"This kind of thing, I really can't accept." Xuye Cheng was so embarrassed she stopped caring about slipping up. The top in Dou Dou's hands—did a dog chew it? Could that even count as clothing?
She'd rather believe it was torn off in one of those adult "romance action" flicks. Like after a rip-the-clothes play, pulled off the lead.
Dou Dou saw her panic and looked a bit surprised.
Okay, seems Ningning is a more conservative girl.
She hung the backless black top back. Xuye Cheng exhaled. But Dou Dou quickly picked another set from the rack.
Xuye Cheng took a closer look. Okay, okay. A white tee, and light blue jeans.
"Ningning, try this one~"
Xuye Cheng did want to change out of what she had on.
"Okay." She agreed readily and took the set from Dou Dou.
When she put it on, something still felt off. Why was the top… this short?
Her mind flashed to those girls she'd seen on TikTok.
So this was the legendary crop top…
Her eyes went to the mirror again. Her exposed waist was pale and smooth. Honestly, more tempting than going bare on top. The jeans cinched her waist, so her hip curve showed clear. She looked at her waistline. Not a trace of belly fat. She couldn’t help pinching it, feeling a swirl of mixed emotions.
She hadn’t expected her slender waist to fit in one hand.
What kind of devilish figure was this.
She sighed inwardly. Soft and tender. The feel was addictive, so she gave it two more squeezes.
Crop tops weren’t that bad—just a little belly showing. It did look a bit risqué. Maybe her thoughts were a bit dirty. But a bare tummy felt totally different from a short skirt.
Xuye Cheng stepped out of the fitting room. Dou Dou looked thoroughly satisfied.
"Oh~ Ningning really can pull off any style~" Dou Dou sighed.
So Xuye Cheng bought the set. And, under Dou Dou’s coaxing, a stylish, ladylike dress.
The reason? It looked good and was on sale.
Xuye Cheng suddenly felt stuck.
She looked at the clothes in her hands, hesitation creeping in.
How was she supposed to get all this back?
Hauling this many bags to the lab building would make her look insane.
She considered sending these few pieces to a laundromat.
"Ningning, heading back to school?" Dou Dou asked.
"I'm planning to drop the clothes off for washing." Xuye Cheng glanced at the traffic light across the street as she spoke.
"Why send them for washing?"
"There’s no space to hang clothes in our dorm. Our balcony doesn’t get any sun." Xuye Cheng had expected the question, and answered fast.
"Oh, then you can come to my place," Dou Dou said.
"You don’t live on campus?" Xuye Cheng was a bit surprised.
"Mm. My university’s dorm fees are pricey. My aunt lives here, so I stay at their place."
Xuye Cheng had been tempted. It solved the drying issue, and it saved money.
But hearing she lived at someone else’s place, Xuye Cheng decided she shouldn’t impose.
"Except my uncle and aunt went traveling. Their home is empty. Right now it’s just me."
Xuye Cheng couldn’t help a wry thought. What kind of anime-doujin setup… no, more like starting out with a golden spoon in your mouth.
"So just come wash them at my place. My home isn’t far." Dou Yuwei said that, and tugged Xuye Cheng toward the bus stop.
"Sorry to trouble you, Dou Dou." Xuye Cheng sounded a little guilty.
Tsk. She was enjoying someone’s kindness while still hiding her real face. A faint guilt rose in her chest.
But she wasn’t scamming money or seducing anyone. She only wanted a place to sort out this washing-the-girl-clothes problem…
"How could it be trouble? Once they’re dry, just come pick them up at my place," Dou Dou said breezily.
"Okay…" Xuye Cheng answered weakly, then followed Dou Dou home.
Three bedrooms and a living room. It had over a hundred square meters. For one person, you could call it luxurious.
After settling the clothes, Xuye Cheng, exhausted, headed back to campus.
She swiped her ID at the gate. As she walked past a patch of lawn, she heard a few meows.
There were strays on campus. She often saw them on her runs.
Hearing those meows, she got curious and stepped into the grass.
The sound was low and hoarse. Xuye Cheng couldn’t help worrying. Maybe a stray had run into trouble…
Following the sound, she pushed aside the little shrubs in the greenbelt. A yellow-and-white stray turned its head to look at her.
It called at her once, sharp and miserable.
Her gaze dropped. Its left hind leg was tightly bound by a wire…
The stray looked pitiful. Compassion surged. Xuye Cheng carefully freed its leg from the wire.
The stray was skin and bones. The little thing even had a black ring around its eye. Kinda ugly, honestly, but that didn’t stop Xuye Cheng from finding it cute.
It staggered forward a little, then crouched at the edge of the lawn. Big round eyes stared at Xuye Cheng for a moment.
She did know a few tricks for petting cats.
She crouched, then waddled like a little duck, inching to about a meter in front of the stray. There was still a trace of fear in the cat’s eyes. Xuye Cheng slowly extended her clenched hand, stopping half a meter away.
The cat twisted like it wanted to leave. Xuye Cheng froze like a statue.
Finally, the guard in the cat’s eyes eased a little. It took tiny steps up to her raised hand and sniffed, careful and slow.
Her long dress pooled on the grass. Xuye Cheng didn’t have the habit of tucking it when she crouched.
He Xiaohan raised his camera and captured the moment. The shot caught the girl’s profile—peaceful, with a hint of expectation. A skinny kitten sniffed at her little fist.
He Xiaohan came back to himself and saw the girl smiling, reaching out to rub the kitten’s head.
Her smile reflected in his eyes. Deep eyes rippled for a moment, then went calm again.
Her again…
