A certain item on the dressing table caught Luo Yang's interest. It was a large eggplant wrapped tightly in a long thin plastic film, seemingly to keep it fresh.
"Sister Piao, do you like eating eggplant raw?" Luo Yang asked curiously.
"Huh? Oh! Yes, sometimes," Qin Piao admitted.
Her cheeks were pale with a blush, and her expression was shy, slightly embarrassed. Luo Yang thought it might be because he had entered her room that she felt uncomfortable.
"Sister Piao, maybe I should wait outside," Luo Yang suggested.
"Stay here. If someone knocks at the door, I can quickly poke my head out the window to check. Sit on the bed," she said.
As Qin Piao spoke, she picked up the large eggplant and stowed it away in a compartment inside the small wardrobe.
Seeing Luo Yang still standing, she lifted the mosquito net at the foot of the bed, hanging it on the hooks of the bed frame, and invited him again to sit on the bed.
Luo Yang had no choice but to sit at the foot of the bed, idly sitting and pulling out his phone to play.
"Niu Zai, I have two phones but I only use one. You can have the other," Qin Piao offered.
"No need. I'm good with this one," Luo Yang declined politely.
Nevertheless, Qin Piao still took out the iPhone 6S from the drawer of the dressing table, along with the charger, and handed them to Luo Yang.
When Luo Yang refused, she pouted her red lips pretending to be upset, yet her voice was soft and whiny, "Niu Zai, we are confidants, we've agreed to share our fortunes and face troubles together. Have you forgotten?"
With a smile, Luo Yang accepted the iPhone 6S. His SIM card was too big and he needed to go to a phone store to exchange it.
Qin Piao found a small plastic bag for Luo Yang, asking him to pack the iPhone 6S and accessories into it.
Seeing Luo Yang playing on QQ and WeChat, Qin Piao asked tenderly, "Hey, Niu Zai, can you teach me how to play? How do you do it?"
Luo Yang nodded, "It's very simple. Have you installed them on your phone?"
The two sat together playing with their phones, and Qin Piao added Luo Yang on QQ and WeChat.
Being so close, Luo Yang could smell the delicate fragrance emanating from Qin Piao's body, a blend of shampoo and air freshener, distinctly enticing.
When she talked, the warm breath she exhaled occasionally brushed against Luo Yang's shoulder and neck, creating a comforting, tingling sensation.
As he taught her how to use QQ, Luo Yang occasionally stole glances at her—her thin lips, soft face, curved eyelashes, dark eyes, and delicately structured features were undoubtedly beautiful.
Suddenly, a question surfaced in his mind, "Is she really a Husband Cursing?"
He dared not ask such a question.
Every so often, Qin Piao would lift her eyes, sneak a glance at Luo Yang with the corner of her eye, and the smile at the corner of her mouth deepened when she saw him looking her way.
As they were immersed in playing on the phone together, clear footsteps echoed in the silent night, approaching from afar and stopping just downstairs.
Qin Piao's pretty face and eyes instantly showed a layer of anxiety, clearly nervous.
Luo Yang leaned his mouth close to her ear and whispered reassuringly, "Don't be scared, I'm here."
Listening carefully, the person outside had walked up to the door, not knocking, but forcefully pushing the door, seemingly checking whether it was unlocked.
The sound of the door banging several times made not only Qin Piao, a lone and vulnerable woman, but also Luo Yang, jump.
The manner of pushing the door was malicious, and if the door had been pushed open, the person would most likely slip in and engage in some unlawful activities.
In a tense moment, Qin Piao grabbed Luo Yang's arm with both hands.
Luo Yang nodded to her, signaling her to stay quiet, then quietly got up and crept to the window to look down. As soon as the person below moved, he could see who it was despite the dim moonlight. By the figure, he could guess it was the local thug, Tang Jie.
In the dim light, flickers of fire from a cigarette glowed intermittently, as if Tang Jie was standing downstairs smoking, like it was his own house and he had stepped out for a smoke at night.
Seeing Qin Piao's face showing unease, he sat down beside her, bringing his mouth close.
Qin Piao's eyes widened, her mouth formed a smile, she bit her moist red lips gently, and slowly closed her eyelids, thinking Luo Yang was about to kiss her. To her surprise, he was about to whisper something, causing her thrill to diminish significantly.
"Sister Piao, it's Tang Jie hanging around outside, there's no need to worry, I'm here," Luo Yang whispered, practically touching Qin Piao's ear with his mouth.
Qin Piao also leaned her red lips close to Luo Yang's ear, her lips practically touching his ear, breathing warm air, and said, "Niu Zai, you are my support."
Looking at Qin Piao, seeing her blushing cheeks, misty almond eyes, and moist red lips was simply endearing.