The Mad Scientist’s Domesticated Little Zombie 23

Chapter 23: What if I Start to Like Lingling…

This was the first time Shi Changyuan had ever considered this question.

After all, from the moment he first saw Lin Ling, he had already automatically bound him to himself for a lifetime in his heart.

Perhaps it was because Shi Changyuan had been silent for too long, thinking for too long, but the little zombie had already curled up on the sofa and fallen asleep.

“Lingling, be careful not to catch a cold.”

He tried to wake Lin Ling up and get him to go to his room to sleep, but Lin Ling just let out a soft hum and then went still.

He looked at the young man in his arms, who had completely entrusted his trust to him, and felt a bit helpless. He could only carry him into the room and gently place him on the bed.

The little zombie sensed some movement, and his eyelashes trembled uneasily, but in the end, he didn’t open his eyes.

In the darkness, Shi Changyuan stood by Lin Ling’s bed for a long time, his thoughts unknown. Finally, he softly said “good night,” then left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

The next day, Lin Ling noticed that something was off with Shi Changyuan. He was often very obviously distracted.

The little zombie was very concerned. He walked up to Shi Changyuan and poked his shoulder with his finger.

“Are you still thinking about yesterday? I already promised not to call him brother.”

“In Lingling’s eyes, am I that petty?”

Hearing this, Shi Changyuan’s eyebrow twitched.

“Aren’t you?”

The little zombie tilted his head and retorted. He was about to count on his fingers and repeat what Shi Changyuan had said last night when he heard the human actually nod and admit it generously.

“I am.”

Lin Ling: !!!

Then this is a very serious matter!

The little zombie’s expression immediately became serious.

He knew that this kind of situation in humans was called jealousy.

It was like someone stealing your best friend, which makes you very unhappy.

If it was really as Shi Changyuan said, that he had known him earlier, then according to the rule of first come, first served, it was indeed Song Jing who had stolen his place.

Lin Ling sighed and looked at Shi Changyuan with a “what can I do with you” expression. He said, “Forget it, I’ll coax you.”

Shi Changyuan didn’t know the little zombie’s convoluted thought process, nor did he know that a certain little zombie had gotten the process all wrong but had arrived at the correct answer.

Hearing this, he was a bit surprised, but he asked with an interested chuckle, “How will you coax me?”

“Hmm.”

Lin Ling thought for a moment, then moved closer to Shi Changyuan and, “catering to his preferences,” said, “I’ll let you pet my head.”

“But if my hair sticks up again, you have to be responsible.”

The young man’s hair was very soft, with a slight curl, and was already prone to getting messy. It was all thanks to the diligent care of the self-proclaimed pet owner, Shi Changyuan, who even tied it in little braids.

Against the backdrop of his highly fluffy hair, the little zombie’s face looked even smaller, making his delicate features and fair skin stand out at a glance.

He was really beautiful.

Shi Changyuan was like a dragon guarding a treasure, only knowing to hold the treasure in his arms, hiding it so tightly that no one could see it, and even he himself had very little time to admire it.

This was the first time the dragon had taken out his treasure, placed it in the sun, and carefully admired the color of every piece of glass against the light.

Lin Ling, when helping out in the lab, would also wear the standard white lab coat. The well-fitting clothes outlined his slender waist and well-proportioned limbs, giving him a very youthful feel.

The young man would obediently lower his head, revealing the thin metal ring on the back of his neck. The cold silver metal pressed against his fair skin, and a finger pressing on it would leave a red mark, adding a touch of indescribable “beauty.”

This was his treasure.

Shi Changyuan’s eyes darkened, and he looked away.

Then he reached out and ruffled Lin Ling’s hair, deliberately messing up the hair that had been so carefully styled.

“Of course I’ll be responsible.”

Shi Changyuan chuckled softly, his tone carrying a certainty that the little zombie didn’t understand.

“Let me tie it for Lingling again.”

“Okay.”

The great Zombie Emperor, who paid special attention to his personal image, immediately nodded his head.

It had to be said that Shi Changyuan’s skill at tying little braids was getting better and better. Before, some of them might have been a bit messy and crooked, but at least he had never pulled his hair.

“Is your lab always this free?”

The moment Miao Xue entered, she saw the two of them intimately close together.

She observed carefully and, as the rumors said, the two who had been fighting a few days ago had made up again, and their relationship seemed to have reached a new level.

“Well, you’re leaving the city soon. You should enjoy your last moments of peace.”

Hearing this, Shi Changyuan knew what Miao Xue was here for.

“Did Old Duan send you?”

“Uh-huh.”

For a researcher of Shi Changyuan’s level, his itinerary was confidential. The few who could find out, besides a few in the military, was Professor Duan from the research institute.

“Old Duan knows you’re taking Little Lin Ling with you this time and is very unhappy.”

“He thinks you’re disregarding Little Lin Ling’s safety.”

Miao Xue picked and chose her words, conveying the general meaning of what Old Duan had said, automatically filtering out the nasty curses.

“I’m the one who wants to leave the city.”

The little zombie weakly raised his paw, trying to speak up for Shi Changyuan. “It has nothing to do with him.”

“Little Lin Ling, do you know that it’s getting more and more dangerous outside? Ever since the base was established, everyone thought the crisis was over, but recently we’ve discovered that plants and animals are also showing signs of mutation—”

“I know.”

The little zombie looked at Miao Xue with great sincerity and said seriously, “I’m very powerful. Trust me!”

“I have to leave the city.”

Seeing that Lin Ling’s attitude was even firmer than Shi Changyuan’s, Miao Xue was at a loss for words. In the end, she could only sigh and compromise, a faint look of a weary worker on her face.

“Then Little Lin Ling can go and tell Professor Duan yourself. I don’t dare to relay it to him. I’m afraid he’ll scold me too.”

“Alright, I’ll go and report my safety to Professor Duan.”

From the moment Miao Xue stated her purpose, Shi Changyuan hadn’t spoken again. The little zombie sensed his unhappiness and snuggled closer, coaxing him in a low voice.

“Don’t worry, Professor Duan can’t control me.”

Lin Ling was extremely proud, lifting his chin to show off his “glorious achievements.”

“When I was little, I liked to sneak out to play. Auntie Man would have Professor Duan guard the door for me. I ran so fast, the little old man couldn’t catch me at all.”

“And I’m really powerful. They don’t know, but you do.”

Miao Xue didn’t hear the first part of the mumbling clearly, but she did hear the last sentence.

She couldn’t help but wonder if Shi Changyuan had been putting on too much of an act in front of Little Lin Ling, giving the child this misconception, or if the young man really had some hidden talent.

Well, as long as she could get through her work peacefully, anything was fine.

Miao Xue led the two to Old Duan’s lab. Just as they entered the first door, Little Lin Ling pulled Shi Changyuan back, looking as if he were going to take all the blame.

“I’ll go and talk about this alone. You can wait for me here.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let Professor Duan scold you!”

The feeling of being shielded by the young man was strange. His chest felt full, and some of the unspeakable greed seemed to be filled a little.

“Thank you, Lingling.”

Shi Changyuan took Lin Ling’s hand and smiled. “But Professor Duan can’t control me either.”

In a two-on-one situation, with two stubborn hotheads and one neutral, peace-making worker, Professor Duan was unsurprisingly defeated.

“I really can’t control you young people anymore. Go, go. Hiding in the base for a lifetime is not a solution. Lin Ling has grown up. Your Auntie Man would be proud of you.”

Hearing this, the little zombie nodded in agreement. “Mm!”

She definitely will!

When I rule the world, Auntie Man will be the Zombie Emperor’s royal aunt!

Seeing that he couldn’t persuade them, Old Duan could only think of other ways. He took out a lot of good things and gave them to Shi Changyuan and Lin Ling.

Even the weary worker Miao Xue, who was beside them, was almost packed off, because a defense ability could be life-saving at a critical moment.

“Old Duan, my mission from above is to protect you.”

Miao Xue was anxious.

“What protection does an old man like me need? Protecting the young people who can change the future of the world is the more important thing.”

“This conflicts with the instructions from above. I’m afraid I can’t obey.”

In the midst of the chaotic argument, Lin Ling took Shi Changyuan’s hand and secretly slipped out the back door.

They passed through corridors and several doors and arrived at the previous open-air little garden at the corner of the balcony.

The argument just now made the little zombie inevitably think of the night the lab was about to explode, and the question he hadn’t asked.

Shi Changyuan is also an ordinary person, and a very important researcher. Why does no one protect him?

Although he knew that Shi Changyuan wouldn’t be sad about this, Lin Ling still reached out, gently hooked Shi Changyuan’s fingertip, and comforted him, “It’s okay, I’ll protect you.”

Hearing this, Shi Changyuan was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood what the little zombie was thinking.

This was a soft-hearted little zombie.

When the young man said this, he looked up at him, his face full of seriousness, his pupils reflecting only his own shadow.

“Alright, Lingling will protect me.”

Shi Changyuan heard himself say this.

Looking at those eyes that were fixed on him, containing only him, Shi Changyuan finally understood what he was not satisfied with.

He wanted to possess the treasure exclusively, but he wanted more than just exclusive possession.

He could be Lingling’s pet owner, Lingling’s friend, Lingling’s teacher.

He could also be the accomplice in Lingling’s ambition to rule the world, Lingling’s most loyal lover.

He could be Lingling’s property.*

He wanted to have all the young man’s heart and eyes, all his closest joys.

“Lingling.”

Shi Changyuan called out again, causing the little zombie to look up at him again, his gaze puzzled.

He looked at those beautiful eyes, his own eyes dark, and said silently in his heart, I still want more.

The exclusive favor and love of the treasure.

“What?”

Seeing the human in front of him remain silent for a long time, he couldn’t help but ask.

“Does Lingling say he will protect everyone?”

The little zombie thought for a moment and shook his head.

“You’re the first. What’s wrong?”

The corners of Shi Changyuan’s lips curved up.

“Nothing.”

“Just so touched, what if I start to like Lingling.”