Chapter 36: The Feeling of a Heartbeat

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: The Feeling of a Heartbeat

Early the next morning, on a rare weekend.

Xiao Ran was an early riser, waking up around six o’clock.

He had a strange biological clock; he always woke up earlier and earlier as summer progressed.

It was as if his internal clock had been suddenly reprogrammed.

He got up, quickly washed his face, and went into the study to write.

As for breakfast, he’d wait for Yan Xici to get up. He wasn’t hungry anyway.

He entered the study, pulled open the curtains to feel the gentle six-o’clock sunlight, then sat down at his desk, opened the Chenggua writing software, and began to type.

With the clatter of the keyboard, Xiao Ran quickly found his groove.

Time really flew by when he was writing. Before he knew it, it was ten in the morning.

Just then, the girl in bed fluttered her eyelashes and slowly opened her eyes. Her slender arms released the pink Hello Kitty doll she was hugging.

She lazily rolled over, then reached out a fair arm to grab the phone from her nightstand.

Seeing the time—ten o’clock—displayed on the screen, the girl blinked and gave a contented stretch.

As she shrugged her lovely shoulders, the shoulder blades hidden beneath her loungewear shifted slightly.

After a simple stretch, the girl slowly lowered her fair legs to the floor.

She slipped her small feet into her slippers, stood up, and walked to the window. She pulled back the curtains, opened the window a crack, and took a deep breath of fresh air.

The moment sunlight flooded the room, everything brightened, and you could even see the dust motes floating in the air.

After a full night, the wound on her leg had already scabbed over. Walking didn’t cause any noticeable pain.

This was good news for her.

The girl strode out and went into the bathroom.

She quickly washed up. Looking at her own dewy skin in the mirror, she gently patted her face.

’I haven’t forgotten yesterday’s dream. I have to keep my distance from him!’

’Today, I’m not the same Yan Xici from yesterday who needed to be taken care of!’

With this resolve, the girl turned and walked toward the stairs.

However, as soon as she took the first step down, the pain shot through her again.

The sharp bend of her knee tore open the freshly formed scab. The feeling was an exquisite kind of pain.

The pain made her quickly pull her leg back, too scared to take another step.

’What should I do?’

She frowned, glaring at the long staircase in frustration.

’Maybe... maybe just one more piggyback ride?’

’The very last time!’

’Mhm!’

With that thought, the girl looked down, took the phone out of her pocket, and sent Xiao Ran a voice message on WeChat. "Xiao Ran, are you up?"

Xiao Ran, who was busy writing, saw the WeChat notification and casually tapped it open. The girl’s soft, sweet voice drifted from the phone.

Because she had just woken up, her voice was still thick and nasal, which sounded incredibly pleasant.

Xiao Ran couldn’t help but smile. ’I knew it. This little rascal definitely can’t get down on her own.’

’She’s asking me to carry her down again.’

He put down his phone, stood up, and stretched his back as he headed for the second floor.

Seeing Xiao Ran, the girl gave an embarrassed smile. "Xiao Ran, I can’t get down..."

Perhaps because she felt a bit guilty, her usually clear voice was much softer, making it sound like she was whining coquettishly.

Xiao Ran’s eyebrow twitched. He walked over with an air of resignation, stopping two steps below her before turning his back. "Hop on."

’What can you do when you have a cat-like little sister?’

’Spoil her, of course.’

The girl obligingly opened her arms and draped herself onto Xiao Ran’s back. After yesterday’s practice, she was now an expert at it.

It was strange, but even she didn’t know why she felt so safe and comfortable whenever she was on Xiao Ran’s back.

So much so that, despite usually being talkative, she would become so comfortable on his back that she wouldn’t say a word.

Xiao Ran reached back to hold her legs. The flesh of her thighs was incredibly soft and tender; the feel of it was absolutely amazing!

It was impossibly supple, comparable to a baby’s skin!

Holding a pair of legs like this, it was hard not to feel your heart race.

He hurried downstairs and set her down on the gray marble floor.

His heart was pounding.

But the self-assured Xiao Ran didn’t take this as any kind of strange signal. ’I’m just tired!’ he thought.

’After all, how could a big brother have those kinds of feelings for his little sister?’

"Sit tight. I’ll go make us something to eat."

With that, he turned and went into the kitchen.

Xiao Ran quite enjoyed making breakfast. He took out the semi-prepared scallion pancake wraps he’d bought from the refrigerator.

He fried one in a pan with a bit of oil. Once it was cooked, he added a piece of lettuce, some bacon, and ham.

A squeeze of ketchup and some cheese completed it, making for a great flavor.

Besides, it was much more hygienic to make them at home.

After making the scallion pancake wraps, he took three oranges from the fridge, peeled them, and put them in the juicer.

He then squeezed out two glasses of orange juice, and with that, breakfast was ready.

The girl stared at the steaming breakfast on the table, her face full of surprise.

"Wow, scallion pancake wraps! Xiao Ran, you’re amazing!"

She never expected that Xiao Ran even knew how to make scallion pancake wraps!

She eagerly pulled the plate in front of her, carefully picked up the wrap with both hands, and leaned in to take a small bite.

Her eyes lit up, her expression one of pure bliss.

"Mmm, this is even better than the ones they sell outside!"

Xiao Ran’s scallion pancake wraps were truly delicious!

He used just the right amount of oil, and since the bacon and ham were the best quality he could buy at the supermarket, the flavor was naturally on point.

"If you like it, then eat up."

Xiao Ran said with a grin, basically advertising his own cooking.

To be honest, having someone genuinely enjoy the food you’ve made is a truly gratifying experience.

The girl took another bite of the wrap. The rich flavor of bacon made her narrow her eyes in satisfaction. She then picked up her glass of orange juice and took a sip. It was sweet and tangy.

Being able to eat such delicious food right after waking up was truly a blessing!

....

Inside the villa, Yan Li stood before a completely empty refrigerator, her brows furrowed.

It was only then that she remembered she hadn’t bought any food at all since moving in. It would be strange if there was anything inside.

Waking up after a rare chance to sleep in, only to find there was no food in the house, was a real headache.

She frowned and returned to her bedroom.

Lying on the 1.8-meter-wide double bed, she stared blankly at the ceiling.

It was strange. She had originally thought that divorcing Xiao Ran would be an incredibly happy event.

But that happiness only lasted for two days before completely vanishing on the third.

In its place was an extremely complex feeling, even tinged with a bizarre sense of defeat.

That feeling was especially strong just now, in that moment she faced the empty refrigerator.

She sighed and, as if guided by some unseen force, picked up the phone beside her, searched for Xiao Ran’s author page, and tapped on it.

She had originally intended to read the reviews for his old book, but instead, she saw that Xiao Ran had released a new one.

The title was interesting: *A Little Neighbor-Sister Fell From The Sky*.

’Hm, a "little neighbor-sister."’

’He’s actually in the mood to write a book?’

’He must be in a great mood.’

’I was the one who asked for the divorce. He’s the one who got dumped. Logically, he should be the one who’s depressed.’

But now, it seemed Xiao Ran wasn’t depressed at all. On the contrary, he was living his life with great relish.

He’d sold the publishing rights to his old book and even started a new one, and its popularity was surprisingly high.

This left Yan Li feeling a bit defeated.