Chapter 11

Chapter 11

That answer was probably way too unexpected. Gojo Satoru looked at the astonished Suguru Geto.

Can't blame him—even Gojo was shocked.

Edamame cream daifuku is one of his all-time favorite sweets. The outer skin is soft and chewy. The texture is refreshing, and it has that unique edamame sweetness. Absolutely delicious.

The citrus scent from the bath was super refreshing and unique, but that kind of sweet fragrance is pretty common. Logically, he should've answered "daifuku" without missing a beat.

But a second ago, something messed with his judgment. He didn't know what scent had mingled and intertwined with the citrus, but that unknown scent threw off his judgement and messed with his senses.

Right then, he wanted that mixed, alluring scent more than he wanted to eat.

"Well, anyway, my favorite dessert is still daifuku!" Gojo quickly snapped back to his senses and forcefully steered the topic back with a light tone, as if that "off-the-wall" answer never happened.

"Geto, you feel that? The barrier's expanded outward."

The barrier, centered on the villa, expanded at least 20 meters this morning, now covering the whole village.

Everything the Six Eyes picked up got fed straight to his brain.

This village was strange. Surrounded by rolling mountains and winding roads, looking out, there was no clear exit to the outside world.

Then again, the barrier could be blocking his senses, or there's some secret passage.

"Let's head out and gather intel today, Satoru." With that, Geto turned his focus to the barrier, his face back to its usual calm, as if he'd already forgotten this morning's mess.

The dining room's vibe went from subtle and ambiguous to dead serious in a flash.

"Sure, I'm down with that."

Xia Xiyin's voice came from the kitchen door. She'd just finished the dishes and was walking out, drying her hands on a towel.

Going out to explore and gather info was a no-brainer—better than just sitting around the house.

Snapping out of it, Xia Xiyin hesitated for a second, then walked to the corner of the living room, pulling out a hairdryer under the gaze of the two.

"Geto," she turned, her gaze landing on Geto's still-damp hair ends, her tone naturally concerned. "You can't go out with wet hair like that—you'll catch a cold."

She walked to the sofa, plugged the hairdryer into the outlet, and patted the cushion next to her, motioning for Geto to come over.

This wasn't for show—she genuinely cared about his health.

The forecast said there might be some rain today, and the wind was howling outside, shaking the branches. Going out with wet hair would make him sick. A cold's one thing, but a fever? That's way worse.

Plus… her eyes drifted to that jet-black medium-length hair. So smooth and shiny—it looked amazing to touch.

Drying his hair would let her play with it, plus it'd be a bribe to get him to keep quiet about this morning. Three birds, one stone!

Before the guy even could answer, Gojo started shaking his cup so hard milk splashed out. Then, with a sudden "swish," he stood up. Pointing at Geto with his long fingers, his face was a mix of shock and the annoyance of being brushed off.

"Why do you only care if he gets sick? What about me?"

Before he'd even finished, he'd already closed in on Xia Xiyin, towering over her, his eyes full of dissatisfaction and suspicion.

From behind, his broad frame fully hid her, with just a sliver of pale skin peeking through the gap between his long legs.

Xia Xiyin was totally in his shadow, but she didn't mind. She met his eyes and faced the question in them.

In his eyes flickered a clear fire, and… a hint of grievance so faint it'd vanish if you weren't looking for it?

Then the tables turned. Without a word, she reached out and pressed against Gojo's chest—gently, but with undeniable force—and pushed.

Caught off guard, Gojo stumbled back and plopped down into the soft sofa.

Suddenly, he was met with a pair of pitch-black eyes, so close they pulled him in completely, stealing every last bit of his emotions.

Her black hair spilled over her shoulders, her cheeks flushed pink adding a dab of red to her pale, sharp face. That red was perfect—like someone had brushed it on lightly with ink.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and pressed against his forehead. The slender palm gave off a burning heat, and her soft fingertips brushed his pale skin, igniting little tongues of fire in his chest.

Those tongues licked and burned, leaving him totally stunned.

Her slender hand pressed into his hair again, rubbing. Her fingers ran through his white hair, stroking the strands, her fingertips grazing his scalp and sending tingles down the back of his head.

At the same time, a weight pressed on his left shoulder—heavy, then light. Not painful or itchy, but it was unmistakably there.

Her hand on his shoulder was like a creeping vine, locking him in place, making it impossible to move.

But inside, he was ranting: "How is this any different from deliberately messing with my head?! No manners!"

Snapping back to reality, he looked up and caught a glimpse of her pale neck, her collarbone clearly visible from the collar... Suddenly his head went hot, his throat went dry, and he had an urgent urge to bite something.

All the complaints he was about to say got stuck in his throat, stuck halfway.

By the time he noticed, Xia Xiyin had already left his side—he hadn't even felt her go.

"Your hair's already dry, no need for a blow-dry. But Geto's hair is longer and takes forever to dry," Xia Xiyin said, carrying a plate of pastries and setting it lightly on the table, composed and calm. "Satoru, while I dry Geto's hair, you can snack on something over there to tide you over."

Her words were flawless. She shut him up physically and mentally—no comeback possible.

When she finished, it was like brushing away a piece of tissue paper—completely effortless.

She nodded, satisfied, approving his unexpected "obedience"—at least he didn't jump up and argue.

Then, she turned to Suguru Geto, who had been quietly observing with his slender eyes slightly narrowed, and pointed to the seat in front of her. "Geto, come sit here."

"Okay." Suguru Geto smoothly got up and walked over.

As he did so, his gaze involuntarily flicked to the other side. Gojo Satoru sat with his legs crossed, his eyes vacant, mechanically chewing on a pastry, his cheeks bulging, lost in thought.

And in front of him, the woman held the hairdryer, stars sparkling in her eyes, blinking.

The expressions of the two were completely different. For Satoru's side, he could probably guess a bit.

Then... why was Shion-chan so excited?

Suguru Geto leaned back against the sofa, sinking into its softness, relaxing his whole body. The "buzzing" sound of warm wind rose, drowning out the other faint sounds in the living room—the wind, the chewing, and the unspoken thoughts in their hearts.

The next second, cool fingers wove through his hair, combing, playing with it, one stroke after another. A faint electric current spread along his spine, radiating throughout his body. It wasn't strong, but it was clearly felt.

Suguru Geto's body gave an almost imperceptible pause.

Lowering his eyes, recalling Satoru's expression just now, he had completely understood.

Oblivious, Xia Xiyin focused intently, as if she were alone. She stared at that black hair, her eyes bright as if she had discovered some treasure. Her fingers moved through the strands, the movements growing slower and lighter, so light it was as if she were caressing something extraordinary. Completely lost in delight, unable to stop herself.

*Mmm, such smooth hair, the feel is incredible. As someone with thin, flat hair, I can't help but sigh.*

In the past, she would just rough-dry her hair halfway, barely getting it dry.

The busyness of school and work left her no time for anything else, and her own hair was too fine and flat to be interesting—braiding it wasn’t fun either.

Thinking of braiding, she held the comb and ran it through her hair from top to bottom.

Xia Xiyin licked her lips, her tongue sweeping across her lower lip, making that small patch of skin glisten. Her eyes flickered with a hint of tentativeness and anticipation as she murmured hesitantly, "Suguru, would you be interested in a new hairstyle? Like a braid?"

"No~" The tone was gentle but unyielding.

She sighed, a flash of disappointment crossing her face.

Since she was turned down, she didn't get discouraged. Using the comb, she separated a section of her bangs, plucked a hair tie from her wrist with her mouth, and put her hair up in a bun.

The whole process went smoothly, all in one fluid motion.

After finishing, she stepped back. Turning around to admire her work, she clasped her hands behind her back, leaned forward slightly, tilted her head, and grew more pleased the longer she looked.

Finally, humming a triumphant tune, Xia Xiyin shoved a mirror in front of Suguru Geto and declared, "Perfect!"

"Shion-chan's skills are really good!" Suguru Geto praised generously, looking in the mirror. "Satoru, shall we head out?"

"Tch," Gojo Satoru clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

The sound squeezed through his teeth, short and abrupt, dripping with annoyance.

He was sunk deep into the soft sofa cushions, his lips pouting unhappily, yet his gaze was glued to Suguru Geto's bangs. "Hey, Xi Yin, I want a new hairstyle."

With that, he sprang up like a coiled cat, arching his back, tensing his legs, and landing silently in front of Xia Xiyin, light as a ghost.

He bent down abruptly, lowering his head, thrusting his fluffy white hair right into her face, and pointed at his head with a finger.

"..."

She was momentarily speechless.

What was this white-haired brat thinking? How do you change a style with short hair?

A buzz cut?

"Satoru, you need long hair to braid it..." Xia Xiyin mumbled, awkwardly changing the subject. "It might rain today, remember to bring an umbrella."

Xia Xiyin pointed toward the door, where two long-handled umbrellas hung side by side on the hooks by the entrance.

But the topic shift was too fast, too stiff—even she could hear how awkward she sounded.

Gojo Satoru's brow twitched, and his face visibly darkened. He straightened up, turned around, and strode toward the door with long, hurried steps, each step thudding on the floor. His shoulders were tight, his back stiff, and his legs stomped as if trying to stomp holes into the ground. Even his back radiated irritation.

"I don't need it!"

Just as Suguru Geto was about to speak, Gojo Satoru cut him off again, his tone irritated. "And Suguru doesn't need it either!"

He yanked the door open and strode out. The door slammed shut behind him with a bang, making the hooks on the wall rattle.

Hearing this, Suguru Geto shook his head helplessly. He picked up his phone, lifted his gaze to Xia Xiyin, and said, "Xiyin, let's exchange contact info. If it does rain, or if anything happens, I'll count on you."

He paused, then added:

"We'll just be around, within a ten-minute walk. We should be back soon."

Seeing this, Xia Xiyin nodded. "If it rains, I'll grab an umbrella and come pick you up."

Her gaze flickered toward the door, then quickly back, so brief it was almost imperceptible.

Let that clueless white-haired brat get drenched in the rain!

*Author's note:*

*Updating according to the ranking. Once it reaches the VIP chapter threshold, I'll switch to daily updates.*