Compatibility - Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Liu Zhaoran was used to examining herself, and equally skilled at defining both herself and everyone around her. Her memories of childhood were still very clear. Though she had come to this world a long time ago, she still distinctly remembered her family and the world she ought to have been in.
Coming to this strange place as a child, Liu Zhaoran had been frightened by everything around her. It took her a long time to adapt, and only afterward did she gradually come to accept this world.
But acceptance did not mean she was content with a placid life, nor did it mean she had given up the idea of going back. For Liu Zhaoran, she had always harbored a sense of rejection toward this world, and had no sense of belonging to speak of.
Family, friendship, love. These feelings were unnecessary to Liu Zhaoran. She had almost forgotten how long it had been since she last felt the emotion of liking someone, to the point that she had grown numb to the sentiment called "liking."
But now Liu Zhaoran realized that the feeling she had heedlessly overlooked might well be the very sentiment called liking. The room was very quiet. She could only hear the steady breathing of the person beside her, faint, yet somehow reassuring.
Liu Zhaoran considered herself long past the age of being naive about feelings. She was skilled at sorting through her own heart, and liking between adults was often far more direct than in youth.
If it had been a little earlier, Liu Zhaoran was certain she would have agreed to Luo Ning's request without hesitation. That was the choice of a clever person, and Liu Zhaoran did not make wrong decisions.
The Dis Family possessed abundant financial resources, and the chip project they were developing was also something that interested her. Favorable conditions, a good family background. From any angle, Luo Ning was a highly suitable candidate for dating, or even marriage.
Yet now Liu Zhaoran was hesitating, and the reason was simply that she had someone she liked.
Falling for Song Nanyin had not been a coincidence, nor was it any difficult feat. All along, Liu Zhaoran had kept herself wound tight. Only in front of Song Nanyin did she discover that she still had the right to reveal her true nature.
She liked her not because Song Nanyin was an Alpha, but simply because she enjoyed the feeling of being with Song Nanyin. That was all. Confirming this fact did not ease Liu Zhaoran's mood; instead, it grew even heavier.
This heaviness was most directly tied to Liu Zhaoran's character. If she did not have so many "desires," this liking could have been very pure. But the fact was that Liu Zhaoran wanted too many things.
She wanted to return to her original world. If that was impossible, she wanted at least to reach a height in this world that would satisfy her. And Luo Ning was clearly someone who could give her all of this.
If the person she liked now were someone other than Song Nanyin, Liu Zhaoran could easily have handled every relationship with her usual ease, as she had before. She could keep those who had feelings for her hanging while dating another, more suitable partner.
But Liu Zhaoran found she could not do this to Song Nanyin, because her liking for her was far stronger than she had imagined. She was afraid that if she resorted to such extreme measures, she would end up hurting Song Nanyin and making her hate her.
This unprecedented feeling weighed on Liu Zhaoran, and for a time she did not even know what mindset she should adopt toward Song Nanyin.
Somewhat troubled, Liu Zhaoran reached out in the dark and touched Song Nanyin's face. Perhaps annoyed at being disturbed during sleep, Song Nanyin simply turned over, pinning the culprit who had been making noise beneath her.
Liu Zhaoran was briefly stunned, thinking Song Nanyin had woken up. But the woman merely pressed herself down on top of her, then rubbed her head against her, found the most comfortable spot, and nestled down to sleep.
In this regard, she was exactly like a canine.
Liu Zhaoran smiled helplessly and reached up to stroke the back of Song Nanyin's neck.
She still had important things she had to do. Afterward, she would properly compensate and apologize to the Little Lion.
Song Nanyin slept especially well that night, as if, without Liu Zhaoran, even the bed had become softer and sweeter. She did not get up once during the night, sleeping from 11 PM until 10 AM the next morning. On the morning of a day off, there was nothing more blissful than lying in bed until the sun was high in the sky.
Of course, if the first thing she saw upon waking had not been Liu Zhaoran, Song Nanyin would have been in an even better mood.
"Why are you here?" Song Nanyin opened her eyes and took a few seconds to confirm that the person beneath her was indeed Liu Zhaoran, not a demon wearing Liu Zhaoran's face.
She lay there with her long hair loose, smiling at her gently. Despite countless frustrations and resentments in her heart, Song Nanyin would dare say that no one could lose their temper at a Liu Zhaoran like this. At the very least, she herself would find it very hard.
"When I came back last night, I saw Team Leader Song sleeping alone in her room, still angry, so I wanted to come and soothe you. I didn't expect Team Leader Song to press me down here as a mattress. I was afraid I'd wake you, so I didn't dare get up."
Liu Zhaoran spoke softly, her voice carrying the particular huskiness of someone just woken. Last night she had only done a quick wash before coming to find Song Nanyin, still wearing a shirt on her upper body. Now the buttons were undone, and the soft, fair curve beneath was faintly visible, sexy and bewitching.
Only then did Song Nanyin realize something was wrong. After all this time, the bed she had found so wonderfully comfortable and soft was actually Liu Zhaoran, of all people?
Although, strictly speaking, there was nothing wrong with it, it still felt a little strange...
"Then you could have woken me up. You didn't have to lie there playing pitiful for me at the crack of dawn." Song Nanyin said with some displeasure, clearly still unhappy.
"Team Leader Song, let's get up first. Wash up, and I'll make breakfast. In the afternoon, we can watch a drama together." Liu Zhaoran acknowledged her fault, and now that she was certain she liked Song Nanyin, she naturally tried to go along with her in everything.
Hearing that Liu Zhaoran meant to stay and keep her company today, Song Nanyin's mood eased a little. She was still unhappy, but at least she no longer felt so resistant to talking with Liu Zhaoran.
She did not answer, simply getting up and going into the bathroom to shower. By the time she came out, Liu Zhaoran had made breakfast and set it on the table. Since it was already late, the breakfast was quite hearty, almost enough to replace lunch.
"So, how do you have time to be at home today? Why aren't you off working overtime with that business partner of yours from some company or another?" Song Nanyin ate the crispy pork Liu Zhaoran had put in her bowl, then, as if remembering something, asked with feigned nonchalance.
She thought her tone was very casual, but Liu Zhaoran could clearly hear the sourness in her words. Perhaps liking someone meant loving your own feelings for them; every small detail of the other person felt connected to yourself.
Liu Zhaoran could sense that Song Nanyin liked her. The two of them were like magnets drawn to each other, discovering a new thing they liked about the other every day. Liu Zhaoran still had some confidence in her own charm.
"Nanyin, I..." Liu Zhaoran wanted to say something to Song Nanyin, at least to put the Little Lion's mind at ease first. Just then, a phone call came in. Seeing Luo Ning's name, Liu Zhaoran instinctively glanced at Song Nanyin, then rose and walked out to the balcony to answer.
"Is something the matter?" Liu Zhaoran's tone was somewhat cold. Whether now or years ago, Luo Ning had always been, to her, a target of considerable value to exploit. From the very beginning, she had felt nothing for him.
Before Song Nanyin, Liu Zhaoran had never developed the sentiment of liking for anyone. Her relationship with Luo Ning had been based on calculations of benefit, and since she did not dislike him, she had simply gone along with it halfheartedly.
"Nothing much. I just... wanted to ask you to come out and meet me. I heard there's a restaurant that's pretty good."
"Sorry, I..."
"Liu, actually there's one more thing I want to tell you. I have an experimental chip on hand. I know you're very interested in this, so maybe you can use it."
Luo Ning seemed to have guessed that Liu Zhaoran would refuse, so he had brought out the chip in advance as a pretext. Liu Zhaoran frowned. She knew what Luo Ning was up to, but for the sake of the chip, she had no choice but to keep the appointment.
"I understand. Then I'll see you at the restaurant you mentioned." After ending the call with Luo Ning, Liu Zhaoran returned to the dining room and looked at Song Nanyin with some apology. As if she knew what Liu Zhaoran was about to say, Song Nanyin's face showed no expression.
"Nanyin, I... I have something to do this afternoon. I might have to..."
"I see. I'm full. I'm going upstairs."
Song Nanyin did not give Liu Zhaoran a chance to continue, nor could she be bothered to hear any explanation. She turned and went straight upstairs. Liu Zhaoran knew she had made Song Nanyin unhappy again, and she thought about how she should apologize afterward. She tidied up briefly and went to the restaurant Luo Ning had arranged.
Eager as she was to ask about the chip, Liu Zhaoran still kept her patience, chatting casually with Luo Ning about other topics before finding the chance to steer the conversation to the main subject.
"What's the difference between the experimental chip you mentioned and the standard one?"
"Liu, I knew you would be very interested in this. This chip was made with the energy excavated at the very beginning. Because the amount of energy was scarce, it's not very stable. But as an experimental piece, its current control is bolder."
As he spoke, Luo Ning handed the chip to Liu Zhaoran. New Energy production and excavation had always been the field the Dis Family excelled in most, and this functional electronic chip was the main product of their cooperation this time.
Once the chip was successfully developed, whether computers or phones, including vehicles and aircraft, could all adopt this brand-new chip. For humanity, it would likely be an epoch-making advance.
And this chip was of extraordinary importance to Liu Zhaoran as well.
"Thank you, Luo Ning." Liu Zhaoran accepted the chip and put it into her bag, in no hurry to verify her conjecture at this moment.
"Liu, there's no need for such words between us. If you accept my conditions, you will be my partner from now on." After a long interval, Luo Ning brought up this topic again. He believed he had given Liu Zhaoran enough time to consider, and he wanted an answer.
That Luo Ning would press the question was within Liu Zhaoran's expectations. She would not agree to him, but neither would she refuse outright.
"I'm touched that you persuaded your family to accept me. But is what you feel for me really still the same as it was back then? Luo Ning, you know my character. I'm not someone who can be content with an ordinary life, nor could I ever obey your family in everything the way other women would."
"I hope you can give me a little more time, and give yourself some time too, to think it through. Is what you feel for me an obsession, or, after all these years, do you still like me?"
Liu Zhaoran had always been skilled at the art of gentle refusal. Seeing Luo Ning fall silent, she opened her handbag and took out the necklace inside.
This was a gift Luo Ning had given her back then, worth no small sum. Liu Zhaoran had originally planned to sell it when she had need of it, but now she had found a more suitable use.
"This is the gift you gave me. Now I return it to you exactly as it was. I hope you can think it through. When I am willing to accept this necklace again, I will choose you."
Liu Zhaoran handed the necklace to Luo Ning and, sure enough, saw delighted surprise in his eyes. This move, she could tentatively count as having played right.
"Liu, I really didn't expect you to have kept it. I... I'm truly glad you still care about me. I'm sorry, I was too hasty." Luo Ning held the necklace, visibly a little elated. When the meal ended, Liu Zhaoran wanted to call a car to go home, but Luo Ning walked up and stopped her.
"Liu, let me drive you back. It's already very late. Consider it giving me a chance to be your escort." With Luo Ning putting it that way, Liu Zhaoran found it hard to refuse in that atmosphere. She nodded, got into the car, and gave the address.
Along the way, Liu Zhaoran was very quiet. Luo Ning could tell she did not intend to chat, so he simply played some relatively soothing music. When they arrived, he parked in front of Liu Zhaoran's building, walked around to the other side, and opened the door for her.
"Liu, I'll be going then. See you tomorrow." Luo Ning said softly. Seeing that Liu Zhaoran's hair was a little messy, he raised his hand and smoothed it for her.
The night wind rustled the surrounding leaves with a faint, crackling whisper. A disdainful sneer sounded. Song Nanyin stood on the balcony, watching this "moving" scene downstairs, and slowly turned off her phone.
In her message box lay the message she had not had time to send.
But whether it was the recipient, or the message that could no longer be sent, none of it seemed to mean anything at this moment.
Nothing was more mortifying than loving someone who did not love you back.
Bad omega won’t even communicate
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