Chen Huaixu opened it. He seemed to have just showered; his hair was still damp, the ends falling over his forehead, softening his usually aloof expression.
"Why does everyone like you so much?" Yan Zhen muttered, thrusting the fruit at him. "Here's some fruit for you."
Suddenly, she had an idea. As he reached for the plate, she stopped him, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "To thank you for driving me home and peeling all those shrimp for me, I'll peel a grape for you."
She picked one and peeled it, deliberately moving closer. His dark eyes remained calm, his expression unchanged. She continued, testing his limits.
He was tall, so to meet his gaze, Yan Zhen had to stand on tiptoe. Finding this inconvenient, she looped her free hand around his neck, pulling him down, forcing him to bend and meet her eyes.
Yan Zhen was beautiful, her eyes especially so. Clear and bright, they rippled like spring rain on a lake when she looked at someone, captivating yet seemingly unaware of their power.
She leaned in close, her body almost touching his. Her silk nightgown revealed the curves of her figure, and the sweet scent of her bath clung to her, filling the air between them.
Softly, she asked, "Does my shower gel smell nice?"
He didn't answer, just watched her with those dark eyes.
Yan Zhen hesitated. She'd only meant to tease him, to see disgust flicker across his usually composed face. But he hadn't pushed her away, almost as if waiting to see what she would do next. Now she was the one trapped. They were locked in a silent battle of wills, where the first to waver would lose.
In the almost intimate atmosphere, she held the grape to his lips, gently tapping his mouth with her knuckles. "Open."
Her breath was shallow, a faint blush coloring her cheeks, a hint of nervousness in her expression.
Chen Huaixu looked down at her silently for a long moment. Then, his lips parted slightly, as if he were about to take the grape from her hand. Triumphant, Yan Zhen quickly turned and popped the grape into her own mouth. Releasing her hold on his neck, she raised an eyebrow at him, a smug smile on her face.
She had won. He’d teased her in the car, and now she’d gotten her revenge.
But his expression was strange. Not anger, but something darker, like a gathering storm.
Just then, Aunt Cui's footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Yan Zhen, deciding to quit while she was ahead, turned to leave. Before she could take a step, her wrist was caught. Without a sound, she was pulled into the room.
The door slammed shut with a resounding thud. The fruit plate, knocked from Chen Huaixu's hand, crashed to the floor in the hallway, scattering fruit and spilling juice in a sticky, chaotic mess.