Chapter 8: Heartbeats, Letters, and Red Faces
Lin Yan's face burned hotter than a reactor core as Bing read the letter he had sent.
She laughed—loudly.
Lin Yan wanted to dig a hole and crawl in, maybe all the way to the asteroid belt.
"I… I can't… just… why are you laughing?! I'm… I'm dying of embarrassment!"
Bing's laughter only grew.
"Are you joking with me, Lin Yan? Really? You send me this… formal love letter instead of saying it to my face?"
Lin Yan stammered. His hands trembled.
"Because… because… you've always been… you know… protecting me from bullies and… and I… I…"
He froze. His words refused to come out. His brain short-circuited.
Why now? Why did I have to be a glowing, serum-powered disaster in front of her?
Bing tilted her head, smirking.
"Wow… so all these years… you've liked me? And you didn't think to tell me ?"
Lin Yan's face went tomato-red again. He could feel steam practically rising from his ears.
"I… I… uh… space… asteroid… serum… I mean…"
Star's voice rang in his head:
"Master Lin Yan, vitals indicate extreme embarrassment. Recommended action: apologize profusely, bow repeatedly, and avoid eye contact indefinitely."
Lin Yan groaned.
"Star… why do you always have to make it worse?!"
Bing laughed softly, almost gently this time.
"You're ridiculous… but I like it. Somehow."
Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to melt into a puddle right there.
She likes me?
She really… likes me?
Star interrupted with perfect timing:
"Master, heart rate approaching 130 beats per minute. Recommended: faint to avoid further awkwardness."
Lin Yan almost followed the suggestion, sinking to his knees.
"Star… no. I will not faint. Not now… maybe later."
Bing crouched down slightly, looking at him with a teasing smile.
"You know… you could've just told me. A letter wasn't necessary."
Lin Yan swallowed hard, trying to steady his voice.
"I… I wanted to… I didn't know how… and… I'm… uh… serum-powered disaster, apparently."
Bing giggled, reaching out and lightly tapping his shoulder.
"Well… now I know. And I think… it's cute."
Lin Yan's knees nearly buckled again. He was glowing, flustered, embarrassed beyond repair—and secretly ecstatic.
Star's voice, dry as ever:
"Master, embarrassment levels: critical. Emotional capacity: overloaded. Recommendation: buy a helmet and hide in a storage locker."
Lin Yan buried his face in his hands.
"I… I think I'll take the storage locker option, Star. Right after I… uh… figure out how not to die of embarrassment."
Bing laughed again, this time gently, like a melody.
"Lin Yan… you really are hopeless… but somehow… I like it."
And in that moment, Lin Yan knew everything had changed.
He wasn't just a glowing, serum-powered disaster anymore.
He was… maybe finally ready for love.