Late morning inside Xu Chen's bedroom.
Xu Chen remained collapsed dramatically across the mattress.
The phone was still in his hand.
Aum was still leaning close enough to read the messages over his shoulder.
And Meera Rao was still apparently seconds away from achieving spiritual omniscience through texting patterns alone.
Aum looked thoughtfully at the screen.
"She inferred relational progression from a single pronoun."
Xu Chen stared at the ceiling.
"She has known me for eight years. That woman can identify emotional instability from punctuation."
A faint pause.
"That remains deeply impressive."
"You are absolutely encouraging her behavior."
Warmth flickered visibly through Aum's expression again.
Xu Chen immediately pointed accusingly toward him without lifting his head.
"There. That." He narrowed his eyes weakly. "You are enjoying this."
"I am enjoying your reactions."
"That sentence should not sound this intimate."
"But it does."
Xu Chen covered his face briefly with one hand.
God.
He genuinely had no surviving defenses left anymore.
The phone buzzed again.
Meera:
Xu Chen.
Answer carefully.
Is the bookstore alien currently WITH YOU.
The room fell completely silent.
Xu Chen lowered the phone slowly.
Then turned his head toward Aum.
Aum looked back at him calmly.
A faint pause.
Then:
"I believe deception probability is now statistically unwise."
Xu Chen laughed so hard he nearly slid off the bed.
Warm sunlight flooded the room around them while Aum watched him with obvious affection now, entirely unbothered by the fact that Xu Chen was experiencing a complete psychological breakdown over text messages.
God.
The domesticity of this situation felt absurd.
Xu Chen finally sat upright again, still laughing under his breath.
"You know what's terrifying?"
Aum looked at him immediately.
"What."
"I think she's going to figure everything out within approximately six minutes of seeing us together."
Aum considered this carefully.
"That appears likely."
"You are way too calm about that."
A faint pause.
"I do not dislike people knowing I love you."
The sentence hit Xu Chen directly in the chest.
Hard.
Everything inside him went quiet for one suspended second.
Not because the words themselves were surprising anymore.
Because Aum said them so naturally now.
Like loving Xu Chen had already become integrated into his understanding of reality.
Xu Chen's throat tightened softly.
God.
Morning conversations with this man were genuinely lethal.
Aum noticed the emotional shift instantly.
"You changed breathing pattern again."
Xu Chen laughed weakly into his hands.
"I'm actually never escaping that sentence, am I?"
"I no longer believe avoidance is possible."
"That confidence is deeply concerning."
Warm amusement softened Aum's expression again.
Xu Chen looked at him quietly for several seconds afterward.
Then realized something terrifyingly simple:
he wanted this.
Not only private intimacy.
Not only hidden warmth inside quiet rooms.
This.
Aum beside him in ordinary daylight.
Text conversations.
Festival mornings.
Friends noticing.
Life continuing around them naturally.
The realization settled deeply.
Xu Chen looked back down at the phone.
Then typed slowly:
Yes.
He's here.
The reply arrived almost instantly.
OH MY GOD.
Second message.
I KNEW IT.
Third message.
Wait.
Why does this feel like you're texting me after accidentally getting married.
Xu Chen physically folded forward laughing.
Aum leaned closer immediately.
"She appears emotionally overwhelmed."
"She's going to interrogate me for the next six months."
A faint pause.
"That duration appears reasonable."
Xu Chen turned toward him in disbelief.
"You're taking her side now?"
"She has demonstrated exceptional observational accuracy."
"That trait becomes significantly less charming when directed at me personally."
Warm laughter escaped Aum quietly again.
Xu Chen froze automatically.
There it was.
That sound.
Still new enough to affect him every single time.
The room softened around them immediately afterward.
Sunlight.
Festival noise outside.
Warm blankets tangled around their legs.
Aum laughing beside him like happiness had become natural.
Xu Chen's chest physically hurt from how much affection he felt suddenly.
Aum noticed him staring.
"You are doing it again."
Xu Chen smiled helplessly.
"You laugh differently now."
Aum blinked once slowly.
"Differently."
"Softer."
The word settled quietly between them.
Aum thought about it seriously.
Then answered:
"I think emotional safety altered vocal expression."
Xu Chen actually closed his eyes briefly.
"You know what? I'm banning scientific romance permanently."
"That classification appears inaccurate."
"Because it's too accurate."
Warm silence settled again afterward.
Outside, the sounds of Sanyuejie had grown brighter now—music drifting through the mountain roads below, distant voices echoing from the old town marketplace.
The world was moving forward steadily.
And somehow Xu Chen no longer felt afraid of stepping back into it.
Not with Aum beside him.
The realization hit gently.
Aum watched him carefully.
"You are thinking about the festival again."
Xu Chen nodded slightly.
"Yeah."
"You wish to go."
Not a question.
Xu Chen looked at him quietly.
"With you?" A faint smile touched his mouth. "Yeah. I really do."
Something softened visibly through Aum's entire expression afterward.
Then, very softly:
"I think I will remember today for the rest of my existence."