After AFK for five years, I returned to be number one in the entire server.

Chapter 97 Do you like me?

Inside the ward, Lin stood beside the bed, as if he were being drawn by some unseen force.

Those images, sealed deep in his memory, suddenly reappeared before his eyes like rewinding film.

The oppressive dark red sky, the desolate canyon, the old woman on the hospital bed in reality, and the figure from the novel "Star Abyss" in my memory, after a long period of time, slowly overlap in the intensive care unit.

"So it was you."

Lin stepped forward, pinched the oxygen mask off Igarashi Saya's face, and gently removed it.

"Mr. Lin Ye————"

Upon seeing this, Hayakawa Yumi, who had been on edge the whole time, changed her expression instantly, stood up from her chair, and tried to stop them.

Lin also turned his head: "Don't move, I have a way to save her."

Hayakawa Yumi stopped in her tracks, her mind racing with countless thoughts. If Mr. Lin really wanted to harm Miss, he could have simply stood by and watched when he discovered Miss's aging at the hotel, without even having to expend energy using his abilities to slow down her aging process several times.

Thinking of this, Hayakawa Yumi bit her lip and chose to take a half step back.

Lin also turned his gaze back to Igarashi Saya. He raised his right hand and hovered it above Igarashi Saya's dry, grayish lips.

With a slight thought, Lin Ye's palm automatically opened up.

Drops of bright red blood gathered from the wound. Under the cold hospital room light, these drops of blood faintly revealed an indescribable vitality, as if they contained the power to reverse time.

Fresh blood fell down, landing precisely on Igarashi Saya's slightly parted, withered lips.

Just as she remembered, Igarashi Saya's lifespan was rapidly being replenished, and her exposed skin was regaining its elasticity.

The wavy line on the electrocardiogram monitor, which was originally so weak that it was almost stretched into a straight line, began to jump violently and make a crisp and powerful sound.

The rapidly increasing data from the instruments triggered an alarm on the central control console connected to the intensive care unit within a dozen seconds.

Accompanied by a series of slightly chaotic and hurried footsteps, the heavy damped door of the ward was pushed open.

A large group of female doctors and nurses in white coats rushed in, looking anxious.

Hayakawa Yumi quickly came to her senses, turned around and walked to Lin Ye, bowing deeply.

"Mr. Lin, Miss has a severe case of mysophobia, and she doesn't want any men present, especially in situations like this where she needs to be examined and have her dressings changed during her recovery. The Igarashi family will definitely repay your life-saving kindness in the future!"

Lin nodded calmly and walked out of the ward. The corridor outside the intensive care unit was empty and cold. He walked slowly, and his murmured words, which seemed to transcend time, echoed in the corridor.

"It's good that you're still alive—"

A few days later, one night.

Lin sat alone in the living room of the rented apartment. The television screen flickered, playing an unknown evening program. The volume was very low, and only intermittent conversations echoed in the room.

The cell phone on the coffee table rang. A few days ago, outside the intensive care unit, to prevent any uncontrollable changes in Igarashi Saya's health, Lin had also left his phone number with Hayakawa Yumi, just in case.

I pressed the answer button, and Hayakawa Yumi's respectful voice came through.

She used Xia Shang language to say that Miss Saya had fully recovered and, to express her gratitude, she would like to treat him to a simple meal tonight.

Lin thought for a moment and gave an affirmative answer.

Soon after, Lin also arrived at the rooftop restaurant of the Grand Hyatt InterContinental Hotel.

The restaurant was quiet tonight, clearly having been booked in advance. Outside the huge, curved floor-to-ceiling windows, the city of Ningchuan glittered like a starry river at night.

Saya Igarashi sat at a luxurious European-style long table, still wearing a well-tailored, high-quality black dress.

She seemed to have a particular fondness for this deep and cold color; the thin layer of black fabric made her look like a cold and beautiful queen of the night.

Hearing footsteps, Igarashi Saya looked up. Seeing Lin Ye approaching led by a waiter, she didn't get up to greet him, her expression remaining unchanged as she quietly watched him.

There is a mysterious mechanism in Star Abyss that automatically converts all players' languages ​​into the game's unified language.

Therefore, Igarashi Saya never knew which country "Makino" came from.

The two sat facing each other across a long table. Hayakawa Yumi emerged from the corner, skillfully poured them expensive red wine, and then quietly retreated to the side.

Saya Igarashi raised her wine glass, and the rosy liquid formed a thick, rich sheen on the glass.

"Tonight, I want to express my sincerest gratitude to you," she said in her newly learned Xia Shang language, "once at the base in Fusang, and once at the hospital."

She paused slightly at this point. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, fixing on Lin Ye's calm face.

"And another time, in that desolate land of the chosen king—right, Makino?"

This name, long buried in memory, now resides in a luxurious restaurant.

Lin's fingers holding the wine glass paused almost imperceptibly for a moment, but he did not show any surprise.

Congratulations on your recovery.

He raised his glass, finished speaking, and took a sip.

Seeing Lin Ye's actions, Igarashi Saya thought that, according to common sense, since he had saved her so many times, he could be considered to have given her a second life.

The recipient should accept this gratitude readily and maintain absolute control over the conversation.

But at this moment, she keenly noticed a slightly incongruous and strange feeling about Lin Ye.

Although Lin Ye appeared calm and spoke in a steady tone, Igarashi Saya could sense that this guy seemed a little guilty.

The restaurant was dimly lit, and time passed by as the two drank, unaware of how much they had consumed.

A slight blush appeared on Lin Ye's cheeks, while Igarashi Saya, sitting opposite him, also had a captivating blush on her cold and beautiful face.

The alcohol evaporates in the blood, making the already delicate atmosphere even more viscous.

Saya Igarashi put down her wine glass, the glass base making a soft sound against the table.

She tilted her head slightly, looked at Lin Ye in front of her, and suddenly stood up.

She walked around the large European-style long table in her high heels, her movements somewhat languid, yet exuding elegance.

The long black dress swayed gently as she walked, the hem lifting with each step to reveal two long, straight legs.

Under the dim yellow light, the contrast between her fair and delicate skin and the black fabric created a striking effect, exuding a captivating allure.

She walked to Lin Ye's chair and stopped.

A faint fragrance carrying the scent of alcohol wafted over. Igarashi Saya didn't speak, but instead stretched out her fair arm, her fingertips slowly sliding down Lin Ye's shoulder. Then, she actually sat directly in Lin Ye's lap.

Even through the thin fabric, Lin could clearly feel the soft warmth and the woman's body temperature emanating from his thigh. Igarashi Saya wrapped her arms around Lin's neck and looked at him.

Her eyes shimmered with tears, losing their usual sharpness and gaining a dangerous ambiguity, as their warm breaths mingled together.

"I'll tell you," Igarashi Saya said, her red lips slightly parted, her voice low and alluringly textured, "Do you like me?"

Her gaze was fixed on Lin Ye, a mixture of probing and her usual assertiveness; she remained the queen who gave orders.

Lin also looked at her for a few seconds, then picked up Igarashi Saya's soft, delicate body and placed her on the expensive long table.

Saya Igarashi's breath hitched for a moment, and her heart began to race uncontrollably.

But in her expression, she still maintained the pride that belonged to a chaebol heiress, without showing the slightest fear, and even slightly raised her chin, as if waiting for Lin Ye's next move.

Lin withdrew his hands, took two steps back, and turned to leave.

Get some rest.