[Are you done with the work you came here for?], Yang Lixue raised her screen to show him the text.
Azrael Li nodded, his face stoic.
Yang Lixue smiled faintly at the cold man for a brief moment, she silently hoped he would say something more, she loved hearing his voice.
Xu Lian and Kael Chan had just exited the apartment building, when their curious eyes settled on the scene before them.
Xu Lian's confusion was obvious, Yang Lixue barely knew anyone in the area.
"Huh? Who is that man standing with Lixue?" She asked out loud to no one in particular, her eyes squinted before a glimmer of recognition crossed her face.
It was the guy at the bus station.
She immediately walked over to Yang Lixue and the man, pulling Kael Chan along with her, not noticing how the man froze at the feeling of her hand pulling his.
"Oh, Mr Li!, It's good to see you again, what brings you here?" she looks at Azrael asking directly, her voice chipper but lined with curiosity.
Azrael Li moved to meet her gaze, his face remaining unreadable , but he answered their queries with polite calm.
"Good evening Miss?"
" Xu Lian. My name is Xu Lian, sorry I didn't introduce myself that day."
" And I'm Kael Chan, pleased to see you again." Kael Chan stretched out his hand for a handshake that Azrael Li returned politely.
Azrael's countenance relaxed a little.
Since he had been following his girl for the past week, he knew how well the two treated Yang Lixue, and it felt a little bit reassuring knowing Yang Lixue had kind people by her side, so he could afford to tolerate these humans a little, after all their meeting was how he also met his soulmate.
He nodded and answered Xu Lian's previous question, he told her the same thing he told Yang Lixue earlier, that he was here for work.
" Oh wow, it's so unexpected running into you like this , we would've invited you up for tea but…we're in a bit of a situation right now."
" It's fine," Azrael replied curtly.
Yang Lixue stood quietly, watching their exchange from the outside, her heart ached a little.
She hated moments like this, when her hearing loss made her feel isolated, like an outsider, even when she was the center of attention.
Just as a little knot began to form in her chest, she felt it… His hand, big and cold, was covering hers.
Her eyes widened a bit as she stared at her dainty hands in his. The difference in size was jarring.
'She seemed to be sad, and I could feel my chest hurt. What could be bothering her at this moment? Should I read her mind?'
His eyes deepened as he stared down at her ' No, I won't do that, I'll just ask her what's wrong and hope she feels better.' His hands itched to hug her in his arms once again.
She kept staring at her small hands in his, his fingers went under her chin to make her look at him.
"You okay Lixue?" he mouthed, his green eyes softening a little.
Yang Lixue blinked
'Lixue, he called me that again.does this man truly think we've known each other forever?'
Still, her brows lifted in surprise at his question 'Did he notice the change in my mood, that's not possible, I didn't show how I felt at all.'
She had hidden the sudden pang of sadness under a perfect smile earlier, and it felt crazy how observant he was, but her heart warmed at the unusual gentleness in his gaze as he checked in on her.
Xu Lian's eyebrows raised noticing the silent interaction, her mouth falling open in disbelief and then settling into a delighted grin.
Kael Chan even stared openly at their connected hands with a shocked expression for a moment, as if he was witnessing a miracle , seeing Yang Lixue so relaxed and anxiety-free around a man felt strange.
At that moment, the movers completed packing the last of the boxes, and Yang Lixue turned back to face Azrael Li.
The drizzle had slowly morphed to rain, and the stormy sky wrapped the street in depressing light It seemed eerily similar to the day they first met.
She bit her lower lip unable to meet his eye 'We're about to leave now, it was really nice running into him again. '
Yang Lixue felt a pang in her chest at the thought of saying goodbye.
'Will this be the last time I see him again?, Beijing is a huge city, it's already a miracle that we met again today'
She inhaled deeply about to say her goodbye when, Azrael Li suddenly extended his hand, motioning to her phone.
Yang Lixue blinked in confusion, 'My phone? Why does he need my phone?' She handed him the phone and watched him type.
Her lips pursed as she wasn't able to see what he was doing.
' Why is he so tall? It's unfair to someone like me' She grumbled internally.
Yang Lixue sneakingly stood on her tiptoes to peep, and a small smile curled up Azrael Li's lips as he noticed her.
'He's typing in his number?!' Her heart raced in excitement, followed by embarrassment right after.
'Why are you this excited Lixue, he's barely more than a stranger'
She shouldn't be this attached to someone she'd met just twice in her life.
He called his phone with hers and Azrael Li returned her phone.
His hand lifted to pat the top of her hair lightly before he straightened, his fists curling into his sides as though restraining himself from doing more.
"Goodbye, Lixue," he said, watching her as she read his lips intently.
Yang Lixue swallowed, gathering what little courage she felt she had, and opened her mouth, her soft voice trembling yet determined.
"Goodbye, Azrael Li."
A glimmer lit up his emerald depths. She had used her voice again today, just for him.
His name has never sounded this pleasant in his ears
Azrael Li nodded slightly, an indication that he heard her.
Till we meet again.