TIMO - Chapter 85
Chapter 85
As her words fell.
A faint, fresh scent of lychee instantly filled the car, washing over her.
It was like sweet, juicy lychee pulp exploding at the tip of her nose.
Her fingertips, gripping the doorframe, trembled.
Fu Zhao felt as if she were floating in the air, or perhaps sinking into soft, fluffy clouds, being gently crushed within them.
Her throat bobbed for what felt like the hundredth time, but she still didn't dare let her gaze fall on Shi Nan, staring instead at the back of the passenger seat directly in front of her.
Logically, Shi Nan had just spoken.
Therefore, she should say something in response.
But what could she possibly say to answer what Shi Nan had just said?
Did Shi Nan really say that, or had she misheard? In her daze, she felt like she was dreaming.
Until Shi Nan repeated it.
Until the heat from her wrist grew hotter and hotter, spreading through her body.
Until her breathing became chaotic once more.
She let out a soft breath and, before she could do anything truly improper, spoke in a trembling voice, “I… I’ll help… I’ll help you get… get an inhibitor.”
Somehow, all of a sudden, she had developed a stutter.
The sentence came out so haltingly that even she couldn't bear to listen to it.
So it was only natural that Shi Nan would laugh.
The car’s interior was enclosed and private. The windows had changed color, so dark you couldn’t see out, and no one outside could see in.
It was quiet, so quiet that every breath was clearly audible.
And Shi Nan was laughing right beside her ear.
Though there was a significant distance between them, the lazy, soft, and light laughter reached straight to the bottom of her heart.
Her gaze was still fixed on the seat in front of her, her breath nearly catching in her throat. Her shoulders were tense, one hand held in Shi Nan’s palm, the other gripping the door handle.
She was completely at a loss.
The wait for Shi Nan’s response was agonizing.
An unknown amount of time passed. It felt like two hours, but in reality, it was probably only a dozen seconds.
A few breaths later.
The wrist held in Shi Nan’s palm was squeezed tightly, and the red seatback in front of her was replaced by a face blooming with a smile.
Her eyelashes fluttered.
Shi Nan wasn’t sitting beside her; her legs were straddling Fu Zhao, resting on the seat on either side of her.
In an instant, Fu Zhao turned as red as a steamed crab.
But in truth, she would have preferred to have actually been cooked.
At least then she would know where to look, not like now, where nowhere felt right.
“Why aren’t you looking at me, hmm?” Shi Nan asked, her voice very soft.
As if prompted, Fu Zhao awoke from her beautiful, enchanting dream, her gaze flitting frantically over Shi Nan’s face, shoulders, and waist.
“I did.”
Just those two words were a struggle for her completely dry throat.
Shi Nan watched her quietly, not speaking. Her gaze was moist, as if holding a bright moon, yet it also felt like a wave of heat washing over her.
Slowly, she drew closer.
Shi Nan gently rested her head on Fu Zhao’s shoulder in a face-to-face position, her breathing slightly unsteady.
“I need you to help me,” Shi Nan said succinctly.
Fu Zhao’s body went rigid. The fingertips gripping the door handle curled inward. Her voice was hoarse. “I… I meant, help you… help you inject… inject the inhibitor.”
“Not that kind of help.”
Shi Nan’s voice was a soft whisper. She then moved her head, burying it in the crook of Fu Zhao’s neck.
Her legs shifted too, making the skin on Fu Zhao’s inner thighs break out in a million goosebumps.
The voice that reached her ear was very soft, yet it landed in her heart with perfect accuracy, like a floating dandelion seed tickling her, making it itch.
“This is how you help.”
Shi Nan said just that.
The fingers Fu Zhao had clamped on the door handle instantly went slack.
Fu Zhao didn’t actually know how to help Shi Nan.
There was no reason for it; she just didn’t know.
Other than using an inhibitor, she didn’t know of any other way to help Shi Nan.
But Shi Nan wouldn’t allow inhibitors.
Instead, she chose artificial pheromones.
The crucial point was that the key ingredient had been extracted from her own blood to create an artificial pheromone with the scent of “Rain-washed White Tea”—a perfect match for her own scent, and one that could have a soothing effect.
It was only now that Fu Zhao learned such a method for creating artificial pheromones existed.
She was as stiff as a wooden plank. After finally managing to get Shi Nan from the car to the room, it wasn’t just her eyes that didn’t know where to look; she didn’t even know where to put her hands.
She even walked with her arms and legs moving in awkward unison.
Her mind was a complete blank, as if even the slightest turn of thought was incredibly difficult.
It was as if she had completely lost the ability to think.
It was her first time experiencing something like this. She had no experience at all and was fumbling around in a panic, unable to find the key.
But Shi Nan seemed to be very skilled.
She taught her step by step, just like when she had taught her how to make pottery. Strands of her soft, fine hair brushed against Fu Zhao’s shoulder, tickling her gently.
She guided Fu Zhao’s hands, from kneading the clay to throwing it on the wheel, leading her one step at a time.
Fu Zhao felt as if she had sunk into a soft cloud, fluffy and comfortable.
And the key was, this cloud was lychee-flavored.
Mellow, rich, sweet, and juicy.
One bite, and the juice instantly filled her entire mouth.
It made her unable to resist, wanting to eat a few more.
When she opened her eyes again, Fu Zhao was still in a daze, barely able to lift her hands.
She couldn’t tell if the ceiling in her line of sight was black or white.
It wasn’t that her vision was dark; she just couldn’t distinguish whether it was day or night.
An Omega’s heat usually lasted three to five days. Shi Nan’s seemed to be five days.
Not a single inhibitor was used in those five days.
It was all done through purely manual means.
During these five days, she had opened her eyes many times and checked the time many times.
She suddenly realized that she must have fully recovered and could now endure long starship journeys.
After all, she had made it through such a long heat period without any problems.
She must be all better.
“What time is it?”
A hoarse, lazy voice entered her ears, accompanied by a soft body rolling into her arms and breath that was close enough to feel.
They weren’t wearing anything.
Fu Zhao let out a soft breath and, trying her best to keep a straight face, wrapped her arms around Shi Nan. She had no choice; over the past few days, she had been scolded many times for not holding Shi Nan immediately after she woke up.
“Five in the afternoon,” she answered softly, her gaze meeting Shi Nan’s moist, sparkling eyes. “Want to get up and eat something?”
“No,” Shi Nan refused quickly, shifting in her arms. Strands of her fine, messy hair fell onto Fu Zhao’s shoulder, brushing past her ear. “I don’t have an appetite.”
Fu Zhao slowly tried to move her arm, thinking she was being subtle, but it was pulled back the next second.
Her breathing began to grow erratic, but she continued the conversation on the surface. “I’m not hungry either.”
“Mmm~”
Shi Nan hummed, her tone dragging out lazily as she stated a simple fact. “You’re going back to Nanke Island tomorrow.”
Fu Zhao was a bit dazed. She suddenly realized that five days had passed, and it was time for her to return to Nanke Island and dutifully assume her responsibilities as Island Master.
But a sudden reluctance bloomed in her heart.
It was strange. She had never shirked this responsibility, but now, at this very moment, she felt a sudden resistance to the idea of returning to Nanke Island.
She pressed her lips together. “Are you going to the company tomorrow too? And then…”
She paused for a moment, her tone light when she spoke again. “You’ll have to go to all the remote planets across the galaxy to implement the Qixing Project.”
“Just like last time.” The last sentence was spoken very softly. If one didn’t listen carefully, they wouldn’t catch the reluctance hidden within.
Shi Nan hummed in agreement, twirling a strand of Fu Zhao’s hair around her finger. She spoke softly, “I’ll go after I’ve dealt with Shen Caiwei and the others.”
“I should be back a little earlier than last time. After all, I have experience now.”
“I should be back sooner than you think.”
Fu Zhao was silent for a moment, her voice unconsciously softening. “It doesn’t matter if it’s early or late. I just need to know you’re safe, that’s enough.”
“Whether it’s three years or five,” she let out a slow breath and said, word by word, “I will wait for you to come back.”
“And now, I can leave Nanke Island. I can go to the planets you’re on to see you.”
Shi Nan looked up at her, the corners of her lips curling into a smile. “If you have time, I won’t stop you. But you know, you’re the Island Master now, and besides, you don’t have…”
She paused there, her smile faltering for a second before she seamlessly raised the corners of her lips again, changing the subject. “There are always a lot of things to handle on the island. You don’t have to accommodate me like this, flying all over the galaxy to see me. You’re already not quite used to riding in starships, aren’t you?”
Fu Zhao’s lips pressed together even more tightly. Everything Shi Nan said was right, so she could only suppress the bit of resistance in her heart and nod lightly.
“I know. I won’t let it interfere with other things.”
Shi Nan smiled and soothingly hooked her finger around Fu Zhao’s. “Good girl~~”
“This time, the promise is the same.”
Shi Nan nuzzled against her in her arms. Fu Zhao stiffened for a moment but immediately relaxed, her eyes filled with confusion. “What promise?”
She asked.
Shi Nan looked at her sideways, her eyes flickering like they held a clear, shimmering spring. The corners of her mouth lifted into a curve.
“The promise about when I’ll return to Nanke Island.”
Those words jogged Fu Zhao’s memory, and her thoughts suddenly drifted back to the last time Shi Nan had left Nanke Island.
Shi Nan had said at the time: I’ll be back before your first susceptibility period.
Realizing this, Fu Zhao froze for three seconds. The heat rushed to her cheeks, and her earlobes began to burn. She lowered her gaze, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
“I… I haven’t differentiated yet.”
“Mhm, I know.” Shi Nan couldn’t help but laugh. She reached a hand out from under the covers and rubbed Fu Zhao’s hot earlobe. “Didn’t the check-up say you’d differentiate at 28?”
“You’re almost 26 now, so that’s only a little over two years away.”
“Rounding up, your first susceptibility period is coming soon too.”
Fu Zhao paused, then bit her lower lip and said, “After I differentiated last time, my susceptibility period never came.”
“Then it will definitely be very soon this time,” Shi Nan said decisively.
Fu Zhao froze, asking blankly, “Why?”
Shi Nan shifted, her gaze shimmering as she looked at her.
“Because I said so.”
Before Fu Zhao could process those words, Shi Nan was suddenly above her, gently biting her lower lip, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
Under the covers, her legs were swaying gently.
Her breathing was thrown into disarray by Shi Nan, whose voice was very soft.
“The next time it’s like this, it will be your susceptibility period.”
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