Chapter 4. A droplet of burning water slid down his shoulder, flowing over his muscular frame…
"...You, you, you..."
She stutters so much that she can't utter a single complete sentence.
"...Why aren't you wearing any clothes...?"
The man had probably just finished showering; he was wearing long pants when he opened the door for her.
Her black hair was half-wet, hanging over her eyebrows, and her dark eyes seemed to be moist, making them appear even more profound.
The old scar on the left eyebrow is clearly visible.
His muscular upper body was bare, and from his shoulders and neck to his chest and waist, every muscle was sharp and firm, without an ounce of excess fat.
Water droplets slid off his shoulders, flowing over his muscular chest and abs, down his V-line, and finally disappearing into the drawstring waistband of his black sweatpants.
The wet trail was thus directly exposed to her eyes.
Xin Mian rushed downstairs, and only when she was face to face with him did she realize that the distance between them was too close.
Less than half an arm's length away.
She could even feel the constant dampness emanating from his body, as well as the hormonal heat emanating from his adult male body.
It is directly and fiercely "attacking" her.
Her face turned completely red.
It was visibly red from her cheeks all the way down to her neck.
"I..."
Xinmian was flustered and at a loss, not knowing where to look, wanting to leave but feeling as if she were frozen in place.
She stood there, blushing with embarrassment.
The girl ran downstairs without a care in the world, only thinking about getting him to answer the phone; she didn't even put on her slippers.
The instep was so white you could see the tiny blood vessels, and the toes were glossy. Sensing its owner's distress, it curled up tightly.
Her nightgown was askew, with the neckline sloping down to her shoulders, clearly revealing her shoulder hollows and collarbones.
Her skin was so white it was almost blinding.
Chi Yu's eyes darkened slightly as he calmly looked away.
With one hand in his pocket, he leaned against the doorframe, speaking calmly and unhurriedly, "Who's knocking so urgently?"
The implication was that he hadn't had time to put on his clothes because he was rushing to open the door for her.
Xin Mian was speechless after his words, unable to refute anything.
Only belatedly did I realize what was happening and raise my hands to cover my eyes.
The man raised his eyebrows slightly, his voice no longer as cold as before, but with a hint of sarcastic roguishness, "You've already seen everything, and now you're trying to stop me."
Her ears were bright red, and though she couldn't see his eyes or expression, she seemed a little bolder. She mumbled as she handed him her phone, deciding to ignore his slightly sarcastic words, "I forgot to change my WeChat account to mine..."
"Your friend is looking for you."
The WeChat call screen on their phones remained lit, and the person on the other end of the line didn't say anything to disturb them.
It's like watching a "grand show" through a screen.
Only now, hearing himself being called upon, did he chuckle sheepishly, his voice hesitant and timid, "...Um, Brother Yu, you and your wife continue, continue..."
"I won't bother you any longer."
"I'm not..."
A faint, unconvincing whisper interrupted them.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a "meow~" rang out.
The chubby orange cat had somehow arrived on the second floor, its tail wagging as it circled around Xinmian's feet. It raised its paw and gently patted her smooth, white instep, tilting its head back and gazing at her with an air of arrogance.
[Human, I command you to play with me]
Xinmian couldn't understand its meaning, but the appearance of the fat orange relieved her embarrassment.
She shoved the phone into Chi Yu's hand, bent down to pick up the chubby orange, and quickly went upstairs.
Behind me, a deep male voice came from the other end of the phone, "Finished listening? Was it good?"
"......"
The person on the other end of the phone said something, and Chi Yu gave a cold laugh, muttering under his breath, "Get lost."
So fierce.
Xinmian instinctively hugged Pangju tightly, silently guessing in her heart that the room on the third floor was so cheap because Chi Yu was too fierce and drove away too many people, so she had no choice but to lower the rent.
[Meow~]
The chubby orange cat struggled slightly in her arms, its tail wagging back and forth.
[Hey! Loosen your grip, you're choking me!]
Xinmian looked down at it and ruffled its hair. "You also think he's fierce, don't you?"
——
Chi Yu made the call very quickly, and a few minutes later he took his phone and went up to the third floor.
The door to the room on the third floor was open, and standing at the door, you could see the large bed in the middle at a glance.
The bed was covered with an apricot-pink four-piece bedding set, and on the bedside table were a dolphin-shaped nightlight and a flower aromatherapy diffuser. A white suitcase stood against the wall, the one he had taken upstairs yesterday.
On the table sat a laptop and a digital display, their surfaces covered with cute cartoon stickers.
There was a white, semi-transparent sun-protective shirt draped over the sofa, along with the pale yellow nightgown that had just been taken off.
Chi Yu's eyes flashed, and he immediately looked away.
Xin Mian finished brushing her teeth and washing her face, and came out of the bathroom just as he was about to raise his hand to knock on the door.
"Have you finished the call?"
He responded in a low voice and handed her the phone.
Seeing the chubby orange cat following behind her, it also came out of the bathroom, wagged its tail, looked up at him, and continued wagging its tail, strutting back and forth in the room with an air of smugness.
Chi Yu's expression darkened slightly, and he called out to it in a cold voice, "Fat Orange, come here."
Fat Orange ignored him, its short legs hopping onto the sofa and nestling next to Xinmian's sun-protective clothing.
Those jewel-like, glassy eyes stared straight into Chi Yu's eyes.
The two, one human and one cat, inexplicably created an atmosphere of confrontation.
The man's mocking voice was undisguised: "Is it appropriate for a grown man like you to sit on a girl's sofa?"
Xinmian: ......
"It's okay..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Lie's gaze shifted from Fatty Orange to her.
Xin Mian swallowed hard, swallowing back the words she wanted to say to defend Pang Ju. She met his gaze timidly for a moment, then quickly looked away.
She had just finished washing up and was wearing a light-colored dress with small flowers scattered along the white hem, which made her look sweet and gentle.
Those beautiful eyes seemed to have been moistened with water, so clear and bright that they reflected his image.
She kept her head down, clutching her phone tightly in her hand, and occasionally stealing glances at Fat Orange.
There was nothing they could do about the stalemate between the two of them, one human and one cat.
Chi Yu stared at the whorl on the top of her head for a few seconds before looking away and giving Fatty Orange a stern warning.
"If we don't come down soon, we'll lose all the yellow croakers today."
[Meow~]
The chubby orange cat raised its paw mournfully and patted the sofa.
[Human! I'm going to tell Grandma!]
No matter how much it meowed, it couldn't fight against Chi Yu, who held the power of life and death over the little yellow croaker.
After venting her anger on the sofa, she could only jump down and reluctantly come to Chi Yu's feet.
Its tail lashed out at his calves several times.
[This cat isn't afraid of you!]
[I just didn't want to put another person in a difficult position.]
Having successfully threatened the fat orange cat, Chi Yu wanted to take it downstairs, but Xin Mian hesitated and spoke up.
"Um... is there a copy shop around here?"
"I'd like to make a copy of the contract."
Chi Yu recalled his grandmother Chen Xiulian's instructions before she left this morning: "Give me the contract, I'll go make a copy."
Xin Mian instinctively shook her head, not wanting to trouble him. "No need, just tell me, I can go by myself."
"...and by the way, I'd also like to take a look around."
Chi Yu scoffed, "You think you can remember what I said?"
The courtyards of the houses in the residential area are all very similar, unlike those in the guesthouse area where the houses have unique exteriors in order to attract guests.
Moreover, most of the alleys in the residential area are traditional stone-paved roads, which are not wide. Occasionally, you can turn out of the alley and see one or two wider roads, but it is easy for people who are not familiar with Wangshui Island to get lost.
The little girl has thin arms and legs, and looks like she can't go very far. If she gets lost later, he'll have to go and find her.
Chi Yu's expression grew even colder as she recalled how she had almost cried in the kitchen the previous night.
If you cry, it will only make things more complicated.
But Xinmian insisted, and tried to run to the table to get the sticky notes while still wearing slippers, saying, "You said I'd write it down so I won't forget."
She seemed pleased with her own cleverness, two dimples appearing on her cheeks, making her look incredibly sweet and gentle.
Unexpectedly, a long arm stopped him in his tracks.
Chi Yu leaned against the door, his posture unsteady. He glanced at her, his gaze falling on his phone, and then reached out to beckon her.
The man's fingers were long with distinct knuckles, and his palms were wide and large, making him appear exceptionally trustworthy.
Xin Mian understood what he meant and obediently handed him her phone. He swiped the screen, skillfully found the note-taking app, and began typing away on the phone's keyboard with his long fingers.
Not long after, it was handed back to her.
The note contained his address, which was very detailed.
It even clearly marks which way to turn when you go out.
Xin Mian smiled, her beautiful eyes sparkling with joy, and her dimples particularly prominent, swaying gently, carrying her happiness and genuine gratitude.
"Thank you."
Chi Yu curled his lips, seemingly smiling, but his tone remained as roguish and arrogant as before, "Not getting lost is the greatest thanks you can give."
Xin Mian ignored his sarcasm, waved her phone lightly in front of him, and confidently assured him, "It definitely won't happen."
That would be best.
After saying this, Chi Yu grabbed the fat orange cat that was trying to sneak into Xin Mian's room again, and carried it downstairs with it.
——
After Chi Yu left, Xin Mian returned to her room, first changing the WeChat login on her phone to her own account, then carefully applying sunscreen, carrying her small bag with the contract, and going downstairs.
The room was quiet; Chi Yu and Grandma Chen must have both gone out.
The chubby orange cat lazily nestled in the shady spot of the living room, taking a nap.
There was a small note on the dining table, signed by Grandma Chen, but the handwriting was strong and powerful, with a domineering style.
There's eight-treasure porridge in the rice cooker, and fish and side dishes to go with the porridge on the table.
Xinmian didn't think much of it and opened the rice cooker, where she found the eight-treasure porridge still warm.
She scooped out a small bowlful, ate it, washed the bowl, and was about to leave when her phone screen lit up with a message from her editor at the publishing house.
She was asked to revise the draft at the last minute.
[Linlin, is it in a hurry?]
They replied very quickly.
[There's one thing... The editor-in-chief just passed by my computer and saw the concept art for the new artbook, and felt it wasn't quite right.]
[Let me let you know when you've finished making the changes and show them to him. If it gets approved sooner, it won't affect your subsequent progress.]
That makes sense...
With her plans disrupted, Xin Mian thought about it and decided to revise the manuscript first. She would finish revising one version and have the editor-in-chief review it before making copies of the contract.
After replying to Linlin's message, she picked up her backpack and hurried back to the third floor.
The curtains in the room were drawn back open, the air conditioner was turned on again, and a cool breeze wafted out. The sunlight was bright, and sitting at the table, she could see the blue sky and white clouds outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Xinmian, having come this far, made the best of it. Instead of being annoyed by the disruption to her plans, she opened her laptop and graphics tablet and began working diligently.
Once she gets into a painting state, she becomes exceptionally focused. When Grandma Chen came home at noon, she thoughtfully made lunch for her. After eating, Xinmian went back to the third floor to continue her painting.
It wasn't until after 5 p.m. that she finally managed to correct all the problematic parts, taking into account the editor's feedback.
After sending all the manuscripts to Linlin, she stretched her neck, feeling a little tired...
But it's still early. I can go out for dinner and make a copy of the contract in no time.
Xinmian searched for nearby businesses on the map based on the location of the copy shop, determined where she would have dinner, packed her things, told Grandma Chen that she wouldn't be eating dinner at home, and then left with her backpack.
It was already evening, and the temperature was not as high as at noon. A sea breeze was blowing gently, making the stone-paved alleyway particularly cool.
Xinmian has a poor sense of direction, but because of the detailed address given by Chi Yu, along with some roadside signs, she felt particularly confident in her journey.
But that confidence vanished as she finished dinner, made copies of the contract, and walked back home.
A note from the author:
----------------------
He's started competing with the chubby orange cat for the title of "youngest brother" in the family. [Transformed]
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