Sleeping Beauty?

Time flies both long and short in days filled with anticipation.

Three days passed by quietly, like sand slipping through our fingers.

July 10th.

Aemeath drew a big heart on the calendar with a red marker, and even drew a pair of chibi versions of Lu Yan and herself next to it.

It was 6:30 in the morning. There was still a full half hour before the alarm clock went off, but the air in the bedroom seemed to be filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Summer sunlight is always incredibly diligent. Even when the blackout curtains on the French windows are drawn tightly, a few playful rays of dawn still manage to shine through the gaps, casting long, thin, and bright streaks of light on the floor.

The air conditioner fan made a very slight "whooshing" sound, maintaining the room at a perfect temperature with a slight coolness, allowing the two people wrapped in a thin blanket to snuggle even closer together as they slept.

Aemeath woke up first; it was nothing short of a miracle.

Since Aemeath and Lu Yan started sleeping in the same bed, she has rarely woken up early, but today she actually woke up early for the first time ever.

Not only did I wake up early, but my mind was crystal clear.

Because today is an absolutely, absolutely different day.

This was her last morning as her "girlfriend".

After today, after we go to the Civil Affairs Bureau, she will no longer be my girlfriend.

Aemeath took a deep breath quietly in bed, slowly opening her eyes in the dim light. Her eyes held no trace of the drowsiness of just waking; instead, they shone brightly, like two dazzling stars.

She remained lying on her side, cautiously casting her gaze upon the man who was so close to her.

Lu Yan was sleeping peacefully beside her.

He habitually placed one arm around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.

Lu Yan, who is usually calm, reserved, and even occasionally aloof, sheds all his defenses in his sleep, revealing a gentle and understated nature.

His eyelashes cast a faint shadow beneath his eyelids, and beneath his high, straight nose, his lips, which always loved to whisper sweet nothings to her, were now slightly pursed, his breathing even and deep.

Aemeath stared at him quietly for a long while.

Looking at the handsome face before her, which she could never get enough of, Aemeath's heart melted completely.

"Today is July 10th, you silly girl," Aemeath thought to herself, unable to suppress the smile spreading across her face.

The overwhelming feeling of happiness made it impossible for Aemeath to continue lying there pretending to be asleep.

She was eager to wake A-Yan and greet this special morning with him.

Like a nimble kitten, Aemeath carefully squeezed a tiny bit of space out from under Lu Yan's arm.

She propped herself up slightly with her hands on either side of the pillow, looking down at Lu Yan's perfect sleeping face.

A strand of her long hair slipped down her shoulder, the end playfully hanging down to Lu Yan's collarbone, rising and falling slightly with his breath.

Aemeath lowered her head and brought her cheek close to Lu Yan's ear.

She lowered her voice, her tone sweet and coquettish, and whispered in his ear:

"Hmm~~ A-Yan ~"

Her voice trailed off, like a small hook with barbs.

"Time to get up!"

As Aemeath spoke, she playfully puffed out her cheeks and gently blew a breath toward Lu Yan's ear.

Normally, Lu Yan is a light sleeper. If she even slightly turns over in bed, he will tighten his arms around her.

Now that she's so openly breathing into his ear, it's impossible for him to remain unresponsive.

Sure enough, just as Aemeath finished speaking, a gentle breeze brushed past his ear.

Aemeath noticed the subtle changes in Lu Yan's body.

His previously steady and deep breathing suddenly paused briefly, and then the Frequency of his breathing noticeably increased slightly.

Moreover, Aemeath clearly saw Lu Yan's long eyelashes tremble slightly twice.

However, Lu Yan did not open his eyes.

He kept his eyes closed, and quickly forced the rise and fall of his chest back to the rhythm of seemingly "sleeping". Even the hand that was across Aemeath's waist was deliberately left motionless, trying to create the illusion that "I am still sleeping and have not heard anything".

Aemeath secretly delighted to see his forced composure.

Oh, so you're playing the pretend-to-be-asleep game with me this early in the morning, huh?

On such an important day, these two people, who should be too excited to sleep, are actually putting on an acting show here?

Okay, since you want to play, I'll play with you properly! Let's see who can hold out the longest!

A sly glint flashed in Aemeath's golden eyes.

She pressed herself even lower, and could even feel Lu Yan's body temperature through her pajamas.

She extended one index finger and drew circles on Lu Yan's chest in an extremely gentle and agonizing manner.

My fingertips, through his pajamas, felt a faint, tingling sensation.

Aemeath looked at Lu Yan's still tightly closed eyes, a wicked smile curling at the corner of her lips. Her voice was even softer and more seductive than before.

She deliberately brought her lips close to Lu Yan's earlobe, and asked, word by word, in a tone as if she were whispering:

"A-Yan... why aren't you awake yet? Don't you want to talk to me?"

She paused for a moment, observing Lu Yan's reaction.

Sure enough, when he felt her fingertips drawing circles on his chest, Lu Yan's previously relaxed muscles tensed up slightly imperceptibly.

Seeing this, Aemeath pressed her advantage. She slowly slid her cheek down his face, finally stopping less than a centimeter from his lips.

Their breaths mingled completely at that moment.

Aemeath's gaze was fixed on Lu Yan's lips as she softly uttered those extremely lethal words:

"Or... does A-Yan want a kiss before he'll get up?"

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the bedroom seemed to change.

Aemeath stared at him intently, her eyes unblinking, not missing a single, minute change in his face.

She saw that when A-Yan heard the word "kiss," his Adam's apple bobbed and his breathing became lighter.

Immediately afterwards, the corners of his mouth, which had been tightly closed as he tried to maintain a sleeping expression, finally couldn't help but droop.

His lips twitched slightly upwards, as if he wanted to smile, but he forcefully suppressed it.

He still didn't open his eyes.

But his slightly trembling lips from suppressing laughter, and his increasingly disordered breathing, had already betrayed him.