“Can’t you just open the door and get it yourself?” Su Yue’s voice was tinged with helplessness as she stood outside the bathroom, holding a set of clean clothes in her arms.
From inside, a lazy drawl echoed against the tiles. “Su Yue, I’m blind. You know that.”
He never missed a chance to mention his blindness. Day in and day out—‘I’m blind’ this, ‘I’m blind’ that. Yet somehow, not even a trace of self-pity could be detected in his voice. He said it as casually as if it were no more than a mild inconvenience. Honestly, he acted nothing like a blind person. Shouldn’t he be more self-aware? A little more reserved? Or at least a touch humble?
Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Su Yue sighed inwardly. Fine. Since he didn’t mind being seen like this, what did she have to worry about? It wasn’t like she was the one being ogled.
“I’m coming in now,” she warned.
“Took you long enough. Dawdling,” came his dismissive grunt.
With one hand clutching the folded clothes and the other reaching for the handle, Su Yue twisted it open. A warm wave of steam escaped, curling around her like a comforting cocoon. The air inside was hot, damp, and fragrant with soap.
The scene that greeted her just a few steps in made her heart jolt.
Amidst the misty steam, under the warm cascade of water, a tall man stood. His back was partially turned, and his defined silhouette blurred tantalizingly behind the droplets.
Startled, Su Yue immediately shut her eyes.
“Where are the clothes? Hand them over,” Jiang Ci’s voice rang out as he turned off the shower, droplets rolling off his skin.
She took a steadying breath, forced herself to peek, just for a second, to find her bearings—and instantly regretted it.
His chest was broad and firm, glistening with water; the defined muscles along his waist and abdomen tapered into powerful, long legs. The sight was… overwhelming. Her gaze flitted lower and abruptly snapped away.
Shameless!
Her eyes stayed glued to the floor as she inched forward and thrust the clothes in his direction. “Here… for you.”
A wet arm stretched out from the mist, water dripping from his fingers as he took the offered bundle. He casually wiped his face and head, unbothered.
“When I’m dressed, you’ll help me back to bed,” he said.
“…Understood.”
Su Yue remained stiff, head down. The thick steam made it harder to breathe, and her cheeks burned. The heat, the smell of soap, the dampness in the air—it was too much. Her whole body felt hot.
Desperately avoiding his face, she stared at the floor and found herself focusing on his feet—strong, long, masculine, and covered with fine hair. Compared to her own, they were rugged and a little… ugly.
A few minutes later, Jiang Ci spoke again, “Okay.”
Su Yue looked up cautiously. He was now dressed in a simple set of hospital clothes, his hair still dripping. Even with that disfigured face, the man had a way of making dull blue and white hospital garments look like high-end fashion. His lean frame wore them well.
She helped him up, holding his arm, and was startled by the heat still clinging to his skin beneath the fabric. Once he was back in bed, she finally let out a breath of relief.
Just as she was about to step away, his voice stopped her. “Su Yue, do you want me to sleep with wet hair?”
Her gaze lifted. Water glistened down the sharp lines of his jaw, sliding along his neck and disappearing beneath the collar. “Pass me the hairdryer,” he said, still half-lounging. “You can dry it before I go to sleep.”
She frowned. “You’re blind, not useless. You can blow-dry your own hair.”
“I am blind.” Despite his lack of vision, he turned his face precisely in her direction, his lips curved in a faint smile.
Su Yue puffed her cheeks in silent defiance. “I haven’t even dried my own hair yet.”
“Oh? Trying to make me feel guilty?” he mused lightly. Then after a deliberate pause, he added, “Well… that’s not impossible.”
She blinked, momentarily thrown. She hadn’t meant to suggest that.
Not long after, the soft hum of the hairdryer filled the ward.
Standing behind him, Su Yue ran her fingers gently through his damp hair, lifting and fluffing as she guided the warm air through the strands. His hair was unexpectedly fine and soft, in stark contrast to his personality—sharp, unpredictable, cold.
She couldn’t help but wonder. With his temper, she had expected an explosive tantrum the moment he woke up in the hospital. But he’d been oddly… composed. It was suspicious.
Jiang Ci, meanwhile, sat cross-legged on the hospital bed, eyes closed, brows relaxed, the ghost of a smile on his lips. The gentle warmth at his scalp, the occasional tickle of wind at his ears—it was, surprisingly, quite soothing.
Once agian he felt ,She was unexpectedly useful, this woman named Su Yue.
Once she deemed his hair mostly dry, Su Yue clicked off the dryer and handed it to him with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Your turn to help me now.”
He paused. The handle still held the heat from her palm. With a light smirk, he ran his fingers along it and raised a brow. “You’re quite bold.”
She blinked, not expecting him to respond.
“Well?” he drawled lazily. “Why aren’t you sitting down yet?”
“…Huh?”
Was he serious?
Her eyes widened in disbelief. She thought he was just teasing! But he looked genuinely expectant.
Jiang Ci, fiddling idly with the dryer, chuckled lowly. “What? You thought I was joking? I don’t joke, Su Yue. I mean what I say.”
“Sit,” he ordered again.
Mouth twitching, Su Yue mumbled, “You said it yourself,” and gingerly sat on the bed with her back to him. “You… you have to be gentle. I’m scared it’ll hurt.”
Jiang Ci snorted. “I’m not yanking your hair. What would hurt?”
His fingers reached into her half-damp strands—soft, silky, warm to the touch. He played idly, twisting a lock around his finger, looping and releasing. Again and again.
This was… fun.
“Are you going to dry my hair or just play with it?” she asked, exasperated.
“Quiet,” he said smoothly. “No patience at all.”
Su Yue nearly choked on her own breath. She bit her lip. Fine. Be patient. He’s a patient, after all.
After toying with her hair to his satisfaction, Jiang Ci finally switched on the dryer, caught a small section of hair between his fingers, and aimed the warm air at it.
“Ow! Be careful!” she yelped. “You’re pulling!”
He merely smirked. So delicate.
But the next moment, he softened his grip. Carefully, he dried one section after another.
The minutes stretched. Su Yue began to sway with drowsiness, her head buzzing faintly from the noise. Her eyelids drooped, and a sleepy yawn escaped before she could stop it. “Are you done yet…?”
The room now carried a light, sweet scent—her shampoo, fragrant and refreshing.
Jiang Ci replied with exaggerated slowness, “You have too much hair.”
Su Yue pouted. “That’s no excuse! It’s not that much—and you’ve been at it for over an hour!”
She shifted slightly. Her back ached, and her arms were stiff. “Maybe I should just do it myself…”
From behind her, she heard him scoff. “Suit yourself.” He abruptly turned off the dryer and tossed it onto the bed with a thud. His tone turned cold, sharp. “Go away. I’m going to sleep.”
“Anger value: 5.”
Ding. A familiar chime rang in her head.
Su Yue froze. What…? Why was he angry again?
She turned to look at him, only to see Jiang Ci pulling the blanket over himself like a disgruntled child.
Unbelievable. One second he’s drying her hair, and the next he’s throwing a tantrum. Was this man bipolar?
Suppressing her annoyance, Su Yue grabbed the hairdryer, shuffled to the couch without another word, and plugged it in. Let him sulk. She wasn’t going to coax him tonight.
After finishing her hair, head throbbing faintly, she trudged over to the small bed set up for family members, yanked the curtain shut between them, and collapsed onto the mattress.
Let him stew in silence. She was done for the day.Su Yue turned off the lights in the ward, leaving only the soft, slanted beams of light filtering through the glass window on the door. The faint glow from the corridor outside spilled in just enough to prevent the room from being swallowed in complete darkness.
Silence blanketed the space.
She was exhausted—so bone-deep tired that her body craved rest. But her head throbbed faintly, and that infernal bell kept ringing. Though not loud, its persistent chime was enough to claw at her nerves and keep her teetering at the edge of sleep. And to make matters worse, that stingy, petty man on the other side of the curtain was still sulking.
Why was Jiang Ci still angry?
With a groan of frustration, Su Yue rolled over restlessly.
She squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears in a futile attempt to block out the subtle sound. But a moment later, she turned again, unable to get comfortable.
From the other side of the room, Jiang Ci’s voice rang out—low, clear, and laced with irritation.
“Rolling around like a mouse… If you’re not going to sleep, get out.”
Su Yue froze.
“Su Yue,” his voice called again after a pause, this time with a teasing lilt, a wicked hook to his tone. “You can’t sleep… what, do you want to share a bed with me?”
Her eyes flew open, momentarily stunned by his shamelessness.
Before she could react, his lazy, deliberately reluctant voice floated through the dark. “Fine. Come sleep here if you want.”
Su Yue stiffened.
“No, I’m just… not used to this bed,” she mumbled, trying to save face.
She couldn’t see his expression behind the curtain, but his silence was telling.
“Angry value: 10.”
Su Yue: “…”
What now?
Was he more upset now? Because she didn’t immediately crawl into his bed?
Su Yue bit her lip in the dark, the dull throb in her head getting worse, and the bell sounding even louder in her ears. She cursed him silently. Petty Jiang!
The ward went quiet once more.
Then came the sound of rustling—hissss. Jiang Ci sounded annoyed, clearly gearing up for another mocking remark. But before he could say anything, the curtain rustled—and the next second, the other side of the hospital bed dipped slightly with weight. A faint, sweet scent of milk drifted over.
Su Yue had finally lost her patience. She hadn’t wanted to engage with him at all, but he was the one throwing a tantrum and she was the one suffering for it. What choice did she have?
Grabbing her pillow, she flung the curtain open and crawled into the bed.
It wasn’t like she hadn’t slept next to him before. There was no reason for her to be pretentious about it now. Still, she let out a little sigh of despair—Ugh, there goes another five pounds tomorrow.
She was already losing weight too fast and didn’t know whether to be happy or worried.
The VIP hospital bed wasn’t small, but compared to her usual bed, it was cramped. The two of them lay close, their bodies separated by just a breath. Jiang Ci could feel the faint warmth radiating from her body, and it made the air between them feel charged.
“Didn’t you say you couldn’t sleep with me ?” he asked dryly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Su Yue clenched her teeth.
This man is so infuriating!
But she took a breath and softened her voice until it was low, sweet, and syrupy in the darkness. “I can’t sleep if I’m not by your side.”
She could coax anyone with a few well-placed words. After all, in the entertainment industry, the ability to speak well was half the battle—and she had long since mastered that art.
Jiang Ci’s senses were sharper than most, and her soft words glided into his ears like a whisper of silk. His brows, furrowed with annoyance, slowly eased. His thin lips curved up before he could stop them.
Hmph. He knew it. She just couldn’t sleep without him and didn’t want to admit it.
He gave a nonchalant hum.
“Angry value: 5.”
Su Yue’s heart skipped in joy—It dropped!
Encouraged, she inched closer. The scent of milk on her body floated between them and wrapped around Jiang Ci’s senses like a warm, invisible ribbon. Her voice was a gentle murmur. “Jiang Ci, I’m really sleepy. Let’s just sleep, okay?”
Jiang Ci smirked in the dark, his tone lazy and indulgent. “You talk too much. Sleep.”
“Angry value: 0.”
Su Yue quietly pressed her lips together, stifling the triumphant smile that threatened to escape.
This cold-faced, sharp-tongued man was such a handful—but surprisingly easy to coax.
She had thought it would take a long time to fall asleep in this strange environment, but in truth, exhaustion was already weighing down her limbs. Between the stress of the day and the bone-deep fatigue, her mind finally quieted, and her breathing soon became soft and steady.
The night grew darker. Outside, even the moon had ducked behind clouds, as if giving the two of them privacy.
Jiang Ci had no intention of sleeping at first. But when her soft, warm body leaned closer, his eyes—despite the blindness—opened on instinct. He couldn’t see her, but the sensation of her presence was unmistakable.
Her touch brushed against him. He frowned, annoyed.
He reached out and pushed her back.
Moments passed.
And then, just like before, her body leaned into his again—this time even bolder. One arm slid over his chest, claiming him like it belonged there.
Jiang Ci’s jaw tightened. His entire face darkened.
This woman… how dare she take advantage of me in my sleep?
He turned sharply to face her, intent on pushing her away again.
But just as he reached out, Su Yue—still unconscious—moved closer. Her body tucked itself naturally into his, curling into his arms like a warm kitten. Her breath was soft against his neck, warm and fragrant.
Jiang Ci froze.
At such proximity, the sweet scent of milk that clung to her skin filled his lungs, calming something in him he hadn’t known was restless. He had always liked the smell, more than mango cake or anything else.
And for the first time… he leaned in voluntarily.
He dipped his head slightly, breathing her in. Slowly. Carefully. As if he were memorizing her.
Ever since Su Yue had fallen asleep beside him, the stinging pain in his eyes had quietly faded. Now, surrounded by the scent of her, his clenched nerves loosened.
His hand moved without thought and wrapped gently around her waist, pulling her closer. He let her warmth seep into him.
And for the first time in a long time, Jiang Ci closed his eyes with peace on his face.
If sleeping with her like this meant no pain, if her scent could fill the hollowness in his chest, then…
He didn’t mind.
Not at all.