Chapter Thirty-Nine: Deadly Adorableness

Just after she had finished her bath, Mrs. Wenjing Yu came knocking at the door. "Xiaxia, are you ready?"

"I'm ready," replied Yixia Luo, opening the door and going downstairs.

Instead of heading out, she sat on the sofa to watch TV.

Wenjing Yu snatched the remote from her hand. "What are you watching TV here for? Go watch with Chengyi."

"Mom, can't I go later?" Yixia Luo tried to grab the remote back.

"Later? What later? Go now, otherwise your mother-in-law will start urging you." Wenjing Yu switched off the TV in one swift motion.

Yixia Luo sighed, pouting, and headed upstairs again.

"Where are you going?" Wenjing Yu thought her daughter hadn't understood.

"I'm just going to get a throw pillow," Yixia Luo replied impatiently.

"You're grown up now, but you still act like a child. You can't sleep without a pillow."

Yixia Luo ignored her mother's complaints downstairs entirely.

She grabbed a Psyduck plush and, still pouting, stepped out the door, walking all the way to the Song family home.

Thankfully, the street was lit with lamps, so she wasn't scared.

What she didn't expect was to find Chengyi Song leaning against the gate of the Song residence.

Yixia Luo was surprised—shouldn't he be inside? Why was he outside?

Upon seeing her, Chengyi Song turned and walked back into the house.

Yixia Luo hastened her steps, following him in.

"Xiaxia, you're here?" Yun Zhou greeted her warmly as she entered.

Chengyi Song didn’t linger, heading straight upstairs.

Yixia Luo didn’t engage in much conversation with Yun Zhou. "Mom, I'll go up first."

"What would you like for breakfast tomorrow, Xiaxia?" Yun Zhou hurriedly asked.

"I'm fine with anything," Yixia Luo replied, clutching her throw pillow as she entered Chengyi Song’s room.

Only then did he notice she was wearing a pink nightgown, hugging a yellow duck to her chest.

She looked like… a Barbie doll…

For some reason, his heart tightened.

Adorably… fatal.

Then he noticed her hair was dripping wet, soaking the back of her dress.

Chengyi Song frowned and walked into his bathroom. Yixia Luo didn’t think much of it and wandered out to the balcony, hugging her duck and letting the night breeze brush past.

Suddenly a towel was tossed onto her head—she reached up to pull it off.

But two large hands pressed down from behind, and someone began rubbing her head with the towel, rather haphazardly.

The towel was so big it covered her head entirely, and Chengyi Song was rubbing it all over, making a mess.

Yixia Luo could barely breathe.

She struggled, turning around and pulling the towel off her head.

And found herself face to face with Chengyi Song.

He stood a full head taller than her, and she craned her neck to look up at him.

He hadn’t expected her to yank the towel away and stare directly at him.

Yet he took the towel from her hands and placed it back on her head. "Don’t move. Your hair is still wet."

This time, Yixia Luo stood obediently still, letting him dry her hair.

After a long while, Chengyi Song finally let go.

He removed the towel, gazing at the messy hair he'd just tousled, her cheeks flushed pink.

Yixia Luo blinked her big, watery eyes at him.

Both of them were a little dazed.

Perhaps it was because she had just bathed, the scent of milk lingering around her made Chengyi Song lose focus, not realizing he had cornered her between himself and the railing.

It was Yixia Luo who finally broke the awkward silence. "Um… do you have a comb?"

Her voice was as soft as a mosquito’s whisper.

Chengyi Song snapped back to himself, quickly stepping aside and giving her space.

"It’s over by the desk."

Yixia Luo scampered over with her short legs.

She found the comb and began brushing her hair quietly, saying nothing.