Chapter 86: "Why is your face so red?"

Luo Xing was stung by these words; she glared at Gu Shiyan. “Of course not, I’m not that sensitive.”

“Then why do you resist me so much?”

Luo Xing didn’t know how to reply.

She looked at Gu Shiyan, her gaze clear and unwavering. “I’m simply behaving as one should toward an ex-boyfriend.”

All that polite talk of exes meeting up for tea and flowers was a lie. It was either a scene of chaos, yelling and fighting, or cold indifference, both sides ignoring each other.

Luo Xing was brought to Gu Shiyan’s home.

She hadn’t told anyone about it.

In fact, she even had to help cover for her grandmother.

When her mother called to ask if Luo Xing had visited her grandmother, and why she couldn’t reach her on the phone, Luo Xing explained that her grandmother had joined a tour group and was out having fun, so it was normal not to answer calls.

“Grandma even called me to say not to disturb her with calls while she’s out enjoying herself, so don’t worry, Mom. It’s rare for her to take a trip.”

Mrs. Jiang was still concerned about the reliability of the tour group, but Luo Xing reassured her, saying she had carefully selected it herself, so there was nothing to worry about.

Only then were her parents reluctantly appeased.

Gu Shiyan handed Luo Xing some clothes, and Luo Xing went to the bathroom to freshen up.

Gu Shiyan’s apartment had only three rooms.

The master bedroom, where Gu Shiyan stayed, and two guest rooms without en suites.

Luo Xing could only use the shared bathroom outside the bedrooms.

She was still wearing Gu Shiyan’s clothes.

She tugged at the hem. “Why didn’t you just buy me new ones?”

Gu Shiyan sat on the sofa. “What I gave you is new. I’ve never worn them.”

Luo Xing looked down. The white T-shirt had a black logo on the upper right chest.

Gu Shiyan’s was black with a white logo.

The two of them, dressed like this, looked like they were wearing matching couple outfits.

It made Luo Xing feel uneasy.

She was also wearing Gu Shiyan’s slippers, which didn’t quite fit her feet.

“My computer and tablet aren’t with me now, but I need to look at the drawings.”

Gu Shiyan stood up. “Use mine, it’s all the same.”

“But then the work I do will be credited to you, won’t it?”

“I’ll give you a flash drive. When it comes time to do my own work, I’ll clear your drawings and redo them myself.”

He started walking ahead, then turned to look at Luo Xing, raising his brow. “Come on.”

Luo Xing frowned. “You could just bring it out.”

Why did he have to make her go into his room?

“You plan to look at the computer on the sofa?” Gu Shiyan thought of something and smiled. “I’m not asking you into my room—the guest room next door has been turned into a study, you can work there.”

Only then did Luo Xing follow him.

“What about you?” Luo Xing was taking over his computer—what would he use?

“Don’t worry, for that level of drawings, I only need an hour to finish.”

Luo Xing fell silent. She shouldn’t have asked.

She took his seat at the desk.

A wooden desk, with his computer on it; Luo Xing switched it on.

The next moment, Gu Shiyan’s shadow loomed over her, blocking her view of the screen.

“What are you doing!” Luo Xing was surrounded by his scent, and stepped back, her calf bumping against the chair.

Gu Shiyan’s lashes flickered, a little uneasy. He pressed his knuckles to his lips and coughed. “Ah, wait a moment. There’s something I need to deal with. Could you wait outside?”

Luo Xing shot him a glance and left without a word.

Once she was gone, Gu Shiyan stood at the door, then quickly turned back and gripped the mouse.

He rubbed his burning ear with his left hand; the computer was already on.

On the screen was a photo Gu Shiyan had secretly taken the night Luo Xing got drunk—their hands intertwined...

His hand pressed over Luo Xing’s, their fingers tightly interlaced.

His masculine forearm, veins bulging, was a stark contrast to the slender, fair arm underneath.

Their palms were pressed close, the faint blue veins on the back of her hand swelling under his grip, only her flushed fingertips peeking out, relaxed and soft.

Gu Shiyan glanced up at the woman waiting at the door. She was wearing a T-shirt from the same series as his, and loose, light gray cotton trousers that were long and baggy on her; even with the cuffs rolled up several times, they nearly brushed the floor.

Luo Xing, bored with waiting, clasped her hands behind her back and rocked on her toes from time to time.

“All done,” Gu Shiyan said as he approached her.

Luo Xing responded.

At first glance, she thought the computer was off.

She clicked her tongue—the desktop was all black, no wallpaper at all.

“So pretentious,” she muttered under her breath.

Gu Shiyan didn’t hear; he had already left.

Luo Xing finished her drawings and looked out through the study’s floor-to-ceiling windows; night had already fallen.

She stood and stretched, tilting her neck to shake off the numbness from sitting too long.

Gu Shiyan knocked on the door outside. “Dinner’s ready.”

Luo Xing called back that she’d heard.

She returned to the desk—the files on the computer weren’t saved yet.

She immediately saved them to the flash drive.

At that moment, a file was transferred over; she clicked on it.

It was clearly not her own. She was about to close it.

Suddenly, an explicit video popped up, startling Luo Xing.

At first there was no sound, but then audio began to play. Luo Xing quickly turned off the volume.

She knew almost every guy had such things.

But she still felt embarrassed, nervously glancing at the closed study door before she exited the file.

She pretended nothing had happened and went out with the flash drive.

Gu Shiyan was already seated at the table, waiting.

Luo Xing looked over; the spread was quite ample—four dishes and a soup for just the two of them.

She shook off the images that kept flashing through her mind, forcing herself to focus on the food.

She sat opposite Gu Shiyan.

He glanced at her, frowning slightly. “Why is your face so red?”

Luo Xing let out a small sound and shook her head. “Maybe I was in the study too long, it’s stuffy in there. It’ll pass soon.”

Trying to change the subject, she deliberately looked toward the aunt tidying up in the kitchen. “Has Auntie eaten yet?”

Gu Shiyan kept his eyes on her, nodded, and lowered his head to eat.

They remained silent.

Until Gu Shiyan’s phone screen lit up.

Luo Xing’s attention was drawn for a moment.

His phone was always on silent; she was used to it.

She continued eating.

But she sensed his movements falter and felt his gaze on her.

Luo Xing swallowed and met his eyes, her face flushing even more. “Wh-what is it?”

Gu Shiyan set down his chopsticks, knuckles resting against his lips, phone in his other hand.

His gaze at Luo Xing was layered with meaning.

The screen clearly showed a message from Yi Chuan.

[Yan, how is it? I sent you the one Zhao found, forwarding a copy to you as well.]

From the tone of Yi Chuan’s message, Gu Shiyan immediately knew what he’d sent.

His mind went briefly blank.

Did Luo Xing see it?