Bullying the Concubine (6)

Fifteen minutes had melted into the quiet night...

Just as Chen Yulan's breaths found their rhythmic dance, heralding her descent into a realm of dreams, the unexpected sound of Zhang Wei's voice tugged her back to the shores of wakefulness, "Yulan..."

A pair of bewildered eyes fluttered open, "?" Chen Yulan's voice was a whisper, heavy with sleep, "What is it?" She murmured, her hands moving to gently rub the vestiges of dreams from her eyes.

That simple, innocent action seemed to momentarily steal the words from Zhang Wei's lips.

He inhaled deeply, a slow smile spreading across his face as if to anchor himself in the moment, "It's nothing," he finally managed, his voice a soft echo in the dim room.

Chen Yulan offered a nod, her understanding as fleeting as her wakefulness; her eyes closed once more, surrendering to sleep's gentle pull.