Pei Cheng paused for a brief moment, but quickly resumed his stride, waving a farewell gesture to Lu Xinglan as he walked away.
Lu Xinglan understood his childhood friend’s meaning immediately. He let out a sigh and called out, "Come visit again when you're free."
Without turning his head, Pei Cheng simply held up a hand in an "OK" gesture.
As Pei Cheng’s figure vanished into the night, Lu Xinglan turned and headed back into the hotel with a sense of reluctance.
The moonlight washed over Pei Cheng’s tall, athletic frame, stretching his shadow long across the ground. He strode toward his tattoo parlor with long, purposeful steps, a cigarette held between his fingers as he exhaled plumes of smoke. The white mist drifted slowly from his lips; in that moment, he looked like a young noble stepped out of a painting—elegant, refined, and radiating an untouchable, majestic aura.
Just as Pei Cheng was strolling along, blowing smoke rings toward his shop, an abrupt white figure caught his eye. He squinted, recognized Xu Huan, and his smoking habit came to an abrupt halt. He crushed the near-spent cigarette, flicked it into a trash can, and walked toward her with long strides.
"What are you doing out here so late?" Pei Cheng’s voice was deep and melodic, tinged with confusion.
Xu Huan, who had been on the verge of falling asleep, jolted awake at the sound of his voice. She stood up in a flurry of excitement, but because she had been sitting for so long and rose too quickly, a wave of dizziness washed over her. Her vision went black, and she fell uncontrollably toward Pei Cheng.
Pei Cheng reached out with quick reflexes to steady her.
After the dizziness passed, Xu Huan looked up, her tone trembling. "You... you’re back?" Her eyes were filled with a mix of anticipation and anxiety, as if she feared he might vanish at any second.
Pei Cheng gave a slight nod, then asked in a puzzled tone, "What are you doing here?"
Xu Huan gave an awkward smile, looking slightly cautious. "You blocked me on WeChat. I came to ask... if you regretted it." Her voice grew softer, eventually trailing off into a murmur.
Pei Cheng frowned. "Blocked you?" His tone held a hint of bewilderment.
Xu Huan nodded. "Yes."
After a moment of frowning in thought, Pei Cheng recalled his earlier "good deed." He rubbed his temples and said with a touch of apology, "My apologies. I thought it was a spam client."
He pulled out his phone and unblocked her right in front of her. Fearing he might mistake her for a spammer again, he paused to think, then tapped a few times on his screen. He renamed her WeChat contact—which featured a sunflower icon—to simply: "Girlfriend."
Seeing his actions, Xu Huan’s heart hammered against her ribs. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her shirt, her gaze fixed on his phone screen. That word—"Girlfriend"—was like a piece of candy melting in her heart, so sweet that the corners of her mouth curved up into shallow dimples without her realizing it.
In that moment, Xu Huan felt as if she were soaking in a jar of honey; even her breath tasted sweet. She snuck a glance at his profile. The moonlight cast a beautiful shadow over his high nose bridge and clean, sharp jawline, making her want to look just a little longer.
Pei Cheng seemed to sense her gaze and turned his head back to look at her. In the instant their eyes met, Xu Huan hurriedly looked down, her earlobes turning a deep, burning red, like a child caught doing something naughty. She pursed her lips to hide a smile, her eyes curving into crescents. She was brimming with happiness, as if even the tips of her hair were dancing.
Pei Cheng had never been in a relationship and rarely spent time around women, so he didn’t quite understand their sensibilities. He couldn't figure out why she was acting so secretly pleased, only finding her smile a bit strange, as if she had stolen some kind of treasure.
He withdrew his gaze, pushed open the door to his tattoo parlor, and walked inside first.
Xu Huan stood outside, her fingers gently picking at the doorframe until her fingertips turned white, betraying her inner hesitation. She looked down at her toes, then up at the dim light inside the shop. Something seemed to be gently scratching at her heart—a mix of itchiness and unease.
Pei Cheng turned back to see her still lingering in the doorway. He raised an eyebrow, a faint, indefinable smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Do I need to say 'Princess, please enter'?"
"No, no..." Startled like a little deer, Xu Huan hurried into the shop. Her cheeks flushed red, as if his words had struck a secret thought. In her haste, she failed to notice the threshold and stumbled. Losing her balance, she fell straight into Pei Cheng’s arms.
Pei Cheng was quick to react, catching and steadying her. His palms were warm, and through the thin fabric of her clothes, Xu Huan could feel the strength in his fingertips. His scent—a faint trace of tobacco mixed with a subtle, woody fragrance—was close enough to make her heart race.
"There's no need to be so impatient, girlfriend," Pei Cheng said, looking down at her with a glint of amusement in his eyes. "We can take it one step at a time."
Xu Huan’s face turned bright red, as if his words had scorched her. She hurriedly pulled away, stood straight, and twisted her shirt hem, her voice barely audible. "I... I didn't mean to."
Pei Cheng chuckled softly, deciding not to tease her further, and walked toward the workbench. His back was long and straight, the black T-shirt tracing his shoulder and back muscles, looking both casual and rebellious.
Xu Huan stood still, taking a deep breath to steady her fluttering heart. She looked around; the shop’s décor was minimalist and artistic, with all sorts of tattoo designs hanging on the walls—some bold, some reserved—as if every piece were telling a story.
"Drink some water." Pei Cheng walked to the water dispenser, filled a cup with warm water, and turned to hand it to her.
As he handed it over, his fingertips brushed against the back of her hand. The warm contact made Xu Huan shiver, as if she had been lightly burned. She took the cup, her own fingertips feeling cool, and whispered, "Thank you."
Pei Cheng leaned against the checkout counter with his hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on her. She lowered her head, sipping the water in small, delicate movements, like a cautious little animal. The orange light fell upon her profile, casting long, butterfly-wing shadows of her lashes against her skin, trembling with a fragile beauty.
He watched her for a moment before asking, "Coming here so late—aren't your family worried?"
Xu Huan’s drinking paused. Her fingers tightened around the cup, causing the water to ripple gently. Her eyelashes drooped, shielding her eyes and effectively avoiding his gaze. After a few seconds, she took another small sip, looked up at Pei Cheng, and said in a remarkably calm, indifferent tone, "I don't have any family."
Her voice was soft—so soft it almost dissipated into the air—but the words felt like a heavy stone slamming into Pei Cheng’s heart. He was stunned, his gaze drawn inevitably to her eyes.
The girl’s eyes were slightly curved as if she were smiling, yet a faint, hidden glimmer of moisture welled up in them, like a lake ruffled by the wind—sparkling, yet carrying an indescribable sense of fragility.
Pei Cheng’s heart trembled. "I'm sorry." Thinking her family had passed away, he apologized for inadvertently reopening her scars. His voice was low, laced with a rare gentleness.
Xu Huan shook her head, her voice as light as the breeze. "It’s okay."
The smile remained on her lips, but it didn't reach her eyes; it was like a mask she was forcing herself to wear, one so fragile it might shatter at the slightest touch.
It was very late, and Pei Cheng didn't feel comfortable with Xu Huan going back alone—especially now that she had told him she had no family. Besides, they were a couple now.
Without much hesitation, Pei Cheng said softly, "It's late. If you don't mind, you can rest upstairs for the night."
Xu Huan was stunned for a moment, then nodded, accepting his kindness. "Then I'll be in your debt."
Having never been taught the boundaries between men and women growing up, Xu Huan didn't even consider how dangerous it might be for a man and a woman to stay in a room alone. Because she had been starved of affection since childhood, the slightest hint of kindness made her want to give her whole heart away. She accepted Pei Cheng's offer with gratitude and zero suspicion. She didn't once worry about whether he might do anything untoward.
Seeing how readily the young girl had agreed, Pei Cheng was surprised. He raised an eyebrow, deliberately lowering his voice with a playful, teasing tone. "Aren't you lacking a bit too much sense of danger?"
"What?" Xu Huan looked up, her eyes as clear as a mountain spring, completely oblivious to the deeper meaning behind his words.
Seeing this, Pei Cheng was struck by a sudden impulse to prank her. He leaned in closer, looking down at her, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile that was not quite a smile. "Aren't you afraid of what I might do to you?"
Xu Huan tilted her head, her expression still blank. "What would you do to me?"
Although she had been in society for a few years, no one had ever taught her about sexual awareness, and as a result, she remained a blank slate. Her gaze was devoid of any impurities; she truly didn't understand his implication.
Pei Cheng felt a mix of frustration at her innocence and a desire to tease her further. He leaned in closer, closing the distance between them until he could clearly see her trembling lashes and those pure, crystal-clear eyes.
"For example—" he drew out the tone, his voice deep and seductive, "like this?"
His face drew closer and closer, his breath nearly brushing against her cheek. Xu Huan didn't push him away in a panic as he had expected. Instead, she blinked, stared at him with earnest intent, and even slightly closed her eyes, as if waiting for something.