Chapter 26 Let me give you a massage
Steam carrying the fragrance of rose essential oil wafted from the bathroom. Lin Yiluo, wearing a fluffy bathrobe, slumped onto the sofa, her tired face now clouded with languor.
She stretched out her limbs like a satisfied cat, water droplets dripping from her hair sliding down her swan-like neck and into her collar, leaving dark watermarks on the velvet sofa.
Mo Ziyuan looked down at her slender figure curled up in the beige sofa. His well-defined fingers touched her delicate wrist, but he dared not press too hard.
The man's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and as he leaned forward, he brought with him the crisp scent of pine.
"Get up, let me give you a massage."
"Brother Ziyuan is going to give me a massage?" Lin Yiluo's wet almond-shaped eyes widened suddenly, her eyelashes still glistening with tiny water droplets, and she sat up like a startled fawn.
After receiving an affirmative answer, she couldn't wait to place her calf, wrapped in a pink towel, on the man's knee, her delicate pink toes unconsciously swaying in a lively arc.
Mo Ziyuan unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, and the moment his fingertips touched the girl's skin, he felt a soft, warm touch in his palm.
He gazed at the porcelain-white calf, which was completely covered by his palm, and carefully applied force.
"Is this too heavy?" His voice softened unconsciously as he circled his thumb on her sore calf.
"No, this is just right."
Lin Yiluo squinted her eyes comfortably, the fragrance from her hair mingling with the residual moisture from the bathroom lingering around the man's nose.
Looking at the barely dented indentation under his fingertips, Mo Ziyuan suddenly realized that the so-called "just right" pressure was just a few light pinches to him.
The man's fingers gently kneaded Lin Yiluo's calves. After a short while, weariness washed over the girl's eyes like a tide. She yawned and tilted her head to look at the man beside her, her eyes full of dependence.
"Brother Ziyuan, you're so kind. You even gave me a massage. You're even better than my brother."
Mo Ziyuan smiled slightly, thinking to himself, "Is this what they call being friend-zoned?" His fingers tightened slightly, his tone carrying a hint of intimate threat.
"Then you must listen to Brother Ziyuan carefully, otherwise Brother Ziyuan will not treat you well."
"No, no!" Lin Yiluo hurriedly straightened up, her eyelashes trembling with anxiety. "I will definitely listen to Brother Ziyuan!"
"Were you tired from the physical training just now?" Mo Ziyuan changed the subject, the warmth of his palm slowly spreading down her calves.
This question instantly lit up Lin Yiluo's eyes. She sat up straight abruptly, her legs shaking involuntarily.
"Brother Ziyuan, that Instructor Zhu is such a nice guy! He made us run two laps around the track, but I'm slow and didn't even finish one lap. Everyone else had finished, but the instructor actually let me go back to the group! And he even told me to come back early to rest..."
The girl chattered away like a cheerful lark, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Mo Ziyuan listened quietly, then pulled the girl's legs up again, his thumb unconsciously rubbing the skin of her calf, a pang of sadness rising in his heart.
She had only met him once, but she was full of praise for Instructor Zhu. It seemed she would have to find some time to "have a chat" with him.
After Lin Yiluo finally stopped talking, Mo Ziyuan asked softly.
"Is there anything that's bothering you?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Yiluo's eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up as if they were about to burst forth.
"When we were resting, a lot of people surrounded me, asking for my WeChat and handing me things. Brother Ziyuan, I'm scared. Are they trying to harm me?"
The girl was inexperienced; she didn't understand why those people asked for her WeChat, nor why they offered her water and tissues—things she already had.
Mo Ziyuan's heart tightened, and he reached out to gently wipe away the tears that were about to fall from the corners of her eyes.
He knew about this, of course, but seeing the girl's frightened and uneasy appearance, his tone unconsciously became gentler, yet it also carried an undeniable certainty. He was deceiving this naive girl.
"Don't pay attention to them next time. People outside have ulterior motives, especially those men. You must stay away from them, understand?"
"I know!" Lin Yilu nodded vigorously, like a docile little animal, resting her head on Mo Ziyuan's shoulder.
But after saying only a few words, drowsiness came over her again, her eyelids began to droop uncontrollably, and she was about to drift off to sleep.
Seeing this, Mo Ziyuan gently patted her cheek.
"Don't sleep now. You already rested for a while at noon. If you sleep now, you won't be able to sleep at night."
"What am I going to do if I'm sleepy?" Lin Yilu muttered, her tone full of grievance.
"Read a book when you're sleepy."
Upon hearing this, the girl instantly perked up, sat up straight, and looked at Mo Ziyuan with bright eyes.
"Brother Ziyuan, I'm not sleepy anymore. Give me a massage, I promise I won't go to sleep!"
Seeing the girl trying her best to stay awake and be obedient, Mo Ziyuan gently replied, "Okay."
The crystal chandelier casts an amber glow onto the carved dining table, where the freshly served fish maw and chicken soup is still steaming.
When the door opened, Mo Ziyuan paused in his hand holding the silver spoon, noticing that Lin Yiluo's chopsticks clattered onto the edge of the bone china bowl.
At the entrance, Lin Yi-an took off his sunglasses and his sneakers rolled over the hand-woven wool rug.
He raised an eyebrow at his stunned sister.
The girl jogged over.
"Brother, I miss you so much."
The girl's fluffy hair brushed against his chin.
Lin Yi'an steadily supported her with one hand, while gently pinching her side with the other: "You've lost weight again."
The slender waist that his fingertips touched made Mo Ziyuan frown slightly. What are you doing touching me like that!
Lin Yi'an glanced at Mo Ziyuan, who was leaning against a chair not far away. He was stirring the soup with a silver spoon, and the ripples broke the shimmering surface of the bowl. The man was also watching him.
The girl smiled shyly; in fact, she had only been doing physical training for a short while.
"Are you happy here? Is the food good? Is the accommodation good?"
Lin Yi-an's question was like asking if the girl had been here for a very long time, but in reality, she had only just arrived today.
Lin Yiluo grabbed Lin Yi'an's hand and stepped onto the thick plush carpet as they went upstairs.
Mo Ziyuan felt a little jealous when he saw the girl so happy to see Lin Yi'an that she didn't even eat. Was it really necessary to be so jealous after only one day apart?
The girl excitedly showed Lin Yi'an around her bedroom.
"Brother, look."
Lin Yi'an looked around. The room wasn't as big as the girl's room in Xingyue Bay, but it was already very nice and cozy. The corners were piled with dolls, and there was a thick carpet on the floor.
"I'm glad you're happy. If there's anything you're not comfortable with, you must tell your brother Ziyuan, okay?"
Mo Ziyuan was leaning against the door frame at some point, his black silk robe loosely tied, and the sandalwood bracelet on his wrist jingling softly with his movements.
"I won't make Yilu uncomfortable. It's time to go down and eat."
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