Chapter 75: Luo Xing Says She Has a Boyfriend Now

Gu Shiyan stared at the words “girlfriend” in the chat box, clear as day.

He pressed his brow. “When did I get a girlfriend again?”

Luo Xing sent another message.

“In any case, I’m the one who was deceived. No matter what, this isn’t my fault.”

Gu Shiyan let out a soft, amused scoff.

“So you think this is my fault?”

He was innocent enough, wasn’t he?

He scrolled through his phone—Sun Shiqi hadn’t even accepted his WeChat request. She’d run off?

Suddenly, Gu Shiyan thought of something and sent Luo Xing a message.

“Did you run out of water in the shower?” His brows furrowed as he got up and swiftly changed clothes, tossing his bath towel onto the floor without a second thought.

His phone buzzed again.

“My friend’s shower ran out of water halfway through, but I already called a repairman. It’s too late now; we’ll talk about this tomorrow.”

Luo Xing first received a call from the security guard, asking if she’d called the repairman. She replied yes, only then did they let him in.

When the doorbell rang, Luo Xing nudged Yun Cai— the repairman had arrived.

Yun Cai was lightly dressed, her body still covered in soap suds. Luo Xing told her to wait in the bedroom.

She herself stayed outside, keeping watch as the repairman worked on the water heater.

The repairman was a middle-aged man, his complexion sallow and dusky, lips dry, beard unshaven—he looked rather unkempt.

Yet he worked efficiently.

Luo Xing wore comfortable home clothes: long sleeves and pants of soft cotton. The air conditioner was on, keeping the room cool.

Standing at the bathroom door, Luo Xing noticed beads of sweat on the repairman’s face.

She glanced inside; the bathroom was still thick with lingering steam, much like a steamer basket.

Luo Xing went out to fetch some tissues and a small fan, placing the fan on the tiled floor of the bathroom facing the repairman.

The man had an honest face; seeing the young woman crouch to adjust the fan for him, he paused, then gratefully thanked her several times.

She handed him the tissues. “It’s late, sorry for the trouble. The bathroom is hot—wipe your sweat.”

Luo Xing also planned to give him a generous tip afterward.

The repairman’s hands were rough, his fingernails dirty. He grabbed the tissues and wiped his forehead, his face flushed. “Thank you, you’re very kind.”

He stopped, looked straight at Luo Xing. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

Luo Xing blinked, momentarily stunned, then lowered her gaze. “Ah, yes, I do.”

The repairman looked down, his spirits clearly dampened, the smile gone from his face.

Luo Xing sensed that something was off, though she couldn’t quite say what. Instinctively, she withdrew from the bathroom.

Heading to the living room, she sat on the sofa and returned her attention to the 3D model on her laptop.

Yun Cai messaged her, asking if the repair was done—her soap suds were nearly dry.

From the living room, Luo Xing couldn’t see inside the bathroom, only the light spilling out from beneath the door.

Remembering the repairman’s lingering gaze, unease crept into her heart. She didn’t want to check on him.

She simply replied to Yun Cai that it was not yet fixed and told her to stay inside.

Suddenly, the bathroom fell silent.

Brows knit, Luo Xing picked up her phone and approached the bathroom to check.

Just two steps from the door, she stopped short, eyes widening at the scene inside.

Disbelief, followed by an icy dread, prickled her scalp.

In his hand, he held Yun Cai’s intimate clothing—the ones she’d tossed in the laundry basket before her shower.

Luo Xing stepped back.

The sole of her shoe scraped lightly against the floor.

The man, caught up in his own interests, didn’t seem to notice.

Luo Xing held her breath, silent, desperate to escape.

But then she remembered Yun Cai was still in the bedroom.

Slowly, quietly, she crept away, reaching the living room door to message Yun Cai.

Her mind taut, she swallowed, realizing her hands were shaking.

First, she told Yun Cai to come out quickly.

Then she tried to compose a message explaining the situation.

The reply came swiftly.

“Sis, are you joking? That’s too childish. Dressed like this, how can I go out? Has the man left?”

Luo Xing sent the reason.

A question mark popped up in reply.

She urged Yun Cai to put on any of her clothes and come out quickly.

“Xingxing, don’t be afraid. Just go outside. My bedroom is right next to the bathroom, he’ll hear if I move. You go out and call the police, he doesn’t know anyone else is here. As long as I stay quiet, I’ll be safe.”

Luo Xing read Yun Cai’s soothing message, licking her dry lips.

“Whatever you do, don’t make a sound. Hide in the wardrobe,” she typed with trembling hands, heart pounding in her throat.

She crept toward the door, hand on the knob.

“Young lady!”

A deep voice thundered behind her, making her scalp and throat tremble.

Her phone slipped from her grasp onto the floor.

The repairman strode toward her. “It’s fixed. Try it out. If there’s no problem, I’ll leave.”

Luo Xing still had her back to him. She murmured a soft “Okay,” crouching to pick up her phone.

She debated if she should run out immediately, but what if he chased her? And if he did—what then? His tone seemed relaxed, as if he had no ill intentions. Perhaps…

Just as she retrieved her phone and turned around, his large, greasy face loomed before her, hair damp and plastered to his forehead.

His gaze locked onto her, his expression still honest, but Luo Xing dared not meet his eyes.

Clutching her phone, she hit the power button, the chat with Yun Cai vanishing as the screen went black.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” He scratched behind his ear, smiling sheepishly, revealing yellowed teeth.

Head lowered, Luo Xing walked toward the bathroom, clutching her phone tightly.

“It’s fine…”

She dared not say much, afraid her voice would betray her fear.

“Young lady, it’s dangerous living alone. Didn’t your boyfriend offer to stay with you? This apartment’s pretty big,” he remarked, glancing around.

Luo Xing had just moved in, so things were still scattered, giving the place an empty feel.

“My boyfriend…” she said, turning on the water heater, “he lives next door. We live separately.”

She hoped this would kill any untoward thoughts and urge him to leave.

Unexpectedly, the repairman grinned, showing his teeth. “Why be afraid? I’m not going to do anything to you. I just worked next door yesterday—there’s only a daft middle-aged woman living there.”

Luo Xing’s hand trembled, water still dripping from the showerhead.

Suddenly, she was at a loss for words.

Bang!

The bathroom door slammed shut.

Luo Xing’s heart clenched, her body going weak. She turned to look.

“You see, you’re scared for nothing. I didn’t plan on doing anything to you.”

In the bedroom, Yun Cai heard the commotion.

She immediately opened the door, realizing Luo Xing had been discovered.

She grabbed her phone and dialed the police.

“Hello! Police!”

Her voice was loud and clear.

Luo Xing was dragged by both hands, pulled outside.

The repairman yanked open the door. “Don’t call the police!”

Yun Cai had already run to the living room, a fruit knife in hand. “Let her go! I haven’t called the police. Let her go and I won’t report you.”