Zhu Ning's voice faltered.
Following her line of sight, she saw Pei Jin with his upper body bare. His straight shoulder line connected to his full but not overly exaggerated deltoids. His broad back muscles tapered down to a narrow waist. The mirror opposite reflected the rise and fall of his well - defined chest. Looking further down, his abs lay dormant under his taut skin, and his V - line disappeared into his waistband. Power and sensuality intertwined, yet his expression was calm, adding an air of abstinence.
Zhu Ning said, "Okay... Then, then you can sit down."
"Thank you."
Pei Jin pulled over a chair and sat down.
Zhu Ning took a deep breath.
[The oath I just made doesn't count, okay?]
System: …
The lotion was poured into her palm and seeped down through her fingers. Without thinking, Zhu Ning used her fingers to scoop the lotion back up from the top. The arch of her fingers moving up his spine sent a shiver down his body. Pei Jin instantly stiffened.
Zhu Ning was also stunned. "Wh - what's wrong?"
Pei Jin's ears turned red, and his voice was slightly hoarse. "It's a bit cold."
Zhu Ning's face flushed. "You have to bear with it."
The soft female voice in his ear made Pei Jin's eyelashes flutter. He gave a low grunt. "Okay."
Zhu Ning placed her hands on his shoulders. "Is it here?"
"Yeah."
Then her hands gently pushed up, and the red lotion spread on his muscles.
Zhu Ning's palms were warm and cool. With each inch she pushed, Pei Jin felt his fingers tremble a little more.
Her palm kneaded his shoulders while her other hand pushed the lotion from another place. Her delicate fingertips brushed across like feathers.
"Is this okay?"
Pei Jin closed his eyes.
It was the wrong way.
"Yeah."
Zhu Ning remembered that he was in pain and didn't dare to use much force. Her movements were very gentle. "Are you sure?"
Pei Jin said hoarsely, "You can use a bit more force."
Zhu Ning slightly increased the pressure, but it was still as gentle as a cat's scratch. "Like this...?"
"… A bit more."
"Like this?"
Pei Jin's body tingled. "A bit more."
"Like this?"
"Like this."
He grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest, guiding her hand to press down with force.
"Just like this."
His ears were red, but his deep and calm eyes stared fixedly at her.
"Have you learned it?"
Zhu Ning's face instantly flushed.
Her hand was on his chest, feeling the absolute strength brought by his big hand.
The warmth from her palm kept spreading to her face, and her tongue almost trembled.
"Ye - yes, I think I've learned it."
Pei Jin pressed her hand and looked down at her palm. "Are you sure you've learned it?"
"I - I have..."
Pei Jin gently squeezed her hand, as if briefly claiming her for a moment.
His ears were hot, and Zhu Ning's face was even redder.
When his thick fingers withdrew, there was still a sense of being wrapped on the back of her hand.
"Thank you for your trouble."
"It's no trouble..."
Zhu Ning's hands pressed on his back, and Pei Jin's eyelashes fluttered in front.
She secretly looked at him through the mirror. Pei Jin seemed to sense it and looked up. Their eyes met in the mirror.
His inky eyes gently captured her gaze, like a hazy veil gently covering her head.
For a moment, Zhu Ning's fingertips trembled.
"You're peeping again."
Zhu Ning blushed. "I don't understand what you're saying."
Pei Jin's palm rubbed, and he asked her in a low voice, "Why do you always look at me?"
Zhu Ning said, "… This is my territory."
Pei Jin said in a low voice, "That's a lame excuse."
Zhu Ning blushed, but Pei Jin asked, "The territory is yours, but is the person yours too?"
Zhu Ning didn't dare to answer.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Liu Nian's voice came, "Ning Bao, are you in Pei Jin's room?"
Zhu Ning panicked and was about to leave. Pei Jin grabbed her, and she let out a surprised cry. The next moment, she fell into his arms.
Their eyes met. Pei Jin looked at her. "Where are you going?"
Her waist was tightly held by his strong hand. Zhu Ning's heart was in her throat, and her whole face turned red.
"Ni - Nian Nian is outside."
Pei Jin said, "Just because he's outside, you're going to go?"
Zhu Ning reached out to push him but touched his well - toned chest muscles again. "He's calling me."
"Don't pay attention to him."
"This isn't good, right..."
The smell of the red lotion on Pei Jin's chest mixed with his cold fragrance.
"Just act as if he doesn't exist."
He hugged her and said in a low voice, "My shoulder hurts, and I can't use my hands."
She felt the strong arm around her waist.
Her eyelashes fluttered with the heat under her eyes. "Is it true or false?"
Pei Jin gave a grunt. "It's true."
The knocking on the door continued.
Pei Jin showed no sign of letting go.
Zhu Ning patted his arm. "Don't do this..."
"Nian Nian is calling me."
Pei Jin said, "Zhu Ning, I'm in pain."
His voice sounded like a plea for pity. The way he said "Zhu Ning" made her blush and her fingers curl up and go numb.
"Pei Jin, you weren't like this before."
Pei Jin looked down at her and asked in a low voice, "You don't like me like this?"
Zhu Ning blushed and didn't answer.
Pei Jin just waited quietly for her answer.
One second, two seconds.
The sound outside the door finally stopped.
Zhu Ning reached out to push him.
"Nian Nian has left."
Pei Jin loosened his hold on her a bit but didn't let her go.
His eyes kept looking at her, waiting for her answer.
Finally, Zhu Ning turned her head.
"It's not that..."
Who could resist a super - handsome guy throwing himself at you?
"It's just that when you're like this... I'm a bit..."
"A bit what?"
Zhu Ning turned her head. "What else could it be?"
"I'm shy, okay."
A low laugh came from Pei Jin's chest.
Laugh, laugh. There's nothing funny.
Zhu Ning glared at him.
With her rosy cheeks, it was not very convincing.
Pei Jin's thin lips curved slightly. His look at her was like the first melting of fine snow.
"I thought you hated me."
Zhu Ning didn't say a word.
If I really hated you, I'd slap you.
Only then did Pei Jin finally let her go. "Go back to sleep."
He looked down at her and said in a low voice, "Don't run around anymore."
Zhu Ning said, "What did I run around for?"
Pei Jin looked at her with a deep gaze, as if to say that she should know what she had done.
Zhu Ning turned her face and coughed lightly.
"I was going to sleep anyway."
Pei Jin believed her.
He let her go and reached for his clothes. Zhu Ning asked with concern about his shoulder, "Your shoulder doesn't hurt anymore?"
"Yeah." Pei Jin said, "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Zhu Ning felt a bit regretful.
Pei Jin let out a short laugh. "Do you still plan to continue helping?"
Zhu Ning said, "I'm leaving."
"Go."
Zhu Ning pushed open the door to the inner room and walked out. Pei Jin stood there watching her leave.
Until her figure disappeared, he touched the red lotion on his chest, looked down, and his thin lips curved slightly.
Little pervert.
He turned around and walked into the bathroom.
Zhu Ning's face was very hot.
She didn't rush out. She leaned against the door with her hands on her face. She waited until the heat on her face subsided before she opened the door to the outer room and walked out.
As soon as the door opened, at the moment she looked up, her heart skipped a beat.
"Ni - Nian Nian..."
Xu Liunian's tall and straight figure stood there, looking at her without blinking.
He said softly, "I wanted to know when you would come out."
"So I've been waiting."
His eyelashes were moist, and there was a heart - broken redness in his eyes.
"In the end, you didn't come out."
"Didn't you like me?"
"Don't you like me anymore?"