Striving for Science C95 pt1

Shortly after Dao Nian said he would stay awake to watch over Shen Chang'an as he slept, the thunder stopped.

Shen Chang'an didn't even look at the night sky, pretending the thunder was still roaring, and that he was still afraid. Fortunately, Dao Nian didn't seem to notice this little detail. He held a book, sitting in the room, like the most beautiful painting in the world.

Looking at a beauty under the lamp, the more you look, the more spirited you become. Shen Chang'an lay on his quilt, unable to sleep.

"What's wrong?" Seeing him tossing and turning on the bed like a pancake, Dao Nian looked up at Shen Chang'an. The orange light cast a warm glow on Dao Nian's face, devoid of his usual indifference.

"I can't sleep."

Dao Nian furrowed his brows. Could it be... that Chang'an was hinting at him to tell a bedtime story? In human cultural works, there seemed to be a common theme of telling bedtime stories?

Thinking about it, he stared at Shen Chang'an for a full seven or eight seconds before putting down his book and sitting down by the bed: "What story do you want to hear?"

"Ah?" Shen Chang'an was stunned.

Seeing Shen Chang'an's dazed look, Dao Nian sighed again, reaching out to touch his head that was exposed outside the quilt: "Let me tell you some little stories about your human emperors."

"Go to sleep after you hear it, understand?"

Shen Chang'an: "..."

I have designs on a man, but this man is telling me bedtime stories. What kind of chaotic emotional entanglement is this?

Shen Chang'an was initially a little desperate, but as Dao Nian's tales of royal secrets became more and more captivating, he couldn't help but be engrossed. It turned out that emperors also had so many quirks.

Seeing Shen Chang'an becoming more and more spirited as he listened, Dao Nian tucked his arm back under the quilt: "Go to sleep, you don't have to go to work tomorrow morning?"

Shen Chang'an blinked, staring at Dao Nian without speaking.

Seeing him looking at him with longing eyes, Dao Nian hesitated for a long time before suddenly bending down and gently touching his forehead: "You're such a grown man, do you still need bedtime stories and goodnight kisses?"

Shen Chang'an: "..."

Shen Chang'an felt that if he were a volcano right now, he would have erupted. If he were popcorn right now, he would have already started popping.

Did Dao Nian... really just kiss his forehead?

"Sleep." Dao Nian reached out to cover Chang'an's wide-open eyes. He was afraid that Chang'an would see the hidden desires beneath his calm facade.

That bend down just now had used up all his courage for the day.

Shen Chang'an's eyelashes were long, like little brushes, sweeping back and forth on Dao Nian's palm. Dao Nian looked down at his hand: "Your eyelashes can't move either."

Shen Chang'an: "..."

Isn't this request a bit too strict?

Shen Chang'an wanted to say that he could have another goodnight kiss, but sleepiness suddenly surged over him. He couldn't resist it, and could only reluctantly fall asleep.

What a pity...

Before drifting off to sleep, he couldn't help but think, he could have still chatted with Dao Nian about poetry, songs, and prose, about the philosophy of life...

Retracting his own spiritual energy, Dao Nian looked at Shen Chang'an, who was sleeping soundly, got up and walked to the window, looking at the dark sky, and suddenly spoke.

"What's the point of being meticulous, everything has its unexpected twists and turns."

The sky seemed to be stimulated, and there were flashes of lightning.

"Tch." Dao Nian scoffed, pulled the curtains shut, and set up a noise-blocking barrier around the room. Those thunderbolts could strike or not, but they couldn't affect Chang'an's sleep.

His Chang'an...

Dao Nian looked at Shen Chang'an on the bed and asked in the quiet room, "You're mine, right?"

The only answer was the quiet room.

"Silence means affirmation." Dao Nian nodded, "I understand, from now on, I'll take responsibility for you."

Outside the window, the wind howled, thunder roared, and the wind whistled like a monster descending.

Dao Nian sat back down, picking up the book that he hadn't even opened since entering the room.

***

Shen Chang'an had a very comfortable dream. He dreamed that the whole world was in turmoil, but he didn't feel scared at all, as if something was surrounding him, blocking out all the wind and rain that tried to approach him.

When he woke up, it was already bright outside, with heavy fog, a white expanse.

There were a few vibrant roses in the vase on the table. Dao Nian didn't know when he left, but he inexplicably felt that his scent still lingered in the room.

Remembering the goodnight kiss before bed, he couldn't help but reach out and touch his forehead. He got up, washed up, and went downstairs, feeling both anticipation and nervousness. But Dao Nian wasn't in the living room.

He felt a little disappointed, took some birdseed to feed the parrot and the ugly bird that ate a lot but didn't grow much.

This bird was ugly, but it was always enthusiastic when it saw Shen Chang'an, flapping its little wings and rushing towards Shen Chang'an's palm. If Shen Chang'an didn't touch its little head, it would stay in Chang'an's palm and refuse to leave.

"After waking up, you should drink plenty of water and eat properly." Shen Chang'an played with the ugly bird for a while and put it back in its nest.

"Sigh." Shen Chang'an glanced around. Shen Tu and the others were in the courtyard, Liu Mao didn't know where he went, Uncle Zhao was still in the kitchen, so in this bird-raising place, it was just him and the two birds.

Fei Ying looked at Shen Chang'an in confusion. Why was he sighing so early in the morning?

"If..." Shen Chang'an added a spoonful of birdseed to the parrot's food trough, "in this entire villa, it's just me, a normal person, and you two ordinary birds."

Fei Ying: "..."

She couldn't respond to that.

"But how can a normal person be so good to his best friend..." Shen Chang'an took two fruits, one red and one green, "Come on, which one do you like?"

"If you choose green, I'll slowly cultivate my feelings for Dao Nian. If he's willing to accept me, that's the best. If not... if not…"

Fei Ying's claw, poised to reach for the green fruit, stopped.

"If you choose red, it's fate, destined by Heaven, urging me to charge forward, to persevere. Don't be a coward, just do it."

Fei Ying: "..."

You dare to challenge Heaven, what need do you have for fate?

Fei Ying was a bird with a sharp mind and a strong aversion to trouble. She felt she should choose the green fruit. No matter how special Heavenly Dao found this human, he was still just a human.

But...

This was Shen Chang'an.

She extended her claw and pressed it onto the red fruit.

Human lifespans are short. If, in the prime of their lives, they encounter someone who makes their heart flutter, then they should make an effort, regardless of the outcome. At least when they grow old, looking back on their fleeting lives, they'll have a few more vibrant memories.

"Red?" Shen Chang'an smiled at the parrot, "What a coincidence, that's what I was thinking too. Seems like it's truly fate."

Fei Ying: "..."

Humans are so shameless. They use any excuse to get what they want. Fate?

If Heavenly Dao knew you were still agonizing over this, it would pin you down right now and...

With his mind set, Shen Chang'an went to work in a good mood. Fei Ying lowered her head and nibbled on the fruit Shen Chang'an had given her, eating slowly and gracefully.

"You did well," Uncle Zhao appeared from somewhere, his eyes twinkling as he watched Fei Ying eat the fruit. "Once the Master becomes Dao-couple with Chang'an, I'll suggest he give you a red envelope for matchmaking."

Hearing this, Fei Ying almost choked on the fruit. No, no, no, she dared not.

Uncle Zhao placed a red fruit in her food trough. "Eat well."

Fei Ying: Is he trying to fatten me up so he can eat my meat?