Bai Youwei looked into Shen Mo’s eyes. For just a brief moment, she had an odd illusion — as though everything that had happened to her in the game was something Shen Mo already knew about.

Of course that was impossible. The only reason Shen Mo would say something like this was that he cared about her, and couldn’t bear to be without her.

Bai Youwei’s heart surged. She couldn’t help herself — she wrapped her arms around Shen Mo’s neck and buried her face in the crook of his shoulder.

The feeling of being needed — it really was the best feeling in the world.

She mumbled into his shoulder, her voice muffled: “Where did you learn to say sweet things like that…”

Shen Mo laughed softly, stroking her hair. “Let’s go back. Everyone is very worried about you.”

Bai Youwei lifted her head and pouted at him with a touch of playful petulance, angling toward him for a kiss~

Shen Mo said quietly: “There’s a camera.”

Bai Youwei blinked, then it clicked — there was a traffic surveillance camera on the roadside.

Her mood deflated considerably. With the city back to normal, privacy had become just as transparent as it had been before.

Bai Youwei let go of Shen Mo with some dissatisfaction, and let him buckle her seatbelt for her, looking thoroughly sulky.

Shen Mo lightly pinched her cheek, then reached into the back seat for a jacket and draped it over her head, covering her completely.

Bai Youwei: “???”

She was still in a daze when Shen Mo’s head ducked under the jacket too…

In the dark, neither could see the other — relying only on the sound of breathing and the sense of touch, they found their way into the closest embrace possible, and their lips met.

……

When it was finally over, some time later.

Bai Youwei’s cheeks were flushed pink, her eyes soft and glistening.

She glared at Shen Mo, her expression fierce.

Shen Mo considered for a moment, then asked: “Was that unpleasant?”

Bai Youwei was flustered with embarrassment. She grabbed the jacket and flung it at his face. “…Just — just drive the car!”

Shen Mo curved the corner of his mouth upward and pulled the jacket away, then started the engine.

……

A few minutes later, they arrived at headquarters tower.

Out of habit, Shen Mo walked around to the rear of the car, opened the trunk, took out the backup wheelchair, pushed it to the passenger-side door, and then opened that door too —

The Bai Youwei inside the car blinked.

The Shen Mo outside the car blinked too.

Her legs had healed. There was no longer any need for the wheelchair.

Shen Mo paused for two seconds. “I’ll put it back.”

He was about to turn away when Bai Youwei caught his hand: “Hey, I’ll sit in it.”

Shen Mo lifted an eyebrow slightly, not quite understanding.

Bai Youwei tilted her head and smiled at him, and said: “These legs that took so long to recover — of course they need to be properly looked after~”

Shen Mo laughed despite himself. “I would have thought you’d want to run and jump in the gym.”

“No, no, no.” Bai Youwei shook her head. “What I need right now is a massage.”

She’d already done quite enough running and jumping, thank you — not just running and jumping, she’d been climbing up and down as well, getting her full share of the joys of having working legs. Right now, all she wanted was to take care of them properly!

Shen Mo crooked a finger and dragged it playfully along Bai Youwei’s soft cheek, then laughed: “Alright. Let’s go in — and take good care of them.”

And so the two of them continued exactly as they always had — Shen Mo gathered Bai Youwei into his arms, set her gently into the wheelchair, draped a light blanket across her lap, and wheeled her into headquarters tower.

No one asked about Bai Youwei’s legs. And Bai Youwei, with a similar sensibleness, asked nothing about Teacher Cheng’s condition.

Back in her room, Bai Youwei soaked her feet in hot water first. The hot steam rising from the basin enveloped her legs, warming them and encouraging circulation.

Then she applied oil, massaging her legs slowly and methodically — thighs, calves, knees, ankles — even her toes were rosy and luminous, as though lit softly from within.

When all of it was done, she applied a thick layer of moisturizing lotion, working it in with the warmth of her palms, kneading slowly until the skin was silky and smooth.

By the time all the steps were finished, two hours had passed. Bai Youwei was tired — and deeply, thoroughly satisfied.

She looked up at Shen Mo and asked: “Did you learn it? Tomorrow, it’s your turn.”

Shen Mo stood with a smile playing at the corner of his lips. He smiled but said nothing.

“What are you smiling at…” She bit her lip, using a high-and-mighty air to cover her bashfulness. “Tomorrow! If you haven’t learned it, you don’t get to sleep!”

Shen Mo laughed and said: “I’m afraid if I learn it, neither of us will sleep.”

Bai Youwei grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him!

Insufferable!

This man had gotten worse!