"Should I?" Feeling awkward by his posture kneeling in front of her, she wanted to push him away. However, she knew it will only complicate the situation so Xu Ling Ai replied back with a question.

"Others are afraid of me." He responded.

"But I'm not others. I am Xu Ling Ai. The most awesome girl ever in the whole world!" She said a bit enthusiastic to ease the tension in the room.

But when he didn't said anything, she frowned. Li Zhao just continue to look at her feet, scanning every inch of it.

'Since when did he become so sulky? Actually I should also be receiving an apology right?'

Xu Ling Ai speak to herself mentally. Feeling somehow unfair that he did not apologise to her. But she will let it go for once since she did a bigger mistake than him.

"I'm fine, it will get well very fast. No worries. You're the one who is not fine." Her words gave away a wrong impression to him. Li Zhao thought that she is implying that she is not fine with his real self.

"I mean I'm totally cool befriended an alien. And no worries I will keep your secret to death!" She was implying to his red and black eyes because there is no human can do something like that.

Xu Ling Ai notice that he gets the wrong idea so she told him directly. She don't want to get reject again so she decided to start off as a friend.

"Alien?" He was too self conscious that he couldn't believe what he heard. Even though he don't like the words friend but it is enough that she accepted him.

"It means someone who lives in another planet." Xu Ling Ai stare at him like there's no end. He is beautiful.

Li Zhao stares at Xu Ling Ai's face looking for any sign of her joking but he found none. The next things he did catches her off guard. Rich and husky chuckle sound echoed in the study room.

"This lord can assure you that I am a human." Li Zhao feel glad that she is not afraid of him despite having to witness his changing to vampire process.

"You should laugh more. It's beautiful." Xu Ling Ai blurted out.

"I'm a man and I'm not beautiful." Li Zhao's face turn back serious. He sat beside her comfortably. But Xu Ling Ai suddenly stand up.

The moment she saw his face, she made up her mind that she will teach him on how to embrace himself. He shouldn't be embarrassed of his own identity.

She stood in front him. It was somehow close but she remain her heartbeat by staring only at his mask.

"Will you show me yourself again?" Li Zhao sat there unmoved. He don't know how to respond to her request. So he only nodded.

Xu Ling Ai moved closer to him and led her hand behind his head. Searching for the mask's rope. Pulling it off slowly, she hold his mask not wanting it fell down.

On the other hand, Li Zhao try to held his self control. He literally could feel every inch of her. The way her hair smell so heavenly make him clenched his hands. He will not touch her without her consent.

"It's beautiful. Why would you hide it?" It was barely a whisper but he heard it.

"Also Li Zhao." She called him by his name and he hummed.

He loves it when she called him by his name. It feels different because no one dared to do so. And he looks at her waiting for her to say something.

"I know you're still hiding something from me. But I will wait until you open up yourself." Xu Ling Ai remarks while looking at his tattoo.

Li Zhao then feel her grazing against his mark on his left eye. She focus on him while he look at her finding any sign of pity in it but he found nothing. Xu Ling Ai was genuinely admiring him.

"Don't look at me that way. This lord might not be able to let you go." His voice really became so sensuous and rougher in a matter of seconds. His pupil turn large in dark black. Li Zhao was literally holding himself from pulling her to his body.

Xu Ling Ai finally notice their so close gap and she awkwardly back off. She look at him and his eyes shows some emotion. She pretend that she did not hear his sentence earlier.

"C-come and look at yourself!" Xu Ling Ai panicked while dragging him. She don't want them to end up feeling awkward so she brought him the ancient mirror.

"It is just a tattoo. You should embrace it and embrace yourself." Xu Ling Ai force him to look at himself.

Li Zhao hate seeing himself. However, when she told him that his flaw is beautiful he feel different. The mark that he hate for years starting to look decent.

"In my world.. I mean in the deep deep countryside a tattoo is normal. You probably haven't heard that. But I myself have been wanting one of them but my dad won't allow me because it hurts. You should be glad that you have it naturally." Xu Ling Ai earnestly explained to him with her hand flew all over the place describing everything.

"But it is your choice whether you want to wear the mask or let it be shown." Finish saying that, she wanted to left because she was so hungry. After finding out he is completely fine, she had nothing to worry anymore.

"Which version of me do you like better?" Li Zhao said before she left.

"It doesn't matter which one do I like. It matter which one you love the most. Do you prefer the version which you hide yourself under the mask or do you love the real Li Zhao? Also don't rush yourself and take as much as time that you need." Xu Ling Ai smile at him genuinely.

"Anyway you look great with it! Bye!" He smile at her behaviour.

Take note the mark on his face is more like tattoo, not scars. And it exists because of his illness.

💖