An Yuan slept on the couch.
He didn't feel comfortable leaving Chen Cheng alone after she had been drinking, so he decided to stay, just in case she needed help.
It was almost November, and the nights were getting cold. Even Chen Cheng, who usually turned on the AC when it was just 30 degrees, now set a two-hour timer before bed so she wouldn't wake up freezing.
He had gone to sleep shivering, but when he woke up, he found a light blanket draped over him.
Rubbing his tired eyes, he propped himself up on one arm and squinted around the room.
"Brother Chen?"
There was only one person who could have covered him with a blanket, Chen Cheng.
It couldn't be Chen Cheng's mother coming back in the middle of the night… That would be scarier than a horror movie! She'd probably break his legs.
The sun wasn't up yet. An Yuan checked his phone, just past 5 AM. The alcohol had messed with his sleep, making him wake up an hour earlier than usual.
"Ugh, it's freezing. What's with this crazy weather?"
He slipped on his slippers and went to wash his face. As he wandered to the guest room door and peeked inside, he realized something, Chen Cheng wasn't there.
Not only was she gone, but the trash from last night's drinks and barbecue was also missing.
Click!
The sound of a key turning came from the front door. Chen Cheng walked in, wearing a thin jacket and carrying a bag of breakfast.
"An Yuan? Where are you?"
"I'm right here." An Yuan walked back to the living room, yawning non-stop. "What time did you wake up? You went out this early just to buy food?"
Chen Cheng set down the breakfast, thinking back. "Around three? I didn't sleep well last night."
"Then go back to bed for a bit. I'll wake you up later."
"I'm actually feeling pretty awake!"
She was clearly in a great mood today, there was a noticeable bounce in her step. She sat down on the couch, pulled the still-warm blanket over her legs, and complained, "Why did it suddenly get so cold? It was 32°C yesterday, and now it's only 25°C."
"Probably a cold front."
"Also, look at my face! It's so dry it's peeling! It's itchy and hurts like hell!"
She tilted her head back and pointed at her face. "See?"
"You don't have any moisturizer at home?" An Yuan leaned in and used a fingernail to lightly scrape at the dry patches. "Yeah, it's pretty bad."
Her once smooth and flawless skin now looked like a peeling wall.
"Hey, don't scratch it…"
She used to have oily skin, no matter how much she washed her face, it would still get greasy, and she'd get breakouts all the time. But now that her skin had become dry, the acne was gone, yet the moment the humidity dropped, it cracked and peeled painfully.
"Why not try some skincare products?"
"I'll figure it out after breakfast…"
An Yuan opened the bag of breakfast, sweet soy milk, meat buns, shrimp pancakes, and triangle cakes. A classic local breakfast set.
He split the food into two portions and teased, "Wow, you actually went down seven floors just to buy breakfast? That's rare."
"I woke up too early and had nothing to do."
Despite complaining about her dry skin, Chen Cheng's good mood remained unaffected. She happily munched on a meat bun, her legs swinging off the edge of the couch in a rhythmic motion.
"You're in a really good mood today."
"Yep!"
"Wanna share why? Maybe I'll be happy too."
"Because…" Chen Cheng opened her mouth as if about to say something, then her eyes shifted, and she quickly took another bite of her bun. "Not telling!"
"Stingy."
Last night, while pretending to be asleep, Chen Cheng confirmed something, An Yuan really didn't see her as anything more than a friend.
He hadn't tried to take advantage of the situation, and when he left, he did it without hesitation, showing no reluctance at all.
Aside from his gaze being a little too intense at one moment, his behavior was flawless.
That's what true brotherhood was all about! Unlike her idiot deskmate, who'd get overly flustered at the slightest hint of affection. Seriously, that guy was such a clueless virgin. It was honestly painful to watch.
After breakfast and a quick clean-up, Chen Cheng headed straight to the bathroom. She stared at the countless bottles and jars on the sink, unsure which one to use for her dry, peeling face.
An Yuan wandered in as well, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching her from behind.
"Do you know anything about skincare?" Chen Cheng picked up a sheet mask. "Will this help my face?"
"Probably?" An Yuan didn't know much about skincare, but he knew more than Chen Cheng, who had almost no experience with it. He stepped forward and pulled out a jar of moisturizer from the pile. "Try this."
"Oh~ It feels so greasy..."
"There's also a hydrating mist. You can bring it to school and spray it on your face when it feels dry."
"Ugh, sounds like a hassle..."
An Yuan grabbed another bottle. "And this is sunscreen. You should wear it every time you go out."
"I think a little tan looks better!"
"You're just lazy." An Yuan saw right through her. "Did you forget the dark spots you had before? Those were from sun exposure."
"Ughhh~"
Even though she wasn't thrilled, Chen Cheng applied the products one by one, rubbing them in. The stinging and itching made her hiss in pain, making her wonder if she was allergic to skincare.
With the sudden drop in temperature today, she wore her fall school uniform, a long-sleeved jacket over a black T-shirt.
She actually liked the jacket a lot. It made her chest look flatter, reducing her feminine features and making her feel more "manly."
After messing around at home for a while, it was finally time to leave for school.
Having to go back after just one day off made Chen Cheng look absolutely miserable as she stepped outside.
"This is the worst~"
"You should be grateful for our school. I heard some high schools only give students half a day off each week."
An Yuan wheeled his bicycle out of the parking spot. Before he could even get on, Chen Cheng had already hopped onto the back seat.
"Don't you have your own bicycle? Why do you always ride mine?"
Since she had arrived in this world, Chen Cheng had been riding An Yuan's bicycle to school every day. Today, he finally decided to call her out on it.
"You block the wind for me."
"But if I give you a ride every day, people might get the wrong idea."
Chen Cheng hesitated, pulled her keys out of her pocket, thought for a moment, then shoved them back in. "Oops, forgot my bicycle lock key today. Next time."
A misunderstanding? Even better.
She did hate rumors, especially when good friendships got twisted into something romantic by a bunch of pervy classmates.
But on second thought, the rumors were going to spread no matter what. A little misunderstanding wouldn't make a difference, but at least it might make that repulsive Li Wanyi give up on An Yuan.
And if things went further, anyone interested in An Yuan would have to compare themselves to her first, both in looks and body.
Sitting on the back of the bike, Chen Cheng hunched her shoulders and lowered her head, hiding behind An Yuan to avoid the cold wind.
As they got closer to school, she patted her cheeks, took a deep breath, and put on a cold, expressionless face. Slightly furrowed her brows, she did her best to make her gaze look sharp and intimidating.
Just like her best friend said, she was quiet and aloof, showing no interest in men.
"An Yuan, do I look scary? Like, people wouldn't dare talk to me?"
While waiting at a red light, Chen Cheng poked An Yuan's waist.
He glanced back, nodded, and said, "Yeah, scary like a tiger."
"Right?!"
That's actually a lie, she's more like a tiny kitten baring its teeth.
<+>
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[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/1362427?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/129811097?collection=1362427
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/129811097?collection=1362427
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