Chapter 84 Developing Well

The suitcases scattered in the entryway had not yet been completely put back in their places when Ruan Yi stood in the center of the living room of the large apartment.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows lies the dazzling cityscape of M country at night, while inside, the smart home system plays soothing music.

Gu Zhiding's apartment was much better than she had imagined, and its comfort level was no less than that of Fu Jingchen's coastal villa.

Has this kid secretly saved up a lot of money?

She rubbed her temples, feeling waves of fatigue washing over her.

I'm really tired today. From almost being seduced by Fu Jingchen to losing all sense of reason, to picking up Gu Zhi from the airport this afternoon, and now finally settling into my new place.

My brain is so tired it can barely function.

The discomfort in my mind was mixed with a sharp, indescribable sense of unease, like a fine needle subtly pricking my nerves.

"Sister, you must be tired. Have a glass of milk and go to bed early tonight."

When the man's voice sounded behind her, Ruan Yi trembled almost imperceptibly.

He was walking over with a cup of warm honey milk, a thin layer of steam rising from the cup. He was always like this, taking such good care of her.

But tonight, when that sweet, cloying fragrance wafted over, she inexplicably felt a tightness in her throat.

"Hmm." Ruan Yi took the cup, her fingertips touching the warm cup wall, but she didn't drink it immediately as usual.

"You must be exhausted today."

Gu Zhi's gaze fell on her tired face, and the concern in his tone was just right.

"Sister, drink it while it's hot, and have a good night's sleep tonight."

Ruan Yi nodded and took a small sip.

The warm liquid slid down my throat, carrying a familiar sweetness, but the resistance in my heart grew clearer and clearer.

She felt she should think about something tonight, those fragmented and blurry thoughts swirling in her mind, those "not right" feelings—she desperately wanted to figure them out.

As soon as Gu Zhi took the change of clothes into the bathroom and the bathroom door closed, Ruan Yi almost immediately took the milk back to her room.

The girl gently placed the cup on the bedside table; her lip print was still on the rim, and more than half of the milk remained inside.

She sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the glass of milk, which she had always thought helped her sleep.

But tonight, she suddenly felt very afraid that she would fall asleep.

After an unknown amount of time, the knocking sounded as soft as a feather falling to the ground.

"Sister, are you asleep?"

Gu Zhi's voice came through the door, still in that gentle tone.

Ruan Yi stood up and opened the door, and a refreshing scent of shower gel wafted out.

The man at the door was wearing only a loosely wrapped bath towel around his waist, and water droplets slid down his neck and into his well-defined collarbone.

Further down, there's a perfectly lean waist and abdomen, with clearly defined abdominal muscles, exuding a youthful agility. The waistline tapers down beautifully, like a meticulously sculpted curve.

The edge of the bath towel was just barely on his hip bone, and with his slight movement as he spoke, it slid down half a bit, the tight skin of which was so swaying it made one dizzy.

Wow, this kid is developing really well...

Their gazes were as if they had been burned.

My sister is a vigorous woman, and these young boys these days have no sense of caution at all!

“I saw in the bathroom laundry basket that my sister’s underwear hadn’t been washed yet.”

His voice was still slightly hoarse from just having taken a shower.

"Did I wash it for my sister?"

Ruan Yi was taken aback, only then remembering the underwear she had carelessly tossed into the laundry basket while changing clothes, which she had forgotten to wash because she was too tired.

She immediately refused, "No need, I'll go now."

"It's okay, sister. She's been running around all day, so she should get some rest."

"I'll just wash it while I'm at it, it'll be quick."

The man's tone was authoritative, yet it was also wrapped in a gentle, coaxing melody.

"Really, you don't need to..."

The girl had barely uttered her refusal, and was about to say something more, when her wrist was suddenly gently pressed down. Gu Zhi's fingertips, still warm from his shower, pressed lightly, yet they made her speechless.

Goodnight, sister.

The next second, he let go, turned around, and closed the door with a soft "click," the sound of it being locked from the inside.

Ruan Yishui froze, then looked somewhat helpless.

Why would someone have to fight over something like this?

The initial resistance had mostly subsided, but that inexplicable unease resurfaced, like a tiny thorn.

She couldn't pull it out no matter what she did, she frowned and sat down on the bedside, muttering to herself.

The neon lights outside the window shone through the sheer curtains onto the edge of the bed. She looked at the glass of milk on the bedside table that had only been touched twice, and her eyelids suddenly felt a little heavy.

Feeling a little tired, she lay down in bed, hiding her inexplicable irritation in the soft comfort of the blankets.

The man carried the small basket containing two lonely pieces of clothing into the bathroom, the sound of running water shutting out the outside world.

The fabric wasn't laid out neatly; the pink and white undulations were particularly eye-catching, and the cute lace shimmered softly under the light.

He stretched out his finger, his fingertip gently brushing against the soft fabric, then he lowered his head slightly, his hair falling down to cover half of his eye.

The heavy breathing landed on the fabric with an almost devout obsession, as if trying to capture the scent of someone special.

The fragrance wafted into my nostrils, lingering in my lungs for a long time before being slowly exhaled, while a thick, unyielding undercurrent surged in my eyes.

Reluctantly putting down the clothes in her hands, she shifted her gaze to another piece of fabric with a darker color next to her.

She lifted a corner of lace with her fingertips, the delicate touch brushing against her fingertips, then tilted her head slightly, letting the soft fabric brush against her nose almost imperceptibly.

He took a very slow, deep breath.

It was as if they wanted to gather every last trace of the faint scent clinging to the fabric into their lungs.

She twirled the lace between her fingertips, letting the softest part of the fabric touch her lips, and gently twisted it.

It carried an almost frantic, heavy intimacy.

After a long while, the sound of water resumed, and foam spread across the fabric. He washed very carefully, and the force with which he rubbed the fabric with his fingertips carried an almost obsessive meticulousness.

It was as if she wanted to knead the traces that belonged to her into her fingertips, little by little.

Inside the girl's bedroom.

The temperature inside the blankets gradually rose, but Ruan Yi stared at the ceiling with her eyes open, her mind a tangled mess of thoughts that only got more chaotic the more she tried to untangle it.

The room was so quiet you could hear her heartbeat, but just then, almost inaudible footsteps came from the hallway.

It was very light, as if afraid of disturbing something. She subconsciously thought that Gu Zhi had probably just finished washing clothes and was packing his things.

But the footsteps stopped outside her door.

Ruan Yi held her breath and didn't move.

A few seconds later, a soft "click" came from the door lock, so faint it was almost an illusion.

Her heart sank.

Didn't Ah Zhi just lock the door from the inside?

The moment the thought crossed my mind, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

Could it be... a thief?

She gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, her fingertips were cold, and her eyes quickly narrowed to slits as she peered at the doorway in the dim light streaming in from the window.

The sound of the door lock turning became clearer, and the next second, the door was gently pushed open a crack.

The outside light was extremely dim, with only the faint light from the corridor lamps, the dim halo barely outlining a tall figure.

The figure was backlit, so the face was obscured; only the long shadow stretched across the floor.

Like a lurking monster, it slowly crept towards the bedside.

Ruan Yi's teeth began to chatter uncontrollably, her back pressed against the soft sheets, yet her whole body felt burning hot.

Is that Gu Zhi? What's he doing here?

Could it be a burglar? After all, such things are quite possible in the security situation in the US.

Before she could figure it out, the figure had already pushed open the door and entered, its footsteps so light they seemed inhuman.

He stood by the bed, motionless, as if a pair of eyes were watching her in the darkness.

Time seemed to freeze; the silence of a dozen seconds felt like an eternity.

Ruan Yi froze, even wondering whether to scream for help first or sit up and give this man a good beating.

Just then, the figure moved.

The man leaned down slightly, his body exuding the fresh scent of his bath as he approached. His fingertips gently pinched the corner of the blanket around her neck, tucking it up little by little with incredibly tender movements.

Then, he reached for the air conditioner remote on the bedside table, and with a "beep," turned the fan speed down and the temperature up by two degrees.

After doing all this, he picked up the half-full cup from the bedside table, turned around and quietly left, gently closing the door behind him.

Ruan Yi breathed a sigh of relief only when she heard the door lock click shut again; her back was already covered in a layer of cold sweat.

She touched her wildly beating heart and cursed inwardly.

Honestly, this person is too concerned. He was worried she would get cold, so he came in to check her air conditioning temperature and blankets.

They were moving so quietly, probably because they didn't want to wake her.

It was so creepy, it really scared her.

I thought he was a pervert.