No one liked people who always brought negative emotions. She understood that very clearly.
In the past, whenever someone came to complain or pour out their misery to her, she had only found them annoying.
In this world, aside from oneself, no one would ever truly empathize with the misfortunes on your shoulders.
The door opened. Lin Wangxi was just about to greet the person when she realized it was not Zhou Jinyuan who came in.
It was a girl of fifteen or sixteen, wearing a high ponytail, a school uniform, and carrying a backpack.
Lin Wangxi froze slightly.
Zhou Yuean also stood stunned in the doorway. She subconsciously turned to look at the apartment number.
After confirming she had not come to the wrong place, she hesitantly walked inside.
“You… why are you here?” Zhou Yuean sized up the woman on the sofa, discomfort written all over her.
She did not know what had happened between Lin Wangxi and Zhou Jinyuan. Zhou Jinyuan had never told her.
She only knew Lin Wangxi was her brother’s girlfriend, and a wealthy young lady at that.
They had met twice before, and Lin Wangxi had always treated her coldly, so Zhou Yuean felt especially awkward now.
In her impression, a lofty rich young lady like that could never possibly appear in their home.
Lin Wangxi smiled at her awkwardly. “Hi.”
Zhou Yuean did not know how to interact with her, so she forced a stiff smile.
“I’ll go do my homework first.”
After saying that, she hurried into the bedroom with her backpack and shut the door behind her.
Lin Wangxi looked at the tightly closed door and sighed helplessly.
Until Zhou Jinyuan came back that evening, the girl never came out again.
“Your younger sister came back,” Lin Wangxi said.
Zhou Jinyuan subconsciously glanced at the bedroom next door and nodded slightly. “I know. I’ll cook first.”
He took off his coat, carried the groceries, and went into the kitchen.
At dinner, the three of them sat around the table, and the atmosphere was somewhat strange.
Zhou Yuean buried her head in her food, as if there were not an extra person in the house.
Lin Wangxi said nothing because with another person present, many things were too embarrassing to say aloud.
Zhou Jinyuan’s gaze swept between the two of them from time to time.
By the time the meal was almost over, not one of them had spoken.
In the end, Zhou Jinyuan was the one who broke the silence. He looked at Zhou Yuean.
“Yuean.”
Zhou Yuean raised her head blankly. “What is it, Brother?”
Out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Jinyuan glanced at Lin Wangxi and said in a low voice, “Lin Wangxi will be staying here for a while.”
Zhou Yuean froze, then looked at Lin Wangxi in surprise before quickly withdrawing her gaze.
She had thought the woman would only come for dinner or sit for a while. She had not expected her to stay.
Zhou Yuean became even more uncomfortable.
“How long will she stay?”
Saying that in front of Lin Wangxi sounded like she was trying to drive her away.
Zhou Yuean realized it was inappropriate and guiltily bit her chopsticks, not daring to look at either of them.
Although she felt a little uncomfortable inside, Lin Wangxi did not mind and took the initiative to answer.
“Not long. I’ll leave once my leg heals. And I paid rent too.”
Thinking of the rent she had paid, she felt much more confident.
Hearing that, Zhou Jinyuan subconsciously glanced at her.
His lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing.
Zhou Yuean gave an “oh” and did not ask further.
“I’m done eating.”
She put down her bowl and chopsticks and stood up, about to return to her room.
Lin Wangxi grabbed her at once. “Wait.”
Zhou Yuean looked at her in confusion. “What is it?”
Lin Wangxi said, “Do me a favor.”
“Okay. What favor?”
Lin Wangxi asked her to help wipe her back clean. The moment the words fell, Zhou Yuean’s eyes widened instantly, and she stared at her as if looking at a monster.
The doctor had forbidden her from bathing, but if she did not at least wipe herself down, she would not be able to sleep.
Her leg was inconvenient, and she could not reach her own back.
Zhou Yuean quickly shook off her hand and said with a flushed face, “Y-you ask my brother to help you. Isn’t he your boyfriend?”
“But—hey, don’t go!”
Before Lin Wangxi could finish speaking, the girl had already fled back into the bedroom and slammed the door shut.
“I’ll pay you!” Lin Wangxi shouted at her retreating figure.
Zhou Yuean acted as if she had not heard and firmly locked the door.
Lin Wangxi felt a little depressed. They were both girls, so why was she being shy?
She turned to look at Zhou Jinyuan.
Zhou Jinyuan immediately avoided her gaze, pretending he had heard nothing as he silently cleaned up the dishes.
“Zhou Jinyuan…”
Before she could speak, he interrupted her.
“I’m going to wash the dishes.”
“Oh, what is wrong with you two?” Lin Wangxi became annoyed. “Helping me wipe off won’t kill you!”
Zhou Jinyuan’s footsteps paused. As if he had thought of something, he looked at her.
“You… often ask others to wipe you?”
“Yes. The auntie at my house always helped scrub my back. What’s wrong with that?”
Whether his brain had short-circuited or not, he asked as if possessed, “Was the auntie a man or a woman?”
Lin Wangxi burst out laughing. She had not expected him to ask such a stupid question.
“Why do you think I called her auntie?”
“…”
To cover his embarrassment, Zhou Jinyuan changed the subject.
“The doctor said you can’t get wet.”
Lin Wangxi sighed, feeling tired.
“I know! That’s why I said just use a towel.”
“I’ll wash the dishes first. Then I’ll ask Yuean again.”
He quickly cleaned up the dishes and hurried into the kitchen as if escaping.
Lin Wangxi sat back on the sofa and watched his busy figure in the kitchen.
After he finished washing up, he went to Zhou Yuean’s room.
A few minutes later, he came out looking somewhat unnatural.
Clearly, he had failed to persuade his younger sister.
Zhou Yuean absolutely refused to help. In her eyes, this kind of thing should have been done by the boyfriend in the first place.
Lin Wangxi asked expectantly, “Well? Did she agree?”
Zhou Jinyuan walked straight toward the bathroom.
“No. I’ll help you.”
Lin Wangxi truly could not understand it. Zhou Jinyuan was one thing, but what exactly was Zhou Yuean being awkward about?
Unable to figure it out, she could not be bothered to think further. Leaning on her crutch, she hopped toward the bathroom.
She stood at the doorway, waiting while he prepared the water and towel.
Only then did he turn around, carry her in his arms, and place her on a prepared green plastic stool.
There were two stools total—one for her to sit on, and one specially for her injured leg.
Lin Wangxi sat with her back facing him and quickly took off her top.
Seeing how decisively she undressed, Zhou Jinyuan’s brows furrowed slightly.
“You only need to wipe the back. I can do the front myself.”
Steam rose in the cramped bathroom, making the temperature seem several degrees hotter.
Zhou Jinyuan stared at her smooth, bare back, and his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
He gave a low response, bent down, picked up the towel from the bucket, and carefully wrung it dry.
He spread out the warm towel and gently placed it on the back of her neck.
Lin Wangxi’s body stiffened instantly.
His movements were very light. The towel slowly glided across her back, ticklish as if scratching an itch.
She often had spa treatments, and the auntie at home had scrubbed her back before, yet she had never felt anything this strange.
Especially when she thought of the person behind her being Zhou Jinyuan, that odd fluttering sensation became even clearer.
An inexplicable heartbeat quietly spread from every place he touched through all her limbs and bones, even making her breathing quicken.
When the towel brushed across her waist, she could not help trembling slightly.
Zhou Jinyuan’s movements paused.
He raised his eyes to look at her, his gaze deepening.
The bathroom was terrifyingly quiet. For a moment, it was impossible to tell whose breathing was heavier.
“Too rough?” Zhou Jinyuan asked, his voice carrying a trace of huskiness.
“N-no.” Lin Wangxi hugged the pajamas she had taken off, gripping them tighter and tighter. Her voice was very soft. “It’s a little cold now.”
Zhou Jinyuan was silent for two seconds, then put the towel back into the bucket, reheated it in the water, and wrung it dry again.
Even though he was already being as careful as possible, Lin Wangxi still shivered lightly from time to time.
The fingers clutching the towel in his hand gradually turned pale as well.
“You…” He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. After a moment, he asked in a low voice, “Before… was it like this too?”
“Like what?”
“Taking off your clothes in front of other people.”