A Marshmallow: Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Shy about what?

Gu An's small face turned red instantly, like a swaying hot air balloon, continuously rising and getting hotter, until it suddenly "biu" and burst.

"If you want to see."

"Then, in the future, big brother will show you."

She couldn't help but follow his words and let her imagination wander, a vision of him undressing passing before her eyes.

She had to admit that compared to a seventeen or eighteen-year-old handsome youth, twenty-six-year-old Jiang Yan seemed to fit her aesthetic better. His every line was finely honed by his police career, cold and solemn, tall and slender, with an impeccable temperament, a perfect blend of youthful charm and hormones.

She was already twenty, not sixteen. Gu An tried to put on a nonchalant face, "Oh" as if she had seen it all before, and then she couldn't speak anymore, just nestled next to Jiang Yan like a mushroom.

And the one who made her blush and her heart race had soft, clear eyes, incredibly handsome and harmless.

She couldn't resist locking eyes with him in this situation, her cheeks emitting hot air, and she whispered, "Do you want to take a break..."

All this undressing, showing off his abdominal muscles, and flirting, wasn't it tiring?

What's more, although Jiang Yan was young and had good physical fitness, he had been shot in the artery. By the time he was taken to the local hospital, he had already lost over a thousand milliliters of blood. Gu An knew that the criminals they were chasing were ruthless, leaving behind injuries and blunt force trauma...

Gu An couldn't afford to be careless.

Jiang Yan nodded and, after lying down, turned to her and said, "Big brother can't take you home, so go back early, don't wait until it's dark."

"Okay," Gu An helped him cover himself with a thin blanket and obediently agreed, "I know."

Nurse Xiao Zhao, before leaving just now, specifically told Jiang Yan that he would need to receive intravenous fluids tonight and that he needed someone to stay by his side. Otherwise, due to his weakened condition, he might fall asleep, and air entering his veins would be troublesome.

So, although Gu An agreed verbally, she had already prepared herself to stay up all night with him. Could Jiang Yan really send her away in the middle of the night?

Although taking care of a patient was not easy, she had known him for four years, and there were very few times like this when she could quietly watch over him. She could be with him twenty-four hours a day, grumbling and sticking to him, without worrying that he would be called away by overtime or that he would face danger on a mission.

The sunset outside the window bathed everything in a warm hue, and with him there, everything was sweet and beautiful.

When Jiang Yan fell asleep, Gu An's arm rested on the edge of the bed, her chin on her arm, and her eyes fixed on the person in front of her.

In the year when he had disappeared without a trace, she had dreamed of him countless times. Each time she woke up, she hoped, just maybe, he had quietly returned while she was asleep.

As she rushed down from the small attic, the living room was dark, moonlight flowing like water, and his uniform shoulder badge glinted with a cold light, hanging solemnly in the hallway. And their little puppy lay beside it, quiet and silent, as if waiting for someone to come back, just like her.

She only realized now that the words "heartache" could truly have substance.

And now, he was right in front of her.

Long and soft eyelashes covered those cold and beautiful eyes, like raven feathers. Due to his illness, his already pale skin was even more devoid of sunshine, flawless, like fine white jade. Looking at him like this, he truly seemed like a pampered young master.

She sat on a small stool by his bedside, her arm resting on the edge of the bed. Probably the presence of someone beside her made her feel secure. She overcame neurasthenia and insomnia with overwhelming dominance. Soon, Gu An also fell into a deep sleep with her arm as a pillow.

When Jiang Yan woke up, the room was dimly lit, and outside the window, it was already pitch black. The clear and cold moon on the horizon said nothing. His fingertips touched something, and he half-opened his eyes.

Gu An didn't know when she had fallen asleep next to him. Her cute, round head was resting on her arm, facing him. Her round baby face looked like a glutinous rice ball under the soft moonlight, breathing steadily and gently.

Her citrusy scent was all over his nose.

The corners of his lips curled slightly, and his fingers lightly touched her hair. The sensation of her hair was very soft and real, and the night became quiet and sweet.

He lowered his eyes and watched her, and with each glance, he felt like he had hit the jackpot.

Nurse Xiao Zhao had prepared herself psychologically before giving Jiang Yan an IV. She had exceeded her lemon intake recently and believed she had developed antibodies, so she wasn't afraid of a little extra. She just couldn't believe that as a healthy adult, she could be overwhelmed by dog food.

When she pushed the door open, the usually aloof and restrained police officer was lying on his side with his arm as a pillow. His beautiful eyes, usually indifferent, were now filled with gentle affection, quietly watching the little girl by his side.

The scene was too peaceful and beautiful to disturb.

That gaze... how can I put it... if any guy ever looked at her like that, she might not have been single up to now!

Xiao Zhao took a deep breath, her professionalism keeping her calm. She cleared her throat and said, "IV time."

The handsome guy responded with a "okay" and got out of bed. He was tall and slim, and despite the loose patient's gown, his broad and straight shoulders and the slender waistline were still evident. He was incredibly good-looking, the kind anyone couldn't help but covet.

In the next moment, she saw Jiang Yan bend over, one hand under Gu An's shoulder, and the other through her knees, lifting her horizontally onto the hospital bed.

A very standard and textbook-worthy princess carry.

The little girl, in her half-asleep state, rubbed her nose and he pushed her cheeky hair aside, speaking gently, "Be a good girl and go back to sleep."

That tone of voice and that gaze!!!

That incredibly heartwarming "Be a good girl and go back to sleep"!!!

Xiao Zhao's heart was bursting with excitement.

Resignation! She had to resign!!!

She couldn't stay in this unit for one more day!

She really wanted to fall in love and meet a handsome guy soon...

---

The next day, in the early morning.

Gu An yawned leisurely, feeling drowsy and groggy.

The gentle sunlight fell on her eyelids, and cicadas chirped outside the window. The thin blanket carried a faint, pleasant scent of mint, just like the scent on Jiang Yan.

She couldn't resist burying her face in the blanket and taking a deep breath, savoring it. She loved it!

Jiang Yan...

Jiang Yan?!!

Gu An suddenly sat up, opened her eyes, and found herself not in her small loft but in a hospital room.

Her consciousness quickly returned. Nurse Xiao Zhao had said last night that Jiang Yan needed someone to stay with him for the intravenous treatment, and she had volunteered to stay. Due to the long hours without sleep and her mental fatigue, she had fallen asleep by Jiang Yan's side in a daze.

Gu An, her sleepy mind still slow to function, managed to recall:

She had fallen asleep on the edge of the bed yesterday!

But now, she was on the bed!

She lowered her head and realized she was covered by Jiang Yan's blanket, resting on Jiang Yan's pillow. The sofa next to the hospital bed showed signs of someone sleeping on it, with a neatly folded light gray blanket placed to the side, and the sound of someone washing up in the bathroom.

Could it be... he slept on the sofa the whole night?

He's still sick!

He's still sick!

Gu An couldn't focus on anything else. She got out of bed and saw that the bathroom door was ajar. Jiang Yan stood with his back to her, tall and slender, wearing a patient's gown that appeared too big for him. The sunlight filtered through the gown, revealing his slim waist.

She whispered, "Brother, did you sleep on the sofa?"

Jiang Yan held a razor in his hand, his handsome face cool and replied with a faint "Mm."

Gu An was torn between regret and sorrow. She had come to take care of the patient, but instead, she caused him trouble. "Were you uncomfortable? I slept so soundly that I didn't notice anything..."

She scratched her head, and her disheveled hairpins made her head tilt in an awkward angle. Her eyes were teary, like a preschooler who had done something wrong, unable to think of a remedy, just standing there helplessly, fidgeting with her fingers behind her back.

Seeing her on the verge of tears, Jiang Yan's brows lowered slightly, and there was a hint of helplessness in his expression. He leaned down to meet her gaze and his tone softened unconsciously, "Brother is not that delicate."

Only then did she look up at him. He still held the razor in his hand, and shaving cream was still on his face. His eyes and brows were damp, as if he was in the middle of shaving, which she had just interrupted.

The last time he had just woken up, his fingers were weak, but he took shaving very seriously. He shaved his beard until it was clean and accidentally cut himself.

Jiang Yan patted her head, turned to the mirror, and looked at the stubble on his chin.

"Please be more careful," Gu An held onto the door frame, oblivious to the fact that she should probably keep her distance now, and she kept talking, "Don't cut yourself like last time."

"You actually don't need to shave," she added quietly in her mind, "You look handsome even without it, especially super handsome." 

Jiang Yan's beautiful eyes met hers in the mirror, their gazes locking. His eyes were bright, and the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, giving a sweet and harmless smile.

Gu An heard the razor buzzing as it was turned on. She didn't understand the inner workings of such devices, but she knew that anything with a blade was probably very dangerous and should be kept away from Jiang Yan.

She walked up to him, stood in front of him, and raised her small round head, her childlike face tense. Her eyes were fixed on him with caution.

She still looks young, not taller than his shoulder. When she was sixteen, she just met him, sticking cartoon stickers to him, and now she eagerly watches him shaving.

From the age of twenty-two, it seems like he's had no control over her.

Jiang Yan holds back a laugh while looking at her. There's foam on his face, but he still looks handsome, very manly. "This won't get hurt."

But Gu An still feels nervous. Just thinking about the blades inside that little thing makes her heart race, and her gaze follows his fingers closely.

Jiang Yan chuckles softly, "Why don't you help big brother?"

Gu An is stunned, her eyes even wider than before.

Jiang Yan has complete trust in her, already on his knees in front of her.

He probably just took a quick shower a while ago, and the bathroom is visibly humid, with a slight hint of mint and lemon scent, just like him.

She takes the razor, along with the faint warmth from his touch.

He trusts her, but in the face of such beauty, she doesn't trust herself!

Originally, she had no resistance to this person's face, not to mention that he's now actively offering himself to her, gently approaching like a little white rabbit falling into a big bad wolf's trap, unaware.

No fear!

Go for it!

Gu An clenches her fist, ready for a fight.

The razor in her hand rests steadily on his cheek, and Jiang Yan cooperatively tilts his head slightly. At this angle, his smooth jawline is completely exposed in front of her, exquisitely sleek, and his neck, white and tantalizing, disappears into the collar of his shirt.

Gu An's heart begins to beat irregularly, she holds her breath carefully, and traces his handsome facial features with her eyes, too close, his nose, lips, and chin all so clear.

She suddenly loses focus, thinking about last night when she fell asleep, he carried her to bed while he slept on the couch...

The bathroom is small, with stagnant air, and it's getting warmer without a sound.

Gu An can't tell if the scent on his skin comes from him or the shower gel. Her heart beats wildly, even drowning out the "buzz" of the razor.

She tries hard to control her heartbeat, her right hand holding the razor trembling slightly, her left hand hanging by her side, struggling to keep it from shaking.

Jiang Yan's left cheek is already clean. Next is the philtrum and chin.

Her hand doesn't have any strength. She wants to place her left hand on his face or maybe on his shoulder, but she can't do it, just thinking about it makes her face feel hot.

At this moment, Jiang Yan, thinking she can't reach, presses his upper body closer, silently shortening the distance. His eyelashes fall obediently, innocent and cute, and his eyes, soaked in a clear spring, are dark and shiny, staring straight at her. "What's wrong?"

His face is really close. Perhaps if she leans forward just a bit, her forehead might touch his lips. His clean, shallow breath seems to fall on her face, intertwining with her breath.

Gu An gazed at her own shadow in the depths of his pupils, suddenly thinking that at this moment, in this place, in this scene, they appeared, perhaps, very much like a newlywed couple.

This sudden thought, along with the person now focusing intently on her, made Gu An feel like ice cream under the sun, helplessly melting away...

Jiang Yan lowered his eyes, his double eyelids gracefully creased, and it seemed like the little girl in front of him was getting shy again. The touch on his cheek was gentle but sincere.

For some reason, her hand paused, and she looked at him somewhat uncertainly, as if she wanted to say something. Before the words left her lips, her face turned red.

"I might need to touch your face... Otherwise, my hands are a bit shaky..."

Her voice was very soft, like cotton candy.

After Gu An spoke, her cheeks turned crimson. She had a history of taking advantage of others before, even though Jiang Yan was holding her hand to touch her... but she was thin-skinned, and even the most natural thing now felt unusually embarrassing.

Jiang Yan lowered his head to look at her, his black hair falling forward. He had fair skin, rosy lips, and deep black eyes, reminding Gu An of a young, handsome vampire, looking mysteriously alluring. Even the faint smile at the corner of his eyes seemed like a silent seduction.

"So why are you shy?"

His fingertip brushed her cheek, and because of his illness, his hand was always cool, gently caressing her warm cheek. Beneath his long eyelashes, his eyes slightly curved, pure and harmless.

He smiled at her like this, his cool, slightly lowered voice, nonchalant yet tenderly enticing, resonating in her ears.

"Brother has let you touch him before, hasn't he."

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