Chapter 27: Does Lingling Like Me?
Perhaps it was because Lin Ling had rested before Shi Changyuan, but he woke up a rare moment before him. Outside, he could still only hear the whistling wind.
It sounded even colder.
The little zombie subconsciously burrowed deeper into the quilt, only to find that he couldn’t move at all—
An arm was firmly wrapped around his waist.
Lin Ling’s originally hazy eyes instantly cleared, enough to see the current situation in the dim tent.
His head was resting in the crook of Shi Changyuan’s neck. With just a slight movement, the tip of his nose would touch the human’s carotid artery. The human’s body heat enveloped him tightly.
The recent movement made Shi Changyuan think the little zombie was still seeking warmth, and he instinctively held him tighter. Lin Ling could clearly feel his breath and the rise and fall of his chest.
He could even faintly hear the steady, powerful beat of his heart.
Intimate.
This was the first word that flashed through the little zombie’s mind.
He and Shi Changyuan were intimate, an intimacy that everyone could see, but the little zombie couldn’t judge what kind of relationship this level of intimacy represented among humans.
After all, among other species, it was perfectly normal for small animals that got along well to huddle together to sleep in the winter.
But the little zombie was certain of one thing: Shi Changyuan trusted him very much.
Lin Ling’s long eyelashes fluttered.
If he wanted to infect Shi Changyuan now, he would only need to gently bite his neck, just enough to break the skin. Shi Changyuan, in his sleep, wouldn’t notice and wouldn’t have time to inject the serum. When he opened his eyes again, he would be a zombie.
Or if he wanted to kill Shi Changyuan, he would only need to bite down hard, piercing the carotid artery with his fangs.
The neck was a human’s weak point.
And now it was exposed right in front of him, just as he had exposed the back of his own head to Shi Changyuan before.
At this thought, the little zombie nuzzled the blanket covering him, trying to use it to cover Shi Changyuan’s neck, to completely place him in his own protective camp.
But this guy Shi Changyuan didn’t understand his good intentions at all. He even grabbed his hand and stuffed it into the sleeping bag, letting out a muffled mumble, “Don’t mess around, Cutie.”
“…Sleep a little longer.”
Alright.
Seeing as he was on watch last night, I’ll let Shi Changyuan rest a little longer.
The great Zombie Emperor was very good to his friends.
He waited obediently for Shi Changyuan to wake up.
The process was a bit boring. He first fluttered his eyelashes, his eyes darting around, looking here and there, then he listened to the sounds outside.
He waited and waited.
He waited until the sound of the wind outside subsided and was replaced by the “shuffling” of footsteps, deliberately lowered voices, and the sound of running water from people washing up.
And the technological aroma of concentrated bone broth that lingered over the entire campsite.
But Shi Changyuan still showed no signs of waking up.
Something’s not right.
The little zombie felt that this shouldn’t be. He had been in one position for too long, and half of his body was going numb.
Isn’t Shi Changyuan’s arm numb?
Just as Lin Ling looked up in puzzlement, trying to change his position, he met Shi Changyuan’s already awake eyes.
And those eyes were staring at him intently.
“…You’re awake?”
The little zombie’s voice still had a morning lilt to it, a bit sticky.
“Why didn’t you say anything when you woke up?”
Lin Ling blinked and immediately realized.
“Lingling is so good.”
Shi Changyuan smiled, his voice raspy with the morning, not answering the question.
“I’m asking you a question.”
The little zombie seemed to have noticed Shi Changyuan’s evasion and poked him again.
Shi Changyuan’s gaze followed the finger that was poking his shoulder, and he had a strong urge to bite it.
His throat bobbed. He looked away and replied with a smile, “I just wanted to see how long Lingling could stay obediently in my arms.”
“And then I found that even when the little cat was so bored he was yawning one after another, so bored he was about to start counting the fluff on the blanket, he never had the thought of kicking me away.”
“So good.”
“If you’re awake, then get up—”
Hearing this reason, the little zombie was not happy. He struggled to get out of Shi Changyuan’s embrace, but the moment the wind blew in, he immediately went still.
Shi Changyuan smiled, helped Lin Ling up, and then quickly helped him put on his sweater.
The temperature had dropped again today.
Lin Ling put on his sweater, then a windproof cloak. The collar was fluffy, and it had a large hood that could cover his entire face.
After the little zombie had wrapped himself up tightly, he was about to wait for Shi Changyuan to leave the tent together when he saw him still sitting there, propping up his head and looking at him.
“Aren’t you getting up yet?”
“Is Lingling planning to watch me change here?”
Faced with the little zombie’s question, Shi Changyuan picked up the clothes beside him and said deliberately.
Hearing this, the little zombie finally realized that Shi Changyuan had taken off his combat suit and was only wearing a black tank top underneath. Perhaps it was because the combat suit had too many buttons, zippers, and pockets, and was uncomfortable to sleep in.
Perhaps it was because the little zombie’s gaze was too direct, but Shi Changyuan’s eyebrow twitched, his tone slightly accusing.
“I was kind enough to be a mattress for a certain little zombie, but a certain zombie still complained that the mattress wasn’t soft enough.”
With that, Shi Changyuan even showed the evidence—a metal zipper pull from the combat suit jacket, which had been forcefully pulled off.
It even had Lin Ling’s teeth marks on it.
The little zombie, feeling guilty, glanced at it and then ran away in a flash.
Seeing him leave, a lot of cold wind blew into the tent, and the morning’s restlessness gradually subsided.
Not long after, Shi Changyuan followed him out of the tent, but his lower body was neatly dressed, while his upper body was still in that black tank top.
Even when he washed up, he used bone-chilling cold water.
The little zombie had his hands in his pockets and looked at the human in front of him, a bit puzzled. Isn’t Shi Changyuan an ordinary human? Why is he torturing himself like this?
I’m the Zombie Emperor, and the others are ability users. Why is he, an ordinary person, joining in the fun of taking a cold shower?
The little zombie’s big eyes were full of worry. He went back to the tent, grabbed a blanket, and ran over, covering the person from head to toe.
“What’s wrong?”
Shi Changyuan, draped in the blanket, was puzzled.
“You can’t use cold water.”
Lin Ling, mimicking Shi Changyuan’s previous words, said righteously.
“Why can’t I use cold water?”
Shi Changyuan was stunned for a moment and retorted.
“There’s no why. Didn’t you not allow me to take a cold shower before?” The great Zombie Emperor was very domineering. He pushed Shi Changyuan back to the tent and pointed at the combat suit he had placed on the side.
“And you have to get dressed properly.”
Shi Changyuan looked at the clothes on the ground and the blanket on himself and understood at once.
He bent down to pick up the clothes, but he didn’t hurry to put them on. He deliberately teased him.
“What, does Lingling think I’m dressed too revealingly, not upholding male virtues?”
“So possessive.”
The little zombie, who had been wrongly accused: ?!!!
“Who cares about you!”
Although Lin Ling said this, his gaze couldn’t help but drift towards Shi Changyuan’s body.
Before, he had seen Shi Changyuan in a loose-fitting bathrobe, his chest and abdominal muscles only faintly visible under the wide cover. But this black tank top was completely different. It clung tightly to his skin, and the rise and fall of his muscles could be seen clearly.
…Envious.
Very envious.
It was the kind of body the great Zombie Emperor wanted.
If he had this height, this build, he would be the most authoritative great Zombie Emperor!!!
“If Lingling doesn’t explain why I can’t use cold water, I won’t get dressed.”
“You didn’t give me a reason when you didn’t allow me to use cold water before!”
The great Zombie Emperor had gotten smarter and didn’t fall for it at all.
“If you want me to say it, then you say it first.”
“Alright.”
Shi Changyuan looked at the little zombie in front of him, the corners of his lips curved up. “I’m just concerned about Lingling, that’s all.”
“Is Lingling also concerned about me?”
The little zombie heard Shi Changyuan’s answer and was a little touched. He was about to nod when he heard the following sentence.
“Why is Lingling so concerned about me? Do you like me?”
The little zombie: …?
Is that right?
How did he come to that conclusion?
Lin Ling’s mind was in a daze. He opened his lips, wanting to deny it, but found that it didn’t seem right. He wanted to affirm it, but that seemed even more wrong.
He looked at Shi Changyuan’s smiling eyes and righteous expression, and he suddenly felt that he had fallen into a human’s trap again. In the end, he threw out a “wear it or don’t” and turned to leave.
It must be that my brain isn’t clear so early in the morning. I can’t argue with this human, or I’ll easily be led into a ditch.
“Oh my, Little Lin Ling is here.”
Miao Xue had seen the entire interaction between the two and handed over a bowl of ginger soup with a grin, deliberately sighing, “It seems someone is not being human so early in the morning, using all sorts of despicable tricks. Lingling, you have to be more careful, don’t be coaxed into a daze.”
Lin Ling didn’t quite understand this.
Not being human?
What, does someone in the convoy want to defect to the zombie camp?
And what’s with the despicable tricks?
The little zombie was still looking around, searching for that “human who has seen the light,” when he saw Shi Changyuan, already dressed in his jacket, walk up to Lin Ling and pull him back again.
“Tsk, so possessive.”
“Jealousy monster.”
Miao Xue saw that she had no chance to stir up trouble and pouted, muttering.
“What are you doing?”
The little zombie was just about to “ask when he didn’t understand” when he was taken away by Shi Changyuan.
He looked back at Miao Xue, who was still waving behind him, then at Shi Changyuan in front of him. Although he was confused, he still followed closely behind the human he was most familiar with.
Shi Changyuan also realized that the little zombie’s first choice was always him, and the corners of his lips curved up in a good mood.
“I’ve prepared breakfast for Lingling.”
He placed a bottle of hot milk and a handful of different flavored beef jerky in the little zombie’s hands.
“If you don’t eat it quickly, it’ll get cold.”
Shi Changyuan watched as the little zombie’s eyes gradually lit up. He ruffled his head and couldn’t help but smile.
“Do you like me a little more now?”
