Chapter 85 - 84: A Hug Feels So Good

Chapter 85: Chapter 84: A Hug Feels So Good

’This is killing me!’

’What is she doing?’

’We’re... we’re hugging?’

’Auntie is still home! What would happen if she saw this?’

At that thought, she frantically lifted her head. Her bright, dewy eyes looked nervously at Xiao Ran. "Bro-Brother Xiao Ran..."

Overcome with shyness, the girl’s voice was as soft as a kitten’s meow, delicate and lovely to hear.

Xiao Ran snapped back to reality and subconsciously let go.

"Sorry, I was unsteady on my feet..."

’It was true that he’d lost his balance, and he hadn’t meant to hug her.’

’But the feeling it gave him... that was something he couldn’t control.’

"It’s okay. I... I’ll help you back to your room to rest."

The girl tried to calm her racing heart, looking at him with a worried expression. ’It’s a good thing I was here, or he would have fallen.’

’The floor is nothing but hard tile.’

’Just the thought of it hurt.’

Without another word, the girl took Xiao Ran’s arm with her cool hands and began guiding him toward his bedroom.

Although Xiao Ran was usually very assertive, he was completely docile now, his expression compliant.

’Since we can’t be together,’ he thought, ’I’ll just savor this affection she has for me as her brother.’

The girl supported Xiao Ran with both hands, guiding him into his room. She helped him directly to the bed and had him lie down slowly, then reached down to take off his shoes for him.

When he saw she was about to take off his shoes, Xiao Ran shifted his legs and hurried to sit up.

"Don’t, I can do it myself."

It wasn’t out of shyness, but embarrassment at troubling her.

’A young lady taking off the shoes for a grown man like me... what would people think?’

But Yan Xici didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.

Her eyes held an indescribable sweetness, and her voice was gentle and soft, yet full of sincerity.

"Let me. You took care of me when I was injured last time. Now that you’ve had too much to drink, let me take care of you."

With that, her fair hand gave a gentle tug and pulled the shoe right off Xiao Ran’s foot.

After removing one, she carefully went to work on the other.

Her movements were feather-light, plucking at Xiao Ran’s heart with every touch.

Honestly, he didn’t know if it was the alcohol, but from the moment he saw her, Xiao Ran felt like his heart was beating at an incredibly high frequency.

It felt like it was about to leap out of his throat.

His thoughts were even more unruly.

He kept getting the urge to pull her into a tight embrace.

The feeling was sheer torture.

After taking off Xiao Ran’s shoes, the girl didn’t stop. She proceeded to pull off his white socks as well.

Her eyes then landed on Xiao Ran’s body. He was still wearing sweatpants and a short-sleeved shirt.

’After all, you have to take off your shoes and socks to be comfortable when you sleep, right?’

’Honestly, she really wanted to help him take his clothes off, too.’

’After all, it’s uncomfortable to sleep in your clothes.’

’But her rational mind told her she couldn’t!’

’There had to be a line between men and women, after all!’

At this thought, her face flushed slightly, and she said with embarrassment, "Um, Brother Xiao Ran, you should get undressed. I’ll go make you some honey water."

Hearing this, Xiao Ran secretly heaved a huge sigh of relief.

’Please leave, please leave,’ he thought. ’If this keeps up, I’m going to lose all my composure.’

The girl gave him one last worried glance, then turned off the light and closed the door behind her. Holding his socks, she reluctantly headed out.

As the room plunged into darkness, Xiao Ran finally let out a sigh of relief.

He struggled to sit up, stripped off all his clothes including his underwear, and then tugged at the summer quilt beside him.

He tried to comfort himself. ’You’re just drunk. You’ll be fine tomorrow.’

’Just get to sleep. Once you’re asleep, you won’t be aware of anything.’

...

Meanwhile, the girl left the room and went straight to the bathroom.

She turned on the faucet, stretched out Brother Xiao Ran’s socks with her fair hands, and poured a little laundry detergent onto them.

Even though she was washing something he’d worn on his feet, the girl wasn’t the least bit disgusted. In fact, she felt incredibly happy.

’It’s not that she was a pervert or anything.’

’Lots of girls in love are like this.’

’Being needed by the person you like is a special kind of bliss.’

She even wished he would get drunk every day, just so she could get a hug from him.

There was no denying it: the feeling of being in the arms of the person you like was just too exhilarating.

The moment she recalled that feeling, of being about to melt in his arms...

...the girl’s heart couldn’t help but start pounding in her chest.

The rapid rhythm sent a wave of pleasure and excitement through her.

So much so that, even though she was alone, her face grew rosy once more.

The girl in the mirror had flushed cheeks, her bright eyes filled with a shyness and excitement she couldn’t hide.

She silently chided herself for being so hopeless, then flashed a brilliant smile at her reflection.

She muttered to her reflection with mock seriousness, ’Yan Xici, you can’t be like this, you know.’

’You need to calm down!’

’If this keeps up, I’ll die from a heart attack before I ever manage to make Brother Xiao Ran’s heart skip a beat!’

’Steady now, take it slow!’

’One day, I’ll be able to enjoy his hugs without a care in the world!’

Having finished her mental pep talk, the girl lowered her head, her two fair hands earnestly scrubbing the socks.

Because Xiao Ran changed his socks every day, they weren’t dirty at all. Just a little detergent was enough to work up a thick, white lather.

After rinsing the socks clean, the girl furtively brought them to her nose and took a careful sniff.

’Mmm, they smell like fresh camellia.’

Satisfied, she went out to the balcony to hang his socks up to dry, then returned to the kitchen to finish making his honey water.

Making honey water was actually a delicate process; you absolutely could not use boiling water.

Otherwise, the boiling water would "kill" all the nutrients. The optimal temperature was sixty degrees Celsius.

The girl first poured the boiled water into a pitcher to cool. Then, she poured a little into a cup and tasted it. Once she felt the temperature was about right, she took out the honey, put a heaping spoonful into the cup, and began to stir.

Once it was mixed, she picked up the cup with satisfaction and walked back towards Xiao Ran’s room.

Having been drinking on top of being exhausted from the long day, Xiao Ran was already fast asleep.

The girl didn’t push the door open right away. Instead, she stood at the entrance and called out softly.

"Brother Xiao Ran, are you asleep?"

There was no response.

’He must be asleep,’ she figured.

The moonlight tonight was especially enchanting, and the sky full of brilliant stars added an indescribable layer of romance to the evening.

Bathed in the moonlight, the girl tiptoed inside, carefully carrying the cup.

The silvery moonlight made her long, straight legs look even more beautiful.

She sat down gently on the edge of the bed.

She placed the honey water on the nightstand, then turned her gaze to Xiao Ran on the bed.

At some point, Xiao Ran had taken off his clothes. Moonlight spilled over his healthy body and handsome face.

His breathing was even and strong. His already high-bridged nose seemed even more defined in this light, and his brows and eyes appeared deeper and more profound.