His voice was very soft, yet it carried a tenderness he didn’t even realize was there.
He glanced out the window at the deep night; the moonlight filtered through the glass, casting a pool of silvery radiance across the floor.
His gaze drifted into the distance, his tone laced with anticipation. "Looks like the next fortnight won't be boring at all."
With that, he turned toward the stairs, his footsteps light and composed.
Upon reaching the doorway, he paused for a moment and glanced back at the closed bathroom door, a faint smile flickering in his eyes.
He then headed downstairs, his figure gradually vanishing into the shadows at the end of the hall.
Downstairs, the lights in the tattoo parlor were off, leaving only the dim glow of a nightlight in the corner.
Pei Cheng walked over to the workbench, picked up a pack of cigarettes, and lit one.
Leaning against the table, he took a deep drag and slowly exhaled, his eyes fixed on the hazy night outside, though his thoughts had drifted somewhere far away.
The ember of his cigarette pulsed in the darkness, illuminating the sharp, clean lines of his profile.
His eyes were deep, filled with an unfathomable emotion, as if he were pondering something, or perhaps just savoring the stillness of the moment.
After a while, he snuffed out the cigarette and turned toward the shop entrance.
As he pushed the door open, the night breeze brushed against his cheeks, carrying a hint of chill.
He looked up at the night sky; the stars were sparse but bright.
He let out a low chuckle, his tone tinged with self-mockery. "I’ll be damned… actually feeling unsettled by a little girl."
He stepped out of the shop, his figure slowly merging into the night.
The street was deserted, save for the long shadows cast by the streetlights that trailed his lonely yet somehow unburdened silhouette.
Upstairs, Xu Huan stood before the bathroom mirror, staring at her flushed cheeks. She patted her face gently and muttered, "Xu Huan, you really are pathetic..."
*
Returning from outside, Pei Cheng paused at the sight of Xu Huan standing downstairs. He leaned against the doorframe, his posture languid, his eyes resting on her with a careless smile. "Not asleep yet? Waiting here to take advantage of me?"
"No..." Xu Huan clutched her bag, standing by the stairs, looking somewhat uneasy.
She glanced up at him, her voice as light as a feather. "You don't have an extra room upstairs. I'll sleep on the sofa."
She had assumed there would be a guest room or a living area, not realizing the entire second floor was Pei Cheng's bedroom.
Apart from her year with the Xu Family, she had never slept in a proper bedroom.
Her foster parents never had a spare room, so she had always slept on a bunk bed in the living room. She couldn't bring herself to occupy someone else’s bedroom while imposing on them.
Hearing this, Pei Cheng’s lips curled slightly, a trace of amusement flashing in his eyes.
He straightened up slowly, hands in his pockets, and stepped closer to her, his voice low and indolent. "Letting a young girl sleep on the sofa—what do you think that makes me? Hmm?"
His inflection rose slightly, teasing yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.
Xu Huan lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the strap of her bag. Her voice was barely a whisper. "I… I don't want to be a burden."
Pei Cheng let out a soft laugh, reached out, and ruffled her hair. His movement was casual but gentle. "What burden? The bed upstairs is huge; there’s more than enough room for you."
Xu Huan blinked, looking up at him with surprise and hesitation. "But..."
"No 'buts'," Pei Cheng cut her off, his tone lazy but brook-no-argument. "I'll take the sofa, you take the bed. It's settled."
He tapped her shoulder gently, a gesture that was offhand yet kind. "What are you still standing there for? Go upstairs and get some sleep."
Xu Huan stayed put, still looking hesitant, her fingers twisting the hem of her shirt as if she had something to say but dared not speak.
Pei Cheng raised an eyebrow, a careless smile playing on his lips, his tone laced with mischief. "Not going up because you can't bear to let me sleep on the sofa?"
He stepped forward deliberately, leaning in close. His voice was deep, languid, and carried a hint of subtle temptation. "How about it? Should we sleep together?"
Xu Huan’s face turned scarlet instantly, as if scorched by his words, the color spreading to her earlobes.
She didn't refuse; instead, she looked up, her gaze clear and earnest, with a flicker of expectation. "...Okay… okay."
Knowing she was an unconventional girl, Pei Cheng was still caught off guard by her unexpected response.
He froze for a second, then his tongue brushed against his molars. He offered a wry, half-amused look, his expression a mix of helplessness and banter. "Okay? Okay, what? I trade in feelings, not my body, kid."
He tapped her forehead gently, his touch intimate yet respectful. "Go to sleep, stop dawdling."
Xu Huan ducked her head from the tap but didn't pull away, simply nodding obediently.
"Oh."
"Stop saying 'oh' and get up there."
"Okay."
Three strikes and she was out—Xu Huan stopped stalling and obediently turned to go upstairs.
Her footsteps were soft, and her slow-moving back felt a bit forlorn, as if failing to sleep with him was a truly regrettable thing.
Pei Cheng stood still, watching her walk up step by step, that nameless emotion rising within him again.
He suddenly thought she looked just like a small animal with its tail tucked after being turned away by its owner—pitiful, yet it made him want to laugh.
As Xu Huan reached the landing, Pei Cheng said in a low, gentle voice, "Goodnight."
Xu Huan stopped dead, as if frozen by his voice.
She stood at the top of the stairs, back to him, her fingers clenching her hem, the warmth in her heart refusing to fade.
After a few seconds, she turned slightly, looking back at Pei Cheng. Her voice was as soft as a feather. "Goodnight."
It was quiet, yet it held a sweetness even she didn't realize.
With that, she hurried upstairs, as if afraid he would see her reddened cheeks.
Pei Cheng remained where he was, listening to her footsteps fade away, the soft feeling in his heart lingering.
He looked at his fingertips, as if he could still feel the texture of her hair—soft enough to make his heart itch.
In the room, everything was silent.
Only the faint sound of the diffuser running remained, like a nightly whisper gently soothing Xu Huan’s tense nerves.
Xu Huan sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers grazing the sheets.
The fabric was cool, yet unexpectedly soft, as smooth as silk.
As she lay down, a faint scent of cedarwood enveloped her—Pei Cheng’s scent, crisp and steady, strangely comforting.
Xu Huan buried her face in the pillow, her every breath filled with him.
The moonlight from outside leaked through the slats of the blinds, casting long, thin streaks of light on the wall like the markers of a clock, quietly recording the peace of the moment.
Lying in the soft bed, she listened to the faint music drifting up from downstairs.
It was the jazz Pei Cheng usually played while working; the low melody was like a murmur in the night, gently soothing her heart.
In this bedroom, so full of Pei Cheng’s personality, Xu Huan found herself falling asleep quickly.
Her eyelids grew heavy, her consciousness blurring.
That night, for the first time in twenty years, Xu Huan slept soundly.
She didn't dream of her foster parents' constant vitriol, nor of her three brothers' bias and lack of trust.
She slept deeply, and even had a dream filled with pink bubbles.
In the dream, she and Pei Cheng kissed.