"Then this owl landed on a broken tree branch, maybe two meters away and it just sat there watching me like I was the intruder in its operation. No fear and absolutely nothing."
Ruyi's lips curved slightly, eyes still closed. "What did you do?"
"I blinked several times, but it didn't react, so I told it everything. I talked for over an hour, it was all about the mess we were in, how injured my teammates were, how I hated the rain, and how I wanted to disappear."
She let out a soft breath, "You talked to a bird?"
"I didn't think anyone else would listen to me at that time," he said dryly, "But it didn't leave. It stayed there the entire night and that was the first time I ever admitted I was scared, out loud."
He looked down at her again, "I'm not telling you to be like the owl. I'm telling you… It's okay to feel scared even when you are the strongest person in the room."
She opened her eyes slowly, meeting his.
"Did you make it out?" she asked softly wondering and curious.
He nodded once, "Barely I did. It took us two more days to get extracted but I remember that night more than the rescue, because that was when I stopped pretending I wasn't human. We all get scared at one time or the other...."
Ruyi's eyes welled again, but the tears didn't fall. Her breathing eased a little more, the weight on her chest lifting bit by bit.
"I'm not an owl you know," she murmured, feeling amused, her lips slightly twitched.
"No you are not," he said, voice steady, "You are the one I talk to now."
She looked at him, quiet, vulnerable, but steadier.
"You are a terrible storyteller."
He shrugged, "I didn't say I was good at it. I'm just trying to be useful."
A quiet laugh slipped out of her throat, and it surprised both of them. He turned to look at her again, the tension behind his eyes softening.
"There it is," he said under his breath, "The sound I was waiting for."
Ruyi shook her head, still holding his hand, "Thank you, owl whisperer."
"Anytime."
The air between them warmed, their hands still joined over her abdomen where new life stirred quietly, fragile but still holding on.
Ruyi remained silent, her breathing calmer now. She squeezed his hand gently, then let go, reaching up to brush away the tears drying on her cheeks.
Lu Zhi Hao watched her quietly before shifting his position. He stood up for a moment, removed his shoes, and then lay down carefully on the bed beside her, fully clothed.
He propped the pillows behind him so he was half-sitting, half-reclining, then opened his arm towards her without a word.
Shifting carefully, she leaned into him, resting her head on his chest, her ear pressed against his steady heartbeat. His arm came around her shoulders securely, holding her close.
They lay there like that, the room filled only with the sound of their breaths mingling and the faint ticking of the clock.
After a moment, she tilted her head slightly, looking up at him. His eyes met hers, dark and unreadable yet softer than usual.
"What is it?" he asked, his voice low.
She didn't answer, instead, she lifted her hand to cup his jaw gently, her thumb brushing along the rough line of his stubble. Then, leaning forward slightly, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
It was a light kiss, slow, lingering, carrying a silent plea and gratitude all at once.