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Shen Xi sprung to her feet and poured a glass of water for Guan Lei. “Drink some; it’ll help. It was just a bad dream. Everything is alright.”

Guan Lei accepted the cup of water gratefully. It took him quite a while to recover from the nightmare, and even now, he could still feel its effects.

Looking at the time, Shen Xi noted that it was a little after three in the morning. She went to bed around eleven the previous night. If Guan Lei slept not long after she did, he must have had four hours of sleep before his nightmare struck.

“So, it didn’t work? Maybe that time in the library was a fluke…” Shen Xi wondered aloud.

Guan Lei was similarly puzzled. He recalled that day with perfect clarity. Back then, he had been lying on Shen Xi’s lap. Did he need physical contact for it to work?

He looked up at Shen Xi. From his angle, he could see her fair skin exposed at the collar of her pyjamas. It was smooth and unblemished, almost glowing in the lit room. A phrase flashed through Guan Lei’s mind – skin as clear as ice and bones as beautiful as jade.

With a body like hers, his mind had little doubt that she would feel good to the touch. He could almost feel her skin against his.

“Guan Lei? Guan Lei!” Shen Xi shouted at Guan Lei in horror, snapping him out of his funk.

Seeing a flicker of recognition in Guan Lei’s eyes, Shen Xi sighed in relief. “Guan Lei, don’t scare me like that. I’ve been calling you for a while, but you were unresponsive. I almost went to get a doctor.”

She had called Guan Lei several times to get his attention, yet he merely regarded her blankly, showing no reaction whatsoever. Shen Xi thought Guan Lei might have gone into shock because of his nightmare and lost consciousness. Hence, she nearly ran out to call for help.

Guan Lei avoided Shen Xi’s look of concern. He bowed his head, staring resolutely at his blanket, afraid of making eye contact with Shen Xi.

He was annoyed with himself for having thoughts that would make others blush and their hearts race if they were to know what he had been imagining.

Shen Xi was there to help him with his nightmares and insomnia. It was not right for him to harbour such thoughts toward her.

“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you still scared?” Shen Xi held Guan Lei’s hand and asked with concern.

Guan Lei’s absent-mindedness and silence were unnerving. If she did not know better, she would have thought his soul had flown off somewhere, attracted by some unspeakable force.

Shen Xi rested her cold hands in Guan Lei’s scorching palms. It was a powerful blend of extremes that brought comfort to Guan Lei. So great was this soothing force that it sent a shiver down his spine.

Before Shen Xi could react, Guan Lei retracted his hand, fearing that he would lose control over his raging emotions if he were a little slower.

“I’m fine. I… need to rest for a while,” Guan Lei said with his head lowered.

Guan Lei had always had a strong, aloof aura about him. It made those around him feel like they were being looked down upon. Therefore, when Guan Lei bowed his head, implying he needed some space to himself, Shen Xi did not immediately know how to react. It was a side to him she had never seen.

“It doesn’t look like I’m of much use here. That time in the library wasn’t a coincidence, was it?” Shen Xi repeated wistfully.

However, Guan Lei, who had suffered these nightmares for so long, did not want to let go of Shen Xi, his one hope of curing himself. “Why don’t we try holding hands?” He suggested.

Shen Xi frowned, but Guan Lei continued, “Remember that day at the library? I fell asleep on your lap. Maybe it has something to do with physical contact. What do you think?”

Guan Lei gained the confidence to look Shen Xi in the eye as he spoke.

Shen Xi studied Guan Lei for a long time, seeing the deep longing reflected in his eyes. Eventually, she agreed but not without a sigh, “Alright. We’ll give it a shot.”

Upon receiving Shen Xi’s approval, Guan Lei relaxed. He grabbed Shen Xi’s petite hand and urged her to sleep.

Shen Xi lay on the bed, her hand locked in a vice, suspended over the gap between their beds. It was not the most comfortable position. Moreover, Guan Lei’s hand was too hot! It felt like her hand was wrapped in a furnace, a thin layer of sweat clinging to his skin.

Guan Lei fared no better. The mere notion that he was currently holding Shen Xi’s hand was enough to overcome him in a bout of restlessness.