By the time Chen Mo and Xiao Yu returned to the apartment, it was already past midnight. As soon as they stepped in, Xiao Yu—blushing fiercely—grabbed her shopping bags and disappeared into the bathroom.
Moments later, the sound of running water filled the room.
Chen Mo sat down at his desk, refocused his thoughts, and emailed the final mobile phone circuit and interface designs to Zhao Min. Once the files were sent, he returned to refining the motherboard schematics. The blueprint he'd gotten from the tech library was fresh in his mind now—clean, sharp, like a perfectly recalled dream.
Most of the work was just pruning unnecessary hardware and simplifying components. It was almost like tracing a divine design.
He was midway through adjusting a data path when the soft shuffle of footsteps drew his attention. Turning around, Chen Mo nearly dropped his mouse.
Xiao Yu had emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered, wearing the nightdress they'd picked up that evening. Thin straps, soft silk, and long, bare legs. Her skin was like polished jade, with the faint flush of warmth from the shower still clinging to her.
And the scent—clean, floral—drifted through the air like an ambush.
Chen Mo froze. His mind instantly scrambled to interpret the situation. Was this... an invitation? A trap? A test?
Before he could spiral too far into "what-does-this-mean" territory, Xiao Yu spoke up, tugging at the hem of her dress.
"Where's the hair dryer?"
Her voice was light, but her face was almost as red as her nightdress. It was the first time she'd worn something this daring in front of a guy—even if it was her boyfriend—and she was clearly nervous.
"In the closet," Chen Mo said, quickly collecting himself. "I'll help you."
He shut off the computer, retrieved the hair dryer, and sat behind her on the sofa.
Xiao Yu quietly nestled down in front of him, her cheeks glowing as the warm air fluttered through her damp hair.
"You tricked me again," she said softly.
Chen Mo chuckled. "You forgot the time. I just didn't remind you."
"You knew and didn't say anything. I was going to surprise you, but now..." She huffed, her nose scrunching up. "I've decided—you don't get anything tonight."
"Ouch. Can't I plead temporary insanity?"
"Nope. Judgment has been passed."
Despite her words, the corner of her mouth twitched into a small smile. She leaned into the warmth of the dryer, clearly enjoying the moment.
Once her hair was dry, Xiao Yu swiftly dodged Chen Mo's reach, darting into the bedroom before he could pull another trick. Amused, he grabbed his own clothes and went to shower. When he returned—dressed in loose shorts and still towel-drying his hair—Xiao Yu was already on the bed, watching the door like a startled kitten.
As soon as she saw him shirtless, she turned red again and buried half her face in the blanket.
Chen Mo grinned and climbed in beside her.
The room darkened as he flipped off the light. Only the silver glow of the moon filtered through the window, softly illuminating their faces.
As they shifted closer, Chen Mo felt her body stiffen slightly.
"Chen Mo," she whispered, "I have some bad news."
"What happened?"
"I'm... on my period."
Chen Mo blinked. "You still went out, blew cold sea breeze, and washed your hair? Why didn't you tell me? Are you feeling okay?"
The genuine concern in his voice made Xiao Yu's heart melt. She snuggled into his chest.
"I'm fine. It's not that bad. I was all sweaty, and my hair felt gross from the sea air. I had to wash it. And I used warm water, don't worry."
Chen Mo hugged her tighter. "Then let's just sleep. No staying up late."
That night, Chen Mo wasn't sure when he drifted off—but it was the most peaceful sleep he'd had in weeks.
The next morning, Xiao Yu was already up.
Chen Mo groggily rolled out of bed, scratching his head. As he walked into the living room, he spotted her on the sofa with her laptop, watching a movie while sipping warm tea.
"You're finally awake," she said, glancing at him. "Go wash up. Breakfast's ready, or it'll get cold."
"You should've rested more. Is your body okay?"
"I'm fine," she replied with a soft smile.
After a quick wash, Chen Mo returned to find a neatly arranged breakfast on the table. Xiao Yu had already cleaned up the room and even done the laundry. The morning light filtering through the window cast a soft glow around her.
Chen Mo sat down, staring at her quietly.
How could someone be so effortlessly warm?
Meanwhile, he was already scheming—How can I trick her into moving in permanently?
"Chen Mo," she said between bites, "I heard you rented a shop on the food street?"
"Huh? How'd you find out?"
"Ah Jie told me. She saw you while buying snacks. I didn't ask earlier because of my exam... Can you take me to see it today?"
"Sure."
After breakfast, the two of them headed out.
As they reached the shop, the familiar grocery store aunt next door spotted them and immediately zeroed in on Xiao Yu.
"Oh-ho! Is this your girlfriend?" the aunt asked with a grin. "Such a pretty girl. A very good girl. Listen, young man—less gaming, more working! Earn more money and don't let a good girl like this suffer, you hear?"
Chen Mo scratched his cheek, embarrassed. "Y-yeah... thanks."
The aunt spotted some customers walking into her shop and waved them off with a wink.
Xiao Yu chuckled. "You heard the woman. Don't let me suffer."
Chen Mo gave her a look. "I don't even play games."
Xiao Yu narrowed her eyes. "Then what do you do on your computer all day?"
"I code."
"She probably thinks you're gaming because of all the typing and clicking."
They reached the shop, and Chen Mo unlocked the door.
"This is it. My little base of operations."
Inside, the instruments and tools still bore traces of dust, but the room had a strong startup vibe. Xiao Yu's eyes widened.
"You took over a repair shop? You're really doing mobile phone repairs?"
Before Chen Mo could answer, a girl passing by stopped and shoved her phone into his hands.
"Boss! My phone just went black. I can't turn it on. It's urgent—can you fix it now?"
Chen Mo stared blankly at the phone in his hands. Then at Xiao Yu.
She blinked innocently. "Well? Don't just stand there. Help the customer."
With a dramatic sigh, Chen Mo sat down at the workbench. "Fine, fine. Repair in progress."
"How much?" the girl asked nervously. "It's not gonna be super expensive, right?"
"Just a system crash. I'll reinstall the OS. Five yuan," Chen Mo replied casually.
"Seriously? Okay!"
Fifteen minutes later, the phone rebooted perfectly. The girl thanked him profusely, dropped the money on the table, and hurried off.
Chen Mo finally looked over at Xiao Yu again.
She was wiping down the machines, beads of sweat glistening on her forehead.
His heart squeezed a little.
He wanted to tell her—this isn't just a repair shop. But now wasn't the time. She was in full support mode, and if he said anything now, it might lead to a fight.
"Let's go. I'll finish cleaning up," she said, tossing the rag aside. "I have to get back to the dorm."
After she left, Chen Mo sat in silence for a moment.
Then he turned to his desk, cracked his knuckles, and reopened the mobile phone motherboard design.
It was time to bring the Butterfly Eye to life.