Chapter 222: Mutation (20)
Lin Xu had had a long, exhausting day.
He wasn’t as naturally gifted as Bai Yinnian, so he had to rely on constant, grueling effort to keep up.
He trained during the day and went on missions at night. By the time Bai Yinnian had been speaking for twenty minutes, his eyes were already struggling to stay open, his mind drifting into a void.
Catching the keywords, he hurriedly snapped back to reality and coughed twice:
“Boss, you are handsome and fierce. Anyone would fall for you. This must be the power of love; he stood up for you.”
Bai Yinnian thought about it. “Really?”
Lin Xu hummed, covering his mouth to stifle a yawn. “Yes.”
Bai Yinnian pondered for a moment. “Alright, I see. You go to sleep.”
After hanging up the phone, he walked into the bedroom and saw Xiao Ji still propped up against the headboard reading a book. He said, calm and collected: “Why aren’t you asleep yet? You must be tired today.”
Xiao Ji didn’t look up. He yawned and said bluntly: “Waiting for you.”
This was the second time Xiao Ji had said such a thing.
The first time, he had been waiting for Bai Yinnian to come home for dinner.
At that time, Bai Yinnian hadn’t felt it so deeply.
But now, after Lin Xu’s analysis, and watching Xiao Ji struggle to keep his eyes open while waiting for him, he felt he could probably reconsider the relationship between them.
He felt a pang of pity for Xiao Ji and lowered his voice: “If you’re sleepy, just sleep. I was just talking official business with Lin Xu, not like I wasn’t coming home at night. Why wait for me?”
Xiao Ji wanted to say that Bai Yinnian hadn’t showered yet. He was a light sleeper, and every time Bai Yinnian came in and out of the bathroom to splash water around, he would inevitably wake up.
But he was afraid Bai Yinnian would overthink it, thinking he was complaining about being disturbed.
So Xiao Ji swallowed those words back and said: “It’s fine, it doesn’t matter.”
Bai Yinnian looked at Xiao Ji, wanting to ask him why, since they hadn’t known each other long, Xiao Ji would like him. Was it love at first sight?
But he felt that with Xiao Ji’s quiet and introverted personality, he would likely be too embarrassed.
So he didn’t ask. He quickly took a shower, came out, and dove straight into Xiao Ji’s covers.
Xiao Ji flipped two more pages of the book, feeling restless under Bai Yinnian’s gaze, so he simply put the book down and asked:
“You’re acting strange today. What’s going on?”
Bai Yinnian denied it. “I’m not. Where am I acting strange? Haven’t I always been like this? Why are you overthinking things?”
Xiao Ji pondered for a moment. “I mean, when you were on the rooftop, your state was wrong. You said you’d explain when we got back.”
Only when Bai Yinnian heard this did he realize Xiao Ji was actually concerned about his physical condition.
He let out an “oh” and cleared his throat:
“It’s nothing major. Just a small flaw of my own. My ability, besides what you’ve seen, has another aspect: devouring.”
“Normally, I wouldn’t do this. Extremes reverse; sometimes when an ability is too powerful, it comes with side effects. Using devouring too much, while it can increase my own strength, makes it harder to control myself.”
“Why do you think I’m the ceiling for combat power among [God Wings]? Because if I want to, I can risk losing control to evolve infinitely.”
Although there were drawbacks, it was clear this ability was too heaven-defying.
Apart from Zhao Yi and the top brass at the institute, outsiders didn’t know much about this.
Bai Yinnian told Xiao Ji so easily, simply because he was “displaying his plumage.”
Xiao Ji furrowed his brows:
“If that’s the case, then indeed, it’s best not to use it. You’re already very powerful.”
Bai Yinnian heard the word “powerful,” and the tips of his ears turned red:
“Not powerful enough. How else could I protect you?”
Xiao Ji felt that Bai Yinnian was inexplicably strange tonight.
But he didn’t ask anything else, just nodded in agreement: “You’re right.”
After speaking, he put the book on the nightstand, turned off the light, and said to Bai Yinnian: “Let’s sleep.”
After lying flat, he scooted toward the edge of the bed, distancing himself from Bai Yinnian.
This unabashed action suddenly made Bai Yinnian think of what Xiao Ji had said before leaving the house today.
His eyelid twitched, and he suddenly wished he could slap himself twice.
Bai Yinnian lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. After a long while, he said somewhat awkwardly:
“Xiao Ji, you don’t need to deliberately move over there.”
Xiao Ji turned his back to Bai Yinnian. “No, I just said I’d be mindful in the future.”
Bai Yinnian stared at the back of his head. “Are you angry?”
Xiao Ji said: “No.”
Bai Yinnian’s emotions were inexplicably high tonight. “You are angry.”
Xiao Ji remained calm. “I am not.”
Bai Yinnian: “You are, you are. Just say it, I’ll coax you.”
Xiao Ji turned around to look at Bai Yinnian’s shining eyes in the darkness: “Why would I be angry?”
Bai Yinnian licked his lips. “Before leaving today, I said that… it wasn’t because I disliked you clinging to me. I was just purely grumpy from waking up, and you kept staring at me…”
Xiao Ji said “oh.” “I’m not angry.”
Bai Yinnian: “You are.”
Xiao Ji was silent. A moment later, he compromised: “Alright, I’m angry.”
Bai Yinnian looked at him. “Then can I coax you?”
Xiao Ji still felt Bai Yinnian was acting a bit strange today. He said coldly: “As you wish.”
Bai Yinnian took a deep breath. “Don’t be angry anymore.”
Xiao Ji said: “Okay.”
Bai Yinnian was stunned. “That easy to coax?”
Xiao Ji raised an eyebrow: “Otherwise?”
Bai Yinnian didn’t say anything.
The two lay on the bed, staring at each other.
Bai Yinnian had excellent eyesight, especially after being infected. Even at night, in the dark, his vision was keener than a normal person’s.
He looked at Xiao Ji’s thin, beautiful lips, and his Adam’s apple bobbed:
“Xiao Ji, I completed the procedures this morning. Do you know what our relationship is now?”
Xiao Ji nodded. “A partnership.”
Bai Yinnian’s face fell, and he didn’t say a word.
He suddenly started to suspect that his feelings today, and Lin Xu’s analysis, might have been a delusion.
Could it be that because he was too excited, he had misunderstood Xiao Ji’s meaning?
Xiao Ji could also see Bai Yinnian’s expression. Watching him, he suddenly let out a laugh.
Bai Yinnian’s face was long. “What are you laughing at?”
Xiao Ji said: “Bai Yinnian, you’re acting a bit strange tonight.”
Bai Yinnian, who had suffered a psychological setback, also realized he had been a bit too excited tonight.
His heart began to sink, and his tone became much stiffer: “No, you’re overthinking.”
“Then why aren’t you sleeping? What are you waiting for?” Xiao Ji asked.
Bai Yinnian couldn’t say it.
He couldn’t say he was waiting for Xiao Ji to crawl into his arms, right?
If Xiao Ji really liked him, that would be one thing. But if, as Xiao Ji said, he was just a business partner, where would he put his face if he said that out loud?
He was about to say, “Forget it, it’s nothing.”
Xiao Ji suddenly leaned in closer and, before he could speak, kissed him on the lips.
After pulling away, he asked:
“Were you waiting for this?”
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XJ is having so much fun teasing his wifey lmaoo I wonder if they retain all their memories when they reunite, will we some revenge from yinnian ?? I hope we do muheheheh