The two stared at each other, and the air seemed to freeze.
There were still traces of moisture on the man's eyelashes, which refracted fragmented light under the lamp.
Meng Ruozhao's mind went blank.
Even now, Pei Jiangmu in front of her still made her feel that his figure overlapped with the fleeting one she saw at the banquet.
When he wore the suit she gave him yesterday, he was clearly just as tall and slender...
And Pei Jiangmu greedily measured the sudden contraction of her pupils.
Beneath his feigned surprise, there was a fleeting glint of cunning.
First, he tilted his head slightly, with a faint smile on his lips. He looked exactly like an innocent and charming puppy.
Then, he deliberately put down the rice ball and stood up in a hurry, unabashedly showing his well - chiseled chest and abdominal muscles.
The water droplets that hadn't dried were sloshing in his collarbone sockets. Some slid down his chest, glistening with a charming luster under the light.
The fresh fragrance of shower gel filled the air.
Meng Ruozhao stared at him, unable to come back to her senses for a moment.
For some reason, she even thought that his abdominal muscles must feel great to the touch.
Seeing Meng Ruozhao in such a daze, Pei Jiangmu's little sense of pride swelled even more.
He coughed lightly, looking a bit shy. "Sister?"
Only then did Meng Ruozhao wake up from her reverie. A blush quickly crept up her face.
She turned her face away, trying to cover up her gaffe. Her voice still carried a hint of shock.
"I... I didn't know you were here."
She thought the landlord would at least give him one night to pack his things.
Pei Jiangmu blinked his beautiful eyes slightly, and his voice was a bit tensely unnatural.
"The landlord threw all my things out. I really had nowhere to go."
In the afternoon, Qi Yu had already sent over the "carefully prepared" luggage.
As he spoke, he wiped the water droplets sliding down his forehead.
The corner of his eye that was deliberately touched quickly turned red, making him look both down - and - out and full of a sense of brokenness.
Seeing Pei Jiangmu in this state, Meng Ruozhao's slightest bit of pity instantly magnified.
She had always been soft - hearted. Facing Pei Jiangmu, who looked so embarrassed and aggrieved, she immediately dismissed the idea that he had anything to do with the Pei family.
He was just a down - and - out puppy with financial difficulties.
She walked in, and the door closed behind her. The wind chime rang out a clear sound again.
She took a few more steps forward and only then saw the luggage piled up in the corner.
There wasn't much stuff. The lock of the suitcase had been deliberately broken, and it was barely held together with a rope so that it wouldn't fall apart.
Seeing her staring at his luggage, Pei Jiangmu looked even more embarrassed.
"I was sweating a lot when I came with the luggage, so I took a shower first."
"Sister, don't worry. I'll clean up right away and won't take up much space."
He seemed really afraid of being disliked, and his tone always carried an involuntary attempt to please.
Meng Ruozhao frowned slightly. She clearly didn't like his always being so cautious and humble.
Although they weren't very familiar yet, she always felt that the word "humble" shouldn't be associated with him at all.
Her gaze couldn't help but fall on him again.
When she saw his firm chest and V - line, she quickly shifted her gaze, forcing herself to only look at his face.
"It's okay. Don't be so nervous all the time. I don't bite."
After a pause, she even made a little joke. "I think I'm very easy to get along with."
Pei Jiangmu was stunned for a moment.
Images of Meng Ruozhao and Yan Qiubai appearing together at the banquet kept flashing through his mind. Jealousy grew in his heart like wild grass.
Yes, she was really easy to "get along with".
Not only was she easy to get along with, but she even smiled at that guy who had taken someone else's place.
That bastard. What right did he have to stand beside her?
And what right did he have to dance with her?
Pei Jiangmu's morbid possessiveness turned into poison in his eyes.
However, before Meng Ruozhao could notice, a slightly grateful smile appeared on his face.
"Thank you, sister. I was really afraid of causing you trouble."
Meng Ruozhao looked at this tall and straight man.
He lowered his head slightly, and his eyelashes cast a bluish shadow under his eyes.
He should have been a noble young master of extraordinary birth, but just because he pursued his dream, he was now like a crane with its wings wet by the rainstorm.
Even when accepting the kindness from others, he always carried a cautious humility.
But in her heart, she always felt that he shouldn't be like this.
He should be in a magnificent high - class restaurant, not sitting on the sofa munching on rice balls.
He should also be sleeping in a bright and spacious room, not in the attic of a clothing store.
She truly felt her heart being clenched. This feeling of pity came fiercely and strongly.
The pain even spread from her chest to her fingertips, making her curl her fingers involuntarily to barely control the urge to touch his hair.
"If you really don't want to cause me trouble, then take good care of yourself. It's so stuffy at night. You should turn on the air - conditioner."
She sighed softly in her heart, then walked to the cabinet - type air - conditioner and turned it on.
Just standing there and talking for a while, sweat was already beading on her forehead.
No wonder he took off his shirt after taking a shower.
Saving money for her shouldn't be done like this.
Pei Jiangmu was stunned again.
He didn't turn on the air - conditioner because he really didn't have time.
The taxi driver had taken her the wrong way twice. If there was a third time, it would definitely arouse her suspicion.
So he didn't have much time. He even only spent five minutes taking a shower so that he could disguise everything before she came back.
And she was just so soft - hearted that she even thought he didn't turn on the air - conditioner to save money for her.
His Chaolao was always like this, which made people feel pity.
The calculations in his heart even gave rise to a hint of guilt in the face of Meng Ruozhao's pure kindness.
However, the emotions intertwined with jealousy and possessiveness didn't dissipate. Instead, they were like hidden reefs in his heart, stabbing at his heart from time to time.
The cold air blown out by the air - conditioner gradually filled the entire hall.
Meng Ruozhao turned around and saw Pei Jiangmu still standing there, looking like a lost child.
"Go dry your hair and put on your clothes. Don't catch a cold later."
She said softly, her tone full of concern.
Pei Jiangmu obediently nodded, turned around and walked towards the luggage in the corner. He rummaged through it and took out a towel, casually drying his hair.
His eyes were always on Meng Ruozhao, as if he was afraid that she would disappear the next second.
Or perhaps he was afraid of making her unhappy.
Meng Ruozhao also looked at him, feeling mixed emotions.
Before she could say anything, Pei Jiangmu suddenly fixed his eyes, then put down the towel and quickly walked towards her.
Before Meng Ruozhao could react, he had already squatted in front of her, staring at her calf.
"Sister, how did you get hurt?"
Meng Ruozhao looked down and only then noticed the bloodstains on her calf caused by Du Changlin.
She had already treated them simply before. She had met so many people that night, and no one had noticed. Unexpectedly, Pei Jiangmu had.
The man was so close to her that his warm breath was spraying on the wound on her calf.
This distance had far exceeded her psychological safety distance.