Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1075 Quick Freezing

Lin Xiaocha sighed for the umpteenth time as she stared at the gym mirror. Her hair was a mess, beads of sweat beaded her forehead, and the collar of her workout clothes was tilted to one side. She looked beyond the pale, unrefined image of "elegant fitness." The stinging pain in her cheeks when she flicked the resistance band against her face for the third time finally made her realize something was seriously amiss. She rubbed her flushed cheek, the red mark standing out against her fair skin like a rebellious birthmark. Just then, a familiar voice suddenly rang from behind her, a voice tinged with a hint of teasing and laziness that instantly froze her. "Need a private trainer? It's free." Lin Xiaocha's heartbeat quickened, like a fluttering deer. She slowly turned around and saw the figure she had been thinking about so much—Xu Yang. He was wearing a black sports vest that perfectly outlined the smooth curves of his arms. The contours of his muscles, faintly visible under the gym lights, exuded a sense of strength. Sweat trickled down his neck, soaking the collar of his tank top. This didn't diminish his handsomeness; instead, it added to his sexiness. Lin Xiaocha swallowed hard, her throat feeling a little dry. She mentally encouraged herself: "Lin Xiaocha, hold on! This time, I must show my ladylike side. I can't make a fool of myself like I did last time at the supermarket." She forced what she thought was a gentle and appropriate smile, but her voice was a little strained. "No, I can do it myself..." Before she could finish her words, she suddenly remembered the high-leg exercise her coach had taught her, thinking it would be a good opportunity to showcase her athletic prowess. She took a deep breath and suddenly lifted her leg, intending to perform a perfect high-leg. Unfortunately, her sneaker laces had come undone. Just as her foot was halfway up, the laces, like a playful little snake, tangled around her ankle. Lin Xiaocha tripped, lost her balance, and with a cry of "Ouch!", she landed hard on the yoga mat in an awkward, sprawling position. "Puff!" Xu Yang's laughter echoed in her ears. It wasn't loud, but it carried through clearly, shaking her eardrums. Lin Xiaocha wished she could dig a hole and bury herself in it. She closed her eyes, bit her lip tightly, and didn't even have the courage to look up. The soft yoga mat on the floor didn't alleviate her embarrassment at all. She could feel the curious gazes of the other gym-goers around her, those eyes piercing her like needles, making her feel uncomfortable. After a while, she felt someone squatting next to her. A hand hovered just above her ankle, cautiously probing. "Can you get up? I'll help you tie your shoelaces?" Xu Yang's voice still held a lingering smile, but it was also tinged with concern. Lin Xiaocha's eyes snapped open, and the embarrassment she felt surged. She didn't want him to see her in such a state again, so she blurted out, "Don't move!" She struggled to sit up, but in her panic, her hair somehow got tangled in the elastic band of her sweatpants. She raised her head suddenly, and with a hiss, she felt a sharp pain in her scalp. She grimaced in pain, and tears were about to come out. Xu Yang looked at her like this, and the smile on his face faded a little, replaced by helplessness and a barely perceptible heartache. He suppressed his smile, reached out, and carefully helped her untie her hair from the elastic band. His fingertips were light, with a slightly cool touch, and inadvertently brushed across her earlobe. At that moment, it was like a weak electric current running through, and both Lin Xiaocha and Xu Yang were stunned. The air seemed to freeze at this moment, so quiet that she could hear the humming of the treadmill in the distance and each other's slightly rapid breathing. Lin Xiaocha's heart was beating so fast that it seemed to jump out of her throat. She subconsciously raised her head and met Xu Yang's gaze. There was no longer the playfulness in his eyes, but some emotions that she could not understand, as deep as a lake. Sunlight filtered through the gym window, casting a soft shadow on his eyelashes and making his eyes appear particularly gentle. Lin Xiaocha's gaze drifted uncontrollably downward, resting on his sharply defined collarbone. A few glistening beads of sweat clung to it, rising and falling gently with his breathing, exuding the unique charm of a young man. Somehow, a sentence completely irrelevant to the current situation suddenly popped into her mind, and without even thinking, she blurted out, "Your dumplings are delicious." The moment she said it, she regretted it and wanted to slap herself. "Lin Xiaocha, Lin Xiaocha, what are you talking about!" Xu Yang clearly hadn't expected her to say that. After a moment's pause, he burst out laughing. This laugh was a bit more hearty than before, dispelling the slightly ambiguous and awkward atmosphere. "Next time, I'll treat you to fresh ones?" He looked at her, a smile in his eyes. "I have frozen glutinous rice balls in the freezer." Lin Xiaocha blushed again, lowered her head, and murmured, "Hmm." But her heart felt sweet as if she had a piece of candy in her pocket. That day, they stood by the yoga mat and chatted for a while. Xu Yang asked her some questions about fitness. Although Lin Xiaocha had just made a fool of herself, she was still very knowledgeable when she talked about these things. After all, she had done a lot of homework. As they were chatting, Xu Yang suddenly suggested that she go to his house to cook on the weekend, as a thank you for her "good review" of the dumplings last time. Lin Xiaocha agreed without thinking, and the joy in her heart was about to overflow. On the way home, she hummed a little tune all the way, and her steps were much lighter. As soon as she entered the house, she rummaged through the drawers to look for clothes. She opened the wardrobe, spread all the clothes on the bed, and tried them on one by one. This one is too casual, that one is too formal, this one is too bright in color, and that one is too old-fashioned... After choosing for a long time, she finally chose a floral dress. She had just bought this skirt a few days ago. It was simple and elegant, with elegant small floral prints on it. She thought it would make her look intellectual and elegant, and very suitable for visiting a boy's house. She turned around in front of the mirror with satisfaction, not noticing that there was a small piece of ketchup on the corner of the skirt that she had accidentally rubbed against it when she was shopping at the supermarket last time. It was like a naughty little mark, silently witnessing her fate with Xu Yang. Lin Xiaocha looked in the mirror, imagining the scene of cooking with Xu Yang on the weekend, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise again. She prayed silently in her heart: I hope everything will go smoothly this time, and don't let anything go wrong again.