Chapter 26: The Bathroom Part 1

The bathroom door in Tan Jing’s room wasn’t closed.

He Siheng rushed over and pushed the door open. He saw the guy leaning against the wall, half-sitting on the wet floor. Half of the buttons on his shirt were undone, the collar slightly open. The fabric was soaked with water, clinging tightly to his body and revealing patches of skin underneath.

He looked a bit disheveled, but his posture remained calm. When he saw He Siheng come in, he even managed a smile. “You got here pretty fast.”

He Siheng had no time for jokes at that moment. He hurried over to help him up. “Did you hurt yourself anywhere?”

“I’m fine,” Tan Jing let He Siheng grab his arm and drape it over his shoulder. “It’s just that my leg makes it inconvenient to stand.”

He Siheng frowned as he helped him to his feet, his tone carrying a hint of reproach. “Why didn’t you call someone to help? It’s not like there’s no one home.”

Tan Jing’s tone was indifferent. “Too embarrassing.”

“Your skin’s that thin?” He Siheng scoffed upon hearing this.

Remembering what Wang Yizhou had said, he added, “Not afraid I might take advantage and snap some ugly photos of you?”

Tan Jing borrowed his strength to stand, saying leisurely, “If you want to take them to admire later, I can’t stop you.”

“…” He Siheng paused for a few seconds before spitting out, “Get over yourself. Who’d want to admire them?”

“Hurry up. Once I help you out of the bathroom, I’m heading home.”

He Siheng tried to help him leave the bathroom, but Tan Jing didn’t budge. “I haven’t finished my shower yet.”

He looked straight at He Siheng afterward, his meaning obvious.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?” He Siheng was speechless at the guy’s matter-of-fact attitude. “You hurt your leg, not your hands. You still expect me to wash you?”

Tan Jing smiled. “I just wanted you to grab a chair for me. Of course—”

He paused, then continued, “If you want to, I don’t mind.”

A vein throbbed wildly at He Siheng’s temple. “Get lost.”

His words were harsh, but he still helped Tan Jing over to the sink, making sure he could steady himself against it. Then he turned and went to the bedroom to fetch a wooden chair.

When he returned to the bathroom, Tan Jing had just undone the last button of his shirt. After peeling off the wet top that clung to his skin, he revealed a broad back and a lean, powerful lower waist— a perfect inverted triangle figure with smooth, attractive muscle lines.

As he turned sideways, his well-defined six-pack abs came into He Siheng’s view, rising and falling slightly with each breath. Water droplets clung to them, trickling slowly down the grooves between the muscles and soaking into the waistband of his pants.

He Siheng stared, his first reaction one of dissatisfaction.

Damn, this jerk has such a great physique. He even has two more abs than me.

He was still silently competing when he suddenly heard Tan Jing speak. “You like my abs so much? Want to touch them?”

“…” He Siheng immediately looked away, his face darkening. “Couldn’t you wait until I brought the chair before taking off your shirt?”

“Feeling shy?”

“…Shy my ass,” He Siheng set the chair down irritably. “You’re the one without clothes. What do I have to be shy about?”

“I’m fine with it too,” Tan Jing hung his wet shirt aside and sat down on the chair, saying casually, “You’ve already touched me before. A few more looks won’t hurt.”

He Siheng froze at his words, alarm bells ringing in his head.

When did that happen? Not last week, right? Did I really black out from drinking that time?

Feeling guilty, he stammered involuntarily, “W-what are you talking about? When did I ever touch you? Don’t spread rumors.”

Noticing his panic, Tan Jing’s lips curved slightly. He looked up at him with a half-smile. “Why so nervous? I didn’t say you had to take responsibility.”

Choked by that, He Siheng gritted his teeth. “Just hurry up and wash. Better scrub that scheming little mind of yours clean too—it’s as black as coal.”

He turned to leave, but then heard Tan Jing ask from behind, “Did you have fun on your date today?”

He Siheng halted. “What date?”

Tan Jing said offhandedly, “After school today, didn’t you go on a date with Zhang Xunyue?”

“Who said we were on a—”

He Siheng cut himself off mid-sentence, turning back with a schadenfreude-filled grin. “What, you rejected her and now you’re regretting it?”

But Tan Jing hadn’t missed the first half of his words. He raised a brow. “So you two weren’t on a date after all.”

He paused, then added as if realizing something. “Makes sense. You don’t seem like her type anyway.”

He Siheng clenched his fists, grinding his teeth. “Tan! Jing!”

“Hm?”

Tan Jing unhurriedly turned on the shower, the sound of water rushing. He smiled good-naturedly. “Want to help me wash?”

“…Get lost!”

He Siheng stormed out of the bathroom without looking back, slamming the door. He was so angry he wanted to climb out the window right then.

But as he started to, he stopped. The bathroom floor was all water. If Tan Jing slipped again after his shower, wouldn’t he have to come back and help?

He Siheng retracted the leg he’d already lifted onto the windowsill. He paced in circles, scratching his hair in frustration. In the end, he knocked on the bathroom door twice, his tone awkward. “Call me when you’re done. Don’t slip and eat dirt again.”

Tan Jing acknowledged him. Amid the steamy mist, he curved his lips slightly.

The little kitten really is kind-hearted.

Water pattered in the bathroom. He Siheng sat at Tan Jing’s desk like a lord waiting impatiently.

Without his phone, boredom set in. He pulled a pen from the holder and grabbed a math test paper from the desk, doodling turtles on it. Every turtle had a mole on its face.

He admired each one after finishing.

Perfect. Captures Tan Jing’s vibe spot-on.

On the thirteenth turtle, a knock sounded at the bedroom door. Then Jiang He’s voice came from outside.

“A Jing, you barely ate dinner, so I had Huang Jie cut some fruit. Want some?”

He Siheng jolted, scrambling in panic.

His first instinct was to climb out the window, but he glanced back and saw his family’s car pulling into the yard—right then, with Boss He coming home.

Done for. What now?

He Siheng panicked completely.

Outside, Jiang He called again when no one answered. “A Jing? I’m coming in?”

He Siheng sucked in a cold breath. He saw the doorknob turning as Jiang He was about to enter. In a flash, he dashed into the bathroom like a cheetah, slamming the door shut.

The bathroom was filled with steam. He locked eyes with the wet-haired young man unprepared.