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墨書 Inktalez
Yao Nian tied the gauze into a knot, and when she lifted her head again, she happened to meet his gaze.
Shen Du suppressed his smile and stared at her intently, showing no intention of looking away.
This gaze was familiar to Yao Nian. She felt like a child caught doing something wrong, ready to confess to her parents. "I know I shouldn't have been so impulsive, and I probably couldn't have beaten her anyway, but I just couldn't hold back. I won't do it again next time," she said.
Shen Du interrupted her self-reflection. His voice was gentle and slow, blending seamlessly with the crackling sound of burning firewood that reached her ears.
"Thank you for protecting Uncle," he said.
Yao Nian was taken aback. Feeling a bit shy under his gaze, she lowered her head and stuffed the used gauze and cotton swabs into a bag. "I'll go return this to the owner."
"I'll go," Shen Du stood up, taking the plastic bag from her hands. He added with a reminder, "It's cold outside; stay in the tent for now and don't wander off."
Yao Nian took off her down jacket and studied how to use the sleeping bag for a moment before wrapping herself up like a snail. She had never been camping before, and lying down like this was hardly comfortable—the grass was not as soft as a mattress and poked at her back a bit. But thinking about waking up to see the sunrise filled her with anticipation.
Shen Du would be back soon; the flickering firelight cast his silhouette against the tent fabric, revealing his tall figure. However, he seemed in no hurry to enter the tent, sitting alone by the fire and occasionally adding a branch to it.
His deep-set eyes held an undercurrent of emotion that ran deeper than the night sky atop the mountain. Until just now, he had taken it for granted that his concern for Yao Nian was merely that of an elder looking after a younger one.
But just moments ago…
She was clearly afraid yet still wanted to protect him. She had no strength to fight yet rushed forward to stand up for him. The sudden closeness of her youthful presence and the warmth of her wrist felt like vines wrapping around his arm, reaching toward his heart.
Since graduating from university, Shen Du believed he had been able to handle work and life with ease. As a lawyer, he prided himself on being able to analyze situations rationally and respond calmly to any unexpected events.
Yet now, an unexpected thought surged within him that felt somewhat uncontrollable.
Shen Du recalled the time when the young girl sat quietly in his office, engrossed in her book, and that vague feeling gradually took shape in his mind. His first reaction was to find it somewhat absurd. In the next moment, he felt like a fool.
The newly added branches began to curl and peel away, quickly burning into dark gray fragments, as if they were consuming his sanity along with the fire.
"Uncle Shen," a soft and tentative voice came from inside the tent, "are you still awake?"
Shen Du was startled, just about to respond when he heard the rustling sound of fabric.
Yao Nian unzipped the tent and poked her head out, only to be met by a gust of cold wind that made her gasp.
"What are you doing out here? Can't sleep?"
Yao Nian shivered as she walked over and sat beside him, leaning closer to the fire. "You're not sleeping either."
She raised her wrist to check the time. "It's almost three o'clock. I'm afraid if I fall asleep now, I won't be able to get up later."
Shen Du chuckled softly. "You should go back to sleep; I'll be fine."
"Uncle Shen," Yao Nian wrapped her arms around herself, leaning in closer with a concerned expression, "are you unhappy?"
"Hmm?" Shen Du's eyelashes fluttered slightly. "Do I look unhappy?"
"Not exactly unhappy," Yao Nian pondered for a moment before rephrasing, "but it seems like you have something on your mind."
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