Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was already 9 PM when we got home. I went straight to the bathroom to take a shower, then climbed into bed.

The quilt was warm and cozy. I was just starting to feel a little sleepy when Sophia Liu called me on WeChat Voice.

"Olivia Lin, you're amazing! What's your relationship with that old-fashioned guy from today? He even walked you home—are you two living together? You've been hiding this from me so well~"

She bombarded me with questions one after another. I had to explain. "Didn't I tell you I'm living with one of my dad's former students now? That's him."

"No way, that's such a coincidence! So you, a lifelong single, are finally going to have your first sweet relationship? It's just a pity he's not a handsome guy—otherwise, he'd be perfect for you."

My best friend, really?

If she knew Ethan Zhou's real appearance, she'd probably kick herself.

We chatted for a while, and I gradually drifted off to sleep. In the middle of the night, I was woken up by the urge to go to the bathroom. When I came back, I noticed a faint light coming from under Ethan Zhou's door.

I picked up my phone to check the time—it was already 3 AM.

It was strange that Ethan Zhou was still awake at this hour.

Curious, I walked over to his door, about to peek through the crack.

Of course, just as I was about to do that, the door opened.

Click.

Our eyes met in the dark—it was so awkward.

Ethan Zhou had faint dark circles under his eyes. After all, he never stayed up late, so pulling an all-nighter must have been tough for him.

The collar of his bathrobe was slightly open, revealing a small patch of smooth skin. His eyes were dark and deep—he looked incredibly sexy.

I felt like my nose was about to bleed.

He crossed his arms over his chest, looking at me with a half-smile. "Olivia Lin, have you switched careers to become a peeping tom?"

I was at a loss for words. "No! I just thought it was weird that you were still up so late."

"Family went on pre-sale today. I stayed up all night to check everything." He yawned, looking away and stepping aside. "Want to come in and play for a bit?"

Oh my god! Was this an indirect invitation?

I swallowed hard. "Is that okay?"

"Olivia Lin."

"What?"

"I meant playing the game, not playing with me. Don't look at me like you're starving."

Confirmed—it was still the same Ethan Zhou. And here I thought he was especially handsome yesterday.

It was my first time entering Ethan Zhou's room.

The decor was low-key minimalist in black and white—most of the walls were plain white. The only thing that stood out was a shabby teddy bear in the corner by his bed.

Its eyes were made of buttons, and the red scarf around its neck had been patched many times—it looked like it had been mended again and again over the years.

For some reason, this doll felt familiar, like I'd seen it somewhere before.

It was my first time in a guy's room, so I felt a little awkward. I sat down in front of his computer, my hands clenched tightly together in nervousness.

Ethan Zhou pulled up a chair and sat next to me. He picked up the mouse, skillfully opening an icon on the desktop.

The next second, the computer screen displayed a creepy, haunted house. In the center, there was a prominent Chinese character popping up: "Enter."

He watched my facial expressions carefully, unconsciously leaning a little closer. He reached out naturally, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. His voice was surprisingly gentle. "Scared?"

His accidental touch made my spine tingle all over.

In such an ambiguous atmosphere, all I could think about was Ethan Zhou's face—not the game at all.

When did he become so good at flirting? Didn't he know that at my age, I was full of energy and might not be able to hold back from pouncing on him right then and there?

Stop—don't think about that anymore.

I tried my best to ignore Ethan Zhou, focusing my attention on the game in front of me.

He showed me the basic controls, then propped his chin up and watched me play.

I played for twenty minutes, getting more and more into it. But I got stuck on a level and was about to ask Ethan Zhou for help when I realized he'd already fallen half-asleep, his head resting on the desk.

I paused the game, then turned to look at him secretly, gently taking off his glasses.

His handsome face was like a dusty pearl—waiting for me to wipe off the dust and make it shine again.

I suddenly regretted making him take off his glasses. With a face like that, he'd only attract more girls.

Ethan Zhou was really good-looking—long eyelashes, fair skin, and thick eyebrows. I couldn't understand why he'd dressed himself in such an old-fashioned way before.

It seemed like he had some kind of indescribable obsession with my dad. Instead of calling him Dad's die-hard fan, it was more like he was deliberately imitating Old Lin in every aspect of his life.

Like his love for drinking tea, his interest in calligraphy, and of course, the way he disciplined me—it was exactly like Old Lin.

I noticed a small scar at the hairline on Ethan Zhou's forehead. You could barely see it if you didn't look closely, like it was from a cut by some kind of sharp object.

I patted Ethan Zhou's shoulder. "Ethan Zhou, if you want to sleep, go to bed. You'll catch a cold here."

He didn't respond.

I stood up, trying to help him get to bed.

But he was so tall and heavy—I couldn't support his weight at all. We both fell onto the bed together.

I struggled to push him away, but he was like the Five-Finger Mountain pressing down on Sun Wukong—he didn't move an inch.

"Don't move..." He mumbled in a low, hoarse voice. Half-asleep, he rubbed his face against my chest, sighing softly. "Mmm... so soft."

My face turned as red as fire. I was so embarrassed and angry that I pushed him hard.

Maybe it was a stroke of luck from using all my strength—he finally rolled over, lying flat on the bed in a "big" shape.

I sat up straight, my face still burning from that intimate contact. My breathing became rapid as I panted heavily.

This place was dangerous—if I stayed any longer, something terrible might happen.

I fled like the female lead in a novel who'd just had a one-night stand. Before leaving, I didn't forget to tuck Ethan Zhou in with the quilt.