Mr. Lizard Outside the Window - Chapter 56
Chapter 56: Breaking Down Walls
Banxia woke up to Xiao Lian tugging gently on her hair.
The little black gecko was perched on her pillow, his tiny claws holding a strand of her hair. "I'm a little hungry, Banxia," he said softly.
Xiao Lian was always considerate, taking care of her every need, rarely asking for anything himself.
Even when he had been without clothes, he had endured the discomfort without complaint.
It warmed her heart to see him opening up, expressing his needs, his desires.
Banxia smiled, feeling a surge of affection. She would get him anything he wanted, even if he asked for the moon.
"What do you want to eat, Xiao Lian?"
He rarely ate in his gecko form, preferring to eat only when he was human. Banxia suddenly realized that she had monopolized all his time the previous night. He hadn't eaten anything all day.
"Fruit," he mumbled, his beautiful eyes avoiding her gaze, as if asking for food was somehow embarrassing.
Banxia took an apple from the refrigerator, warmed it in a bowl of hot water, and sat down to peel it.
Her fingers moved deftly, the long peel spiraling down from the apple, unbroken. Then, with a spoon, she scooped out the soft flesh, creating a smooth applesauce.
Usually, she would rush through her morning routine, grabbing a quick breakfast before hurrying off to school.
But today, she sat by the window, taking her time, warming the apple, peeling it carefully, preparing the applesauce, then feeding it to Xiao Lian, spoonful by spoonful.
As if time had slowed down, nothing urgent, nothing demanding her attention.
Xiao Lian sat on the table, eating from the spoon she held, his pink tongue lapping at the applesauce, his bright eyes occasionally glancing up at her.
The morning sun streamed through the window, the air warm and still, a sense of peace settling over them.
At school, Banxia's friends noticed the change in her demeanor. She was back to her usual cheerful, easygoing self, the tension and irritability of the past few days gone.
She no longer seemed like a tightly wound spring, ready to snap at any moment.
At lunch, Pan Xuemei's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're back together? You forgave him? Just like that?"
Banxia grinned. "What can I say? He's too handsome. I couldn't resist."
"How handsome can he be? Enough to make you forgive him so easily?"
Banxia thought for a moment. "About as handsome as Senior Ling Dong, I guess."
The girls laughed, unconvinced.
"If you find a boyfriend as handsome as Senior Ling Dong, I'll play the flute upside down while standing on my head," Pan Xuemei declared.
Xiao Lian, dozing in Banxia's pocket, stirred at the mention of his name. Banxia lifted him out and placed him on the table.
The girls' attention immediately shifted to him.
"Xiao Lian! You're here!"
"You actually brought him out today!"
"I haven't seen him in days!"
Xiao Lian, having just woken up, quickly sat up straight on the paper towel Banxia had spread out for him, smoothing his scales with his tiny paws.
Banxia placed a piece of banana in front of him. He waited politely until everyone else had started eating before taking a small, delicate bite.
After finishing his snack, he carefully cleaned his claws and tail on the paper towel, then crawled up Banxia's arm and onto her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek gently.
"Oh no, I think Banxia is converting me. I suddenly want a gecko," one of the girls said.
"Me too!"
"If I can't have a boyfriend, at least I can have a Xiao Lian."
That afternoon, Banxia skipped her practice session and called in sick to her part-time job. She cycled home with Xiao Lian on her shoulder.
The afternoon sun was bright, dappling through the leaves, casting shifting shadows.
The village was alive with the sounds of chickens clucking and dogs barking.
Aunt Du sat on her doorstep, basking in the sun, her old house silent and empty behind her.
Banxia stopped her bike and greeted her.
"Xiaoxia! And what's this? A little lizard?" Aunt Du squinted at Xiao Lian, perched on Banxia's shoulder.
"Yes, this is Xiao Lian," Banxia said, introducing him.
"We used to see these little fellows everywhere in the fields. They were considered good luck charms. A gecko in the house brought prosperity and good fortune," the elderly woman said.
"I agree," Banxia said, smiling at Xiao Lian. "He's my lucky charm. He brings me good luck."
Back at the apartment, they settled in Ling Dong's room, he working on his music, she catching up on her homework.
Banxia was fascinated by his music equipment.
A large, ultrawide monitor, a complex array of synthesizers and effects processors, speakers, headphones, keyboards of all sizes…
The equipment filled an entire wall, the blinking lights creating a futuristic, almost intimidating atmosphere.
Besides the two larger keyboards, a small, square MIDI controller sat in front of the computer screen. Its grid of colorful buttons lit up as Xiao Lian's tiny claws tapped and danced across its surface.
"It's a MIDI controller," Ling Dong explained. "The smallest one they make."
"Can you… use it?" Banxia asked, surprised.
"Yes. Want to see?"
The little gecko climbed onto the controller and demonstrated his skills.
He was clearly proficient, his tiny limbs moving with surprising agility across the glowing buttons, his tail twitching, his body swaying rhythmically.
He's so cute, Banxia thought, biting her lip to suppress a giggle.
"It's not very… convenient," the little gecko said, pausing to catch his breath. "But it's better than using the touchpad and mouse."
Not just inconvenient, Banxia thought, but incredibly difficult. Composing music, a challenging task for anyone, must be even more so for him, with his tiny claws and limited reach.
And yet, he's created such beautiful, moving music, she thought, watching him work, her heart filled with admiration.
What kind of soul resides in that tiny body?
The sun began to set, painting the sky in vibrant hues.
The first day of their seven days passed quickly.
"You were working so hard on your music, yet you still found time to cook for me," Banxia said. "You've been spoiling me, Xiao Lian."
"It wasn't work. I enjoyed it," he said softly.
I had you, and I had my music, he thought. It was like a light in the darkness, giving me strength, giving me hope. Every moment was precious. I never felt tired.
But now, he didn't even have time to cook a simple meal for her.
"Let me order takeout," he said, crawling towards her phone. "How about Typhoon Shelter crab, lotus root soup, and pan-fried steak?"
The last rays of the setting sun outlined his small body in a golden glow.
He's captured not just my heart, Banxia thought, but my stomach too. He's a feast for all my senses.
She leaned closer, her lips brushing his ear. "I'm not hungry for food right now," she whispered. "I'm hungry for… you."
Xiao Lian blushed, but his eyes shone with a hidden desire, a willingness, an eagerness to be… consumed.
The last sliver of sunlight disappeared, and darkness fell.
The sweet, gentle Xiao Lian was gone, replaced by the passionate lover, his body entwined with hers.
"Xuemei said she'd play the flute upside down if I got together with Senior Ling Dong," Banxia murmured against his skin, her fingers tracing the curve of his lips. "They have no idea how… passionate the aloof, icy senior can be."
Ling Dong reached for the light switch.
Banxia caught his hand, her fingers interlacing with his, her warm hand covering his cool, pale hand, slowly pushing it down.
His long, slender fingers twitched in a token resistance.
She had been waiting for this, for so long.
A predator, her gaze fixed on her beautiful prey, her instincts screaming at her to pounce, to possess, yet holding back, restrained by a fragile hope, a tender affection.
And now, finally, she could see him clearly, his face, his every expression, every drop of sweat, every flicker of emotion, illuminated by the dim light.
She wanted to devour him whole, yet she also wanted to savor each moment, each touch, a precious memory to be cherished.
Every second was a treasure, a fleeting moment of eternity.
They were finally, truly, together.
Ling Dong's hand, the veins bulging beneath his pale skin, strained against her, trying to lift himself, to create a small space between them. Banxia bent her head and bit his shoulder. "Don't move," she murmured. "You're hurting me."
And in that moment, Ling Dong realized how close two people could be, their bodies, their souls, merging, becoming one.
Is it worth it? he wondered. Giving yourself to me, like this, with my uncertain future?
But his mind was clouded with desire, his body burning, melting into hers, a wave of pleasure washing over him, a blinding flash of light, erasing all doubts, all fears.
He had been lost in her touch before, his body writhing with an almost unbearable pleasure.
Now, their bodies joined, he felt himself dissolving, melting into the heat, the pleasure so intense that it was almost painful, a blinding explosion of light and color, a symphony of sensation.
He didn't know what he was doing, what he was saying, his voice lost in the darkness, his cries muffled by her skin, his moans echoing in the silence.
And then, the fireworks faded, the afterglow lingering, his lips parting, his voice a raspy whisper. "Banxia… you…"
You…
What could he say? Words were inadequate.
He would cherish this moment, this connection, this… love, and if fate allowed, he would repay her kindness, her love, a thousandfold.
He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the light.
Banxia, propping herself up, looked at him, her voice teasing. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hold you responsible."
She always knew how to make him laugh, even in moments like these.
He reached out, pulled her close, and kissed her.
And then, he was a gecko again, his small, black body falling onto her soft, white skin.
AHHHHHHHHH
ReplyDeleteMY HEART </3 SO PAINFUL