After making her promise, Alice began muttering to herself again.
But Lin Mo could no longer hear her, having already fallen into a deep sleep on her back.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Lin Mo slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw upon waking was the highly distinctive decor of the Mondstadt Cathedral.
Still groggy,
a voice drifted into his ears.
"Ah, wonderful~ You're finally awake~"
...
Lin Mo turned his head to see Alice sitting by the bedside, looking at him with a pleasantly surprised expression.
He glanced around.
The medical tools placed everywhere.
He guessed he was probably in one of the Favonius Church's medical rooms.
Looking back at Alice's weary face,
Lin Mo couldn't help but ask curiously, "How... how long was I out?"
"You slept for a really long time~"
Alice replied with a pained smile, "If we count from the day I found you, you've been asleep for three days~"
Seeing the faint dark circles under her eyes, Lin Mo asked doubtfully, "You... didn't stand watch over me for three days, did you?"
"Of course I did~"
Alice stated matter-of-factly, "Didn't I promise I'd take full responsibility for you? I called a priest to treat you."
"Your external injuries are mostly taken care of, but... the bone fractures will need at least a month of rest to heal."
At this point, Alice quickly clasped her hands together, her face full of apology. "I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to do that that day!"
"I-It's fine."
Lin Mo said, "You look like you haven't rested well. Why don't... you go get some sleep too?"
"Ah~ You're so considerate~!"
Upon hearing this, Alice didn't hesitate for a second. She immediately slipped under the covers with delight.
Lin Mo was taken aback.
What left him utterly bewildered was this:
He was in a private patient room.
But the bed Alice had slipped into was *his* sickbed.
In one move, she had squeezed him right over to the side.
Fortunately, the bed was large, otherwise there really wouldn't have been enough space.
Just as Lin Mo was about to suggest she go find a room next door to rest in,
he realized Alice had fallen asleep the instant her head touched the pillow. Instantly!
Looking at Alice's exhausted, sleeping face, Lin Mo thought it made sense she'd be this tired after staying awake for three days and nights.
Lin Mo initially thought about getting out of bed himself to find another room next door for proper rest.
But he discovered his leg injury wasn't healed enough for him to walk on his own.
So, he could only lie there foolishly, sharing the same bedding with Alice.
To make matters worse, Alice was a restless sleeper.
Not long after dozing off, she was already hugging Lin Mo's arm, using his chest as a pillow, sleeping with a blissfully sweet expression.
The problem was, Lin Mo's lower body was wrapped in bandages and splints, making it impossible for him to move.
He had no choice but to let her use him as a human-shaped body pillow.
After reluctantly accepting this reality,
Lin Mo finally calmed his mind and began to carefully study Alice's breathtakingly beautiful features.
Even now, recalling that scene,
Lin Mo could honestly say,
the charm of the elf race was truly hard to resist!
That exotic allure, even the beauty of elves from Western fantasy legends...
Moonlight streamed through the window, spilling over Alice's face, leaving Lin Mo momentarily entranced.
What surprised Lin Mo the most was this:
The warm breath of the sleeping Alice, exhaled against his neck, made Lin Mo's heart race violently the entire night.
But what troubled Lin Mo was this:
In the *Genshin Impact* game storyline, Alice had a daughter, Klee, with someone.
This meant Alice already had a significant other.
This realization felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on Lin Mo's trembling, fervent heart.
To be so deeply moved, yet unable to have.
Carrying this regret,
Lin Mo, nestled close to Alice, also drifted into slumber.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Once again, Lin Mo slowly opened his eyes.
Upon opening them, he couldn't help but freeze.
He saw that Alice, at some point, had ended up nestled in his embrace.
Now, seeing Lin Mo awake, Alice looked at him with smiling eyes and asked sweetly, "Awake?"
"You... how?"
Lin Mo quickly released his hold.
"Hmph! If you weren't covered in injuries, I would have broken free long ago!" Alice smoothly slipped out from under the covers.
But the faint, lingering scent of her body warmth remained in Lin Mo's arms, leaving him wanting more.
"What? One night of holding me wasn't enough~?" Alice lifted her chin proudly.
Her eyes seemed to hold a hint of triumph.
And also a trace of resentment, perhaps from being held by this strange man all night.
Lin Mo simply said calmly, "Last night was an accident. Don't worry, I won't tell your boyfriend."
"Huh? Boyfriend?"
Alice looked confused. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Ah? You don't have a boyfriend... or... a husband?"
Lin Mo was stunned.
No boyfriend? Then in the *Genshin* storyline, who did she have Klee with?
"Boyfriend? Husband?"
Alice slightly furrowed her delicate brows and explained:
"I am an elf, with a long lifespan."
"Loyal elves, once they choose their other half, remain entangled for a lifetime."
"Because of this, we are very cautious when choosing a life partner."
"After all..."
"The sweet time for two is only a brief moment."
"An elf's lifespan spans centuries, even millennia."
"The other person can only accompany me for a few decades of my journey at most."
"After parting, centuries or even millennia of solitude make our elf race much more cautious than humans when choosing a partner."
"Unless we encounter someone of the opposite sex we fall irrevocably in love with, elves do not readily offer their body and heart."
...
"So... you don't have a boyfriend?"
Lin Mo was practically asking a question he already knew the answer to.
The sense of loss in his heart vanished completely in that instant.
"What? Want to be my boyfriend?"
Alice playfully blinked her eyes.
Those captivating, fiery red eyes truly did ignite a flame in Lin Mo's heart.
"Ahem... no."
Lin Mo quickly explained, "I was just worried your boyfriend might find out about us sharing a bed..."
"Hmph, good then."
As she spoke, Alice's expression turned smug. "I am Mondstadt's biggest 'trouble', so don't you go falling for me~"
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T/N:
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