Chapter 749: So What If It's Taken?

Cai Xiaotang didn't deliberate any further; thinking that she indeed had important matters to attend to in the afternoon, she followed Liu Qingze straight upstairs.

As soon as the door opened, she immediately swept a quick glance over the interior environment, then praised it with satisfaction: "I didn't expect the place you live in alone to be quite clean..."

"Otherwise what? Did you think I lived in a pigsty?"

Liu Qingze asked back with amusement.

Cai Xiaotang nodded noncommittally: "That's not necessarily true. If it weren't for my surprise inspection, I would have suspected you cleaned up in advance for fear of losing face!"

As she spoke, she took off her shoes and stood in place, not daring to move around for fear of getting anything dirty.

"Wait for me a moment."

Liu Qingze said, turning and entering the bedroom.

Then, after only a few seconds, he came out carrying a pair of shorts and tossed them into Cai Xiaotang's hands.

"They're new. Use the bathroom however you like. Just tidy up a bit, throw your clothes directly into the washing machine; there's special detergent on the side. Add the drying cycle, and it will take at most an hour and a half. It won't delay your afternoon plans."

He had arranged everything in an orderly fashion and was very thoughtful.

Cai Xiaotang paused slightly, thought about it, and found she really couldn't pick out any faults, so she could only tease him with a grin: "How come I feel like you've matured quite a bit during this time? You actually know how to take care of people?"

"I've always known how."

Liu Qingze gave a light huff and urged her again: "Hurry up and go. Just give me a shout if there's anything you don't know how to use."

As he spoke, he turned and walked toward the kitchen, wanting to hide his ears, which were already burning.

This room...

It was the first time someone other than him had set foot in it.

And... it was the person he liked.

Liu Qingze took a deep breath, heard the sound of the bathroom door locking, and after a while, the sound of trickling water.

He stood still for a few seconds, then suddenly turned abruptly, crossed the living room, headed straight for his bedroom, and quickly opened his computer, putting on his headphones immediately.

It was finally quiet by his ears.

Yet it made the sound of his heartbeat even louder, *thump-thump-thump*, as if it were about to jump out of his throat.

Twenty minutes later—

Cai Xiaotang finally finished quickly cleaning off the sticky sensation on her body.

The dryer was running quietly, bit by bit baking the now-clean skirt.

The shirt Cai Xiaotang was wearing was still intact, and she casually pulled on the shorts she had just received.

Only then did she discover that the length, which should have reached her thighs, was actually almost at her knees on her.

Cai Xiaotang glanced at herself in the mirror with amusement, then opened the door and walked out.

There was no one in the living room.

Her eyes swept around, and seeing the bedroom door open, she hurried over.

Once she got closer, she saw Liu Qingze facing the computer, *clack-clack-clack*, seemingly typing code.

"Finished washing?"

Seeing Cai Xiaotang enter from the corner of his eye, he took off his headphones. His earlobes were still flushed an unnatural pink, and his eyes subconsciously swept over Cai Xiaotang's legs before he suddenly let out a scoff.

"I knew you'd find these too long..."

"What do you mean! Laughing at me for being short, right!"

Cai Xiaotang was instantly indignant and, in a huff, raised her foot to kick his chair.

But just as she lifted her leg, her calf was gripped by a large hand.

Cai Xiaotang's whole body stiffened instantly, and alarms went off wildly in her mind!

Damn!

Crossed the line, crossed the line!

Why is he grabbing her leg!

Does this brat not understand the concept of men and women keeping their distance!

"Is your leg burned?"

Liu Qingze didn't care about his own actions at all; while asking, he pulled her pant leg up a little more, his eyes filled only with concern.

Only when he mentioned it did Cai Xiaotang react. She looked down and saw that her leg was indeed red from top to bottom. She hurriedly pulled it back, saying with a nonchalant face: "Ah, it's nothing. The coffee was just a bit hot, so it's a little red, that's all. I don't really feel much."

As she spoke, the expression on her face became somewhat unnatural.

Tsk...

Have I really become stupid lately?

The kid was clearly concerned about me... yet I used my "dirty" adult thoughts to misinterpret him!

"I have medicine here, let me spray some on for you."

Liu Qingze suddenly stood up, turned, and took a medicine kit down from the highest shelf of the bookcase.

"No need, really, it's fine..."

Cai Xiaotang didn't want to trouble him further and waved her hands repeatedly.

The result was as expected; without any surprise, she was firmly pulled onto the sofa and sat down.

"Don't move around."

Liu Qingze's expression looked inexplicably serious, as if he were angry again.

Cai Xiaotang rested one leg on the coffee table, and under the principle of "when under someone else's roof, one must bow one's head," she had no choice but to obediently stop moving.

"Psssh—"

The thin mist of the spray landed on the skin that had a faint burning sensation.

Liu Qingze's expression was focused, applying the spray bit by bit onto her reddened skin, as if he were treating some precious treasure.

The atmosphere was somewhat quiet.

It was so quiet that Cai Xiaotang felt flustered, urgently wanting to find some topic to break the status quo.

"Logically speaking... this small injury doesn't need medicine."

She spoke up suddenly, and after finishing, seeing Liu Qingze lift his eyes to sweep a glance at her, she continued with a smile: "But, considering how sensible a certain little friend is being..."

"You think I'm being sensible?"

Liu Qingze's movements suddenly stopped, his eyes deep as he stared at her, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied.

Her racing heartbeat had not stopped since just a moment ago.

He had also never imagined that one day he would see Cai Xiaotang wearing his clothes, sitting on his own sofa.

Even if it was only because of an accident.

The atmosphere seemed just right.

Should he... have hinted more obviously?

Cai Xiaotang was still left not knowing how to answer his question from just a moment ago.

Then she heard the person in front of her answer for himself: "It's not because I'm sensible."

"Huh?"

Cai Xiaotang was a bit confused.

Liu Qingze's gaze flickered for an instant, and he shook the spray can in his hand twice more, continuing his previous movements, while saying unhurriedly: "I have never applied medicine for anyone else, regardless of gender."

Cai Xiaotang: "..."

S-so... what about it?

Subconsciously, she didn't dare to respond.

Liu Qingze didn't mind her, sprayed some more medicine, then tossed the spray can to the side and looked straight into her eyes.

"I also don't like others wearing my clothes."

"And I like it even less when others touch my hair."

"Also... I don't like eating snacks, and I don't like drinking milk tea."

Their eyes met, the silence so profound it was as if sound had been suddenly extracted from this world.

Cai Xiaotang's eyes were full of shock, meeting the boy's unmasked gaze, almost not knowing how to respond.

Everything he had just mentioned, she had done all of it...

So this...

Could this be...

A confession?

Liu Qingze... likes her?

Liu Qingze likes her!!!

Cai Xiaotang's breathing even paused for an instant, her expression gradually shifting from shock to disbelief.

Liu Qingze did not urge her, just watching her quietly.

After a long while—

Cai Xiaotang gave a dry laugh.

No... regardless of whether she guessed correctly or not, she should find a way to muddle through it.

"Uh... haha, saying it so seriously, you wouldn't happen to like your big sister, would you? But this big sister is already taken, you know."

She responded to his words as if it were a joke, taking the opportunity to remind him that she was "married."

The boy opposite her, however, only gave a light laugh, and when he spoke again, his voice was not as clear as it usually was.

"So what if you're taken? What if one day... you aren't?"