Pei Cheng froze, his movement halting mid-air as the playful impulse in his heart was instantly shattered by her reaction.
Staring at her closed eyes, he found himself suddenly amused yet helpless.
"You..." he began in a low voice, a hint of helplessness and amusement in his tone. "Why didn't you push me away?"
Xu Huan opened her eyes, her gaze as clear as ever, and replied matter-of-factly, "Why should I?"
Pei Cheng was choked by her words, at a loss for what to say.
He stared at her for a few seconds, trying to find a trace of a joke on her face, but her expression was so earnest it left him somewhat helpless.
"I'm taking advantage of you, you know?" he said deliberately, wanting to see her reaction.
Xu Huan blinked, her tone entirely serious. "You're so good-looking. Even if someone's taking advantage, I'm the one benefiting."
Pei Cheng was utterly stunned, never expecting Xu Huan to give such an answer.
He stared at her for a few seconds before suddenly bursting into a low laugh, tinged with a mix of helplessness and indulgence.
"You really..." He shook his head, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "What on earth is going on inside that head of yours?"
A bit dazed by the roughing up of her hair, Xu Huan raised a hand to touch her locks and muttered quietly, "I was telling the truth..."
Watching this innocent and straightforward expression of hers, Pei Cheng felt the mischievous urge in his heart completely vanish.
He withdrew his hand, took a step back to put some distance between them, and spoke with a trace of helplessness, "Let's go upstairs."
"Oh." Pei Cheng hadn't actually kissed her, and Xu Huan felt quite disappointed inside.
If she was going to die soon, getting a sweet kiss from such a handsome guy meant her trip to this world hadn't been in vain.
Led by Pei Cheng, Xu Huan walked toward the stairs.
Her steps were light, as if she were walking on clouds, her heart filled with sweetness and anticipation.
On the second floor of the tattoo parlor late at night, the wooden stairs emitted a faint creaking sound beneath their feet.
Following Pei Cheng upward, Xu Huan caught the subtle, lingering scent of cedar mingling with the smell of disinfectant from the tattoo equipment downstairs.
With Pei Cheng walking in front, Xu Huan rested her fingers lightly on the banister.
In the dim light, the man's broad back looked exceptionally tall, and his shoulder blades beneath his black T-shirt shifted slightly with his stride.
Pei Cheng pushed open a bedroom door and turned sideways to let Xu Huan enter.
Xu Huan stepped past Pei Cheng into the bedroom.
The man's bedroom wasn't large, but it was kept very neat.
The deep gray walls looked exceptionally soft under the warm yellow wall lamp, and an iron-framed black bed stood against the wall, covered in dark blue sheets with the duvet casually turned back at the corner as if the occupant had just gotten up.
Xu Huan noticed a uniquely shaped aroma diffuser on the bedside table, beside which lay scattered several tattoo catalogs and sketchbooks.
On the wall hung a few framed tattoo design drafts and some black-and-white photography, mostly consisting of cityscapes and close-ups of people.
"Did you take all of these?" Xu Huan asked, pointing at the photos on the wall.
"Mm." Pei Cheng walked up beside Xu Huan, raising his head to look at the photographs. "When I have free time, I like to walk around and take pictures of things."
His voice was low and gentle, carrying a slight huskiness.
Xu Huan turned her head, her gaze falling on Pei Cheng's face.
The man's eyelashes were very long, casting small shadows beneath his eyes like a pair of tiny fans that gently veiled his deep gaze.
In the soft light, his profile appeared exceptionally sharp—his nose high and straight, his jawline clean and crisp, exuding a somewhat stern aura that was nevertheless softened by the ambient glow.
"You've been outside for so long. Take a hot shower before you sleep." Pei Cheng's voice was low, carrying a hint of imperceptible care.
He took a gray bath towel from the wardrobe, and as he turned to hand it to her, his fingertips brushed against hers unintentionally.
At that exact instant, an electric sensation spread from her fingertips through her entire body. Startled, Xu Huan hurriedly pulled her hand back, her cheeks instantly flushing with a pale tint of red.
Her fingers curled slightly as if she had been scalded, and her heartbeat involuntarily sped up.
Taking in every bit of her reaction, Pei Cheng felt a subtle amusement flash in his eyes.
Instead of withdrawing his hand immediately, he deliberately paused for a second, his gaze resting on her reddened earlobes while the corners of his lips curved upward into an imperceptible smirk.
"Pulling your hand back so fast—aren't you going to take advantage of me anymore?" There was a hint of banter in Pei Cheng's voice, yet his tone remained calm and natural, as if that physical contact had been the most ordinary thing in the world.
His gaze lingered on Xu Huan's face with a mix of probing playfulness.
Lowering her head, Xu Huan unconsciously twisted a corner of the bath towel, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "N—no."
Her cheeks were as flushed as ripe apples, and even her earlobes were stained with a faint pink hue, making her look so endearingly cute that it made one want to tease her.
Pei Cheng chuckled softly, pulling back his hand while keeping his eyes fixed on her face.
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly like the wings of a frightened butterfly, shielding those clear eyes of hers.
Her lips were pressed tightly together as if she wanted to say something but lacked the courage to speak out.
Suddenly, he felt she was much like a timid little animal—when someone approached her proactively, she wouldn't refuse and would even accept it obediently; yet if she were expected to make the first move, she would become too shy and flustered to know what to do.
This contradictory personality only made her appear all the more authentic and interesting.
"What, are you shy?" Pei Cheng deliberately lowered his voice, teasingly. "Didn't you say just now that you were the one taking advantage?"
Xu Huan's face burned even brighter. Clenching the bath towel tightly, her voice dropped so low it was practically inaudible. "Th—that was just a moment ago..."
Pei Cheng watched her helpless, flustered state, and that mischievous impulse bubbled up in his chest once more.
Taking a step forward, he leaned down slightly, brought his face close to her ear, and murmured in a low voice, "What about now? Still want to take advantage of me?"
His warm breath brushed against the shell of her ear, the heat freezing Xu Huan in place.
Her heartbeat spiked abruptly, her fingers involuntarily tightening their grip on the towel until her fingertips turned pale.
She wanted to back away, but her feet felt as though they had taken root, unable to move an inch.
"I... I..." She opened her mouth, but having no idea what to say, she could only keep her head down and let that warm breath envelop her entirely.
Looking at her like this, a wave of gentleness suddenly welled up in Pei Cheng's heart.
Straightening up, he reached out to ruffle her hair again, his tone carrying a touch of resignation and indulgence. "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Go take a shower quickly so you don't catch a cold."
With a sense of immense relief, Xu Huan nodded, hugged the bath towel, and hurried into the bathroom.
The moment the door closed, Xu Huan pressed her back against it and let out a long breath, her cheeks still burning fiercely.
Her heartbeat had yet to fully calm down, and Pei Cheng's deep voice and warm breath seemed to linger around her ears.
Looking down at the towel in her hands, she unconsciously rubbed her fingertips against the soft fabric, while the inexplicable flutter in her chest refused to dissipate for a long time.
Outside the door, Pei Cheng stood in place, looking down at his own fingertips with a smile naturally curling the corners of his lips.
His fingertips seemed to retain the texture of her hair, soft enough to make one's heart itch.
He murmured softly to himself, "She really is an interesting girl..."