Chapter 20 A Beauty Fresh from the Bath? (Not)

Chapter 20: A Beauty Fresh Out of the Shower? (Not Exactly)

Meanwhile, the internal chat group of the Lu Corporation was blowing up.

"Holy shit, what's going on??? Who was that cripple... I mean, that good-looking guy on crutches today???"

"He seems to be Mr. Lu's... relative? Younger brother?"

"Bullshit! President Lu doesn't have a younger brother! And didn't you see? President Lu was acting like a grade-schooler in front of him!"

"I can testify! I went to deliver a document today and saw President Lu get tapped on the shin! Really! With the crutch!"

"Tapped on the shin??? President Lu???"

"Not just that! I also heard he dealt with that idiot Lu Guofei. Lu Guofei's face was white when he left!"

"Word from Security: Wang on duty today was fired. They're even talking about filing a police report, saying he's suspected of attempting to harm President Lu!"

"So who on earth is he???"

"@Assistant Zhou Assistant Zhou, please shed some light!"

Zhou Jin had just put on an ice pack when his phone started going off.

Looking at the flood of messages in the group chat, he rubbed the corner of his sore mouth and only replied with one sentence:

"Don't ask. Just make sure you treat that gentleman well if you see him."

Then he put his phone away, leaned back on the sofa, and let out a long sigh.

That punch today was really not worth it.

A piece of trash like Lu Guofei normally couldn't even get past the main gate of the Lu Corporation.

How did he manage to barge all the way to the CEO's office without being stopped today?

Unless... someone intentionally let him up.

Zhou Jin recalled Lu Lin's unusual behavior this morning. Despite having an important merger deal to handle, he insisted on staying at the villa, acting obedient.

He clearly knew Shen Qingci was in the office, yet he still pretended to handle documents, turning a blind eye to Lu Guofei's provocations.

It wasn't until Shen Qingci was called a cripple that Lu Lin finally took action.

Building a persona?

What kind of persona?

A pitiful, easily bullied persona?

Zhou Jin tugged at the corner of his mouth in exasperation, hissing in pain.

He couldn't shake the feeling that after being tormented by Lu Lin a few years ago, the Lu family was about to experience another round of pain, this time from this President Shen.

---

At nine in the evening, only a floor lamp was on in the study.

A warm yellow glow spread across the dark wooden floor, and the air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood.

Lu Lin sat at the desk, a business English textbook open in front of him.

He held a pen, his brow furrowed tightly as he stared at the complex financial terms, his lips moving silently as if reading them to himself.

"Derivatives market... hedging strategy... uh..."

He got stuck again and looked up towards the sofa.

Shen Qingci sat there, his whole body sinking into the soft leather sofa, his posture as lazy as a cat basking in the sun.

He had just taken a bath and was wearing a dark gray silk robe. The belt was loosely tied, revealing a section of delicate collarbone and a small patch of fair chest.

His hair was half-dry, the dark ends still dripping water, dampening the collar of his robe.

A drop of water slid down the side of his neck and disappeared into the depths of the robe.

Lu Lin's Adam's apple bobbed.

He forced himself to look away and back at the textbook, but the English words danced before his eyes, refusing to enter his mind.

Shen Qingci was also reading a book, very focused. His slender fingers occasionally turned a page, making a soft rustling sound.

Lu Lin's attention drifted over again.

He stood up, his movements very light.

Lu Lin walked over and stood beside Shen Qingci, looking down at the person on the sofa.

Shen Qingci's slightly lowered eyelashes cast a small shadow under his eyes.

The skin faintly visible beneath the robe's collar glowed with a moist luster under the warm yellow light.

Although Shen Qingci had mysophobia, he could be particularly lazy at times.

For example, he never blow-dried his hair after a bath, always letting it air dry naturally, even in winter.

Lu Lin remembered that as a child, he had mentioned this many times, but Shen Qingci would just reply indifferently, "It's a bother," and continue reading.

Later, Lu Lin learned to wait with a hairdryer every time Shen Qingci finished bathing.

When Shen Qingci was tired of reading or in a good mood, he would ask softly, "Brother, can I dry your hair for you?"

Back then, Shen Qingci would glance at him, then say "Hmm," and continue reading.

Sensing someone approaching, Shen Qingci didn't even lift his eyelids.

"What is it?"

His voice was softer than usual due to his languor, but that cool tone remained.

Lu Lin pressed his lips together.

From an angle Shen Qingci couldn't see, his gaze became exceptionally dangerous.

His eyes now churned with a fervent, almost fanatical, nearly obsessive tide.

His gaze was like an invisible hand, greedily tracing the contours of Shen Qingci's figure.

Not willing to miss a single inch.

Shen Qingci waited a moment but received no answer. He was just about to look up.

Just as his eyelashes fluttered slightly, Lu Lin quickly sank to his knees.

The madness and obsession instantly vanished, replaced by the expression Lu Lin was most adept at for Shen Qingci's benefit.

Cautious and a little fawning, like a puppy waiting for its owner's touch.

He crouched beside Shen Qingci's legs, reached out to gently place his hand on Shen Qingci's right knee and started to massage it.

Shen Qingci shot him a glance but didn't stir, and let him continue.

Lu Lin also looked up at him.

Their eyes met.

Shen Qingci's eyes were lovely and limpid, like two deep, unfathomable lakes that not even a breeze could ruffle.

Gazing into them, Lu Lin suddenly felt his mouth go dry.

Before Shen Qingci could lose his patience, Lu Lin whispered:

"Brother, let me blow-dry your hair, okay?"

His voice was a bit rough, with a faint, almost imperceptible tremor.

Shen Qingci looked at him, then put down his book and closed his eyes:

"Hmm."

A single word, flat and without inflection.

Yet Lu Lin's heart hammered violently because of that "hmm."

He stood up and went to the bathroom to get the hairdryer.

Then he returned to the sofa and knelt down behind Shen Qingci.

He wrapped his arms around Shen Qingci from behind, holding the hairdryer as warm air played over Shen Qingci's slightly damp hair.

His chest was almost pressed against Shen Qingci's back, and he could feel the other's warm body heat through the thin robe.

Lu Lin's hands trembled slightly.

He fought to control his emotions, gently running his fingers through Shen Qingci's hair, letting the warm air evenly blow through every strand.

Shen Qingci closed his eyes, leaning back into the sofa, enjoying it as he always had.

He hated blow-drying his hair, so if someone was willing to do it for him, he was more than happy to let them.

Especially when that person was Lu Lin—the child he had raised for eight years, who had served him like this since he was little.

Lu Lin's fingers combed through Shen Qingci's soft hair, his movements gentle as if handling something fragile and precious.

His gaze fell on the nape of Shen Qingci's neck.

The skin there was pale, tinged with a faint pink from the recent bath.

The water droplets at the ends of his hair were blown dry, leaving behind a smooth, delicate texture.

Lu Lin's breathing grew heavier.

He wanted...

Wanted to lower his head and kiss it.

To touch that skin with his lips, to gently nibble with his teeth, leaving his own mark.

Then tell the whole world that this person was his.

Could only be his.

But he didn't dare.