He said curtly. "I'm sleepy already. Go to sleep."
"Oh…" Ren Zexi fidgeted, then as if having made a big decision, he inhaled. "Uncle Lu, can I request something?"
"What is it?"
"Umm...can I...borrow your hand?" His voice got quieter and quieter and the last word totally fell into an inaudible whisper. Fortunately or not, Lu Yizhou had heard everything.
"My hand? What do you want to use it for?" He asked strangely.
"No, it's nothing weird. S—Sometimes, when I can't fall asleep, Papa will let me hold his hand throughout the night…" Ren Zexi was lying. If he couldn't sleep, then he would directly climb to his parents' bed and laid himself in the middle. He liked to be surrounded by warmth and their embrace. However...he couldn't possibly ask Lu Yizhou something like that.
Lu Yizhou directly nodded, much to Ren Zexi's surprise. If the latter knew that holding hands was a much better choice than singing a lullaby or telling stories which Lu Yizhou was contemplating, it was unknown what Ren Zexi's reaction would be.
He gingerly held Lu Yizhou's fingers, a smile made its way to his face. This was an unfamiliar bedroom and an unfamiliar person was lying beside him. Ren Zexi thought that he wouldn't have been able to fall asleep but when he closed his eyes and smelled the soft scent of Lu Yizhou's body wash, relief instantly flooded him and he drifted off in no time at all.
Lu Yizhou observed the child's soft, long breathing and let out a sigh. [666, give me a few sleeping pills.]
[666: What?! W—What for?]
[I can't sleep.] Lu Yizhou frowned. Even though he was currently still alive and kicking, for him his life had ended yesterday. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could still feel the biting cold snow around his body, the whistling blizzard and the relief he felt when he closed his eyes. He thought that he had finally left everything behind… but then he woke up again and was bound with this stupid system.
[666: Host!!!]
666's piercing shriek dispersed the fog in his mind and his eyes snapped open. Only then did he realize that his teeth were chattering and beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. His heartbeat thumped irregularly and his chest hurt like someone was poking needles through it.
Lu Yizhou frowned and laid flat on his back, panting weakly. [What's wrong with this body? Why is it so weak?]
[666: Well, Host...This world's Lu Yizhou can already be considered healthy for someone with congenital heart disease. Being able to live until the age of 30 is already a miracle. Mild symptoms like this are an everyday thing.]
[You mean to say that I have to live more than half of my life here, in this world, with this kind of pain until I die? Are you sure you're not inciting me to do another suicide?]
666 sensed the increasingly grim atmosphere around its Host's body and shivered. It instantly changed the topic. [S—Sleeping pills can be found in the system store! It's only 5 points per pill and the effect is spontaneous! Do you want to purchase one?]
[Give me a hundred.]
[666: Yes, alright a—A WHAT?!!]
[A hundred. I have to spend 5475 days in this world, minus today, then it's 5474. Do you think only a few pills are enough?]
[666: Y—Y—You can't consume sleeping pills so often! It's unhealthy for your body, Host!]
Lu Yizhou sneered. [What's the problem? I can't die anyway.]
"Hmm…" As if sensing the agitation of the person beside him, Ren Zexi stirred and slowly rolled until he fit snugly into Lu Yizhou's side. He smacked his lips, tears hanging onto his damp eyelashes. "Mama...Papa…"
Lu Yizhou's hands that were ready to push him away halted in midair. Sighing, he finally surrendered to his fate and patted the child's back. Gingerly, hesitantly.
Soothed, a tiny smile formed on Ren Zexi's face and he nuzzled his head closer, clinging onto Lu Yizhou's arm tightly. "I like…Uncle Lu..." He mumbled in his sleep.
[666: Awwwww~ look at this cutiepie! He just said he likes you, Host!]
Lu Yizhou stared at Ren Zexi's face with a perplexed look. [How? We have only met today. What if I'm a bad person with ulterior motives?]
[666: *whispers* Well, isn't that true?]
[What did you say?]
[666: No! Nothing! I said that Ren Zexi is truly so pure. Host, you're so kind to him. That's why he likes you!]
[I'm kind to him?] No matter how he thought about it, Lu Yizhou couldn't think of the moment when he was being kind. He had always treated Ren Zexi as usual, sometimes...even as a pet.
[666: Err—666 is also unsure. Host should ask him when he's awake later.]
[Forget it.] Lu Yizhou closed his eyes. The sudden interruption from Ren Zexi had more or less distracted his mind.
He also wasn't fixated on purchasing 100 sleeping pills again. Hell, it was 500 points in total! Spending half of the starter point just on sleeping pills? This was the first time 666 had ever heard that a human could be so crazy! It glanced at his Host and discreetly went to the system forum, creating a new account and making a post. [Help! My Host seems to be a drug addict in his real life. What to do?]
Fortunately, Lu Yizhou didn't have the slightest idea of what 666 did behind his back. He maintained his relaxed form yet sleep wouldn't overcome him. No matter how warm the room he was in, there was a penetrating chill deep within his bones that couldn't be erased. The only source of heat he could vividly feel was from...his side — the arm which Ren Zexi hugged.
The boy smelled of the same body wash, yet there was also a tinge of milky scent that was kinda soothing. Ren Zexi's rhythm breathing was akin to an anchor for Lu Yizhou to focus his attention on.
He had never known that having someone sleeping by his side unexpectedly... wasn't so bad. Subconsciously, he rolled over and brought the little heater into his embrace, his breath deepening.
In the end, he fell asleep just like that.
.
.
Mini theater
Ren Zexi found out that Lu Yizhou secretly laughed at him as he was drinking milk before going to bed. Later, he found out the reason. It was because of his milk moustache.
That's why, from then on Ren Zexi would deliberately make sure he had a milk moustache after drinking milk and paraded in front of Lu Yizhou, pretending to be oblivious.
Once, Lu Yizhou would still chuckle and help him wipe his mouth.
Twice, he shook his head, amused.
Thrice, he didn't laugh again.
The fourth time, Ren Zexi was berated because he kept on making a mess on his face when drinking milk.
From then on, Ren Zexi had a bad relationship with milk moustaches.