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Chapter 10

“Teasing Again.”

“Dr. Shen!”

Almost running, Chu Zhixia slowed her pace slightly, pressing her right hand over her left chest where her heart pounded rapidly, trying hard to steady her quickened breathing.

Shen Qingshi stood sideways to her, tall and poised, seemingly gazing out at the early spring night scenery through the floor-to-ceiling glass window.

Hearing the noise and footsteps, he took off one earphone with one hand and slightly turned his face.

The warm orange light above cast over his cold, quiet brows and eyes.

He looked thinner.

This was Chu Zhixia’s first impression after nearly ten days apart.

He was already thin…

Why was he even thinner now?

Was something wrong with work?

Or was he unhappy in life?

Chu Zhixia’s heart tightened; she had a dozen questions she wanted to ask, but when she opened her mouth, she didn’t know how to start.

She cared about him more than she thought.

And missed him, too.

Shen Qingshi slowly took off the other earphone, his slender fingers pinching both earphones as he placed them into the white case. Then he turned around, slightly lowering his head, quietly looking at her.

Being watched like this, Chu Zhixia was even more at a loss for words. Her fingers twisted together nervously, her heart pounding wildly.

Until—

Her phone vibrated inside her coat.

She quickly took it out; it was a WeChat message from the housekeeper:

“Sis, I’m off work now, won’t disturb you guys and will leave first. Has he come in?”

They usually worked until 9:30 here.

Chu Zhixia replied with “Thanks for your hard work” and put the phone away.

“That was the young housekeeper just now—”

Seeing Shen Qingshi still looking at her without turning away, she felt awkward pretending to play on her phone. She stepped closer and looked up to explain, “She’s off work and didn’t know if you had come in, so she told me.”

Shen Qingshi lightly responded, showing no expression: “Mm.”

“Is it raining outside?” Chu Zhixia finally noticed the slight dampness on his black hair.

He had a coat draped over his arm, maybe because it was chilly at night. It was a light brown, high-quality long trench coat, with some damp spots.

“It’s a light rain, no big deal.”

He paused, his gaze dropping to her right cheek, and asked, “Anything else? How are you feeling?”

Chu Zhixia took two or three seconds to realize he meant the temporary dental filling.

She tapped her cheek with her fingertips, bit her lip, hugged her arms, and slowly said, “I’m not sure. It’s not very comfortable. It’s cold here. Shall we go upstairs and talk?”

Saying this, she stomped her foot and rubbed her arms deliberately.

She felt like Shen Qingshi had noticed.

Or maybe, he had always seen clearly.

But he still said nothing, standing quietly, gazing deeply at her, then lowered his long, warm eyes slightly, holding back some unclear emotion.

“Let’s go.”

Chu Zhixia herself couldn’t believe it—he actually so easily fell for her trick again!

“This is a hot towel!”

“This is honey grapefruit water! No ice, just freshly boiled, it’s hot!!”

“Here’s a cushion. Do you want to lean on it?”

After coming home this afternoon, she pulled the curtains tight to study, not expecting the wind and rain at night. He had grown thinner, and she was very worried he might catch a cold, so she kept fussing around nonstop when he came in.

“Thanks, no trouble needed.” Besides the hot grapefruit tea she forcibly placed in front of him, he gestured it really wasn’t necessary.

Chu Zhixia thought for a moment, then put the towel and cushion back and sat down beside him.

Luckily, she had tidied up the room quickly before leaving, piling messy books and textbooks neatly, so it wasn’t too messy.

She stopped talking, and the room grew quiet for a moment.

Only the clock hands hanging on the wall slowly moved toward 10 o’clock, ticking softly.

For some reason—maybe because the night was late and it was just the two young people alone—Chu Zhixia felt a faint warmth on her cheeks, like a gentle heat flowing over her body layer by layer, a rising wave of ambiguous warmth and excitement.

She wasn’t sure if Shen Qingshi felt it too.

“May I take a look?”

Seeing her finally sit still, Shen Qingshi turned sideways, his voice a bit low.

“Ah, what?”

Chu Zhixia forgot again, looking up with wide eyes.

Then, slowly opening her mouth under his gaze.

The next moment, her heart tightened again, the ambiguous heat surged deeper, spreading all over, making her very warm.

Shen Qingshi was much taller than her, and sitting like this, even taller. He leaned slightly forward, just like at the hospital, steadying her jaw with two slender fingers.

The pale, cool pads of his fingers covered hers, only igniting her burning heat even more. Her spine shivered, tingling down her back.

She couldn’t say where the heat was.

Or maybe—her whole body.

“Nothing serious.”

But soon, he withdrew his fingers.

“Ah, oh—”

Chu Zhixia felt a bit disappointed, as if hoping his hand would stay a little longer. She turned her eyes away, a little flustered, unsure where to look.

“Maybe it was when I ate cucumber that day, didn’t pay attention… I bit it on this side, it was hard, so I thought I bit it off.”

She kept explaining.

“No problem.”

Shen Qingshi’s dark eyes stared at her for a second, adjusted his sleeve, and said slowly, “If it was bitten off, you must go to the hospital promptly. The mouth has many bacteria and can cause reinfection.”

He sounded like he was explaining why he had come here late at night in such a hurry.

Chu Zhixia slowly brushed the hair at her temple, casually picked up the cushion nearby, “Oh, I will definitely be careful.”

“Mm.”

The room was quiet again, seemingly even quieter than before.

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So quiet that she could hear her own heartbeat—still very fast—and their intertwined breaths. She was surprised to realize his breathing wasn’t as calm as she had imagined.

“Um—”

“That day…”

Chu Zhixia hugged the cushion tightly. “Hmm?” she said, glancing at his eyes. “You say first!”

“You say first,” Shen Qingshi replied calmly.

Chu Zhixia said, “I just wanted to ask if you’re free tomorrow morning or afternoon. I have something very important to ask you.”

After saying this, she met his dark, calm eyes. Maybe due to the lighting, they seemed darker than usual, thick and soft lashes casting shadows. Afraid he might not come, she quickly added, “It’s about my exam. You have to come, please. My exam is very soon.”

“Okay.”

“Really!!!”

Chu Zhixia couldn’t help leaning toward him, tilting her head up, her bright eyes looking at him. “So, it’s settled—afternoon or morning?” She remembered tomorrow was Saturday, the last weekend before exams.

Shen Qingshi glanced at his watch’s date, then at her, and said, “Afternoon.”

“Yay!”

Afternoon sunshine was nice; she also liked seeing him in the afternoon.

“What were you going to say just now?” Thinking about the last time she had “offended” him, Chu Zhixia didn’t dare get too close.

“Nothing much. Just wanted to say the puff pastry the other day was delicious, thank you.”

Shen Qingshi looked at the time—it was indeed late—and was about to get up to leave.

“Really? You ate it? All of it?!”

He slowly turned around and said apologetically, “I didn’t finish it, but I tried it. It was delicious.”

“Really! Then I’ll buy you some next time!!” Chu Zhixia laughed.

Shen Qingshi said “No need,” and started walking toward the door. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped, bent down, and picked up a small crumpled piece of scrap paper from the floor.

Chu Zhixia: “…”

She didn’t even know where it came from—probably something she had thrown carelessly while calculating scores.

“Give it to me. I’ll throw it in the trash. Maybe I’ve been too busy studying to notice.”

Chu Zhixia’s face flushed red, a bit embarrassed, and she shyly stretched out a soft little hand toward him.

“No need, it’s okay.” Shen Qingshi’s gaze lingered on that hand briefly, then he tossed the paper ball into the trash bin by the entrance.

While tossing it, he also put in a discarded sticky note that had somehow fallen beside the bin.

Chu Zhixia: “…”

Shen Qingshi’s expression was normal, as if this was something very natural. He sat by the shoe cabinet to change shoes.

Seeing Chu Zhixia also wanting to change shoes and follow, Shen Qingshi quickly walked to the door and said softly, “It’s late, no need to see me out.”

“Also, don’t buy me anything. I don’t like sweets, and it’s against the rules.”

“Oh…”

He wouldn’t hate her now, would he?

Hearing this, Chu Zhixia instantly deflated like a popped balloon, leaning against the doorway, twisting her fingers, silent.

“Dr. Shen—”

The elevator hadn’t come up yet. Chu Zhixia leaned on the doorframe, still reluctant, wanting to save face a bit, and peeked at him.

Afraid it was cold outside, she had been wearing a loose casual jacket over her pajamas, but just now, thinking he was about to leave, she took it off and hung it on the rack—since it was warm at home, she’d been stifling under it.

Underneath was a silk long nightgown, thin but not too strange to wear outside. Sleeveless, round neck, an elegant gathered trim around the collar tied with a simple bow. It was fitted and glossy, soft and smooth, pale purple.

Shen Qingshi heard her call, turned to see this scene—

A young woman with tender eyes, gracefully relaxed like a noble cat, her exposed skin snow-white and delicate, with the same shimmering gloss as her nightgown. Tall and slender, yet with gentle curves.

Black hair and red lips; her face was otherwise plain, yet exuded just the right amount of beauty.

Chu Zhixia intentionally teased him, hoping he’d remember her like this tonight, not as a scruffy mess.

Sure enough, she saw Shen Qingshi furrow his brow slightly, lower his eyelids, and the Adam’s apple on his snow-white neck slid as he swallowed, the jawline tightening a bit.

“Anything else?”

The elevator had arrived. He rested one hand on the door frame and asked softly, his voice darker and huskier than usual.

Chu Zhixia suddenly wondered what exactly was on his mind at this moment.

“Nothing else. I’ll wait for your arrival this afternoon. Good night.”

“Good night.”

He stepped into the elevator, facing her, and politely and gently said goodbye again.

Just before the door closed, he paused, unable to resist reminding her:

“It’s cold at night. Go back early.”

“Okay!!!”

Chu Zhixia replied sweetly. Seeing the elevator door about to close, she made a heart gesture with her hand.

After all, the elevator was going down anyway.

…

She really liked Dr. Shen!!!

More and more!!!

The security door closed tight. Chu Zhixia covered her still hot, flushed face and wanted to scream!!!

Ahhhhh, I like him!!!