Chapter 105 already had it...

Her hand brushed against Zhou Yan, making him feel a bit ticklish...

He looked up helplessly, just in time to meet Wang Youde's melancholic expression that seemed to say, "a grown daughter is hard to keep at home."

Professor Li Guoming looked at Wang Youde's expression and chuckled inwardly.

He also understood that for Old Wang, Rou Rou following Zhou Yan was likely her only way to survive in this world.

It seemed Old Wang's plan was going to succeed.

As for Rou Rou, when they first met, Zhou Yan had thought she would be a "delinquent girl," like a little hedgehog using sharp quills to protect her fragile self, but after getting to know her, she became quite clingy.

Zhou Yan led them to the third floor, arranged separate accommodations for Old Wang and the others, and then took Professor Li Guoming to the biological laboratory he had been longing for.

Hmm... This was also Zhou Yan's first time inside. Unlike the silver-gray decor of the other areas outside, the biological laboratory was entirely white.

Professor Li Guoming excitedly fiddled with the instruments in the laboratory...

"Incredible! Incredible! Where did you get this ship? This kind of equipment only existed in theories before; it was impossible to build! Does it work? How are the results?"

Facing Professor Li Guoming's barrage of questions, Zhou Yan could only suggest, "You'd better research it yourself..."

Professor Li Guoming didn't have much luggage, so he ultimately decided to just live in the laboratory.

The small lounge in the laboratory suited him best...

After settling everyone in, Zhou Yan intended to go back and rest, but Rou Rou followed him almost every step of the way. After the incident, Rou Rou seemed truly frightened, or perhaps, some emotion had been completely triggered, making her exceptionally clingy. She had almost become Zhou Yan's little tail, following him wherever he went.

When assigning rooms, Rou Rou stood quietly at the door without going in to offer an opinion. Wherever Zhou Yan told her to stay, she stayed...

It was just that her eyes kept following him longingly.

When Zhou Yan discussed the biological laboratory with Professor Li Guoming, Rou Rou sat on a chair not far away, pretending to look at the scenery, but her ears were clearly perked up, and she would sneak a peek at Zhou Yan from time to time.

Zhou Yan could even feel that the way she looked at him was different from before; there was less timidity and more of an indescribable reliance.

Once, when Zhou Yan turned around, he almost bumped into her, and he instinctively placed a hand on her shoulder.

Rou Rou's face turned red in a flash, and her voice was as thin as a mosquito's: "S-sorry, Brother Yan, I didn't pay attention..."

Zhou Yan wasn't a block of wood; he could feel Rou Rou's cautious yet irrepressible feelings.

But he had a pile of things to deal with now; The Ark needed reorganization, potential threats needed to be cleared, and he really didn't have much energy to deal with a young girl's affections.

He could only occasionally praise her as "sensible" when she handed him water, or slow down to wait for her when she followed him step by step.

Yet even this insignificant response could make Rou Rou's eyes light up for a long while, and the corners of her mouth would uncontrollably curl upward.

Until Zhou Yan wanted to go find the sisters Su Yanqiu and Su Yanyue. He walked toward the stairs leading to the upper living area, and Rou Rou habitually followed behind him.

But when they reached the stairs, Zhou Yan didn't stop, but Rou Rou hesitated and stopped, her fingers anxiously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Zhou Yan turned back to look at her: "What's wrong?"

Rou Rou raised her head, her eyes flickering, and her voice was low: "Brother Yan... you... the floor you're going to... I... I shouldn't go there, right?"

As she said this, her gaze instinctively glanced at the floor information displayed on the electronic screen at the corner of the stairs. The access rights Zhou Yan gave them only allowed them to move around the lower floors; they couldn't go to the top floor...

A flicker of imperceptible disappointment and inferiority crossed her face, but she quickly squeezed out a sensible smile: "I... I'll just wait for you downstairs."

Zhou Yan paused and softened his tone: "It's okay, go back to your room and rest. Today... you were also frightened."

After speaking, he turned and walked up the stairs. Rou Rou stood in place, watching Zhou Yan disappear around the corner of the stairs, remaining motionless for a long time.

She touched her cheeks, which were still burning...

She knew she might be a bit greedy, but having just experienced the edge of life and death, she was more eager than ever to hold onto this comforting warmth.

Zhou Yan, who had gone upstairs, happened to run into Su Yanyue.

Su Yanyue's peach-blossom eyes stared at Zhou Yan's bare upper body for a few moments, and she slowly leaned in...

Su Yanyue: "Sniff~ Sniff~"

Su Yanyue: "Hmm... It seems there's a smell..."

Su Yanyue: "Sniff~ Sniff~"

"Ugh..." Su Yanyue suddenly backed away, covering her mouth with a look of horror.

"Why do you smell like rotten eggs!"

Su Yanyue covered her nose and dragged Zhou Yan into the room's bathroom.

While forcefully scrubbing Zhou Yan's back, she pouted.

Zhou Yan simply turned around and pulled Su Yanyue under the showerhead, and the water soaked her clothes...

The relatively conservative black slip dress, now soaked with water, showed off her figure to the fullest.

Obscurity is the most seductive...

Feeling Zhou Yan's reaction, Su Yanyue's originally slightly pouting mouth gradually curled into a beautiful arc...

The temperature in the bathroom was gradually rising...

...In the bedroom, on the luxurious large bed...

The water on Su Yanyue's body hadn't been wiped off, but it had already dried by now.

She curled up in Zhou Yan's arms, looking nervous as she listened to him tell her all about the transparent monster, the "Shadow."

"Why does the ship's AI know the name of that thing?"

"I don't know, and I also don't know why Jimmy is specifically targeting that kind of monster..."

As he spoke, Zhou Yan sat up abruptly, startling Su Yanyue beside him.

"What's wrong?" Su Yanyue looked at Zhou Yan with concern.

"Jimmy!"

Zhou Yan slapped his thigh!

At that time, that monster clearly had some kind of special connection with Jimmy, who was hiding in the water; the two were like sworn enemies the moment they met!

However, after I shouted for Jimmy, Jimmy just swam away...

And never appeared again...

The more Zhou Yan thought about it, the more his head hurt, and in the end, he just lay on the bed and gave up.

"Let's wait for Professor Li Guoming. He said he would research that monster called the Shadow as soon as possible. Maybe by tonight or tomorrow, he will..."

"Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep..."

The communicator at Zhou Yan's bedside rang.

"Hmm?" Zhou Yan perked up. The one calling him was the biological laboratory!

"Results so soon?"

"Hmm?" Professor Li Guoming, on the other side of the communicator, was stunned after hearing Zhou Yan's words, then looked at the "Shadow" file on the electronic screen with some confusion.

"I haven't started researching yet... Your ship already had its file!"