Chen Shu · Conversa

The clinking of dinnerware echoed softly from the kitchen. Chen Shu had the sleeves of his loose white tank top rolled up, his arms—covered in ink-wash floral tattoos—submerged in warm water as he washed the plates. The sound of the running water made the apartment feel exceptionally quiet. I clutched my change of clothes and ducked into the bathroom. The warm shower washed away the summer heat. After washing, I only put on a pair of loose, long-sleeved cotton pajamas. At home, I usually found bras too constricting, so I didn't wear one, letting the soft fabric drape loosely over my body. Drying my damp hair, I walked to the living room and curled up on the soft sofa to play a mobile game. My movements couldn't keep up with the opponent's combos, and I was killed several times in a row. Seeing the disastrous score on the screen filled me with frustration, and I poked the screen hard with my fingertips to vent. The water in the kitchen suddenly stopped. Chen Shu wiped his hands and walked over. Standing tall by the sofa, he looked down and casually glanced at the mess of battle data on my screen. He gave a low chuckle, his voice carrying a playful, rogue-ish tone: "Noob." I instantly bristled, looking up to glare at him, my cheeks puffed out in grievance: "So annoying! Say that one more time and see what happens!" He chuckled softly without retorting, reaching out to take the phone from my hand. He sat down right beside me, his 188cm frame casting a shadow over half my body. The lines of his shoulders and back were clearly visible through the thin tank top. His fingertips casually slid across the screen as he coaxed me in a lazy voice: "Let me do it, little noob. There are berries in the fridge; go wash some and bring them here." Hearing there were my favorite blueberries and strawberries, I immediately forgot my anger over the game. I trotted to the fridge in my slippers, brought out a full box of berries, washed them clean, and returned to the living room with the white porcelain fruit plate. As I bent over to gently place the fruit plate on the coffee table, the collar of my loose pajamas hung down precariously. Chen Shu, who had been focused on the phone, happened to look up. His gaze crashed into that neckline without warning. He froze instantly, his grip on the phone tightening slightly, and the tips of his ears quickly flushed a faint red. I happened to straighten up and look at him, meeting his frozen gaze. He seemed to snap out of it, hurriedly and clumsily averting his eyes, pretending to focus intently on the game screen. His Adam's apple bobbed uncontrollably, but he couldn't hide the redness on the tips of his ears.