Luo Chao and Shen Birong instantly felt a bit awkward. They walked silently for over a hundred ters, arriving at a residential area. When Luo Chao stood under Shen Birong's building, he finally spoke: "You should go up, I'm leaving now."
"Leaving so soon?" Shen Birong replied, her tone noticeably reluctant.
Luo Chao nodded and said, "Hmm, I brought you here. You don't expect to go up and stay for a while, right?" Luo Chao joked, completely trying to preemptively stop Shen Birong from actually asking him up.
However, Shen Birong bit her lip and said, "You're sweating all over. Go up and have a drink before you leave."
Luo Chao blushed deeply at her words. Indeed, it was quite difficult earlier on the bus, pushing back against several n pressing in.
"No need, I'll just buy a bottle of water later," Luo Chao waved his hand and said.
Shen Birong lowered her head, then mustered the courage to lift it again, "Why, are you afraid I'll eat you alive? You're even afraid to co to my ho!"
"Well..." Luo Chao was montarily at a loss for words. He noticed Shen Birong seed to have changed. She was no longer the timid girl who spoke in a barely audible voice. Her courage had obviously grown.
But how could Luo Chao know? Shen Birong was pumping herself up because of him, trying not to be a timid little girl anymore.
"Alright then!" Luo Chao smacked his lips, already having made up his mind internally. He decided he would have a glass of water and then leave, certainly wouldn't want to lose face in front of an ex, or appear as though he's scared of her.
In fact, Luo Chao was sowhat afraid of Shen Birong, afraid his feelings might stir again.
Shen Birong smiled sweetly and led Luo Chao to her ho. It was a small five-story building, a one-bedroom apartnt with a living room, bathroom, and kitchen, only 50 square ters, crowded and cramped. A teacher's salary isn't high, so Shen Birong could only afford such a cheap place.
Once Luo Chao was seated on the sofa, Shen Birong imdiately brought him a cup of hot water. Lanya hadn't called yet; it seed she wouldn't be leaving the mall anyti soon. As a shopaholic woman, it's easy to imagine she wouldn't stop for another three to four hours.
So Luo Chao didn't think Lanya would contact him. Instead, he thought about how he might extricate himself from this situation. At that mont, Shen Birong hadn't sat down, but instead, after pouring him a cup of water, went straight into the bathroom.
When Luo Chao heard the sound of running water from the bathroom, he was stunned. She was taking a shower? It's only the afternoon, why is she showering now?
The atmosphere was a bit odd. Luo Chao imdiately wanted to leave but felt it inappropriate to leave without informing the host. As a guest, he felt he should wait for her to finish showering before leaving—not that he couldn't wait a bit longer.
Luo Chao, with nothing else to do, looked around. When he saw the photo in the fra on the TV cabinet directly in front of him, he was stunned. The photo showed a pair of young lovers, a boy and a girl in the midst of youthful romance. They stood under a lush tree on campus, both wearing blue school uniforms, intimately posing for the photo. And the boy, it was him at eighteen, and Shen Birong at eighteen.
This photo was taken by one of Shen Birong's good friends during their passionate romance. Luo Chao's eyes widened, rembering all those past mories, never expecting Shen Birong would keep this photo and display it prominently on the TV cabinet.
Luo Chao couldn't sit still, truly unwilling to face this photo. He stood up, feeling unsure of where to go—to the bathroom seed inappropriate, staying in the living room didn't feel right either, so he headed toward the bedroom door. As soon as he reached it, he saw many photos from his youth with Shen Birong nestled beside him.
The once foolish Luo Chao felt a mix of emotions, unsure of what to say. He never imagined Shen Birong had been so deeply devoted to him. Yet, he harbored resentnt toward her for years, blaming her, burning everything related to her.
On the wall by the bed were also noticeable plane and train tickets, capturing Luo Chao's attention. As he approached the bed, he saw each ticket was headed to various major military base locations around the country. Luo Chao was dumbfounded—she had been looking for him all these years!
Luo Chao could no longer hide his feelings; his heart trembled violently, his palms shook!
"What's so good about that you would go to such lengths?" Luo Chao's eyes moistened. He wanted to rush into the bathroom and hold that foolish girl tightly, yet he dared not. Shen Birong didn't understand what he had experienced in those years. Brutal killings, blood-soaked battles, nightmares capable of trapping him in eternal despair—he didn't want to hurt this once-beautiful first love.
"Luo Chao, what are you looking at?" Shen Birong's voice ca from behind. Luo Chao took a deep breath and turned around. Upon seeing the scene before him, his breathing beca erratic. Shen Birong had just showered; her skin, as smooth as ivory, was tinged with pink. Her hair was wet and draped over her scented shoulders, her brows and eyes filled with affection, carrying a hint of fragrance. More importantly, she had only a bath towel wrapped around her, barely covering her chest, as if it was ready to fall off at any mont. Her slender neck, the white fragrant shoulders were flushed red—utterly provocative!
"Birong, what are you doing, running out here wrapped in just a towel?" Luo Chao gulped with difficulty, speaking with great effort.
Shen Birong softly replied, "I thought you had left," her expression joyful, with boundless spring-like allure between her brows—a proper beauty stepping out of a bath, so enticing.
Luo Chao turned his head away, "Hurry up and put on your clothes. Like this, it's easy to lead people into cri."
Cri? Shen Birong's mouth curved into an adorable arc, playfully exclaiming, "You act all self-righteous as if you haven't seen it before, hmph!"
"." Luo Chao was truly at a loss for words, as if she had instantly overwheld him. After taking a deep breath, he said, "Birong, I have sothing to do, I'll leave now."
Shen Birong paused, her eyes showing a painful tenderness, and she nodded, "Hmm, I won't see you off then!" Just as she took a step forward to make way, whether deliberately or inadvertently, the slipper under her foot slipped, and she fell onto Luo Chao, while the towel slid off.
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