It's still morning… I should at least take a shower first!
"—Achoo!"
In the midst of a deep sleep, Li Lin felt a tickling sensation at the tip of his nose and couldn't help but sneeze.
Still groggy, he didn't quite grasp what was happening. He merely rubbed his nose and turned over, ready to drift back into his dream.
Half-asleep, a thought crossed his mind:
The big bed is so soft, much more comfortable than the chair...
Just as Li Lin was about to fall asleep again, he suddenly jolted, reaching out to feel the surface beneath him.
Huh? When did I end up back in bed?
Instantly, Li Lin's drowsiness vanished, and he opened his eyes wide.
Before him was the familiar sight of a large bed's ceiling and overhead view.
This was Caitlyn's room?
How did I get here?
Wasn't I in the underground laboratory?
As Li Lin looked bewildered, Caitlyn's voice, tinged with a hint of reproach and worry, rang out beside him, "You've finally woken up. I was so worried."
Li Lin raised his head slightly to see Caitlyn lying beside him.
She was wearing a deep purple, breezy crop top and matching hot pants, her long, alluring legs and graceful curves openly displayed.
Since Piltover's winter isn't very cold and the Kiramman family has excellent heating, wearing summer attire indoors is no issue.
Caitlyn rested her chin on Li Lin's right knee, her left hand propped up her face while her right hand absently twirled a strand of her purple hair. Her bare feet, gracefully arched and crossed in the air, swayed rhythmically, with delicate, perfectly proportioned toes occasionally curling.
Seeing Li Lin watching her, she quickly dropped her hand from her hair. Clearly, Caitlyn had been the one to make him sneeze.
"How did I end up in your room? I was supposed to be…"
Before he could finish, Caitlyn completed his thought, "You were supposed to be in the underground laboratory, right?"
Li Lin propped himself up on the bed, sitting cross-legged and rubbing his temples, still slightly groggy.
Caitlyn moved closer, resting her chin on his right knee, gazing up at him with an expression of gentle reproach, her eyes filled with concern.
"You promised me you wouldn't work non-stop without sleeping."
She seized Li Lin's restless left hand and squeezed it with an intensity that was more about expressing frustration than inflicting pain, knowing her strength couldn't truly hurt him.
"AI had notified me that you fell asleep on a chair in the underground laboratory. Do you know what I felt?"
"Caitlyn…"
"I know you're busy, and it seems you're always chasing something, never allowing yourself to rest. Even though you spend less time with me because of your work, I've never complained. You know that."
Caitlyn's serious gaze met Li Lin's, "But why don't you take care of yourself? You might say that your enhanced body can handle it, but what do you have to say about being in a state of near-coma in the lab yesterday?"
Her eyes began to mist, and her cheeks reddened slightly as she continued, "Do you know how much it hurts me? We had agreed that you wouldn't work through the night and that you'd get at least four hours of sleep each day. But it seems you haven't kept our promise."
Li Lin looked embarrassed, gently caressing her smooth, well-maintained face.
Caitlyn allowed his touch but her discontent and the skepticism in her deep blue eyes remained unchanged.
Her message was clear: If you don't give me an explanation today, this matter isn't over.
Li Lin was silent for a few seconds, unsure how to respond to Caitlyn's concern. He sighed deeply.
"Caitlyn… The research I'm working on is really important."
Noticing Caitlyn's unchanged expression, he knew she wasn't satisfied with this explanation and continued, "The technology I'm researching could completely free Kai'Sa from the Void's influence."
Sorry, Kai'Sa, for using you as a shield to make Caitlyn understand...
Li Lin maintained a nonchalant facade but apologized inwardly to Kai'Sa, who was currently nowhere in sight.
Upon hearing that the research was aimed at solving Kai'Sa's issue, Caitlyn's expression softened slightly, though her doubtful gaze still scrutinized him.
"Really? Have you found a solution for Kai'Sa's living skin problem?" she asked, sitting up with a more serious look, "This is crucial. Don't just use it as an excuse to placate me."
"When have I ever deceived you?" Li Lin brushed his thumb over her slightly turned-up nose, "The technology is indeed very important and is a first-time attempt. It requires continuous work without interruptions and is quite draining, which is why I collapsed in the chair."
Caitlyn tilted her head, scrutinizing Li Lin's face, seemingly assessing the sincerity of his explanation.
After a moment, she sighed and said, "Fine, if it's for Kai'Sa… I'll let it go."
Before Li Lin could relax, Caitlyn leaned closer, lowering her voice as if discussing something secretive.
"And about that twilight star spirit you mentioned…"
"Zoe? What's wrong?"
"Speak more quietly. She might hear…"
"Don't worry, I've specifically instructed her not to eavesdrop on conversations in her own room, especially ours. She won't do it… shouldn't?"
However, Li Lin suddenly recalled Zoe's mischievous nature and her dislike for following rules. He hesitated and asked, "AI, is Zoe at home right now?"
He had previously installed the AI system in various rooms of the Kiramman residence. Regardless of location or who was present, communication with the AI was always possible, greatly enhancing convenience for everyone in the Kiramman household.
No sooner had Li Lin spoken than a small, amplifier-like mechanical device in the corner of the room began to blink with a blue light. A neutral electronic voice emerged from it:
[Miss Zoe, after inquiring about your condition last night, vanished into a portal and has not been seen since.]
"You see, she's not even at home right now and won't know about our conversation. So, you can relax." Li Lin gently stroked Caitlyn's hand. "What's the situation? Has she been targeting you in any way?"
"Well, not really." Caitlyn hesitated. "Uh, how should I put this? You've been busy these past few days, so Zoe hasn't bothered you and has been sticking close to me most of the time."
Li Lin's expression showed a hint of confusion. "...Ah?"
Chosen by the Twilight Star Spirit during her youth, Zoe began her adventures across the starry skies and parallel universes, so she never had much contact with ordinary social norms or elder teachings. Essentially, she remained a playful child, unaware of the complexities of the world.
Her mischievous tendencies seemed amplified by her affinity with the Twilight Star Spirit , which further exaggerated her childish behavior. This resulted in some jealousy, especially in her feelings towards Li Lin, similar to Caitlyn's own.
When Zoe first joined the Kiramman household, she had verbally antagonized Caitlyn in domestic matters, but after being reprimanded by Li Lin, she had restrained herself and had not caused trouble since.
Now Caitlyn mentioned that Zoe had been following her around for a week?
"She... hasn't done anything outrageous, has she?"
Li Lin quickly checked Caitlyn for any signs of "injury."
"—Hey! What are you doing?"
Caitlyn, startled like a frightened rabbit, quickly shielded herself and stared warily at Li Lin. "I warn you, it's daytime now. Don't touch me."
Li Lin withdrew his hand, embarrassed. "I just wanted to see if Zoe played any pranks on you."
"Well, she hasn't done anything like that, but Zoe's behavior has been strange." Caitlyn recalled Zoe's recent actions, a hint of confusion on her face. "She seems to be... trying to please me?"
Upon hearing this, Li Lin was puzzled for a moment before he made a questioning sound. "...Hmm? Are you sure you're not joking?"
"Of course I'm not. That's why I'm confused." Caitlyn and Li Lin locked eyes, her expression complex, and there was a strange meaning in her eyes. "I know she likes you, and she wears her feelings on her sleeve... but this is illegal."
Li Lin scratched his head, not quite understanding her point. "But she's at least over a thousand years old. The reason she still looks like this is that she's used magic to restrict her growth, not wanting to age."
Caitlyn: "..."
There's such a thing?! Can I also stay youthful forever? Almost every girl dreams of staying forever young, and Caitlyn was no exception.
Realizing she had strayed from the topic, Caitlyn quickly shook her head and cleared her mind of such thoughts as she met Li Lin's curious gaze.
"So, what do you think is the reason for her behavior? Why is she suddenly trying to please me?"
Maybe she's trying to get close to you so that I would accept her?
Li Lin hesitated for a moment but decided not to voice this thought. "Maybe she wants your approval."
"My approval…"
As a detective with strong logical reasoning skills, Caitlyn immediately seemed to figure something out from Li Lin's words. She fell silent, her expression growing more complex.
The room fell into a quiet, almost palpable tension.
After a while, not wanting this issue to become a barrier between him and Caitlyn, Li Lin broke the silence and changed the subject. "Hey, let's not talk about this."
At Caitlyn's puzzled look, Li Lin moved closer and embraced her.
She seemed to realize something, her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue, her heart pounding, and her breathing slightly quickening.
"Don't, don't do that... it's still daytime…"
"So what? It's the weekend, you don't have to work, and our parents should be out. No one will disturb us."
Li Lin chuckled as he blew gently near Caitlyn's now completely "ripe" earlobe. "Besides, it's been how many days? Don't you miss me?"
"You, you're really annoying!"
Caitlyn, denying Li Lin any further opportunity, wriggled out of his embrace and placed her small foot against his chest to stop his "hungry wolf" behavior.
However, seeing the disappointment in Li Lin's eyes made her heart flutter, and she softened.
"Hmm... at least go take a shower first!"
(End of Chapter)
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