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Meilin and Qingcang were sitting side by side in a rollercoaster carriage, slowly ascending toward the peak. She was excitedly bouncing up and down in her seat, screaming between fits of laughter.
Qingcang watched Meilin with a raised eyebrow, impressed by her uninhibited enthusiasm. He thought, 'She's really enjoying this. Why?'
Meilin's scream became louder as they reached the top, and her hands shot up. "OH, YES!" she exclaimed, thrilled to the core.
Qingcang was more intrigued by Meilin's reactions than the ride itself. He watched her closely, trying to understand what made her feel this way. 'So, this is what she likes and what makes her happy,' he thought.
The rollercoaster plummeted down, and Meilin continued to scream with joy. "OH MY GOD, PRETTY EYES, THIS IS THE BEST PART. WEEEEE!" she shouted, her arms flailing in the air as they spun upside down in a spiral. "YEEEEEAH! WHOO!"
Qingcang felt Meilin's overwhelming joy and started understanding why she loved this. Even though he initially thought she had lost her mind, he was beginning to see the appeal of the adrenaline rush. He, too, was fond of thrills and action. Before today, he felt that being in this world for too long made him less agile.
As the ride ended, Meilin remained energetic, bouncing on the balls of her feet as they exited their seats. "Pretty Eyes, that was so fun! Do you agree?" she asked playfully.
"Mhm," Qingcang replied in approval, feeling Meilin's joy as his own. He felt pleased to experience a little action again due to Meilin's infectious enthusiasm.
Meilin hesitated for a moment, trying to gauge Qingcang's mood. "Do you want to take a break, or...?" she asked tentatively, wondering if he would agree.
Qingcang replied indifferently as they walked towards a nearby square, "Whatever makes you happy." He knew he had to comply with Meilin's wishes, even if she did not realize she had forced him to do so. Even so, he had to make her happy so that her spiritual energy could fully recover if they were to open the portal back to his world.
Meilin's eyes roamed over the bustling square as they walked, taking in the sights and sounds of some people walking with ice cream. She could not help but notice how they melted in their mouths, and she immediately wanted to have one at the thought of something sweet and cold. "Then... Wait here; I'll bring you something you might not have tasted before."
Qingcang held Meilin's upper arm, stopping her from leaving, and asked demandingly, "Where are you going?"
Qingcang's sudden change in demeanor took Meilin aback, but she quickly regained her composure. "Don't worry; the place is right there, see?" she said, pointing to the ice cream stall behind him. His eyes followed her pointing finger as he slightly rotated his head to see the place. "Plus, it's also daytime; the monsters won't come out now," she added, hoping to reassure him.
Qingcang's eyebrows furrowed, but he gently let go of Meilin's arm and nodded his approval. He allowed her some space while remaining in his sight, watching the people around them. "Be quick," he said, his voice low and serious.
Meilin had always loved the cool and creamy treats, and the thought of indulging in one on a warm day like this made her mouth water. So, she approached the vendor and scanned the various flavors on display, finally settling on flavors that she thought Qingcang might like.
After waiting patiently in line for a few minutes, Meilin returned to Qingcang, holding two ice cream cones before him. She had a cheerful smile as she offered the ice cream to him, saying, "Hey, I'm back! Which one do you want? This one is strawberry and chocolate, and the other is cookie dough and caramel."
Qingcang replied, "The first one." He remembered the delicious taste of the cake that Meilin had made for him earlier, and she had told him that it was chocolate-flavored. So, he did not doubt that he would also enjoy this chocolate and strawberry ice cream.
'So, his favorite flavor is chocolate too?' Meilin thought as she handed Qingcang his ice cream cone. She noticed his surprised expression when he touched the cold treat. "Yes, I know, it's cold. But give it a lick and taste it. I'm sure you'll love it!" She licked her ice cream, savoring the sweetness in her mouth.
Qingcang took a tiny lick of the ice cream, and his ordinarily aloof expression softened as his eyes widened slightly in response to the delicious taste. The cold and creamy texture filled his mouth, and he felt a sense of pure pleasure wash over him. While his favorite was the Moonlight Cakes that Meilin had made for him, the ice cream came in a close second.
"You like it?" Meilin asked, smiling sweetly at Qingcang. She thought, 'He's so adorable. Just look how cute he looks when eating his ice cream.'
"Mhm," Qingcang replied, still savoring the treat's taste. From the corner of his eye, he saw Meilin staring at him. Feeling annoyed by her cheesy behavior, he asked, "What?"
Meilin's eyes sparkled with cheekiness as she noticed the tiny smudge of ice cream on Qingcang's face. "You have a little bit of ice cream on your face. Let me help," she said, her voice soft and playful. Without waiting for a response, her hand reached out, causing him to freeze in surprise.
'What is she... doing?' Qingcang's mind raced with confusion as he saw Meilin standing too close to him, startling him a little as he saw how close her face was. He could not help but notice how her skin glowed in the lighting of the sun or the way her long hair fell gracefully over her shoulder.
As Meilin slowly brought her hand to rest on Qingcang's cheek, his eyes widened slightly at her sudden gentle touch. He felt her thumb caressing the place between his lips and his cheek, right where his smile line would have been. His eyes twitched scarcely as he froze at her touch.
"There, all gone," Meilin's voice broke through the silence as she removed her hand from Qingcang's face, still standing close to him. His eyes followed her hand as it retreated from his skin, leaving him unexplainable bewilderment.
Qingcang's eyes traveled downward, rendered speechless by Meilin's unpredictability.
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Yichen had been unable to sleep or focus on anything but divorce, and he knew he needed to take action. So after visiting his home and putting an ultimatum on Jianmin to divorce her, he drove towards Meilin's house. It was a long drive, and he had plenty of time to reflect on the situation. He knew he was doing the right thing, but that did not make it any easier.
Before hitting the gas pedal, Yichen took out his phone and texted his ex-teammates that he was getting divorced and needed to distance himself from Jianmin to find some peace. In the text message, he told his ex-teammates to tell Meilin about this tomorrow after he left for the short trip and not sooner.
However, there was one person Yichen needed to visit: Meilin. He had been in love with her for years, but because he was two years older than her, he had to keep their relationship friendly until he could legally be with her as a couple. He met her when he was seventeen, but after he turned eighteen a few months later and she was sixteen, he knew he had to stop and wait until she was of legal age.
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Meilin's eyes gleamed with excitement at the sight of all the remaining thrilling rides. As she wandered through the park with the Moon Supreme, she reached into her backpack to retrieve her phone that Jianmin had destroyed earlier this morning in a fit of rage. She had no idea Qingcang was so adept at fixing things within seconds, as if her phone had never been damaged. 'It must be nice to manipulate your energy to get things done,' she thought with a grin as she opened her camera app to capture the moment.
Unknown to Qingcang, Meilin had been secretly filming and taking pictures of him ever since they met. At first, it was to gather evidence of his appearance for the police in case he tried to do anything to her. But as she got to know him better, she let down her guard and opened up to him.
Meilin lifted her phone and aimed it at the stunning scenery of the amusement park. The blue sky contrasted beautifully with the bright colors of the park's attractions, and she could not resist capturing the moment. As she was about to press the shutter button, Qingcang appeared by her side; his arms crossed over his chest and a raised eyebrow. "You've been holding that artifact the whole time. What are you doing?" he asked, eyeing her phone with curiosity.
Meilin turned to Qingcang warmly, held her phone at him, and pressed the shutter button, thinking, 'This is a perfect shot.' She walked over to his side and showed him the picture she had just taken, amused at his reaction.
Qingcang looked at the image on Meilin's phone. "You..." he started, still confused at how quickly she had 'painted' his features so vividly with the artifact.
Meilin exclaimed, "It's your picture, see? You look so handsome here!" with a kind smile directed at Qingcang.
Qingcang was taken aback by Meilin's sudden actions and asked, "Why did you do this?"
Meilin, standing beside Qingcang, stepped now in front of him. "Because I want to remember you and never forget any moment of ours," she replied, looking into his eyes, slightly shocked by her words. She realized she had overshared and tried to backtrack, "I mean... What I wanted to say was... Uhm..."
Qingcang's surprised expression slowly faded, and his face returned to its usual aloofness. With an arrogant demeanor, he spoke, "Hmph. I don't need a picture to remember you." His voice carried an air of superiority, as if it was no big deal for him to have Meilin imprinted inside his head.
But it was a big deal for Meilin. Her eyes widened in surprise, and her voice trembled as she asked, "W-what?" She could not believe what she had just heard.
Qingcang continued to stare at Meilin with his piercingly beautiful eyes. "I remember every detail of you, from even as small as how you breathe," he stated matter-of-factly. "Even after fifty thousand years, I'll still remember."
Qingcang's words shocked Meilin's system, and she felt herself stop breathing for a moment.
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"Do you remember when you made me this song?" Meilin asked her friend Yichen as she sent him an MP3 of the recording he had made for her, hoping to relive some happy memories.
Yichen's reply, however, was different from what Meilin had expected. "Oh, I'm sorry. I kinda forgot... when was this?" he inquired.
Meilin felt hurt, her heart sinking as she heard Yichen's words. "You forgot?" she asked, her voice laced with pain. Her mind was racing with thoughts, 'This was the love song he recorded after we quarreled and made up... This song means so much to me, yet he's so...'
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A lump formed in Meilin's throat as she remembered the painful memory from three months ago.
Qingcang's sharp gaze never left Meilin as he spoke sternly, "So, don't ever try to fool me from now on. You were afraid when you faced that mutt this morning, yet you acted tough around me." He paused, taking a step forward, towering over her. "When you're scared, you breathe differently, and your voice has a different tone. You can't hide it from me. Understood?"
Meilin's mind wandered back to the present as she stared at Dongfang Qingcang, who was puzzled. She was taken aback by his perceptiveness and whispered, "You... noticed all these trivial things about me..."
Qingcang's eyes widened as he saw Meilin holding back her tears. With a slightly concerned look, he asked, "Why are you about to cry?"
Meilin could feel the tears of joy welling up in her eyes as she replied, "I'm very happy. You don't know how much that means to me... being remembered."
Qingcang was taken aback by Meilin's words, realizing the significance of his observations to her.
As they were finished talking, a sudden screeching noise startled them. A person dressed in a highly realistic raptor suit appeared out of nowhere and approached them. The creature's movements were incredibly lifelike, causing Meilin to become frightened.
If only Dongfang Qingcang had not been commanded earlier by Meilin to behave, he could have killed that beast.
Reacting quickly, Qingcang reached out to Meilin's waist, pulling her towards him and placing his hand on her lower back.
Meilin was taken aback by the sudden gesture and felt her face growing warm as she blushed intensely. 'What is he doing? He's... hugging me?' she thought.
Dongfang Qingcang then wrapped his other arm around Meilin's upper back, gently pushing her face towards his chest while protectively resting his hand on her head. He looked threateningly at the raptor, daring the actor to come any closer.
Sensing the danger, the raptor quickly fled the scene, leaving them alone.
Meilin's heart was racing as she was still in Dongfang Qingcang's embrace and felt mixed emotions. Her mind was racing with thoughts, and she was unsure how to react. However, something about this felt familiar to her, and a sense of comfort came to her with his actions.
As Qingcang held Meilin, memories flooded her mind. She remembered when they were in the sky, and her life was in danger. She recalled how he smelled, how he felt, and the sound of his soothing voice. It was as if she was reliving that night right now, and she could feel the fear and then the immediate sense of safety that came when she saw him.
'He always made me feel safe,' Meilin thought.
As if drawn to Qingcang by some unseen force, Meilin slowly lifted her arms and wrapped them around his back, catching him off guard. For a moment, he was stunned, unsure of what was happening.
'What is she doing?' Qingcang thought to himself, his mind trailing off as he was startled by Meilin's actions. 'She's... happy?' he thought, feeling her joy.
The two stood in the middle of a bustling square, holding each other tightly. Meilin disregarded the passersby around them, cherishing this moment with Qingcang, who was always there for her from the day they met. Everything around them seemed to fade away as they held each other, leaving only the two of them in their own little world.
"I don't need a picture to remember you, too," Meilin confessed, her voice soft and full of emotion as she closed her eyes. She inhaled deeply, taking in Qingcang's familiar scent and the warmth emanating from his body. She pressed her ear against his chest, hearing the steady thump of his heart, which only made her feel more connected to him.
Qingcang remained silent, but his eyes spoke a million stories as they reacted slightly to Meilin's words, and his mouth opened narrowly as if he wanted to say something but was holding back.
"You smelled like this that night in the sky, and you felt like this," Meilin continued, describing the memory that had been etched into her mind.
Qingcang's eyebrows furrow slightly. He remembered that moment vividly.
Qingcang let out a small breath and continued to listen as his eyes gazed down at Meilin.
"I know that you have to leave, but I..." Meilin paused, hesitating to say the words caught in her throat.
"But what?" asked Qingcang in a calm tone.
Meilin took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't want you to leave," she confessed, feeling a sharp pang of pain as she spoke.
Meilin's words took Qingcang aback, his eyes widening in surprise. 'She's hurt... because she still doesn't want me to leave?' he thought. "Why? Don't try to fool me. Tell me the truth," he demanded, his voice firm as he looked down at her intently.
'Oh no... not again,' Meilin thought as she felt caught off guard by Qingcang's sudden demanding question and remained silent momentarily. Now she was forced to tell him the raw truth because of the heart merge they both had no clue about. "Because I—" she began, but before she could finish, she was interrupted by a voice.
"I'm sorry, you two were so cute together that I had to take a picture of you. I printed them out to give you both a copy of this as a gift," the elderly photographer said as she stepped towards them.
Meilin's heart raced as she pulled away from Qingcang, feeling a sudden wave of self-consciousness wash over her. She could not believe how lost she had gotten in the moment with him, completely forgetting where they were and who might be watching them.
Qingcang stood still, looking at the photographer with an expression that indicated his annoyance.
The photographer, an elderly woman in her seventies, held two photographs of Qingcang and Meilin wrapped in each other's arms. "You don't see sweetness like this in today's young couples anymore," the old lady remarked with a smile, admiring the captured moment.
Ironically, the picture was taken when Meilin told Qingcang she did not need a picture to remember him.
'Couple?' Qingcang thought, taken aback by the old lady's remark.
"S-sweetne-ness? C-couple?" Meilin stuttered, her voice trembling slightly. She felt embarrassed by the misunderstanding and tried to correct the woman's assumption. "No, no! You're mistaken; we're not... I mean... we..."
The old lady realized her mistake and tried to apologize, "Oh dear, are you siblings?"
"No, we're... just friends," Meilin replied faintly, her eyes avoiding Qingcang's gaze.
"Ah, you're still officially in that phase," the old lady remarked, raising an eyebrow and chuckling. But keep these pictures, and here's my card. Email me if you want the digital version, too." She handed the pictures to Meilin and thought, 'I know love when I see one, and I saw love written in their faces.' Appreciating the sight of a young, loving couple, the lady bid them farewell and left.
Qingcang's irritation boiled inside him as he watched the old lady walk away. 'This old woman doesn't know her place. If only Meilin didn't compel me not to hurt anyone, I would have skinned her by now,' he thought, his eyes deadly as he glared at the retreating figure for interrupting the answer to his question.
"Wai... ugh, nevermind..." Meilin muttered in frustration, trailing off as she realized the lady was already gone. She brought the pictures closer to her face and observed them. 'I'll email her tonight for the digital version,' she thought.
Meilin's eyes slowly traveled to Qingcang's steely eyes. Feeling awkward between them, she cleared her throat and handed him a copy of their picture. His gaze met hers, and they locked eyes momentarily. She saw a slight reaction in his eyes before he quickly looked away.
Meilin broke the silence, trying to ease their tension with an awkward smile. "Take it; this is yours to keep if you want," she said, handing the picture to Qingcang.
Qingcang's eyes slowly moved to the picture, and he reached out to take it. His hand lightly touched Meilin's, making her nervous. He kept his finger in contact with hers and gently pulled the picture from her grip. His eyes were intensely fixed on the photograph of their embrace, and she could not help but wonder what he was thinking.
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After a long drive, Yichen arrived at Meilin's house. He parked his silver car and walked towards her home, climbing each step on the small number of stairs leading to her front door. He was wearing his favorite white and sky blue shirt and white jeans, but despite the confidence his attire provided, he still felt nervous. He had already practiced what he wanted to say, but his heart was racing. He rang the bell and waited for a response.
And waited...
No one answered.
Yichen rang the doorbell again, this time twice, but still, no one came. 'Strange... maybe she's preparing for live-streaming and didn't hear anything,' he thought. Hesitating to ring the doorbell again and not wanting to disturb her, he thought, 'If I leave without talking to her, she might misunderstand many things.'
With that, Yichen's hand reached into his pocket, and he retrieved his keychain. He sifted through the keys until he found Meilin's spare key. As he gazed at it, memories of the day she gave him the key came flooding back. He had brought her to the hospital, and she gave him the key so he could reach her from now on.
Yichen inserted the key into the lock and turned it. His hand trembled with nervousness as he unlocked the door. The house was silent, and he could hear his heart beating in his chest. He took a deep breath and stepped inside. "Meilin?" he called out, his voice barely above a whisper.
No response.
Yichen walked further into the house, his footsteps barely audible on the marble floor. The living room was empty, the curtains were drawn, and the kitchen was spotless, with no sign of anyone.
As Yichen made his way up the stairs, he could feel his anxiety growing. What if she was not at home and out with that man he saw in the hotel? What if she had moved on?
Yichen reached the top of the stairs and saw that Meilin's bedroom door was closed. He approached it slowly, his hand hovering over the doorknob. "Meilin, it's me," he said softly, hoping she would hear him. "Can we talk?"
Meilin was not there. Yichen looked everywhere, but he could not find her. Only one place remained, and he had not checked it yet – the attic.
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"The Moon Supreme, Dongfang Qingcang" is in the public domain. All original additions are copyright © 2022 by Aurora Luxi.