At half past seven in the evening, night slowly descended, and Shengjing Business University at the foot of Muyang Mountain finally quieted down. The daytime bustle and noise ebbed away like the tide, leaving behind only scattered streetlights and students heading home from their classes.
Gu Jinghan had just finished his shower. Dressed in a clean, dark gray casual outfit, he looked especially cold and aloof. He carelessly towel-dried his hair, intending to head into the kitchen to fix something to eat.
The moment he opened the refrigerator door, his gaze instinctively drifted across—where the two kitchens' windows happened to face each other. The instant the light flicked on, the scene on the opposite side revealed itself with no barrier at all.
And there she was: Xiao Yutian.
She leaned lazily against her kitchen counter, a bottle of milk in one hand while scrolling casually through her phone with the other. Tonight, she wore nothing but a long white shirt—its buttons undone by two at the front, draping loosely over her frame. The open collar carelessly exposed the faint outline of her collarbones and the graceful line of her neck.
Gu Jinghan froze completely. His hand clamped tightly around the fridge handle, his Adam's apple bobbing with an involuntary swallow.
…This woman—does she never dress properly at home?
He had meant to grab ingredients, yet his eyes clung stubbornly to that window, refusing to move away.
Xiao Yutian, oblivious, remained absorbed in her scrolling, laughing so hard at a Douyin clip that she nearly doubled over. She took a sip of milk, only to choke when a shirtless male model on screen pulled a ridiculous stunt.
"Cough—cough—!"
She pressed a hand to her mouth, laughing uncontrollably, but couldn't stop herself. White liquid spilled from the corner of her lips, trailing down her collarbone in a thin line, then vanishing beneath the loose folds of her shirt.
Gu Jinghan's breath hitched sharply.
In the glow of the kitchen lights, that fleeting image struck him like a blow, his mind reeling as heat surged through his chest. His fingertips tightened unconsciously, every muscle wound taut.
"…Damn it." His low curse came out trembling, betraying a quiver even he could hear.
She was supposed to be his most detested rival—yet why, at this moment, could he not look away?
His breathing quickened, chest rising and falling as though something pressed down upon him, his entire body strung rigid with restraint.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yutian noticed the spilled milk, wrinkled her nose, and casually wiped it away with a tissue before turning toward her bedroom. She remained utterly unaware that her careless moment had left someone across the way in complete disarray.
Gu Jinghan slammed the fridge door shut and pressed his back against the wall, his palm turning pale with the force. But in his mind, the scene replayed over and over, stubbornly refusing to fade.
He shut his eyes—yet could not drive it away.
Did she even realize just how dangerously tempting she was?
A parched dryness burned in his throat. He drew in a sharp breath, then pivoted on his heel and strode into the bathroom, twisting the tap until icy water thundered down. Even as the cold drenched him, the fire in his chest raged on, imprisoning him in its heat.
Rival?
He clenched his jaw hard, but no matter how he tried, he could no longer convince himself it was only hatred.
On the other side, Xiao Yutian had already changed into fresh clothes and curled up on her bed, happily munching chips as she kept scrolling through Douyin. Of the scene she had unwittingly staged in her kitchen, she remained blissfully unaware.
But she had no idea—at this very moment, someone else was utterly shaken, thrown into turmoil by her smallest, thoughtless actions.
—End of Chapter.