After returning from Sienna's room and having a heartfelt conversation, Li Haojun believed all misunderstandings and resentment had been cleared. He took a quick shower and went straight to bed, needing rest for work the next day.
Yet those two sisters he cared deeply about lingered in his thoughts. His older sister had gone from having his companionship to now navigating life alone, while his younger sister, so young, had gone off to study by herself. It seemed none of his business, yet one was gentle and well-behaved, the other clever and adorable—how could he not worry about them?
The next morning, he woke up and headed to the nearby New York Aquarium in Long Beach. To his surprise, during interactions with clients, the usually quiet and reserved Li Haojun transformed into a social butterfly. Not only did he deliver a masterful presentation on his company's product features, but he also engaged in lively conversations with male and female staff members from various departments. By the end of the morning session, even Li Haojun felt he had performed beyond his usual capabilities. wondering where this sudden agility and enthusiasm had come from.
That afternoon in Boston, he delivered another stellar performance, even prompting the client to consider placing an order on the spot.
Stepping out of the client's building after the meeting, Li Haojun finally sensed something was profoundly off. Walking back to the hotel, he glanced at Sienna, meeting her eyes without asking questions. Instead, he replayed his actions from the day—the source of his clarity, his heightened awareness of the atmosphere, and the stark contrast to his usual self.
Sienna occasionally glanced back at him, occasionally flicked her hair with her hand, but offered no response. After returning to the hotel, she ate dinner hastily, looking tired and nowhere near as vibrant as the night before.
Li Haojun even wondered if she was ill. As he walked her back to her room, observing her closely, he asked,
“Are you feeling unwell?” You seem rather tired."
“No, I just feel a bit weary,” Sienna replied, meeting Li Haojun's eyes before turning back with a smile. He couldn't tell what she was smiling about.
Only after following her into the room and sitting down did Li Haojun tentatively ask,
"Today, my thoughts during client meetings felt unusually clear and active—beyond my usual performance. Could it be you helping me? Did you project those ideas into my mind?"
Sienna smiled as she listened to his question. Her lips stretched wide beneath the smile, sometimes lowering her head to suppress it, sometimes lifting her gaze to meet his, but she didn't answer.
“Is doing this tiring?” Li Haojun pressed further.
“Mm,” came the simple reply.
“Thank you, but you don't have to do this. It's not part of your job description.”
“Oh, you don't like it?” Sienna acknowledged, then countered,
“No, I don't want you to tire yourself over things outside your duties.”
“Why not? But I enjoy it,” Sienna lifted her face, smiling with a hint of pride.
"Hmph, To be honest, I don't particularly like this job. Fishkeeping—I was just assigned to it recently," Li Haojun said, spreading his hands and shrugging before continuing his explanation.
“I don't see much value in this work, so I don't want you to invest too much effort, especially beyond your core responsibilities. I feel it's not a fair exchange for your time,”
“Oh? How do you know it's not worth it for me?” Sienna tilted her head, turning her face slightly and lifting her chin in a slightly haughty question.
“Based on my common sense, my feelings, my experience,” Li Haojun said, then laughed at himself, shaking his head.
“Haha, right, you're right. My perspective might not suit you.”
Sienna smiled too, finally lowering her high-held head. Her gaze dropped, her chin slightly tucked, then she raised her eyebrows and fixed him with a serious stare.
“I'm here to experience things. I'll do as I please.”
For a moment, Li Haojun felt a chill. How had Sienna suddenly switched personalities? Her tone was sharp and stern, completely unlike the innocent, naive girl before. Now, it seemed a dark angel inhabited her body.
“Ah, ha,” Li Haojun could only manage an interjection, unsure how to respond.
“You feel I've gone beyond my duties, that you owe me in our personal relationship, and now you feel burdened, is that it?” Sienna's tone remained icy.
“Ha, yes,” Li Haojun replied awkwardly.
“You don't want to owe others, especially those you don't know well.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Li Haojun answered, inwardly startled. She could not only sense his thoughts but even perceive the instinctive reactions within his own personality—as if she were a mirror reflecting him.
At that moment, Sienna’s tone and expression finally softened as she said,
“If you feel indebted to me, you can compensate me—treat me the way you treat Kasiya.”
Li Haojun couldn't help but find it amusing. Where did this need for affection come from? Demanding it with such righteous indignation—I hadn't asked for her help; it was all her choice. And now she was trying to cash in on my sympathy.
But Li Haojun didn't argue or say anything. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Siena's shoulders and gave her a perfunctory hug.
Siena rested her head on Li Haojun's shoulder and whispered softly,
“Don't just go through the motions with me, okay?” Her voice was soft and low, sending a shiver through Li Haojun’s heart as thoughts of Casey surfaced. Hesitating, he placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her away. Looking into Xie’s eyes, he felt he could see traces of Casey there.
“Can you treat me the way you treated her?” Siena asked, her gaze locked on his.
“Why treat you like her? Isn't treating you like you are good enough?”
Siena didn't grasp his meaning, only staring into his eyes.
“You're tired from helping me today, aren't you?” " Li Haojun said, pulling her over to sit on his chair. One arm wrapped around her shoulder, the other around her waist, he held her close against him.
“Thank you,”
Siena leaned against Li Haojun's shoulder, gazing at him at first. After a moment, she closed her eyes, resting her head against his neck.
" Earlier, you said you were here to experience things. I'm curious—can you tell me why?" Li Haojun asked.
“Who isn't here to experience things?” Sienna replied softly.
“True. You don't need to help me like this anymore. I don't want you to tire yourself out.”
“But—” Sienna hesitated, then looked into Li Haojun's eyes again.
“Besides this, I don't have anything special about me.”
Li Haojun smiled, gently stroking her cheek and the hair at her temple.
“Who says you need to be special to be cherished? You don't have to compare yourself to them.” As he spoke, he suddenly recalled her earlier demeanor and asked,
“Just now, for a moment, why did you have such a stern, cold expression and tone? It was like you were a different person.”
“I learned it from you,” Sienna replied innocently.
“Learned it from me? When did I ever treat you like that?” Li Haojun was puzzled.
“I found it in your memories.”
Hearing this, Li Haojun couldn't help but laugh. My memories only go back a year—I don't even recall ever acting like that myself. He asked,
“I don't remember it at all. How did you find it?”
“Just a feeling. It just felt right.”
“Alright.” Li Haojun couldn't help but recall how Kasiya had also claimed to sense his thoughts. He couldn't help but wonder, was this ability now standard equipment for young people? Compared to them, ordinary folks like us seemed like relics, utterly uncompetitive. But then he thought, no, that couldn't be right. He asked,
“Then why did you choose to treat me the way I treat you?”
“Because,” Sienna hesitated,
“because I don't know how to treat you either.”
“Why do you say that? I see you interact quite harmoniously with your colleagues these days,” Li Haojun asked curiously.
“Because we're colleagues. I know how to handle that. But with you... well,” Sienna faltered again, glancing at Li Haojun as she continued,
“it's not just a colleague relationship.”
“Oh, I see,” Li Haojun smiled, quickly adding,
“I'm honored.”
Hearing this, Sienna smiled too, her expression sweet and reserved, then murmured softly,
“And you're male.”
“Haha, I'm so lucky. I'm the only man in the company, surrounded by beautiful women all day,” Li Haojun chimed in with Siena's self-deprecating humor, though he was also puzzled. Why? He pondered inwardly, but still reminded Siena,
“Please don't help me like this anymore. It must be tiring, right?”
“Yes, but—”
Before she could finish, Li Haojun gently shook her shoulder.
“Don't do this. There's no need unless it's absolutely necessary. If you want me to do something for you, just ask directly. You don't have to help me first.”
“Alright, deal. You can't go back on your word.”
The moment Xie'na uttered those words, Li Haojun began to regret it. His promise had been made too hastily, too open-ended. He wondered if she might one day demand to replace Casey or Tan Wenjing.
It seemed as though Xie'na had been reading his thoughts. Just as this thought crossed his mind, she gently rested her head against his shoulder and murmured,
“Don't worry, I won't cling to you for long. Once I've experienced this world, I'll leave.”
Her words stirred a pang of sadness within him. His right hand slid from her waist down to her hips, then traced up her thigh to pull her closer, turning her face toward him. Simultaneously, he gently lifted her chin with his shoulder.
Sienna looked up into Li Haojun's eyes, puzzled by his sudden action.
“Don't say things like that,” Li Haojun said earnestly, his gaze fixed on hers. “You're still young. The road ahead is long. Don't speak of leaving. Don't utter such unlucky words.”
"Oh, I understand." With that, a smile touched Sienna's lips as she rested her head back against his shoulder.
The night after finishing a day's work felt particularly relaxed. Amidst this ease, a full moon hung outside the window, radiating a soft halo. Its surface rippled with pale yellow textures, mysterious and captivating, illuminating the edge of the night sky while scattering the tranquility of the night across the earth.
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