Part 2
Mu Qingzhou placed it in the gift box provided by the restaurant and handed it to Zhu Ran: “For you. A flower that never withers. I hope you don’t mind.”
This was the first time Zhu Ran had seen Mu Qingzhou use his ice ability.
Condensing ice with an ability wasn’t hard, but carving such a lifelike ice rose with an ability was not easy. it required very delicate control of mental power.
From this ice flower, the appearance was impeccable, and the details were realistic, as if made of crystal.
Mu Qingzhou’s ability was very strong.
“It’s very beautiful. I like it very much.”
Zhu Ran accepted the ice flower, his smile brilliant.
Hearing Zhu Ran say he liked it, Mu Qingzhou’s gaze also carried a hint of a smile.
“I’ll see you back! I rented a hovercar for convenience.”
“Is it far?”
“Not far. The place I’m staying is also in the central district.”
“Alright, thank you.”
Mu Qingzhou then sent Zhu Ran to his residence.
After watching Zhu Ran go upstairs, Mu Qingzhou looked at Zhu Ran’s residence thoughtfully.
If he wasn’t mistaken, quite a few military people seemed to live in this community.
Was it because of Zhu Ran… or because of someone else?
Holding the gift Zhu Ran gave him, Mu Qingzhou drove away from the community where Zhu Ran lived.
Returning to his hotel, Mu Qingzhou didn’t open the gift box but slowly stroked the outer layer of the box.
Zhu Ran’s mental power and scent remained on it.
He raised his hand. His palm and fingertips seemed to still hold Zhu Ran’s body temperature, as warm as he imagined, and very fragrant.
“It truly is so warm.”
When Zhu Ran returned home, Z was still sitting in the living room with his optical computer, his mood unreadable.
“You’re back.”
Z asked seemingly casually: “How was the other person?”
Zhu Ran had a relaxed smile on his face: “He’s a very good person. We’ve made an appointment to go clear mutated plants together in a few days.”
Z’s aura darkened: “Mutated plants aren’t safe.”
“It’s okay. He’s very strong, and I have the vine protecting me.”
As Zhu Ran spoke, he showed the gift box Mu Qingzhou gave him to Z: “Look, he also gave me an ice rose made with mental power. It’s beautiful, right?”
The rose made of ice was crystal clear, shimmering with brilliant light under the reflection of the lamps.
It was very bright, but it also made Z’s face look a bit cold.
Z didn’t like this ice rose at all.
Zhu Ran: “By the way, what did you have for lunch? I don’t seem to smell any food.”
Z looked at Zhu Ran’s smiling face, then at the ice rose in his hand, and said coldly: “Nutritional fluid.”
Although Z usually spoke with very little emotion and sounded very cold, he had never made Zhu Ran feel such an obvious bad mood as today.
Zhu Ran turned his gaze to Z.
Brilliant golden hair, beautiful heterochromatic eyes, wearing a loose deep blue pullover knit sweater… all were the same as usual.
However… Z’s mouth seemed to be downturned.
He looked a bit like… a big cat sulking.
Zhu Ran guessed: So, Z is unhappy?
Mu Qingzhou’s message had come suddenly last night. After Zhu Ran agreed, it was too late, so he forgot to tell Z about it.
Then he went out early this morning, leaving Z alone in the house.
Looking at it from another angle, Zhu Ran could understand why Z was in a bad mood.
Zhu Ran sat next to Z, bringing his face close to Z’s eyes, his tone gentle: “Sorry, I should have told you earlier that I was going out this morning.”
Z looked at Zhu Ran’s fair, flawless face, at those shimmering green eyes, feeling the other’s approaching aura…
He slightly retreated, distancing himself from this beautiful, unconsciously alluring green.
His breath hitched unnaturally.
Z didn’t hear much of what Zhu Ran said. All his attention was captured by their current posture.
The other’s shoulder was touching his chest, and most of his body was within the range of Z’s embrace.
At this moment, if Z just applied a little force with his hand, he could draw Zhu Ran entirely into his arms.
He was within reach.
At the same time, because of the leaning posture, Zhu Ran’s knit sweater was wide open, revealing his beautiful neck curves and collarbone skin.
What met his eyes was a large area of delicate white, mixed with a pleasant fragrance.
Z’s eyes darkened slightly.
He remembered what Zhu Ran’s neck skin felt like to touch, and he also remembered… that the other’s scent would become even more uncontrollable when he was slightly sweaty.
Very charming.
Z felt a bit parched, his gaze deepening.
The hand at his side slowly rose. Ultimately, it landed on the collar at the back of Zhu Ran’s neck.
He pulled at Zhu Ran’s collar, thereby covering the collarbones that were almost entirely exposed and the whiteness that sparked imagination.
He again reached his arm around Zhu Ran’s waist and applied a little force, slowly moving the person who had leaned close to him to the side.
Zhu Ran looked at Z in confusion.
Z stood up. He looked at Zhu Ran with quite some helplessness. The hint of displeasure in his heterochromatic eyes had long since vanished after Zhu Ran spoke the apology.
“I’m not angry anymore.”
Moreover, Z’s anger wasn’t because Zhu Ran had gone to see someone else without telling him.
What he was angry about was that he had no standing to interfere in Zhu Ran’s normal social life.
Zhu Ran could see whoever he wanted, eat with whoever he wanted, and go out whenever he wanted.
He and Zhu Ran were only in an employer-assistant relationship. One step further, perhaps they were friends.
Outside of this relationship, there was nothing else.
He had no reason to interfere with Zhu Ran.
Feeling helpless inside, Z changed the subject: “How about ordering the mutated beast meat you like for dinner? A new hot and sour flavor has come out. Want to try?”
Zhu Ran nodded: “Alright.”
Zhu Ran stood up, about to go into his room, but then thought of something and turned to ask: “A car followed me after I left. Was it you?”
Z’s body instantly stiffened. He admitted: “I sent someone to protect you.”
“I see…”
Zhu Ran’s tone held no readable emotion: “I don’t like being followed. Don’t do it again.”
With that, he went into his room with Mu Qingzhou’s gift.
Leaving Z alone in the living room.
The veins on Z’s broad hand protruded slightly due to his clenched fist. His blue-and-gold heterochromatic eyes lost their luster, turning gray and hazy.
A moment later, Z covered his eyes with his hand, his mood low.
He seemed to have done something wrong.
Zhu Ran placed the ice rose on the bay window in his bedroom. From a distance, it looked like a crystal art piece, shimmering a bit under the sunlight. It looked quite good.
He changed back into a loose, soft, fleece hoodie and then went to the balcony to continue his daily work.
Z happened to have brewed Daisy Tea and prepared small afternoon tea cookies, placing them on the coffee table on the balcony.
Z had the sweet smell of cookies on him, and there was a white flour mark on his cheek, completely different from his usual noble and rigorous appearance.
Z: “I made the cookies myself. Try them.”
“You made them? Thank you.”
Zhu Ran was quite surprised that Z could make cookies.
“I learned from a video; it wasn’t hard.”
As he spoke, Z seemed to be hiding from something as he returned to sit on the sofa in the living room.
Zhu Ran took a bite of a cookie.
The cookie was crisp and delicious, mixed with a milky aroma; it tasted very good.
After eating two cookies, he discovered a note under the plate. It said: [I’m sorry, I was wrong, please forgive me.]
The font had sharp strokes, reflecting the strong personality of the writer.
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