The sound of the water couldn’t drown out the growing panic in her voice.
"And what was with that line? ’Don’t take too long, or I’ll think you’re inviting me back in!’ What does that even mean?! He’s doing this on purpose. He’s definitely doing this to mess with me. Ugh, what am I supposed to do if he’s serious next time?"
She slapped her cheeks lightly, trying to shake off the spiraling thoughts. "Calm down, Lixue. You’re a grown woman. This is just a shower. Nothing’s going to happen. Mo Ran is just...just...being himself."
As she stood under the water, the door handle jiggled.
"Lixue, are you alright in there?" Mo Ran’s voice came from the other side.
She froze. "I-I’m fine! Why wouldn’t I be fine?! Don’t you dare open the door!"
"I’m not trying to open it, I’m just checking on you. You’ve been in there for a while."
Lixue quickly grabbed the shampoo bottle, as if it would help her somehow. "I’m taking my time! Go away! And stop acting like I’ll faint in here!"
A low chuckle came from the other side. "Alright, alright. Just don’t fall asleep. I’ll wait outside."
As soon as his footsteps faded, Lixue buried her face in her hands.
"I can’t survive this man," she whispered, shaking her head. "He’s going to drive me crazy."
When she finally finished and wrapped herself in a towel, she peeked out the door cautiously. Mo Ran was lounging on the bed, his phone in hand, but as soon as he saw her, his lips curled into that infuriating smirk again.
"Took you long enough," he said, standing up and walking toward her.
"Your turn now!" she squeaked, darting past him and pointing to the bathroom.
He chuckled as he grabbed a towel. "Relax, wifey. I’m not planning on barging in on you—tonight."
"MO RAN!"
His laughter echoed in the room as he shut the bathroom door, leaving Lixue standing there, half-panicked, half-flustered, and completely at a loss for what to do with him.
Her damp hair still falling over her shoulders. She froze mid-step when her eyes landed on the shirt Mo Ran had left on the bed.
It wasn’t just any shirt. It was one of his shirts—oversized, crisp, and carrying that faint, intoxicating scent that was undeniably him.
Her face turned beet red. How is this man so shameless?! The shirt was see-through!
She approached the bed cautiously, picking up the shirt as if it might explode. The moment she held it up, her jaw dropped.
"This... this thing is huge!" she muttered, holding it against herself. It practically reached her knees.
She could already imagine his smug face if he saw her wearing it. The thought made her want to throw the shirt out the window. But then she realized she didn’t have much of a choice.
"Why didn’t I just get an extra set of clothes?" she groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Lixue, you really didn’t think this through."
With a defeated sigh, she slipped into the shirt, trying not to overthink the fact that it smelled just like him. It was warm, soft, and annoyingly comfortable.
She glanced at herself in the mirror, tugging at the hem awkwardly. "This is so embarrassing," she whispered.
She wasn’t naked but the shirt made it seem like she was!
Lixue groaned as she threw herself onto the bed, pulling the oversized duvet over her head. She peeked out after a moment, glaring at the closed bathroom door.
"What kind of husband teases his wife like that?" she mumbled, kicking her legs against the mattress. "This is bullying. Straight-up bullying."
She sighed and buried her face in the pillow. Her heart was still racing from all the chaos, and it wasn’t calming down anytime soon.
"I need to stop letting him get to me," she whispered. "It’s not like I—"
Her thought was cut short when the bathroom door opened, steam billowing out as Mo Ran stepped into the room. His hair was damp, his shirt clinging slightly to his chest, and he had that infuriatingly calm expression as if nothing had happened earlier.
"Wifey," he called casually, toweling his hair as he walked over to the bed.
"What?" Lixue snapped, pulling the duvet tighter around herself like a shield.
"You’re hogging the entire bed," he said, sitting down on the edge. "Scoot over."
Her eyes widened. "Wait, you’re sleeping here?! Don’t you have a guest room or something?"
"This is my villa, and that’s my bed." He smirked, leaning down slightly. "But I’ll share it with my wife. Aren’t I considerate?"
Lixue’s face turned red. "You—! Go sleep on the couch!"
"Wifey, do you think I’ll fit on that tiny thing?" He gestured to the small loveseat in the corner.
"You’re a grown man; figure it out!"
Mo Ran chuckled, ignoring her protests as he stretched out on the other side of the bed. "Relax. I’m not going to bite. Unless you ask nicely."
"MO RAN!"
Her shriek made him laugh even harder. She turned away, clutching the duvet tighter as she tried to calm her racing heart.
"Goodnight, wifey," he said, his tone suddenly soft.
She paused at the unexpected gentleness, glancing over her shoulder at him. He had his back to her now, his breathing steady, and for a moment, she thought he might actually be serious.
"Goodnight," she muttered, still flustered as she turned back around.
But as soon as she closed her eyes, his voice came again, teasing as ever.
"If you get cold, feel free to come closer."
"ARGH! MO RAN, I SWEAR—"
His laughter filled the room, and despite her annoyance, a small smile tugged at her lips. This man was impossible, but somehow, she didn’t entirely mind.
It didn’t take long for Lixue to fall asleep, Mo Ran turned few minutes later, staring at her back quietly, he wrapped his hand around her and pulled her close.
"Having body contact with your husband will give you sweet dreams.." he whispered and closed his eyes again.