Heavenly Simulation: Tales of Demons and Gods

Chapter no.55 Dorm Room: Breakfast

Nie Li busied himself tidying up his room, moving around with purpose as Shen Xiu sat at the table, drying her hair with a towel. The silence that filled the room was palpable, marked by the occasional rustle of the towel through hair. It was an awkward quiet, the kind that begged for conversation but was met only with the mundane sounds of domesticity.

"Where were you?" Shen Xiu finally broke the silence, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity as she glanced over at him.

"Out," Nie Li replied shortly, not looking up from his task.

"My apologies, I thought you were IN," Shen Xiu retorted with a touch of sarcasm.

"I just needed to get some herbs and stuff. I fell asleep," Nie Li offered an explanation, though not entirely truthful.

"Was it for that weird..." Shen Xiu coughed into her hand, barely concealing her mirth, "...Erectile Dysfunction?"

Nie Li could hear the suppressed giggles in her voice, a clear sign she was enjoying this a bit too much.

"Yes," he played along, deciding if he was to blunder, he wouldn't run away from it like a coward.

Nie Li continued his cleaning, allowing the sounds of Shen Xiu's laughter to fill the room.

She tried to stifle her amusement, but it was a losing battle.

Nie Li didn't mind; he figured it was good for her to have her fun.

"So, Miss Shen Xiu, why were you sleeping outside my dorm room?" Nie Li eventually asked.

Shen Xiu straightened up with an air of arrogance.

"Because I wanted to," she declared, though her face betrayed her embarrassment, suggesting she might have accidentally fallen asleep.

"Right, Miss Floor Sleeper. I wrote down the answers to the notes you were using as a pillow," Nie Li responded, a slight tease in his tone as Shen Xiu huffed in mock indignation.

"You carried me inside," Shen Xiu remarked, her voice a mixture of curiosity and something softer, less guarded.

"Something wrong?" she prodded, her voice softer than usual.

"Would you have preferred I left you there?" Nie Li retorted.

Her gaze sharpened, "You didn't do anything, right?"

The question, loaded with suspicion, was direct.

"No," Nie Li responded simply, earnestly, meeting her gaze without flinching.

"I slept on the floor. I think I shouldn't have given you the bed, considering you seem to like sleeping on the floor," Nie Li teased, throwing a playful jab her way. Shen Xiu's response was to look away, her gaze drifting towards the window just as the noise of students heading to the breakfast hall filled the air.

"Thanks," she muttered, almost lost amidst the clamor outside. Yet, Nie Li caught the word, understanding its weight.

"You're welcome," he replied, a smile in his voice, only for Shen Xiu to quickly retort, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Nie Li just smiled.

It seemed Shen Xiu did have this softer side to her after all.

"Want something to eat?" Nie Li offered, changing the subject smoothly, an attempt to ease the tension that had built up.

"You can cook?" Shen Xiu asked, a hint of surprise lacing her tone.

"Of course, I always helped out my mother with cooking and cleaning. Everyone has to pitch in," Nie Li shared, moving to wash his hands at the nearby sink.