"Cousin, are you alright?"
Hearing the cry of pain, Chu Yi immediately realized that Liu Ruoxin must have fallen.
He hurried to the door of the bathroom, his voice laced with concern as he called out.
"My foot... I think I've twisted it. I can't stand up,"
came Liu Ruoxin's trembling response, tinged with both pain and grievance.
After all, her fall had occurred because of Chu Yi's sudden arrival.
But instead of panic, a faint smile played at the corners of Chu Yi's lips.
He even turned to glance toward the door, as if savoring the irony.
How amusing—to think such a clichéd scenario would befall me.
Wasn't this kind of situation supposed to happen to Ye Fan?
Still, perhaps this presented a rare opportunity—
a chance to bridge the gap between him and Liu Ruoxin.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Chu Yi spoke softly:
"Cousin, shall I come in and help you?
It's not good for you to remain on the cold floor; you might catch a chill."
"No! Absolutely not!"
Liu Ruoxin's voice rose in a panic, her face instantly flushed.
She was stark naked.
Even though Chu Yi was her cousin, allowing him in was unthinkable.
Only her future husband had the right to see her like this.
The thought alone painted her cheeks with a rosy hue.
"Cousin, you can't just stay in there forever,"
Chu Yi coaxed gently, "Why not cover yourself with a towel?
That way, I won't be taking any liberties."
Hearing no immediate reply, Chu Yi offered a compromise,
hoping she would yield.
Otherwise, if Ye Fan were to step in and become her savior,
this key story arc involving Liu Ruoxin might slip entirely from his grasp.
He knew—once she was rescued by Ye Fan,
their bond would deepen, and her heart might sway toward him.
If that happened, driving a wedge between them later
would be nigh impossible.
"This... this isn't proper, Chu Yi,"
Liu Ruoxin finally murmured, hesitant and embarrassed.
Truthfully, she could hardly accept such intimate proximity with Chu Yi.
After all, since childhood, their contact had been almost nonexistent.
The only thing she remembered were the whispers of his poor reputation.
To her, he was little more than a stranger now.
How could she allow a stranger to see her like this?
"Damn it..."
Chu Yi instantly understood her reluctance.
If Ye Fan had been the one outside the door,
Liu Ruoxin might have flung it open wide without hesitation.
But he was merely a minor character,
a disposable pawn in the narrative.
So even in such a perfect set-up for an 'encounter,'
fate still denied him the role of protagonist.
"Cousin, we used to bathe together when we were children—
what are you so afraid of?"
"We're family, after all. Don't you trust me?
Are you really afraid I'll take advantage of you?"
Chu Yi's voice carried a tinge of wounded pride,
his expression carefully crafted into one of innocent hurt.
An excellent performance, worthy of a perfect score.
Clearly, he was pulling out all the stops to gain entry.
Liu Ruoxin fell silent at his words.
Deep down, she truly wished Ye Fan were the one outside.
Over the past two months, their bond had grown closer than that of true siblings.
He called her "Sis Xin" with heartfelt affection.
But now—asking Ye Fan to come in was out of the question.
She was far too shy to let anyone else know.
"You… you may come in."
After sitting on the cold floor for too long,
her legs had gone numb, and pain pulsed up her ankle.
Left with no other choice, Liu Ruoxin finally relented.
Beads of sweat mingled with the mist of the steamy bathroom,
trickling down her delicate features and adding a certain sensual charm.
Hearing her reluctant consent,
Chu Yi allowed a subtle smile to curl on his lips.
He straightened his collar, opened the door, and stepped inside.
As the door creaked open,
a blush-kissed, exquisitely beautiful face met his gaze—
and Chu Yi couldn't help but feel a flicker of astonishment.
There she was—Liu Ruoxin.
A woman who exuded elegance and poise,
the very picture of mature allure.
She knelt awkwardly on the tiled floor,
a towel hastily wrapped around her supple form.
Her brow furrowed in pain, her expression clearly uncomfortable.
Chu Yi stood frozen for a few seconds,
captivated, before snapping back to himself.
He approached cautiously and spoke in a gentle tone:
"Cousin…"
"Ah—Chu Yi…"
Liu Ruoxin, too, was taken aback.
She hadn't expected him to be so handsome.
At past family gatherings,
Chu Yi had always seemed gloomy, his aura cold and unapproachable.
He had struck her as the stereotypical troubled rich boy.
But today, he felt different—brighter, warmer.
Of course, she didn't know that this was a deliberate mask he now wore.
"Cousin, which foot is it?"
Though her towel concealed most of her body,
Chu Yi caught a glimpse of glistening white skin.
A faint flush crept onto his face.
To distract himself, he glanced downward—
only to spot a cartoon sheep printed on the inside of her thigh.
Damn.
A wave of heat surged within him,
and he silently recited calming mantras to regain his composure.
"M-My left foot,"
Liu Ruoxin replied, pointing to her ankle, unaware of how much she'd already revealed.
But as soon as she spoke, a dreadful realization struck her.
Her tone just now… had it sounded coquettish?
Oh no.
That hadn't been intentional—it was just the pain.
Surely, Chu Yi wouldn't misunderstand… right?
She dared a glance up at him.
Chu Yi, however, was not paying attention to her expression.
Instead, he was inspecting her ankle.
It was clearly twisted—swollen and red, like a small steamed bun.
"Cousin, your ankle…" Chu Yi began softly.
But before he could finish his sentence—
a loud bang echoed from outside Liu Ruoxin's bedroom door.
"Xin-jie! Are you okay?"
It was Ye Fan's voice, filled with urgency.