Glowing Eyes

"Nian'er?" Jin Jiuchi asked when he saw that the jade doll was merely staring at him without even blinking. He patted his cheeks in confusion. "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

Nian blinked as though snapping back to his senses, then he let out a helpless sigh.

Jin Jiuchi was amused by the adult-like expression on his face. Clearly, he was in the body of a child now – Jin Jiuchi had no idea how he did it but was it really important? – so why wouldn't he act like one too?

If it was him… if he had the ability to disguise himself as a child like Nian, he would definitely seize the chance to play around to his heart's content. It was so sad how adults were forbidden to play simply because people expected them to act mature according to their age. Excuse him, even though Jin Jiuchi's body was big, he was still a toddler at heart, okay?!

"Forget it," was what the jade doll said in the end. He stepped back and gestured for Jin Jiuchi to take his place. "We can't go to the communal bathroom outside because of the curfew, so just make do with this tonight. Let's hurry up and get some rest. The night is not over yet."

Jin Jiuchi wanted to say that he was perfectly okay even without bathing for days, that only beautiful jade dolls like Nian'er needed to care for themselves, but he was instantly distracted by the last sentence Nian had said.

"The night… is not over yet?" He asked, puzzled. "But aren't we not allowed to leave the room?"

This time, the hardness on Nian's features thawed, turning his purple orb into two breathtaking pools of amethyst. His tone was patient as if he was coaxing a child, "You're not a player, so listen to me. The first step to survive in the Cycle is to follow the rules, and the second… fight. There are strange creatures in this place, many more than you could have ever thought of. You've seen two of them tonight – the blood parasite and the paper dolls. They will try to kill you if you break the rules. So… be cautious and fight for your life when the need arises."

"Strange creatures?" Jin Jiuchi blinked slowly like a cat. "So what you mean to say is… they are not normal?"

"Well, yes…?" Nian put on a strange look as if he was baffled that Jin Jiuchi even had to ask for something like this.

Jin Jiuchi still had a lot of questions he wanted to ask, but for now… he was already immensely satisfied. Strange creatures! There were many strange creatures in this place and none of them were normal! So it was not only him who was the odd ball around here!

"Okay!" Jin Jiuchi discarded his confusion right away and gave the jade doll a wide grin that showcased his canine teeth. "Of course, I will listen to Nian'er! Who else will I listen to except for Nian'er?"

Nian shot him with a glare and turned away with a harrumph, "Cease your nonsense and hurry up to wash!"

"Okay~" Jin Jiuchi happily went to the basin and splashed his face until droplets of water dripped down from his chin and his collar got drenched. By the time he was finished, Nian already pulled the crimson gauze off the canopy bed, dumped it together with the sheets and settled on one side of the bed.

He told Jin Jiuchi lazily, "Lock the door and turn off the light before you come here."

"Okay~" Still in an exuberant mood, Jin Jiuchi practically skipped across the room to lock the door and flick the switch with a snap, instantly sinking the room into pitch-black darkness. However, Jin Jiuchi did not have difficulty maneuvering through the dark thanks to his excellent eyesight. He climbed to the bed and lay on his side, facing Nian who lay on his back with his beautiful eyes peacefully shut. He looked even more like a breathing jade doll this way.

Jin Jiuchi couldn't seem to contain the restless energy in his body tonight. As such, he could only channel it to focus on Nian's beautiful and thick silver lashes, counting each strand of it and noting how it trembled with each breath he took.

Jin Jiuchi was getting to the twelve strands when Nian abruptly snapped his eyes open and turned to him angrily. "Why do you keep—" his expression morphed into one of shock as he saw Jin Jiuchi. "Your eyes…"

"Hmm?" Jin Jiuchi opened his eyes wide and blinked a few times just for good measure.

Nian scooted a little closer to him, his cheek mushed against the pillow, peering into Jin Jiuchi's eyes with an expression akin to… wonder? "Your eyes are glowing… it's not like this before."

"Ah?" Taken aback, Jin Jiuchi reached out to touch his eyelids by reflex. "Really?"

"You don't know?" There it was again, the strange look in Nian's face as if he was questioning Jin Jiuchi's lack of common sense.

Jin Jiuchi pouted his lips sullenly, "I very seldom look at myself in the mirror, so how would I know?"

For years, there was nothing that could reflect his image back in the asylum. They were not given mirrors or anything made of steel for fear that they would hurt themselves and others. The last time he saw himself… that's right, it was when he looked into Nian's eyes. Nian's purple eyes were so clear that Jin Jiuchi could easily see himself in it.

"You… forget it." Nian let out a sigh and turned so that he was laying on his back again, closing his eyes. "Hurry up and sleep."

"Or else…?" Jin Jiuchi prompted.

Nian seemed to have gotten used to his spirit of rebellion because he replied in an easy and casual tone, "Or else I will kick you down from the bed."

Jin Jiuchi gasped in mock disbelief, but he couldn't contain the grin on his face. "How can you be so ruthless to your big brother, Nian'er? You can't sleep without me, remember?"

"Big brother, your ass…" he let out a soft curse, already dozing off a bit. It took no time at all for the jade doll's breathing to turn deep and smooth. The furrow that was always spotted between his brows faded away, making him look like a real child. Very soft and adorable.

Jin Jiuchi had to bite down a grin as soon as he realized a very important thing.

The jade doll no longer asked him not to call him by the intimate nickname.

Did it mean that Nian did not despise him as much anymore? Jin Jiuchi really hoped so. He really, really liked Nian, so he wished that Nian could like him back even by a fraction.

Smiling in delight, Jin Jiuchi matched his own breathing with Nian's and gradually closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Nian'er."