'Now, when I think about it, I hope Fu Lian won't die from childbirth.囧'

Bundled up in thick winter attire, Bing Shi braved the biting cold as she made her way towards Yi Zen's office. The chilly air didn't deter her from trying to resolve this particular issue.

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

Within the confines of Yi Zen's office...

"Put an end to his visits here," Yi Zen's face contorted in frustration. The ongoing clashes with Ren Han were taking a toll, and he had more pressing matters to deal with, "If this persists, I might just snap and kill him."

"How?" Bing Shi turned around, ready to leave, "What if he kills you? Are you going to leave your baby without a father?"

Yi Zen considering this outcome, then asked, "What's your plan? You always have one, don't you?"  He couldn't afford to escalate things further, especially with the safety of his sister and his new family.

Bing Shi stopped, "I'll see what I can do."  Exiting the office, she retreated into her tent and reached out to Ziek.

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

Somewhere in a foreign city...

Ziek emerged from the bathroom, collapsing onto the bed in a mix of exhaustion and relief. He reached for his phone to check if he had any missed calls.

Bing Shi, eagerly awaiting his call, answered immediately, her voice a welcome sound, "Missed me?"

The sound of Bing Shi's real voice sent a jolt of excitement through Ziek's heart. "I missed you so much that it hurts."

"Is that why you forced me to contact you?" Bing Shi inquired, imploring about his latest stunds in her base, "Yi Zen has been complaining about you, flirting with Fu Lian."

Ziek's heart raced, and he couldn't help the mischievous tone in his voice, "It's Yi Zen who forced you, not me," he said innocently as if he didn't have a hand in it, "Do you mind my flirting?"

"You can flirt with whoever you want, really." Bing Shi's laughter tinkled through the line as she played along, "As long as the one on the receiving end appreciates it. Did Fu Lian respond positively?"

A sly grin formed on Ziek's lips, "She threw a few knives at me, so I'm guessing she liked it to death."

"Stop acting like my boyfriend," Bing Shi slapped her cheek lightly to stop herself from smiling, "Can you keep your flirting in check, please?"

"You mean ex-boyfriend," Ziek couldn't help but take a teasing approach, a hint of devilishness in his voice, "But sure, can I switch my target to you then?"

Give him a nibble, and he'd gobble the whole cake. Bing Shi tightened her imaginary seatbelt, ready for the rollercoaster of their unconventional relationship, "Steel up your heart, my lovely baby boy."

"Go ahead, Grandma. I've built up quite the immunity, but just in case, I've got my emotional barf bag handy." Ziek quipped with a laugh. "What about you? Did you miss me?"

'If you're going to flutter, flutter for the right man, got it?'

Bing Shi narrowed her eyes and gave her heart a mock glare, as if scolding it for getting affected by Ziek's antics, "Do you want to hear a truth or a lie?"

Ziek's reaction was a mix of anticipation and apprehension, his eyes shut tight as he braced himself for whatever was coming next, "Surprise me."

In truth, besides luring Bing Shi out, there was another purpose behind his actions. Her focus seemed to revolve a lot around Fu Lian and Yi Zen, which made him think that they were the main leads of this world and her mission had to do something with them.

What intrigued Ziek was Bing Shi's apparent nonchalance toward his clashes with Yi Zen. If anyone were to speculate that Ziek was trying to stir up HQ's interest, that speculation would hit the nail on the head.

"I didn't miss you," Bing Shi answered, wondering if he could tell if she was lying or saying the truth, "Happy?"

Ziek's eyes clenched shut, preventing himself from crying. The rejection hurt so much that he wanted to disappear, "No. I feel like dying."

"Fine with me," Bing Shi's heartstrings tugged at the genuine pain in his voice. Yet, she held her playful demeanor, putting on a show for him, "Offer your place, to you know who."

"Oh, hell, no," Ziek clutched his chest, curling up in the bed as little droplets of water fell down his eyes, "It's fūcking confusing. Sometimes I can't tell if my actions are his or mine."

Bing Shi couldn't help but let out a soft sigh as she listened to the raw vulnerability in Ziek's voice, a mix of sympathy colored her response, "As long as you're cursing, I'll know it's you. Alright?"

"Alright...Fūck."

"Good boy," she playfully acknowledged, her heart softening for him. She admired his strength, having faced so much, more than he should have, "Do you hate knowing about your past life? I wasn't exactly the kindest person back then, was I? Keeping him away for five years."

Ziek wanted to switch his place with his past life so much. However, could he fall in love with the younger Bing Shi? He wondered. Without his past self's experiences, she wouldn't be the person she was today.

Ziek marveled at Bing Shi's ability to navigate his emotions, from desperation to calmness in mere moments. "I don't resent it," his crying ebbed, "You are fucking absurd."

"I'm glad you understand," Bing Shi's smile was audible in her voice as she moved to her desk, "I have some blueprints to work on. Bye for now."

"No, wait!" Ziek's alarmed plea escaped his lips before he could stop himself. "Can you keep the call going? I promise I won't interrupt you during your work."

He berated himself inwardly for his impulsiveness, or more like bang his head against the wall! Why did he have to sound so desperate?  Stupid!

"Um... okay," Bing Shi agreed as she set her phone down and began working, the sound of typing filling the air.

"Huh?" Ziek was taken aback by her compliance. Rushing to the bathroom to wash his face, he returned to his phone on the pillow, embracing the soothing cadence of her keystrokes.

Sometimes she would check if he was still there, and he would respond with a soft hum.

He clutched his heart protectively as it was repeatedly being snatched away against his will. No wonder his past life waited that long just to cuddle with her. Just the sheer delight of being in her company was undeniable.

[Host, mealtime.]

"Grandson?" Bing Shi whispered.

No response.

'He must be sleeping,' she mused, a smile tugging at her lips. She decided to keep the call going as she left to heat up her meal.