After Luo Li's sudden "solemn declaration," the atmosphere at home had indeed become a little delicate.
Although Castorice did not quite understand why Luo Li had suddenly become so "fired up," she could clearly feel that he was paying more attention to her.
That attentiveness showed in every aspect of their lives.
For instance, the fried eggs at breakfast evolved from irregularly shaped "abstract art" into "realism" striving for roundness. He even used heart-shaped molds to cut out odd shapes.
For instance, before going out to buy groceries each day, he would carefully ask whether there was anything she particularly wanted to eat or anything that interested her.
And then there was how much more frequently he cleaned the rooms. Even the formerly half-dead pothos in the corner of the living room received unprecedented care, its leaves beginning to regain their glossy emerald hue.
[Ding! Target "Castorice" feels valued and warmed by the host's continued attentive care. Affection +2. Current affection: 55%.]
Hearing the system notification, Luo Li became even more motivated.
That afternoon, Luo Li was livestreaming, controlling Yuan Ge as he slaughtered his way through a Peak Tournament match.
"Watch closely, fam! Puppet swap into a cross flash! Was that slick or what? ...Holy shit! Why's their jungler here?!"
He was only halfway through boasting when the enemy jungler suddenly emerged from the brush and took out Yuan Ge with a single combo.
The stream chat instantly flooded with [Hahaha] and [Failed flex].
Luo Li's face reddened, but he stubbornly argued, "Ahem... that was a mistake, a mistake! Mostly because their jungler has no martial honor. Coming here to trick me, to ambush me..."
He bantered with the chat while waiting to respawn.
Just then, a dull thud came from the living room, as though something had fallen onto the floor, followed immediately by a stifled cry from Castorice.
Luo Li's heart tightened. Forgetting his stream, he quickly said into the microphone, "Hang on, guys, something came up," then took off his headset and rushed out of the room.
"What happened?"
Castorice was standing rather helplessly beside the water dispenser. An overturned mug lay at her feet, and water covered the floor.
She was still holding the electric kettle, her face flustered as though she had done something wrong.
"I... I wanted to boil some water to make that... 'flower tea' you bought yesterday."
She explained quietly, pointing at the water dispenser. "But this mechanism that releases the water, after I pressed it, it seemed to... get stuck? The water kept flowing. I got a little anxious and tried to move the kettle away, then accidentally..."
Luo Li understood at a glance. She had probably failed to release the dispensing button in time after pressing it, making the water overflow, then knocked over the cup in her flustered haste.
Looking at her slightly flushed cheeks and the wet patch on her pajama sleeve, the little irritation Luo Li had felt at having his game interrupted instantly vanished. All that remained was a sense of not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and a trace of... inexplicable tenderness.
"It's fine, it's fine. As long as you're okay."
He stepped forward, took the kettle from her hands, deftly shut off the water, then picked up the nearby cloth and crouched down to wipe the water off the floor.
"Press this button once to start and again to stop. It'll also stop by itself when it's full. You don't need to keep holding it down."
As he wiped the floor, he patiently explained it again, his tone gentle.
Castorice crouched down too, wanting to help, but Luo Li stopped her. "Don't do anything else. Your sleeve's already wet. Be careful not to catch a chill. I've got it."
He briskly wiped the floor dry, rinsed the mug and put it away, then filled another kettle of water for her and pressed the boil button.
"There. Once the water boils, you can make your tea."
He stood up and smiled at Castorice, who still looked a little ill at ease. "Wanting flower tea is a good thing. It's good for your health.
"Next time you want to use something you're unfamiliar with, just call me."
Watching Luo Li bustle around without the slightest impatience, Castorice gently pressed her lips together and said softly, "I've caused you trouble again..."
"I told you, it's no trouble."
Looking at her lowered face in profile and her long lashes, Luo Li reached out as though possessed and gave the soft hair on top of her head a very light, very quick ruffle.
"Take your time learning. You'll get used to it eventually."
Once he had done it, they both froze.
Luo Li's hand stiffened in midair, and the tips of his ears reddened visibly.
W-what had he just done?! How had he gone straight to touching her?!
Castorice trembled slightly as well. She raised her head, a hint of surprise in her purple eyes, while a faint blush rose to her cheeks.
The air seemed to freeze for several seconds.
"I-I haven't finished my stream! Be careful when the water boils!"
As though he had been burned, Luo Li abruptly withdrew his hand, blurted out that jumbled sentence, and fled back to his room with his arms and legs practically moving in unison, slamming the door behind him.
Leaning against the cold door, Luo Li's heart was still pounding wildly.
He raised his hand and looked at his palm, as though he could still feel the soft, silky touch of her hair.
[Ding! A brief, friendly instance of head contact with target "Castorice" has occurred. The target showed no aversion, and her heart rate increased slightly. Affection +3. Current affection: 58%!]
The system notification sent Luo Li's emotions on a roller coaster, shooting from his earlier panic straight to the peak of delighted surprise!
58%! Another huge step closer to 70%! And... her heart had sped up?
Could it be...
A little secret delight could not help bubbling up from the bottom of his heart.
Outside the door, Castorice stood where she was and reached up to touch the place Luo Li had just touched. An unfamiliar, faintly tingling sensation ran through her fingertips.
She looked at the tightly shut bedroom door. It took a long time for the blush on her face to slowly fade, yet without her noticing, the corners of her mouth curved into an extremely faint but very real smile.
This person... sometimes, he really was a little... adorably clumsy.
After that little instance of "accidental contact," it was as though Luo Li's Ren and Du meridians had been opened.
He began trying out small touches more "naturally," ones that would not seem too deliberate.
For instance, "accidentally" brushing her fingertips while handing her something;
Occasionally letting their arms touch "unintentionally" while they sat side by side on the couch watching documentaries;
Loosely reaching around her from behind to demonstrate how to use a new appliance, while maintaining a safe distance...
Every time, he nervously watched Castorice's reaction.
And Castorice, apart from stiffening slightly or blushing at first, showed no obvious resistance or avoidance.
Once, while Luo Li was teaching her how to use the washing machine's different settings, he was close enough to catch the distinctive, cool fragrance in her hair, with its trace of warmth, and became distracted for a moment.
Castorice seemed to notice. She turned her head slightly to glance at him, a hint of confusion in her purple eyes, but did not move away.
[Ding! Target "Castorice" is gradually growing accustomed to the host's proximity and has developed a sense of dependence due to the host's patient instruction and assistance. Affection +2. Current affection: 60%!]
60%!
Luo Li cheered inwardly. Looking at the affection score on the system panel that had broken past the passing mark, he felt as though a bright green guiding light had lit up on the road to awakening his Path.
Hugging for ten seconds... perhaps it wasn't entirely impossible?
He stole a glance at Castorice, who was hanging clothes out on the balcony.
The dark red afternoon light shone through the window, coating her in a soft halo. Standing on tiptoe, she worked hard to hang Luo Li's oversized T-shirt on the drying rack, her movements possessing a clumsy yet earnest beauty.
Something seemed to bump gently against Luo Li's heart.
An unprecedented impulse surged within him.
He walked onto the balcony, pretending to help, and picked up another piece of clothing.
When their arms inevitably drew close again, Luo Li took a deep breath and summoned the greatest courage and acting skills of his life. Pretending to trip over something, he staggered and "accidentally" toppled toward Castorice.
"Careful!"
He cried out softly and used the momentum to wrap his arm around Castorice's shoulders, drawing her into a half embrace as he steadied his "unbalanced" body.
In an instant, his arms were filled with fragrant warmth and softness.
The girl's soft body, slender frame, and distinctive cool fragrance engulfed Luo Li like a tsunami.
His mind went completely blank. All he could feel was the body in his arms instantly stiffening, and then, seemingly... not pushing him away immediately?
Time seemed to stretch out at that moment.
One second, two seconds...
Luo Li could even count his own drumlike heartbeats.
He could feel Castorice's breathing seem to stop for a moment before becoming somewhat rapid.
Her cheeks seemed... even redder?
[Contact duration: 3 seconds... 4 seconds...]
Just as Luo Li was frantically counting to himself, hoping to cross the ten-second threshold, Castorice gently but firmly pressed her hands against his chest. With a little force, she freed herself from his embrace.
She lowered her head, her long silver-purple hair falling to hide most of her expression. Only her small earlobes were visible, so red they looked ready to bleed.
"I... I'll go see whether the clothes are dry."
Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum. She practically fled from the balcony into the living room, leaving Luo Li standing alone, the fleeting warmth and softness and faint fragrance still lingering in his arms.
[Contact interrupted! This intimate embrace lasted 5.3 seconds! Mission requirement not met! Please keep trying, host!]
The system notification was like a basin of cold water poured over him.
Watching Castorice's graceful figure disappear through the living room doorway, Luo Li felt half disappointed at failing to reach his goal, while the other half was filled with irrepressible elation and... lingering enjoyment.
5.3 seconds!
Although it had not reached ten seconds, this was already a huge breakthrough.
Besides, just now... she hadn't pushed him away immediately.
Did that mean... she actually didn't dislike it?
Luo Li touched his still-burning ears. Looking at the figure in the living room pretending to be busy, pink all the way down her neck, he could not stop the corners of his mouth from rising.