"...Do you want to take it off yourself or should I help you?" Wu Meng asked with a raised eyebrow.
The tips of Xu Jinshi's ears instantly turned red. He hesitated, his fingers trembling as he reached for his shirt buttons, his movements slowed by the aches throughout his body.
When the last button was undone, the white shirt slid down his shoulders and piled on the sink, revealing his scarred body.
Wu Meng looked at his naked skin in the morning light with almost fascination - the kiss marks and fingerprints appeared even more vivid in the steamy bathroom, like some kind of carefully designed work of art.
Her fingertips gently brushed against a noticeable bruise on his waist and she heard him gasp in pain.
"Does it hurt?" she whispered, a dangerous sweetness in her voice.
Xu Jinshi bit his lower lip and nodded, looking at her with wet eyes: "...It hurts."
This simple confession suddenly softened Wu Meng's heart. She bent down and lifted him down from the sink, her movements much gentler than before.
Xu Jinshi leaned obediently in her arms, his black hair brushing against her chin, carrying the faint scent of shampoo.
The bathtub was already half full, steam curling around the room. Wu Meng carefully lowered him into the water, feeling his muscles relax instantly and his sigh of satisfaction.
"Go to sleep," she whispered, her fingers gently brushing back the wet black hair from his forehead. "I'll help you wash it."
Xu Jinshi looked at her with half-open eyes, his gaze gradually blurred by the warm water. His eyelashes were wetted by the water vapor, sticking together into a thicker fan shape, casting a light shadow under his eyes.
When Wu Meng's palm touched his shoulder, he unconsciously rubbed her palm like a cat being stroked.
"Sister is the best..." He said vaguely, his voice gradually lowering, "...I like you..."
Wu Meng's hand paused for a moment, watching his eyes gradually close in the warm water.
Xu Jinshi's breathing became even and long, and his black hair floated on the water like a spread crow feather.
His face looked particularly young and harmless when he was sleeping, with none of his usual cunning and provocative look.
The water droplets slid down his delicate collarbone and disappeared into the water. Wu Meng gently stroked his cheek, her thumb brushing the corners of his red eyes, and an unprecedented tenderness surged in her heart.
"Go to sleep," she whispered again, carefully adjusting his position so that his head rested on the edge of the tub so he wouldn't slip into the water.
Steam swirled in the bathroom, fogging the mirror even more. In his sleep, Xu Jinshi unconsciously grabbed her wrist, rested his cheek against her palm, and sighed with satisfaction.
Wu Meng couldn't help but smile. She let him hold her hand and used her other hand to scoop up some warm water and gently poured it on his shoulders.
The sunlight streamed in through the frosted glass windows, casting a golden halo on the two people blending together.
The only sound in the bathroom was the gentle sound of water and two heartbeats that were gradually becoming synchronized.
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