137. The Clingy Girl
Xiling felt that Kiana had become even more... clingy since that day.
"Xiling, wake up!"
The morning sunlight streamed into the room through the curtains. Xiling was still deep in sleep, and in his drowsy state, he felt something poking his face.
He barely opened one eye, and what came into view was Kiana's smiling face.
—
"Xiling, help me comb my hair."
After breakfast, Kiana peeked out of the room, holding a comb, and looked back at him expectantly.
Xiling sighed, walked over, and took the comb:
"Didn't you used to comb your hair on your own?"
—
"Xiling, play games with me!"
In the living room, Kiana sat cross-legged on the carpet, holding a game controller, her eyes glued to the screen. Xiling sat next to her.
"Aaaaa! I'm going to lose! I'm going to lose!" Kiana suddenly yelled, pushing against Xiling, her shoulder bumping into his arm.
"Hey! That's cheating!" Xiling almost lost his grip on the controller from being pushed so hard.
—
"Xiling, carry me!"
On the way back from outside, Kiana suddenly stopped and looked at him.
Xiling raised an eyebrow:
"Are your legs broken?"
"I was tired from walking," Kiana said in matter-of-factly tone.
"...Could you be any lazier?"
"Sure!" Kiana grinned and pounced forward, jumping onto his back.
"Let's go! Home!"
—
"Xiling, you...Are you looking at that girl?"
While shopping, Kiana suddenly tugged at Xiling's sleeve, squinting at a stylishly dressed girl not far away.
Xiling glanced in the direction of her gaze, then said speechlessly, "My eyes were clearly on that guy, okay? Don't you think his hairstyle is great?"
Kiana looked suspiciously at the man with the exaggerated hairstyle, then at Xiling:
"...Are you serious?"
"Of course, I'm thinking about getting one like that too."
Kiana: "...If you dare cut your hair like that, I dare pluck all your hair out."
Xiling: "..."
—
"Xiling, do you think this outfit looks good on me?"
Outside the fitting room, Kiana changed into a new dress and twirled around.
Xiling glanced at it and said dismissively, "It looks good, it looks good."
Kiana puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction:
"You didn't even look properly!"
Xiling sighed, looked up, scrutinized it, and then nodded:
"Yeah, it really does look good."
—
"Xiling, my feet are so tired. Could you massage them for me?"
Back home, Kiana collapsed onto the sofa, lifting her white-stockinged feet.
Xiling glanced at her and, without hesitation, gave her the middle finger:
"Get lost!"
—
"Kiana, get up." Xiling knocked on Kiana's door in the morning.
"Hmm..."
Accompanied by a muffled reply, the door opened a crack, and the girl rubbed her sleepy eyes, her pajamas hanging askew on her shoulder, revealing a patch of snow-white skin.
"Good morning, Xiling..."
"Good morning, lazybones."
Xiling reached out and touched Kiana's smooth forehead, stopping her from swaying and falling forward.
"Hurry up and get dressed. Today you're either going to see Theresa or learning the Taixu Sword Qi from Fu Hua."
"Huh? Why?" Kiana instantly snapped awake.
Hearing Xiling's words, the girl seemed to wake up, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"Huh, why?"
"Because I think you're too idle," Xiling said matter-of-factly.
"I have to go to work later, and the thought of you being so idle at home makes me uncomfortable, so I found you a job. I mean, I'm leaving you with a mature and reliable adult so I can slip away."
"Can I go with you?" Kiana eagerly patted her chest, causing her already loose pajamas to slip even further.
Xiling sighed and rubbed her forehead.
"Go get dressed first."
He turned and left Kiana's doorway.
Watching the figure with his back to her, Kiana muttered to herself, "As expected, the things in the books are completely useless to him."
A few minutes later.
At the dining table, Kiana, unwilling to give up, suggested again, "Xiling, take me with you!"
"Forget it, I'm going to find Otto. What are you doing there? Looking for trouble?" Xiling replied while eating.
Hearing Xiling's words, Kiana's expression immediately fell. Forget seeing him, just thinking about him made her unhappy. Kiana was certain that if she and Otto stood in the same space, she would attack within 10 seconds.
Seeing the girl's pouty face, Xiling smiled and suggested, "Go to Anti-Entropy to find Bronya or Theresa. But I still suggest you learn the Taixu Sword Qi—of course, the decision is yours."
Kiana nodded sullenly, stuffing food into her mouth.
After watching Xiling leave, the large house suddenly became eerily quiet.
"A long-awaited moment alone…" Kiana murmured to herself, forcing a smile.
"Consider it a good way to get used to it."
"I'll go see Sister Lemuen first, then I'll go find Fu Hua."
Kiana, intending to grab something from her room before leaving, found herself unconsciously stopping in front of Xiling's door.
"Anyway… he's not here."
She muttered to herself, as if making excuses for herself, or perhaps trying to convince herself.
The door was gently pushed open, sunlight streaming in through the curtains and falling on Xiling's bed. His room was as tidy as ever; the sheets were almost perfectly smooth, several books she'd never seen him open sat on the bookshelf, and a few simple clothes hung on the clothes rack.
Kiana took a deep breath and cautiously stepped inside, as if venturing into forbidden territory.
"I just...wanted to see his room."
She thought this, but her feet moved uncontrollably towards the bed.
Kiana stood by the bed, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally she couldn't resist reaching out to gently touch the sheets.
"...I'll just lie down for a little while."
She took off her shoes and, like a cat stealing a fish, tiptoed onto the bed, and then—
She sank into the sheets.
"Ugh..."
Kiana's face instantly turned red.
The sheets smelled strongly of Xiling. She couldn't help but bury her face in the pillow, taking a deep breath, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of her chest.
"It's...such a strange feeling..."
Even though she was just lying on his bed, her body felt inexplicably hot, her cheeks burning. She curled up into a ball, pulling the sheets over her head, as if that would hide her shame.
"Speaking of which… Xiling still seems to treat me the same way."
She recalled the book she'd secretly read a few days ago. It said that appropriate physical contact could bring people closer, but Xiling didn't seem to be buying it at all…
"Could it be… that I did something wrong?"
Kiana rolled over, lying on her back, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Or… does he actually know, but is just pretending not to notice?"
The thought made her face darken.
"No, no! I can't think about it anymore!"
She sat up abruptly, patting her cheeks.
"I should go find Sister Lemuen…"
But her body felt glued to the bed; she didn't want to move at all.
"…Just five more minutes."
She lay back down, burying her face in the pillow, a silly smile unconsciously creeping onto her lips.
"…Anyway, he won't know about it."