Surviving the apocalypse with a wife and a system! [GL]

Bai Li could not help but laugh softly. ”You really like scaring me.”

”I do not.”

”Yes, you do.”

”No.”

”You do.”

Yan Cijin looked at her for a moment, then said, ”You are the one sitting here acting like you are being interrogated.”

Bai Li leaned back and sighed dramatically. ”That is because you are hard to read.”

Yan Cijin gave her a faint look. ”And you are easy to read?”

Bai Li thought about it seriously. ”A little more than you, maybe.”

”That is not what I asked.”

”I know.” Bai Li smiled. ”But I answered anyway.”

Yan Cijin shook her head as if she could not be bothered to argue with her, but the corner of her mouth did lift again. Bai Li noticed it right away and felt very satisfied with herself, like she had successfully won something important. The feeling was small, but warm. She did not think she was very good at this kind of thing, but maybe all she needed to do was keep trying. Maybe talking more, staying honest, and not rushing away after making a mistake was enough. Maybe that was how people got closer to each other.

Outside, there was another burst of Lili’s voice, this time asking something about the kitten and laughing when it apparently did not cooperate. Bai Li turned her head toward the sound and smiled.

”She is really having fun,” Bai Li said.

Yan Cijin nodded. ”She likes animals.”

”Bigger or smaller ones?”

”Anything fluffy.”

Bai Li gave a thoughtful nod. ”That explains a lot.”

Yan Cijin glanced at her. ”What does that mean?”

”It means Lili has good taste.”

Yan Cijin looked like she wanted to laugh again, so Bai Li added, ”I also have good taste.”

Yan Cijin replied very calmly, ”In what?”

Bai Li looked at her for a second without saying anything but her eyes looking at Yan Cijin seemed to grow a shade darker without her knowing it. Yan Cijin was not sure what she meant but it didn’t help her getting shy about it. It was as if... Bai Li was talking about her.

Yan Cijin went quiet, and Bai Li instantly realized what she had said. Her ears warmed a little, but she still held Yan Cijin’s gaze stubbornly, as if she refused to take it back. Yan Cijin stared at her for a beat longer, then turned her face slightly away.

”You are being ridiculous,” she said.

Bai Li grinned. ”You did not say no.”

Yan Cijin pressed her lips together, trying not to smile too openly, and Bai Li knew she had won that round too. It made her feel a lot better than before. The whole apology had started off clumsy and embarrassing, but now it was turning into something soft and almost normal. Bai Li still had that little band-aid on her cheek, and now she was sitting here talking like this with Yan Cijin, hearing her voice, watching her expression, and feeling the quiet comfort of not being pushed away.

After a while, Yan Cijin stood up again and looked toward the other room. ”I should go check on Lili.”

Bai Li nodded. ”I can go with you.”

Yan Cijin glanced back at her. ”You do not have to follow me everywhere.”

Bai Li thought about that, then said, ”But I want to.”

Yan Cijin paused for half a second and then let out a small breath through her nose, clearly giving up on arguing. ”Fine.”

Bai Li stood up quickly, almost too quickly, then remembered the band-aid on her cheek and carefully touched it again. ”Will this thing stay on?”

”If you stop touching it.”

Bai Li lowered her hand. ”I am not touching it.”

Yan Cijin looked at her with open disbelief. Bai Li coughed once and pretended not to notice. The two of them walked out of the room together, and Bai Li felt the earlier heaviness finally starting to fade. Even if the feelings in her heart were still a little confusing, even if she still could not put a clear name on everything she felt for Yan Cijin, she could at least tell one thing. She did not want this woman to be unhappy because of her. She wanted to keep seeing that faint smile, that calm look, and that soft way she had when she was careful with others.

She finally breathed a sigh of relief as she sat on the edge of the bed; coaxing someone was so difficult. But she felt it was worth it and if it was for this woman, she would probably do anything in this world to coax her even if she has to get on her knees and beg her, she would do it. Bai Li still didn’t quite place a name on these feelings that she had for yan cijin but she paid them no mind for the moment. She would just let things take their natural course and wait for the moment she herself comes to realize how she feels and what exactly she feels.

”Are you going out again later?” Yan Cijin asked, then added after a moment’s thought, ”If it’s inconvenient for you, you don’t have to tell me.”

”Yes, yes, I’m going downstairs later. I need to kill some more zombies, and the small supermarket downstairs isn’t finished moving yet. I’ll pick up some things after I finish killing the zombies.” Bai Li immediately and honestly explained what she was going to do.

Yan Cijin nodded in satisfaction, ”Okay, be careful, don’t hurt yourself again.”

”Okay, I’ll be careful this time.” Seeing that Yan Cijin seemed to have calmed down, Bai Li smiled and said, ”Then I’ll go downstairs first. I’ll try to kill as many zombies as possible before dark.”

”Okay, then come over for dinner later.” Yan Cijin raised an eyebrow at Bai Li and said. She was still trying to act cool about it, but the look in her eyes was a lot softer than before.

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TO BE CONTINUED.