In the apartment, the atmosphere was much quieter compared to the chaos outside.
Lin Xian sat on the sofa, taking a deep breath. Beside him, Liu Yanyan was still clutching his arm tightly, her body still trembling slightly.
"Yanyan... You're safe now. Can you let go for a moment?" Lin Xian said softly, his voice calm.
Liu Yanyan turned her head slowly, realizing how close they were. Her face turned red, and she hurriedly released her embrace, bowing her head deeply.
"S-sorry..." she whispered faintly.
Lin Xian stood up, walked to a small cabinet in the corner of the room, and took out a first aid kit. He returned to sit in front of Liu Yanyan and opened the bandages and alcohol.
"Your wound is scratched... I need to clean it," he said softly.
Without waiting for a reply, he carefully took Liu Yanyan's hand. His attention was serious, his fingers gently touching her skin. Liu Yanyan bit her lower lip, trying to suppress the sting as the alcohol touched her wound, but what made her even more nervous was the way Lin Xian was taking care of her.
Her face became even redder. She felt awkward, but also warm.
Why does it feel like this...? she thought, confused by her heart racing faster.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Lin Xian briefly glanced at Liu Yanyan's face—red, nervous, and slightly sweaty. His brow furrowed slightly.
"Your face is red... Do you have a fever?" he asked quickly.
Without hesitation, he placed his palm against Liu Yanyan's forehead.
Immediately, Liu Yanyan froze.
Her body stiffened, her eyes widened, and her heart started pounding faster.
But... she didn't pull away. Instead, she let Lin Xian's hand rest on her forehead.
"No... I'm just... maybe I'm just nervous..." she mumbled, almost inaudible.
Lin Xian also realized how intimate it was.
He quickly withdrew his hand and pretended to focus on rearranging the first aid kit.
The room fell silent again, with only the sound of their breathing filling the space. There was an unspoken tension, but both chose to remain silent for a moment.
After a while, Lin Xian broke the silence.
"Yanyan... Can you tell me what really happened with your cat? Why did it suddenly act like that?"
Liu Yanyan bowed her head even deeper, her face becoming sad. She felt a heavy weight in her heart as she tried to explain the terrifying incident.
"Xiao Hei... he's not an ordinary cat. He... has always been there for me. Since I moved here, he's always accompanied and protected me. But this afternoon... I noticed something strange. His eyes were red, his body was trembling, and he attacked me without any reason."
Liu Yanyan's voice choked, as if she still couldn't accept the reality of it. "I've cared for him, fed him, but... he became so aggressive, so different. I'm scared... I'm really scared, I don't know what happened to him."
Lin Xian listened attentively, his eyes calm despite the growing worry inside him.
"Can a cat change like that?" Lin Xian asked, more to himself than to Liu Yanyan. "Maybe... the strange three suns caused physical changes?"
Liu Yanyan was silent for a moment, staring blankly as if she was reflecting on his words. "That could be possible," she whispered, her eyes beginning to well up with tears.
Lin Xian was silent, deep in thought. Then, he comforted Liu Yanyan gently, patting her head warmly. "Maybe Xiao Hei didn't mean to attack you. He must be confused by these changes."
The atmosphere became a little calmer. Liu Yanyan felt a bit better after talking, though her heart was still full of anxiety.
Suddenly, in a very soft voice, almost like a whisper, Liu Yanyan said, "Manager Lin... C-could I stay here tonight?"
Lin Xian turned, a bit surprised. This wasn't the request he expected, but seeing the worried expression on Liu Yanyan's face, he began to understand.
"I... I'm scared," Liu Yanyan continued, her voice weak and trembling. "My unit... I don't want to go back there alone..."
Liu Yanyan lowered her head deeply, her voice honest yet full of doubt. Her shoulders trembled slightly, holding back the very real fear.
Lin Xian paused for a few seconds, thinking carefully. His rational side wanted to refuse, but seeing Liu Yanyan's anxious expression, he couldn't bring himself to turn her away.
"Alright," Lin Xian replied quietly. "But you'll sleep in that room," he said, pointing to another room.
Liu Yanyan lifted her face, her eyes bright despite the tears that almost spilled. "Thank you... Manager..."
Lin Xian stood and sighed softly. "Just call me Lin Xian. Things aren't normal right now, so we should help each other."
Liu Yanyan nodded gently, then smiled slightly.
Lin Xian stood up and went to the bathroom to clean himself.
The sound of water flowing could be heard, calming the atmosphere that had once been filled with tension.
A few minutes later, he came out wearing only a towel wrapped around his body, his hair wet and disheveled.
As soon as he stepped out, his gaze fell on the table where his clothes had been scattered earlier.
He was surprised to see that everything had been neatly folded by Liu Yanyan.
Cold sweat touched his forehead as he suddenly felt embarrassed.
Sometimes, he got so caught up in his work that he neglected the cleanliness of his unit.
"Thank you, Liu Yanyan," Lin Xian said softly, his voice filled with gratitude. "You didn't have to do that."
Liu Yanyan, who was standing beside the table, shook her head politely. "No, Lin Xian, it's no trouble at all. I'm used to it," she said with a slightly nervous tone.
But she paused for a moment.
Her face suddenly turned red.
When Lin Xian came out of the bathroom, only wearing a towel around his body, Liu Yanyan was stunned. Without meaning to, her gaze fixed on his exposed body, with clearly defined muscles, a strong and proportional frame. Liu Yanyan's face turned red instantly, and she quickly tried to look away, but her eyes remained trapped on Lin Xian's sturdy back.
"Am I... supposed to be seeing this?" she thought to herself, but her heart raced, and the feeling of embarrassment became harder to avoid. Lin Xian's athletic and well-maintained body gave off a strong impression, and even though she felt guilty for staring for too long, she couldn't ignore the feelings it stirred inside her.
Liu Yanyan tried to calm herself. "You shouldn't be like this," she thought, but her heart continued to stir.
Flustered, she quickly lowered her head, feeling very awkward.
Meanwhile, Lin Xian was a little confused, noticing Liu Yanyan's awkward behavior.