The moment these words were spoken,
both of them fell into silence for several seconds.
The vast villa was eerily quiet, with only the rustling of the wind outside audible.
"It's fine, I can wash myself."
Xie Guanyan broke the silence, the damp madness in his eyes completely concealed.
He absolutely couldn’t let Shan Shan help him.
He would definitely scare her.
The pale, beautiful man’s voice was pleasant, laced with a hint of frailty.
The small mole on the tip of his nose looked particularly alluring under the light, exuding an indescribable sickly beauty.
Lin Mo blinked her peach-blossom eyes, not daring to let her imagination run wild.
She didn’t dare to imagine what Xie Guanyan would look like without his clothes…
The shirts he usually wore fit him perfectly, faintly outlining the contours of his well-defined chest muscles.
There used to be a gym on the third floor of this villa—her parents often worked out there.
After they passed away, Lin Mo would occasionally go up there to run on the treadmill.
She wasn’t sure if the gym was still there now.
Though she had been living here for a while, she hadn’t really explored the entire villa.
After all, this wasn’t her home anymore.
But it probably still existed.
With a physique like Xie Guanyan’s, he must work out regularly.
Lin Mo reined in her wandering thoughts and lifted her clear, bright eyes to look at him. "Are you sure?"
She genuinely didn’t want Xie Guanyan’s arm to scar—nothing more.
Absolutely nothing!
Meeting the shimmering depths of her peach-blossom eyes and hearing her sweetly voiced concern,
Xie Guanyan felt the defenses in his heart crumble instantly, his breathing growing slightly uneven.
Did Shan Shan really want to help him?
Just because he had taken a knife for her?
Taking a deep, controlled breath, he regained some semblance of rationality.
His voice remained as composed and gentle as ever. "Yes, taking that knife for you was my choice. You don’t owe me anything, Lin Mo."
His choice?
Of course Lin Mo knew it was his choice.
No one had pushed him in front of that blade.
But she hadn’t expected him to say it outright, lifting any sense of obligation from her shoulders.
Lin Mo found herself curious—what kind of upbringing had shaped his personality?
Had he grown up in an orphanage?
Or was he adopted later?
It was late, Xie Guanyan’s hand was severely injured, and he was clearly weak. Now wasn’t the time for such questions.
After a moment’s thought, Lin Mo said, "We’re friends. I can’t just ignore you when your hand is hurt like this. You’ve lost so much blood—what if you faint in the shower? What if the wound gets infected from the water?"
The word "friends" echoed in Xie Guanyan’s ears, making his heart tremble.
Friends.
Shan Shan was starting to consider him a friend!
Lin Mo continued, "Alright, two options. One—skip the shower tonight, change your clothes, and just sleep. You can wash up when you’re feeling better."
"Two—I’ll help you shower. But I promise I won’t peek! I’m not that kind of person!"
Xie Guanyan: "…"
He wished she would peek.
He’d gladly let her see everything.
But he was afraid of scaring her.
The moment she said the second option, Lin Mo didn’t even believe herself, her ears burning.
She’d try her best not to look!
Blinking rapidly, she urged, "Hurry up and choose. It’s so late—if we drag this out, it’ll be morning."
The lingering smell of Sichuan cuisine clung to their clothes.
Add to that the dried blood, sticky and uncomfortable.
Skipping a shower was out of the question.
After a few seconds of deliberation, Xie Guanyan adjusted his glasses with his uninjured left hand. "How about this? I’ll just soak in the bathtub tonight. If you’re worried, you can stay nearby to keep an eye on me."
The third floor had a spacious bathroom with a large bathtub.
A floor-to-ceiling window offered a view of the nightscape outside.
Lin Mo had never understood why her parents installed such a lavish bathroom on the third floor.
The design didn’t even match the villa’s original aesthetic.
A giant window? Who needed scenery while bathing?
But as she grew older and read more, she understood.
The births of her and her three siblings hadn’t been accidents.
"Alright, you go up first. I’ll join you in a bit."
Lin Mo herself also carried the scent of Sichuan spices.
She hurried back to her room for a quick rinse, changed into her pajamas, and then dashed up to the third floor.
The third floor was mostly a recreational area, complete with a home theater.
The bathroom door was closed, the sound of running water audible from inside.
Her jade-white fingers curled as she knocked.
Thud, thud, thud!
Each knock seemed to strike her own heart.
"You can come in."
The man’s pleasant voice, tinged with exhaustion, drifted out.
Lin Mo’s long, curled lashes fluttered as she turned the knob and pushed the door open.
A wave of steam rushed out, carrying the faint citrus scent of lemon shower gel.
From the doorway, she could see the beautiful man sitting in the bathtub.
One uninjured, lean arm rested on the edge, his fingers long and elegant, the veins on his pale hand faintly visible—utterly captivating.
Just one glance, and Lin Mo’s face burned to the tips of her ears.
So hot—did someone slip me something?
Closing the door behind her, she hesitated to step further inside.
She was the one who’d offered to help, yet now she was chickening out!
"Um, just be careful with that injured arm. Don’t let it get wet," she reminded from a safe distance.
The girl wore yellow cartoon pajamas, her long hair tied into a messy bun, exuding a lazy, effortless charm.
Her shorts revealed long, smooth legs.
Xie Guanyan only needed one glance.
His entire body flushed pink.
He was grateful he’d never slacked off on fitness.
Though the villa’s gym was rarely used,
he had a private gym and trainer at his company, working out at least an hour and a half daily.
He was also thankful for the scar-removal cream developed by his research institute—the marks on his chest were nearly invisible now.
Yet under the girl’s gaze, even though her eyes were clear and innocent, devoid of any teasing intent,
Xie Guanyan’s mind blanked. He forgot how to bathe.
All the blood in his body rushed south.
His left hand clumsily dragged a washcloth over his skin.
The water in the tub rippled against his chest, creating tiny waves.
With a naked Adonis right in front of her, who could resist looking?
Certainly not Lin Mo.
She quickly noticed Xie Guanyan’s stiff movements.
His left hand seemed uncoordinated,
splashing water onto his injured right arm.
Blinking rapidly, she took two steps forward. "Do you need help?"
Moving closer unveiled an entirely new view.
Without his silver-rimmed glasses, the man’s deep, gem-like eyes were mesmerizing.
Perhaps the water was too hot—his entire body was flushed. Droplets clung to his long lashes, making him look utterly vulnerable.
His collarbones, delicate and jade-white, were fully exposed, the hollows cradling tiny pools of water—unbearably sensual.
Below, firm and well-defined pectoral muscles—very well-defined.
Lin Mo’s eyes sparkled.
Praise the heavens! A male Bodhisattva! Salvation!
Her gaze involuntarily dipped lower—eight perfectly sculpted abs.
And further down…
Blocked by a generous layer of bubbles.
"No!"
Xie Guanyan’s voice was firm, though a slight tremor betrayed him.
Just her watching him felt like he’d taken an aphrodisiac.
If she were to touch him, he feared he wouldn't be able to control himself and end up crossing the line!
The bold look in Lin Mo's eyes didn’t waver until the man firmly rejected her.
She even caught a flicker of panic in his gaze—he might as well have crossed his arms over his chest and shouted, "Stay back!"
That instantly snapped Lin Mo back to reality.
She mentally slapped herself.
What was she doing?!
She’d even startled Xie Guanyan!
Who was it that had sworn not to peek just moments ago?
Would he think she was some kind of pervert now?
Her mind racing, Lin Mo scrambled for damage control. "Xie Guanyan, don’t be scared—I’m a pervert!"
