But hai Baihe is different. He finds those girls cute, appreciating each flower for its unique beauty. It's a one-way feeling. The word "cute" can be replaced by any compliment—beautiful, interesting, mesmerizing—it all works.
However, his feeling towards Hai Baihe being cute is different. What does "cute" mean? It's endearing, it brings joy. They share a mutual emotional connection, which is his subjective feeling.
"You are the cutest." Without thinking, Liang Xiao uttered these words. As soon as he said it, he suddenly changed his expression. This shouldn't have been something he said. Did his tongue get controlled by a devil?
Hai Baihe also sensed this difference. Was it insincere sweet talk or genuine? She naturally had her own way to discern.
She was very surprised. All along, Liang Xiao and their interactions were like a game they both knew well. Not discussing emotions was a rule he established. In fact, she didn't care, but she still agreed to this rule. However, what she didn't expect was that Liang Xiao would cross the line on his own.
Yet, his slightly changed expression made her sigh inwardly. She understood why he was wary of this. A certain pity arose in her for his inability to dare to show genuine emotions. So, she smiled sweetly as if nothing happened and said, "You are the most handsome too, handsome guy. Give me a kiss."
She generously offered her own kiss, treating his words as a usual sweet talk.
Liang Xiao's tense nerves slightly relaxed with this attitude. He smiled as well, as if this matter had passed without a trace.
But he was already considering whether he should consider leaving. Usually, staying overnight at someone's place was mostly for physical intimacy, and they had already experienced that today. Did he really need to stay and sleep together like a typical couple?
Whether his intentions were revealed or not, Hai Baihe yawned, "I'm tired. I woke up too early today. I want to sleep. Are you sleeping?"
Liang Xiao thought that if he mentioned leaving abruptly after agreeing to stay overnight, it might make her sad. He dismissed his original thought and said, "It's getting late. Let's rest."
The two of them returned to the bedroom, one after the other. Fortunately, even though they had engaged in the battle on the bed, the bedsheet was still in place, saving them from the tragedy of changing the bedding before sleeping.
Hai Baihe quickly removed the bedsheet cover and tossed it aside, then lifted the blanket and settled into bed. After Liang Xiao lay down beside her, he casually turned off the bedside lamp. However, the night light remained, faintly outlining the silhouette of the person beside him.
For some reason, Hai Baihe felt a bit excited. She scooted closer and said, "I'll come closer."
This was not the first time Liang Xiao stayed overnight at her place, but it was the first time they were going to sleep so "innocently." Usually, they would engage in activities first and then lie back on the bed quite late. They would make some jokes and fall asleep.
In this regard, Hai Baihe felt that he was a considerate lover. He always took the initiative to take safety measures and handled most of the aftermath. Afterward, he would say some pleasing words, whether they were genuine or not, at least they were pleasant.
Now, without any foreplay, they suddenly entered a state of pure sleep. Somehow, he also felt something subtle. When he heard Hai Baihe's question, he cleared his throat, "Hmm, come closer."
Hai Baihe used
her fingers under the blanket to lightly touch his arm, tickling him gently. Liang Xiao felt as if her fingertips were penetrating his skin, directly touching his heart. This slight physical contact and direct affection were entirely different sensations.
He tried to catch her hand, but Hai Baihe quickly withdrew it. Then she drew a heart on his waist, and Liang Xiao tried to catch it again, but she escaped.
"Haha." She triumphantly blew air on his face, "You can't catch me."
Liang Xiao pulled his hand out from under the blanket and pinched her face, "Caught you."
"Ouch, let go, it hurts." Hai Baihe brushed away his hand and pretended to be angry, ready to bite him. Liang Xiao evaded sideways, and he kissed her lips, saying, "Stop playing, let's call a truce."
After washing up, Hai Baihe didn't want to get up again to tidy up, so they called a truce. But she was a bit bored, "How about we chat?"
"Sure, about what?"
Hai Baihe's eyes lit up, she had an idea. She pretended to be distressed and tapped her forehead with her finger, "Sometimes I feel like I'm quite bad."
"Why?" He thought she was adorable.
"Sometimes, at first sight, I really want to have someone. But once I have them, I don't like them anymore." Hai Baihe sighed, "When I was in junior high school, I had a boyfriend. At that time, I thought, oh, he's so handsome, I want to be with him. So, I confessed to him, and he agreed. We dated for over a month, but suddenly I found him very annoying. Why did I have to go watch him play basketball? He wasn't even as good as me. I wanted to watch a movie with my friends, and after doing it several times, I got tired of it and broke up with him."
"He asked me if I changed my mind, and I said no, I just don't like you anymore. He got angry and accused me of playing with his feelings. Many people scolded me, but only my friend supported me. Do you think I was too much?"
Liang Xiao thought for a moment and said, "Not at all. When you were together with him, it was because you genuinely liked him. If you no longer like someone, it's painful to continue being with them. It's better to break up decisively without dragging it out. How can that be considered too much?" He found her direct and straightforward nature cute. If she liked someone, she would pursue them, and if she didn't, she would leave without forcing herself.
"But since then, I haven't dated anyone else. Sometimes I think about it, but then I feel bothered. What if I stop liking him quickly? What if he gets heartbroken if I break up with him? It's too troublesome," Hai Baihe said with a worried expression, "So I'd rather not get into relationships. No psychological burden, just enjoy liking someone for a while, and if I don't like them anymore, it ends. What do you think?"
Liang Xiao touched her head, feeling a bit sympathetic. "It doesn't have to be that way. If you genuinely like someone, you should pursue them. A stable and strong emotional connection isn't a bad thing. The relationship between boyfriends and girlfriends cannot be compared to that kind of casual affair. If you like someone, you should give it a try. Who knows, it might turn into something meaningful."
Hai Baihe wondered, "Oh, is that what you think?"
"Yes," Liang Xiao smiled, "Any
problem with that?"
"I thought you were opposed to having relationships between boyfriends and girlfriends. Otherwise, why do you always tell me not to develop feelings?" Hai Baihe asked.
Liang Xiao froze for a moment. Why did he say not to develop feelings? That was because he was afraid... afraid of what? Was he afraid he would hurt others, or was he afraid others would hurt him?
As if completely oblivious to his silence, Hai Baihe continued, "So if it were you, if you liked someone, would you give it a try?"
"I don't know." After a long silence, he said, "I probably wouldn't like anyone."
In the darkness, she let out a sigh, "I see." Her voice returned to a light and lively tone, "Forget it, I won't think about these complicated questions anymore. Maybe when the time comes, there will be an answer, right?"
He whispered, "Yes." The most difficult emotion for humans to control is love. Once it arrives, reason cannot bind it, and we can only let it roam freely in our hearts.
"Then I'm going to sleep. Goodnight." Hai Baihe leaned over and gave him a kiss before falling asleep contentedly.
With no worries, Hai Baihe quickly fell asleep, but Liang Xiao's thoughts were carried away by her. He thought of some strange things that made him feel perplexed.
For instance, it was only their third date, and even though they had already been in bed together, they were still familiar strangers. They should have been cautious and guarded around each other, but in reality... he seemed to have no guard up against her, even though she was peculiar in many ways. He felt no nervousness.
Not only that, their interactions were very relaxed and enjoyable. He found her cute and she always managed to make him happy. He also wanted to make her happy.
Their dates weren't just motivated by physical desires or loneliness. They thought actively and happily about the next time they would meet.
What's even stranger was that after each date, he felt his feelings towards her changing. It was as if a catalyst was added, which was simply incredible.
He couldn't help but turn his head to look at the sleeping Hai Baihe. She was as sweet and adorable as honey. He thought that maybe it was all an illusion. Humans have an innate desire for beauty, and perhaps he was unconsciously drawn to beautiful things.
At that moment, Hai Baihe rubbed her arm against his, and Liang Xiao lowered his head to see that her scattered hair was tickling her face. He instinctively tried to brush it away.
A gentle smile formed on his lips as he reached out and cleared her hair. She stopped feeling itchy, but her cheek pressed against his arm, and she fell asleep, resembling a clingy little animal.
This scene of falling asleep without any romantic implications was so warm and beautiful that tenderness welled up within him, and he unknowingly pushed his doubts aside.