Their eyes met, and the room fell into an unusual silence.
Jiang Mo’s gaze traveled over Gu Ye, from his face down to his waist. This guy really works out, she thought, noting his defined abs and the clear outline of his waist—broad shoulders tapering into a narrow waistline.
When her eyes drifted lower, she immediately averted them, not daring to linger. She had never seen anything like this before.
Why is he dressed like this? Couldn’t he at least wear pajamas?
Gu Ye hadn’t expected Jiang Mo to be in the room either, and a hint of embarrassment flickered across his face as he considered quickly covering up. But when he noticed her flustered expression—her eyes darting away, her cheeks tinged pink—he changed his mind and sauntered forward leisurely.
“What’s going on? Are you looking for something?”
Gu Xuan piped up loudly, “There’s a gecko in our room! We were trying to find it, but it disappeared all of a sudden.”
“You should definitely find it,” Gu Ye said. “Who knows, it might crawl onto the bed while you’re sleeping.”
Jiang Mo felt the air grow uncomfortably warm. She kept her eyes averted. “You two can handle this. I’m going back to my room.”
Gu Ye grinned. “Let’s all look together. More eyes make the search easier.”
He turned and wrapped a towel around his waist, though his upper body remained bare.
At least now Jiang Mo could look at him without feeling completely overwhelmed. She noticed his well-defined chest muscles—something not as obvious when he was dressed.
This must be what they mean by ‘lean in clothes, built underneath.’ His hips were firm too, muscles taut.
She swore she wasn’t trying to stare. It was just… unavoidable.
And then, as if fate had a cruel sense of humor, she realized Gu Ye was watching her watch him.
Her face burned. Her pulse quickened. “Fine, let’s all search together.”
Gu Ye smirked, straightening his posture. All those hours at the gym are finally paying off.
So girls do appreciate this kind of thing.
A reaction was good. No reaction would’ve been disastrous.
He swept his tousled hair back with a hand. “Let me help you.”
Jiang Mo fidgeted as she searched for the gecko, hyper-aware of Gu Ye’s bare torso swaying in her peripheral vision.
She lifted the bedsheet, crouched to peer under the bed—nothing. As she straightened up, her head bumped into something solid.
Abs.
She staggered, losing her balance, and landed ungracefully on the carpet.
“You okay?” Gu Ye reached down, pulling her up in one swift motion. The momentum sent her hand splaying against his chest.
The warmth of his skin seeped into her palm. Without thinking, her fingers flexed slightly.
They were so close now that his words brushed against her ear like a whisper.
A sudden heat flared through her, as if she’d been set on fire.
Jiang Mo jerked her hand back, putting distance between them. “I’m fine.”
“Found it! The gecko’s over here—come quick!” Gu Xuan shouted like he’d discovered treasure.
Jiang Mo rushed over. “I’ll get it!”
After a chaotic scramble, they finally captured the gecko and handed it off to hotel staff.
“Well, if there’s nothing else, I’m going back to my room,” Jiang Mo announced, already inching toward the door.
“…Alright. Get some rest,” Gu Ye said, disappointment lacing his voice. Before he could finish, she was gone.
Gu Xuan took a sip of water, then picked up his phone to watch anime. He blinked innocently. “Bro, you’re so shameless.”
Gu Ye shot him a glare. “You asking for a beating?”
Gu Xuan shifted his position and quickly changed his tone, "Heh, no, I’m just worried about you. The room has air conditioning, and you’re still shirtless, Second Brother. Aren’t you cold?"
"I’ve got plenty of fire in me," Gu Ye retorted, determined to prove his resilience by lying on the bed with his upper body exposed, scrolling through his phone.
The consequence of his bravado came the next day—Gu Ye caught a cold, sniffling with a sore throat.
Gu Baotian delivered a spicy critique: "Your physique is way too weak. You’re like a scrawny chicken."
Gu Ye blew his nose, his voice thick and nasal. "Grandpa, I have an eight-pack, you know."
"What good is that eight-pack if it can’t even charm anyone?" Gu Baotian waved him off. "Just rest in the hotel today. The rest of us will go out and explore."
Gu Ye wasn’t in great shape. "Alright, be careful out there. Call me if anything comes up."
Jiang Mo was suffering from insomnia again. Even on vacation, her sleep was worse than at home.
When she heard Gu Ye was sick, she ordered some medicine for him.
"These are for the cold, and this one’s for throat discomfort," she said, handing him the medication.
Curious, she asked, "How did you even catch a cold?"
It would be embarrassing to admit he’d overplayed his toughness.
Gu Ye replied, "I set the air conditioning too low last night and got chilled."
"You don’t have to stay in the hotel with me. You should go out with Grandpa and the others."
"We’ve been out the past couple of days. A day of rest in the hotel is a good balance," Jiang Mo said.
With others accompanying Gu Baotian, there was no need to worry.
Gu Ye nodded. "Alright. If you’re tired, just stay in. I’ll take you out in a couple of days when I’m better."
What he thought was a minor cold, easily cured with medicine, dragged on for two or three days.
By the time he recovered, an old acquaintance had joined their vacation group at the hotel.
