Hearing him say that, Shen Ruoxi couldn’t help but scoff inwardly.

“Weren’t you going to take a bath?”

“I forgot to bring a change of clothes.” Shen Ruoxi pointed sternly at the two potted cacti. “Don’t touch them. Don’t touch anything in this apartment.”

It was the first time anyone had spoken to him so imperiously, and yet rather than losing his temper, he found the feeling quite pleasant.

Watching Shen Ruoxi disappear into the bathroom, Xie Yan lazily flopped down on the sofa and closed his eyes to rest.

He remembered the first time he had rented this apartment—he had been so excited he lay awake half the night. This was the first place he could call a refuge, the first place that had given him warmth after coming to Shun Cheng. He was grateful for it and would remember it for the rest of his life.

Just as he was drifting through these wandering thoughts, the bathroom door opened. Shen Ruoxi darted through his line of sight like a rabbit, already slipping into the bedroom. The door closed in front of him.

Seeing how she guarded against him like a thief, Xie Yan wasn’t particularly annoyed. He had already promised to sleep on the sofa and would not act rashly—if he broke his word, getting back in next time would not be so easy.

Shen Ruoxi changed her clothes and loosely tied up her hair.

Just as she was getting ready for bed, a knock came at the door. She immediately tensed and asked in a hushed voice, “I’m going to sleep. What do you want?”

Through the door came Xie Yan’s voice, carrying a note of grievance: “Shen Ruoxi, could you check something quickly—my hand hurts.”

Shen Ruoxi had no intention of paying him any mind. She pulled the blanket over herself and lay down.

“Shen Ruoxi, are you really going to ignore me? Ouch, ouch—it hurts, it hurts so much.”

Irritated by his cries, she reluctantly got up and opened the door. Xie Yan, standing outside, had not expected her to open it at this moment. Despite clutching his finger and crying out in pain, his face showed not a trace of suffering.

The moment he met Shen Ruoxi’s eyes, he let out an exaggerated “Ow” and said, “It hurts, it really hurts.” Then he held his finger out to her. “If you don’t believe me, look—it’s swollen.”

Shen Ruoxi looked at his finger. This time, he wasn’t lying.

“Cactus spines aren’t poisonous, but they contain a type of alkaline substance. After a puncture, the area will swell and the pain will be doubled.”

“What do I do?”

Shen Ruoxi said, “First wash it with soapy water.”

She led Xie Yan into the bathroom, lathered up some soap, and carefully scrubbed the spot where the spine had pricked him.

She was close to him—when she bent forward, she was nearly pressed against his arm. She was wholly focused on the task. Because her head was bowed, the fair, flawless skin of her nape was exposed.

Her hair was loosely pinned up, with a few playful strands falling at the back of her neck. White against black, strikingly alluring.

Xie Yan stared at her neck, his thoughts beginning to wander. But remembering his promise, he forced himself to hold back.

“Wait in the living room for a moment. I’ll go snap off some aloe vera to put on it.”

This aloe plant had grown from a cutting she’d gotten from Sister Hong, and though it was still small, it was already usable.

Shen Ruoxi broke off a small piece, then came to the living room.

Xie Yan sat there obediently, still and well-behaved.

She took his hand and carefully applied the aloe vera gel to the wound. Aloe vera is cool and soothing—it felt very comfortable on the injury.

But Xie Yan’s attention wasn’t on his wound. He was intently focused on her face.

“I checked it—there shouldn’t be any spines left inside.” Shen Ruoxi, completely unaware of his gaze, said earnestly, “Don’t carelessly touch cacti in the future.”

Xie Yan smiled slightly and said suddenly, “Shen Ruoxi, thank you.”

Shen Ruoxi gave him a look, unaccustomed to him thanking her so seriously. “You’re welcome. Just don’t do something so foolish again.”

“I genuinely had never seen a cactus before.” Xie Yan explained in his own defense. “I thought the spines would be soft.”

Shen Ruoxi looked at him with the expression she might reserve for someone hopeless.

“I won’t dare next time.” Xie Yan raised his hand in a solemn vow.

Shen Ruoxi gave a quiet scoff, thinking: whether you dare or not is none of my business.

Just as she rose to leave, Xie Yan grabbed her wrist.

She looked down and glared at him furiously. “Xie Yan, what exactly did you promise me before you walked through that door? If you go back on your word like this, I’ll never trust you again.”

“You’re the one who seduced me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re dressed like this, walking around in front of me. I’m a normal man. How am I supposed to not react?”

Shen Ruoxi: “……”

What could you call it but having the audacity to play the victim?

“Alright, alright, don’t glare at me.” Xie Yan let go of her hand. “Go to sleep. Stop wandering around here.”

Shen Ruoxi gave him a look that said plainly, “As if I want to be wandering here,” then turned and walked into her bedroom.

“Remember to turn off the lamp. Electricity bills are expensive.” Her voice lingered as the door closed.

Xie Yan turned off the light and lay down on the sofa.

The sofa was far too short to accommodate him, and he had to make do in a cramped position, though he didn’t mind at all.

In the faint moonlight from the window, he raised his injured finger and suddenly broke into a foolish grin.

He was a regular at death’s door—he’d suffered countless wounds, big and small. A single cactus spine wouldn’t hurt him.

Not only did it not hurt—he felt a warmth there now.

Shen Ruoxi… you truly are an enigma of a woman.

Shen Ruoxi was woken every morning, free of charge, by the magpies outside her window. When she opened her eyes, the sun had already climbed high in the sky.

She lay there drowsily for a moment, then suddenly glanced at the space beside her. When she saw it was empty, she let out a breath and patted her chest.

That man Xie Yan made it very hard to trust him—but last night, at least, he seemed to have kept his promise.

Shen Ruoxi carefully pushed open the door and looked toward the sofa in the living room. It was bare and empty—nothing there.

She glanced toward the bathroom as well. No sound from there either.

“He’s left?” Shen Ruoxi slipped out and did a disbelieving circuit of the apartment. Sure enough, there was no sign of Xie Yan.

“This man actually has some self-awareness—borrows a place to stay for one night and leaves the next morning.”

Shen Ruoxi shrugged and headed to the bathroom.

When she came out after washing up, a figure in the dining area nearly made her scream.

Once she recognized who it was, she swallowed that cry with great effort.

“Xie Yan?” Shen Ruoxi had just washed her hair and still held a towel in her hand. She walked over, wet hair and all.

Xie Yan was unpacking several bags. Without turning around at the sound of her voice, he said, “As a proper overnight guest, I’ve prepared a lavish breakfast for the landlord.”

Shen Ruoxi: “……”

Wasn’t he the landlord himself?