Sang Yu smiled, just as a customer entered the shop, so she went to attend to them.
Watching Sang Yu’s retreating figure, Zhang Qile looked bewildered: “What’s up with our little classmate? She seems a bit off.”
“What else could it be? She’s missing Brother Yan.”
“Ah? But isn’t Brother Yan…” Before he could finish, Lin Han Zhou shook his head at him, “Brother Yan is resting. Let him tell Sang Yu himself later.”
“Right,” Zhang Qile said with the air of someone experienced, “They’re lovey-dovey and want to create a surprise. We shouldn’t be third wheels.”
Lin Han Zhou curled his lips and turned to focus on his own tasks.
Sang Yu couldn’t handle complex tattoos, but simple ones were within her ability. However, with her mind preoccupied and attention scattered, her hand accidentally knocked over the ink bottle beside her while working.
Fortunately, Sang Yu reacted quickly and prevented the ink from splashing on the customer, though her own clothes ended up stained.
Zhang Qile hurried over to take the tools from her, saying, “Go change your clothes. I’ll handle this.”
“Thanks for your help.”
Frowning at the large ink stain on her clothes, Sang Yu resigned herself to fetching a change of clothes. Her spare items were stored in the loft—just a few, kept for emergencies, and now that emergency had actually happened.
Lifting her shirt, she discovered her stomach was also splattered with ink. Puffing her cheeks in frustration, she turned and headed into the bathroom.
The loft was dim, but Sang Yu didn’t think much of it as she prepared to shower, failing to notice that someone was lying on the usually vacant bed today.
Huo Yan opened his eyes in the darkness, observing the shifts in Sang Yu’s expression until the bathroom door closed. Then he rose from the bed.
Rubbing his sore temples, he got up intending to leave, but suddenly a scream erupted from the bathroom.
“Ah—”
In a panic, thinking something had happened to Sang Yu, Huo Yan rushed without hesitation, pushed open the bathroom door, and entered. Seeing the spraying showerhead and burst faucet, he instinctively shielded Sang Yu and guided her out of the bathroom.
Recognizing Huo Yan, Sang Yu gradually relaxed from her alert state, allowing him to protectively lead her out.
“Brother Yan! You’re back!”
Sang Yu was thrilled, her joy at seeing him evident and unrestrained.
“Are you okay?” Huo Yan looked her over, initially checking for injuries, but once his gaze landed on her, he couldn’t look away.
Sang Yu’s clothes were half-unbuttoned and, soaked through, clung tightly to her body, clearly outlining her delicate curves.
Though the loft was unlit, the bathroom light was on, and standing at the doorway, they could see everything—both what was appropriate and what wasn’t.
Including her innermost garments; from Huo Yan’s angle, not only could he see them, but due to their proximity, he could even feel the warm aura radiating from Sang Yu.
Huo Yan’s throat felt dry. He swallowed, his voice hoarse as he said, “Go change your clothes first. I’ll find someone to fix the pipes.”
Looking down at her current state and noticing Huo Yan’s averted head and slightly reddened earlobes, Sang Yu’s initial shyness gave way to amusement. For once, she refrained from teasing him.
After Sang Yu changed, Huo Yan went to ask Lin Han Zhou to find a repairman. Seeing Huo Yan also drenched, Lin Han Zhou smirked slyly:
“Tsk tsk tsk, Yan Ge, you just got back and you’re already like this? Our water pipes are broken?”
“Get lost!”
Huo Yan shot Lin Han Zhou an impatient glance, ignoring him as he took the hairdryer to another room.
Sang Yu sat obediently on the bed drying her hair, having already changed out of her wet clothes. Seeing the hairdryer in Huo Yan’s hand, a flicker of amusement shone in her eyes.
She proactively took the hairdryer and pulled Huo Yan toward the bedside: “Come sit down, let me dry your hair. You’ll feel miserable if you catch a cold.”
“I don’t need…”
Huo Yan’s refusal meant nothing to Sang Yu. She plugged in the hairdryer and pressed him down to sit on the bed: “Be good, let me dry your hair for you!”