Gu Yangjin's fingers fidgeted against the edge of the book. She glanced away, pretending to be absorbed by the flickering flame in the nearby lantern. "No need," she muttered quickly, her voice pitched higher than normal. "You… you go first. I'll read for a while, and then I'll bathe later."
The excuse sounded weak even to her own ears.
Qiao Zhi chuckled low in her throat and leaned a little closer, resting one hand casually on the back of Gu Yangjin's chair. Her proximity was intoxicating—Yangjin could catch the faint scent of sandalwood and something warmer, something that was uniquely Qiao Zhi.
"Are you shy?" Qiao Zhi asked in a tone that was part teasing, part coaxing.
"I—No!" Yangjin protested too quickly, snapping her gaze back to her with an expression that was a little too defensive. "Why would I be shy?"
