Chapter 24: Close Your Eyes

Qin Luo originally thought that after he answered Tang Yu’s question, her personality would drive her to continue prying.

However, the truth was that Tang Yu didn’t ask anything else, nor did she say another word. She simply ate her meal quietly, her movements gentle and deliberate, much like a refined lady from a television drama, with every gesture exuding elegance and grace.

Perhaps it was just an illusion, but Qin Luo felt that her brow had unfurled, holding a hint of lightness, and even the corners of her mouth seemed to be curling upward ever so slightly.

Once the meal was finished, Tang Yu wiped her mouth and said to Qin Luo, "I’m full, so I’ll head back to the dorm now. Thank you for today, and I’ll see you next time."

Qin Luo glanced at her and suddenly said, "Close your eyes for a moment."

Tang Yu looked at him, puzzled. "What are you doing?"

Qin Luo didn’t answer, smiling instead. "Just close them, it will only take a second. We’re in public, aren’t you worried I’d do something bad to you?"

Tang Yu couldn't help but frown. Ordinarily, she would never agree to such a thing, but she currently felt that her relationship with Qin Luo had reached the level of close friendship. Plus, since he had just helped her, she instinctively didn't want to refuse his request.

Besides, it was just closing her eyes; it wasn't a big deal. With so many people around, even if Qin Luo had bad intentions, he couldn't possibly act on them under so many watchful eyes.

With that thought, Tang Yu slowly closed her eyes, not forgetting to add, "Hurry up."

She didn't realize that her voice had lost its usual composure and confidence, trembling slightly, just like her long, slender eyelashes. The moment her vision vanished, the surrounding darkness and the uncertainty of what was about to happen caused her sense of security to dissipate rapidly. She tried to take a deep breath to relax, but her heartbeat quickened uncontrollably.

Just then, she felt her face being touched. More accurately, the area around her eyes was being brushed.

Tang Yu’s breath hitched, her body tensing instantly. Her instinct was to open her eyes and swat that hand away, but Qin Luo’s soft voice drifted into her ears, slow and steady.

"Don't worry, it’ll be over soon."

For some reason, that gentle voice seemed to have a magical quality, effortlessly smoothing away the tension in her heart. She resumed breathing and tried to let her tense body relax, finally deciding not to open her eyes.

With her vision temporarily blocked, her other senses were heightened. Tang Yu could feel a finger tracing lightly around her eye sockets, and it seemed to be coated with something like a cleanser—cool and smooth to the touch. As it blended into the skin around her eyes, she felt an inexplicable sense of comfort.

Yet, the more she felt it, the faster her heart raced. Even though she considered Qin Luo a friend and felt a degree of gratitude toward him, such behavior was already overstepping boundaries. A sensation she had never experienced before began to invade her heart, causing her emotions to spiral into confusion.

Knowing she couldn't let this continue, she asked, "What exactly are you doing?"

As she spoke, she finally opened her eyes.

The moment her vision returned, she saw Qin Luo pulling his right hand back, a trace of white cream still lingering on his fingertip. In his left hand, he held a small, exquisite wooden box containing a substance that looked like vanishing cream.

"All done," Qin Luo said, appraising Tang Yu’s flawless, fair face with an appreciative look. He nodded in satisfaction. "That looks much better now."

Tang Yu raised an eyebrow, instinctively touching her face. "What did you put on me?"

Qin Luo explained casually, "A type of skincare product. It’s very effective for brightening the skin."

Tang Yu’s expression was subtle; his explanation was unexpected. Although what he held did look like skincare, what sane person would suddenly pull out skincare products to apply to a girl's face after a meal? She had lived for twenty-one years and had never seen such a bizarre move!

Tang Yu felt offended—one might even say teased—and for a moment, her gaze toward Qin Luo turned unfriendly.

Qin Luo, however, remained unfazed. He pulled out his phone, tapped a few times, and held the screen up to her.

Tang Yu took a look, her expression gradually shifting to one of surprise. She couldn't help but touch the area around her eyes, clearly seeing on the phone screen that the dark circles which should have been quite prominent were now completely gone.

Not only that, but her skin also appeared much smoother and fairer than before. This wasn't an illusion, nor was it a beauty filter on the phone; it was a genuine, tangible effect.

There is no woman in this world who doesn't love beauty, even someone like Tang Yu, who rarely wore makeup and seemed indifferent to her appearance. Being able to become fairer and more beautiful was something every woman desired, so to Tang Yu, this was a sudden, pleasant surprise. The resentment of feeling offended or teased vanished instantly.

"What an amazing skincare product. It took care of my dark circles with just one application... What brand is this?" Tang Yu couldn't help but ask, already planning to buy two cases of it as soon as she left the cafeteria.

However, Qin Luo replied, "It’s not a brand. It’s just a test product a friend gave me. It hasn't been mass-produced yet, so this is the only one I have."

"A test product?" Tang Yu’s tone grew tense. She was afraid that such unbranded products might have side effects. Women love beauty but naturally fear becoming ugly; no woman could accept damage to her skin, so her anxiety was understandable.

Seeing this, Qin Luo laughed and reassured her, "Don't worry, I've used it many times myself; there are no side effects... By the way, in the three months we've known each other, haven't you noticed me getting more and more handsome?"

Tang Yu was speechless for a moment before retorting, "Handsome or not aside, I have discovered that you are quite narcissistic."

After saying that, she scrutinized Qin Luo carefully, her gaze lingering on his face, and eventually accepted his claim. Because what Qin Luo said was true—over these past three months, he had indeed become increasingly handsome.

She remembered three months ago, when Qin Luo went to confess to Xu Ke. Back then, although he was tall, his presence wasn't remarkable, and his looks were only slightly above average—he was handsome, but not enough to make a woman obsessed.

Yet, after these three months, his appearance had subtly improved, and his temperament had become increasingly refined. Tang Yu hadn't noticed it before, but now that he pointed it out, she realized it really was the case.

Could this all be the effect of that skincare product? As Tang Yu thought this, her eyes became suddenly fiery as she looked at the container.

Qin Luo noticed this, gave a wide grin, and slowly put the beauty cream away.

Tang Yu: "..."

She gave Qin Luo a resentful look. She wanted to ask for some, but couldn't bring herself to say it. Then she heard Qin Luo say, "I’ve already used this one, but my friend will be getting more for me later. I’ll give you a brand-new box then."

Upon hearing this, the corners of Tang Yu’s mouth curled up involuntarily, but she quickly regained her composure. She replied expressionlessly, "That’s fine. I didn't really want it that much, but if you insist on giving it to me, I won't refuse. After all, it's the thought that counts."

*Oh, look at that, getting all tsundere now?*

Qin Luo smiled at her, then left the cafeteria with her. After exchanging a few words, they parted ways and returned to their respective dormitories.

Tang Yu didn't notice that her steps on the way back felt much lighter than usual. She only felt that she was in a good mood. She knew this was due to Qin Luo's influence, but she didn't probe deeper, simply because the feeling made her feel very comfortable.

However, this comfortable mood didn't last long. The moment she stepped into Room 606 of the girls' dormitory, it was easily shattered.

A lingering, gloomy atmosphere filled the room. Tang Yu was no stranger to this atmosphere, as it had frequently appeared since the day before yesterday, after Qin Luo pulled that bold stunt at the entrance of the girls' dormitory building. The source of this negative energy was, naturally, Xu Ke.

At this moment, the "ice queen" was sitting upright in her chair. She faced the door, staring expressionlessly at Tang Yu as she walked in. Her cold eyes flickered slightly, like a dancing flame.

Since it was the lunch break, the others in Room 606 were also present.

Yao Yanyan lay on her bed, squinting at Tang Yu, her expression a mix of surprise and playfulness. Chu Sijin was snacking as usual, potato chips in her left hand and a cola in her right. Compared to her twin sister, this older sister was sometimes more of a homebody.

The look in her eyes as she gazed at Tang Yu was filled with immense surprise, and the same went for her twin sister. Even Chu Liunian was unusually not watching anime or playing games today; the astonishment on her little face was undisguised, as if she were seeing Tang Yu for the first time.

Their reactions, observed by Tang Yu, made her sigh inwardly.

She didn't need to guess to know that photos of her and Qin Luo eating in the cafeteria had been uploaded to the campus forum, and they had seen them. This was all within her expectations, so although Tang Yu felt helpless, she had already prepared a response in her mind.

She slowly walked to the table and sat down, saying calmly to Xu Ke, "I ran into Qin Luo by chance today. I originally wanted to ask what his current thoughts were regarding you, but it turned out he helped me with a big favor, so I treated him to a meal. Don't overthink it."

Tang Yu spoke in a measured, deliberate tone, and her reasoning was perfectly legitimate, leaving no room for critique.

But the others' expressions remained strange. Xu Ke sneered and struck back hard: "Is it me overthinking, or are you just feeling guilty?"

This attack was extremely aggressive, causing Tang Yu to frown involuntarily. "You don't need to speak to me like that. He and I are just friends."

"Friends? Can friends do something like this?!"

As if her tail had been stepped on, Xu Ke stood up from her chair, losing control of her emotions, and thrust her phone screen toward Tang Yu.

Tang Yu took one look, and instantly felt her temples throbbing.