Chapter 16: Shouldn’t a Beautiful Girl Get Everything?

The midday sun pressed down, making the curtains blindingly bright.

Gao Qinghe slowly opened her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering lightly as her vision gradually cleared from a blur.

A faint, fresh fragrance lingered in the air, mixed with the scent of laundry detergent from the blanket and a subtle hint of metallic rose. Everything exuded a pure, girlish quality that made her feel extremely comfortable.

Right—she was at Lin Xi's house. She didn't have to go back to that greasy rental room anymore.

Gao Qinghe sat up, her long hair slipping from her shoulders, a few strands sticking to her face. She rubbed her eyes and saw a breakfast plate wrapped in plastic wrap on the dining table—fried eggs and bread.

What kind of treatment was this??

She rubbed her eyes again, harder, unable to believe what she was seeing.

Did Lin Xi actually make her breakfast??

Gao Qinghe stared at the plate in shock, unable to calm down for a long time.

There were times in the past when she had stayed up too late gaming and couldn't get up the next day. Back then, Lin Xi had always looked like she couldn't wait to sweep her out the door.

Breakfast?

Breakfast was impossible. She had even grabbed her by the ear once, asking, "What about the breakfast you promised to make me??"

...Wasn't it you who said my cooking was too slow and would make you late? Why are you asking for it now?

Thinking about it again, she felt a surge of grievance. Her nose tingled with the threat of tears, and she quickly shook her head.

She was Gao Qinghe now, not Gao Jingdong. Everything was different. She didn't need to think about the past anymore.

Just as she was about to get up for breakfast, she caught sight of the small laundry basket by the sofa bed. Inside were the clothes Gao Qinghe had made Xiang Bei buy for her, washed yesterday but not yet folded.

Hmm, as a girl, shouldn't I shower every day? When I was a guy, being a bit smelly was fine, but a girl should be fragrant, right?

Gao Qinghe thought for a moment, nodded, grabbed her change of pajamas and underwear, and headed to the bathroom.

Steam filled the bathroom as Gao Qinghe washed her body inch by inch. Water poured from the showerhead, hot mist rising like fog. The metal faucet handle faintly reflected a blurry, alluring figure.

She closed her eyes, letting water droplets slide down her cheeks. The stream flowed down her neck, and her fingertips also slid from her shoulders to the crook of her arms. The smooth, fair skin felt incredibly elastic, its delicate texture silky and captivating.

The softness at her chest was an unfamiliar sensation—round and full. Water droplets gathered there, then slid down the curves. The warm, wet path felt like a feather's light tickle. With just a gentle touch from the water, a tingling, numbing sensation spread, traveling down her spine and making her legs feel slightly weak.

Gao Qinghe curiously explored the sensations, her gaze wandering over her skin. Each touch sent a strange little electric current through her. Warmth seeped from her fingertips into her whole body, making her breathing grow rapid.

The me who became a girl is indeed a bit too beautiful.

With such a beautiful body, what in the world couldn't I get?

Gao Qinghe let the water rinse every part of her, flowing over the curve of her waist and further down, washing every corner. The warmth spread, making her involuntarily bite her lower lip, her eyelashes fluttering lightly.

Body wash, shampoo, conditioner... she was using Lin Xi's.

The mixed scent of grapefruit and rose lingered around her, making her feel completely enveloped by Lin Xi's scent. It was familiar and comforting, yet carried a hint of ambiguous provocation.

Unable to find a spare towel, Gao Qinghe had to take Lin Xi's bath towel, breathing in the lingering trace of her scent. The fabric clung to her body. In the mirror, the curves at her chest were outlined in a delicate silhouette. Water droplets fell from the ends of her hair, sliding down her collarbone into the folds of the towel.

"I told you, I don't like last-minute plan changes..."

"I just wanted to surprise you. Didn't I forget to bring you coffee yesterday..."

The sound of voices startled Gao Qinghe, making her hand jerk.

Who else could that damn voice belong to but Xiang Bei?

Can't he just stay away from Lin Xi??

Gao Qinghe hurriedly put on her clothes, not caring about her appearance anymore.

She pulled open the bathroom door and ran right into Xiang Bei, who had just entered.

"...It's you...!" Xiang Bei's eyes lit up the moment he saw her face.

Gao Qinghe had just stepped out of the bath. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the steam. Though she looked furious, with her almond-shaped eyes wide open, her slightly pursed lips held a touch of rosy color, making her appear somewhat shy.

The fabric, still a bit damp, clung tightly to her skin, outlining an incredibly alluring figure. The curves at her chest were prominent, her waist slender enough to be encircled by one hand, the outline of her thighs faintly visible. Water droplets fell from her hair, sliding down her neckline into her clothes, making the fabric even more transparent.

Xiang Bei's gaze swept down her body, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

"Sorry, Qinghe, this is Xiang Bei, my boyfriend. He just showed up uninvited like this..." Lin Xi, having been slower to change her shoes, followed behind Xiang Bei.

Seeing Xiang Bei's surprised expression, she felt a bit strange and narrowed her cat-like eyes slightly.

"What, do you two know each other?"

"...No," Xiang Bei snapped back to attention, his gaze somewhat reluctant to leave. He turned to look at Lin Xi, a note of haste and urgency in his tone. "Who is she?"

"...She's Gao Qinghe, Gao Jingdong's cousin." Lin Xi frowned slightly at his expression.

"Gao Jing...? Who?"

...??

What did he mean by that?

Was he deliberately picking a fight?

A surge of anger rose in Gao Qinghe's heart. She opened her mouth, her lips parting slightly, but Lin Xi cut her off.

"Gao Jingdong, that ex-boyfriend of mine." Before Gao Qinghe could even start yelling, Lin Xi explained calmly on her behalf.

"Oh..." Xiang Bei nodded, then let out a loud, drawn-out "Oh—!" as if suddenly understanding something, the tail of the sound carrying a hint of playful meaning.

A sly, fox-like smile slowly seeped into his eyes.

"...You motherfu—!"

"Qinghe, dry your hair first. You'll catch a cold like this." Lin Xi interrupted Gao Qinghe before she could finish her curse. She gently pulled Gao Qinghe's shoulders and took off her own thin knit cardigan, draping it over Gao Qinghe. The jacket, carrying residual warmth and the scent of Lin Xi's metallic rose perfume, instantly dispelled the chill after the bath.

"Xiang Bei, wait for me in the living room. Help me clear the table while you're at it." Lin Xi wrapped one arm lightly around Gao Qinghe. The gentle warmth from her slender, long fingers seeped into the places she touched like an electric current.

Gao Qinghe clearly saw Xiang Bei's expression suddenly turn ugly.

Aha, so that's it. It seems even a man like Xiang Bei gets jealous when his girlfriend gets close to someone else.

Feeling she had seen through his weakness, Gao Qinghe nestled into Lin Xi's embrace, pressing her cheek against Lin Xi's shoulder. The softness at her chest also pressed lightly against Lin Xi's, the two mounds squeezing slightly against each other through the thin fabric, bringing a strange tingling sensation.

She felt Lin Xi's body stiffen slightly for a moment, then quickly relax.

Maybe it's just my imagination, but Xiang Bei's face seems to have gotten even uglier.