Meeting the Family

Lu Yan quietly gazed at Aemeath's adorable sleeping face for a long while before finally deciding to get up.

So he wouldn't wake her, he slowly moved the arm she had draped over his waist, then carefully slipped his own arm out from under her.

Although he had been gentle enough, Aemeath still frowned slightly in her sleep, mumbled in dissatisfaction, and smacked her lips, but she didn't wake up.

Lu Yan smiled silently, tucked the blanket around her, and turned to leave the bedroom.

He pushed open the courtyard gate, and the cool morning air hit his face, instantly making him feel much more awake.

He pulled his trench coat tighter around himself and headed for the same breakfast shop as before.

In the past, his daily routine had been extremely irregular. He always skipped breakfast, and even when he occasionally got up early, he usually made do with some snacks and a glass of milk.

But things were different now. There was a little pink kitten at home waiting to be fed, and she had completely filled his stomach, as well as become the center of his entire life.

Steam billowed in front of the breakfast shop.

"Boss, one basket of xiaolongbao, one basket of soup dumplings, and two cups of soy milk. Extra sugar in one of them." Lu Yan ordered with practiced ease.

On his way back with breakfast, Lu Yan watched the hurried pedestrians by the roadside and the city gradually waking up. It suddenly struck him that he hadn't enjoyed a leisurely walk around town alone in a long time.

He pushed open the courtyard gate, and the living room was still quiet.

Lu Yan set breakfast on the dining table and turned toward the bedroom. As soon as he pushed open the half-closed door, he saw the blanket on the bed bunched into an irregular shape. Aemeath was sitting in the middle of the bed, rubbing her long hair, her eyes bleary with sleep.

She had clearly just woken up and found the space beside her empty. She was on the verge of a confused, aggrieved bout of morning grumpiness.

One strap of her nightdress had slipped down, revealing a fair, rounded shoulder, her delicate collarbone, and a corner of her heart-shaped Tacit Mark.

"Awake, sleepy kitty?" Lu Yan leaned against the doorframe, holding the two cups of soy milk he had just put straws in, his eyes full of amusement.

At the sound of Lu Yan's voice, Aemeath's starry eyes, which had still been a little unfocused, instantly sharpened.

Not even stopping to put on shoes, she sprang out of bed, ran barefoot across the wooden floor toward Lu Yan, and threw herself into his arms.

"Where did you go?~" Aemeath buried her face deep in the collar of Lu Yan's trench coat, her voice thick and nasal. "When I opened my eyes and couldn't feel A-Yan's warmth, I thought I was dreaming again..."

At that moment, Aemeath perfectly embodied a clingy little kitten. There wasn't a trace of possessiveness, only wholehearted reliance.

Lu Yan helplessly freed one hand, wrapped it around her slender waist, and nuzzled her.

"I went to buy you breakfast."

Lu Yan chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Go wash up. I bought xiaolongbao and soup dumplings. They'll get cold if we don't eat them soon."

"I want A-Yan to carry me to wash my face!" Rather than letting go, Aemeath wrapped her legs around him and clung to him.

Lu Yan could do nothing about him, so he held her up and carried the cuddly little pink kitten into the washroom in that challenging position.

More than ten minutes later, the two finally sat down at the table.

"Ahh~" Sitting beside him, Aemeath picked up a translucent xiaolongbao, blew on it to cool it, and held it to Lu Yan's lips.

Lu Yan obligingly opened his mouth and ate it, then pushed the cup of extra-sweet soy milk in front of her.

Amid this cloyingly sweet atmosphere, the phone on the table suddenly vibrated.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz..."

The screen lit up. It was a message on Green Bubble.

He picked it up and saw that the contact was saved as Uncle.

There were several voice messages, sent at intervals.

Lu Yan didn't hide them from Aemeath. He tapped them open, and a deep voice sounded in the quiet living room.

"Xiao Yan, how have you been lately?"

"You're out there on your own, so take care of your health. Don't stay up late. You always kicked your blankets off when you were little. Now that there's nobody to look after you, remember to keep yourself covered up warmly."

A text message was mixed in among the voice messages: Take care of yourself out there. Come back home for a visit when you have time.

Lu Yan listened to them one by one but didn't reply immediately.

He stared at the line of text on the screen, his finger hovering above the keyboard, and paused for a moment.

Aemeath said nothing. She sat quietly beside him and gently laid one hand over the back of his hand where it rested on his knee beneath the table, steadily sharing her warmth with him.

Lu Yan turned his hand over and clasped her soft little hand.

When it came to his hometown, Lu Yan actually didn't know how to feel close to it. He couldn't clearly remember what had happened there when he was little, either. Afraid things would be awkward, he simply hadn't gone back these past few years.

He had spent practically every New Year alone, always making various excuses not to go back.

But this time, as he felt Aemeath's warmth in his palm, his heart, which had grown accustomed to avoidance, grew calm.

Lu Yan raised his eyes and looked at Aemeath, who was gazing at him from across the table, her face full of concern.

There was not the slightest impurity in her eyes, only abundant love.

She was like a little sun radiating endless light and warmth, having long since illuminated the dark corners of his heart.

He was no longer alone. He had a home of his own, someone he cared about and a source of confidence.

Lu Yan's reply was simple: Okay.

After replying, Lu Yan placed his phone facedown on the table.

He looked at Aemeath across from him and managed a smile.

Before he could begin talking about the past, Aemeath suddenly squeezed into his arms.

She sat astride Lu Yan's lap and wrapped both arms around him. Tilting her head slightly, she asked in a voice full of anticipation, "So, is this the meeting-the-family part?"

Lu Yan froze. Looking into her eager eyes, he felt all his resistance and awkwardness about returning to his hometown vanish without a trace in the face of her anticipation.

He tightened his arm around her waist, gently rested his chin against her cheek, and smiled in relief. "Yeah," he answered softly. "Let's go back for a visit when we have time."

"That's great!" Aemeath let out a cheer and happily snuggled against him.

She immediately cupped Lu Yan's face and planted a loud kiss on his lips, then began making plans:

"Should I prepare lots of gifts in advance? What do your uncle and aunt like? Are there any foods your grandparents can't eat? Oh, and which outfit makes me look the most well-behaved and most likely to win the elders over?"

Seeing her so delighted yet acting as though she were facing a formidable enemy, Lu Yan couldn't help letting out a quiet laugh.

"You don't have to be so nervous."

Lu Yan reached up and pinched her soft cheek. "You don't need to prepare anything extra. Just stay by my side. You're the best gift I could bring back."

His sweet words made Aemeath blush, and the smile in her eyes grew brighter.

She wrapped her arms tightly around Lu Yan's neck. "Then it's a deal. I'll go back to your hometown with you!"