My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Early in the morning, when Shi Nian was brushing her teeth in daze, mind still half asleep with drowsiness, the doorbell rang. It was very short, as if the person outside only touched the button lightly for a second.

At first, Shi Nian thought that it was her ears ringing. Full of doubt, she peeked out and saw the clock. Only 6.40 am. Even though the sky outside had lightened up, it was still too early for someone to come and pay a visit. Moreover, who would come?

She stared at her reflection for a second. Messy hair, dark circle around her eyes, pale skin, bleary eyes. Right, she had a dream again last night and it was still the same. Her blurry childhood, children's laughter, someone named Xiao Chun and then, it would always end up with butterfly lights.

Amidst her empty thoughts, Shi Nian's brain suddenly flashed to something.

She hastily rinsed her mouth and ran to the door, peeking into the peephole…

Surprisingly yet not quite surprising at the same time, Xu Binchen was standing there. Having not received an answer for a while, he was ready to turn around and return to his room when the door suddenly opened behind him. He turned his head to find a barely awake and confused Shi Nian.

At first, Shi Nian had wanted to ask him why he had rang the bell so early in the morning.

But as she saw Xu Binchen, all of those questions were thrown back into the back of her mind. Xu Binchen looked…quite different than usual. He still wore his cold, indifferent expression but the light in his eyes, the way he put his hand into the pocket, and his slightly raised brows, all of it gave off an unrestrained feeling.

Xu Binchen was the most disciplined, strict and composed person Shi Nian had ever known.

So she didn't know how the word 'unrestrained' could have popped up in her mind.

"Sorry." He said, his voice deeper than usual. "Am I waking you up?"

Shi Nian gave a 'wait a moment' signal before pitter pattering back to her room and grabbed her phone. She returned to find Xu Binchen leaning against the door frame, his eyes half lidded languidly.

[Do you need something?]

There was just something different about Xu Binchen, but Shi Nian couldn't put her fingers to it. The man wore a trench coat and white shirt inside, coupled with straight solemn black pants and leather shoes. Shi Nian was reminded of when she had first met Xu Binchen. It was the first time she had ever seen Xu Binchen dressed so formally and now, this was the second time.

"Didn't you text me last night? I was quite busy, so I just saw it."

So…he ran here early in the morning just because of that?

[No…] Shi Nian thought of how she was itching to share yesterday's event with someone else. First, about Jiao Jiaying and second, about Jiang Jinyan. Then, she felt that it didn't seem right to talk about the latter. Due to Xu Binchen's relation with the former, she had sent him a casual message last night. [It's just something unimportant. Uncle, you…are you okay?]

The corner of Xu Binchen's lips lifted in a faint smile. "I told you not to call me 'uncle' anymore."

Shi Nian was enlightened all of a sudden! She finally grasped what this weird feeling she got since the beginning! Everything was wrong! Where was the sarcastic and rude Xu Binchen? Where was the frank and crude Xu Binchen? Why was he so docile and harmless at this moment?!

Shi Nian stared at him with wide eyes, all of her sleepiness evaporated instantly.

She sniffed the air, sniffed and sniffed to Xu Binchen's direction like a trained police dog. In the next second, her nose crinkled. [Have you been drinking?!] Xu Binchen's whole body reeked with smoke, wine and…women's sweet perfume.

Now that she was scrutinizing him intently, even though Xu Binchen's face didn't change color, the tip of his ears flushed in a tinge of crimson.

He was definitely drunk!

[Are you drunk?!]

He frowned. "I'm not."

Only a thief who wouldn't admit to stealing! Shi Nian huffed inwardly. [Do you want to go in first? I will boil you some honey water.]

Xu Binchen looked at her for a moment. Shi Nian faltered at his stare, thinking that she had said something wrong. Nonetheless, she was genuinely concerned about him. She had seen Qiang Fei when the latter was drunk and she would be so out of it that she couldn't even recognize her own name.

On the other hand, Xu Binchen was a bachelor who was living alone. What if he fainted and no one knew?!

Xu Binchen's lips pursed tight and he spoke slowly. "Shi Nian."

Shi Nian blinked, waiting for his next sentence which didn't come even after ten seconds. [???]

"Shi Nian." The man drawled out slowly, as if chewing her name around the tip of his tongue. His voice was low, gentle and soft, as if he was gradually retracting his cold armor to let everyone peek in on the softest part of his heart.

Shi Nian was seriously worried that Xu Binchen's brain wasn't working properly at this moment.

She grabbed the man's arm, gesturing for him to come in. However, Xu Binchen stood his ground. How could Shi Nian drag a 84 kg man with her measly strength? He was like an immovable statue, no matter how she pulled on him, he wouldn't move.

Shi Nian made a gesture of drinking and wanted to go and boil some hot water for him to drink. She had just let him go when Xu Binchen counter moved and grabbed her instead!

"Shi Nian," Xu Binchen spoke seriously, much more seriously than he had ever been. "Don't fall in love so early, got it?"

For some reason, Shi Nian's heart skipped a beat.

Because Xu Binchen was holding onto her, she couldn't type and could only look at him in utter confusion. Unfortunately, there wasn't an ounce of tacit understanding between them.

"Why don't you answer me?" His frown got deeper. "Do you not agree?"

"Or…" His face tilted down, cold breath stained with high quality wine caressed her cheek. His suppressive aura loomed above her. "Do you have someone you like?"

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A/N: Hello my dearies~ I just want to inform you in advance that this story will go premium (locked) on 23rd September. It means that you have to use coins or FP to read the chappies...QAQ I know that some of you may be disheartened but I really, really wish to see you again in the comment sections! Every single words from you really made my day and motivates me to no end! ^^

But no worry, you can still read for free in the next 10 days aka 20 chappies or more to come~

Last but not least, thank you ArcaneMag baby for your 41 GT (ToT)/~~~ I am so moved! Will make a bonus chappie for you later on!