Bathroom Incident

As night deepened, the clamor of the city beneath its newly lit streetlights gradually faded, leaving only the occasional sound of passing cars to break the silence.

Gu Yue was home alone. A faint lavender fragrance filled the spacious house. She only wanted to take a nice bath and relax. Steam swirled through the bathroom as warm water washed over her skin, carrying away the exhaustion of the day.

The clock on the living room wall pointed to nine thirty. Gu Yue hummed a cheerful tune, gently rubbing her fingertips through the ends of her hair.

She cherished this rare time alone, and even the air seemed to grow gentler. Just as she closed her eyes to rest, a faint electronic sound came from the lock—the sound of the password lock being cracked.

With a click, the security door slowly opened. Tang Wulin entered carrying a bag of fresh fruit, followed by Xu Xiaoyan and Xie Xie. The three had just returned from shopping, relaxed smiles still on their faces.

"Gu Yue! We're back!" Tang Wulin raised the shopping bag in his hand. "We bought your favorite strawberries and grapes."

Tang Wulin casually set the fruit on the coffee table, but suddenly frowned. "Wait, I need to use the bathroom first." His expression was a little unnatural. He had clearly been holding it in for quite a while.

"Where's Gu Yue?" Xie Xie asked curiously.

"Don't ask so much. I'm going first." Tang Wulin practically rushed toward the restroom, his hurried steps making it seem as though he were fleeing something.

The restroom was right next to the bathroom, separated only by a thin frosted glass door.

The instant Tang Wulin pushed open the door, the sight before him froze him in place—through the rising steam, he could clearly make out the outline inside the bathroom.

Gu Yue stood with her back to the door, her wet long hair clinging to her back. A bath towel hung loosely around her body, large swathes of snow-white skin appearing and disappearing through the hazy steam.

In that instant, time seemed to freeze. Tang Wulin's eyes widened uncontrollably, his heart pounding like a drum. His mind went blank, leaving behind only one thought—I'm finished.

"Ah—!"

Gu Yue's scream shattered the quiet of the bathroom. She spun around abruptly, and the bath towel slipped off, exposing her completely to Tang Wulin's gaze. In that instant, fury, shame, and shock tangled together. Gu Yue's face flushed crimson, and blazing anger ignited in her eyes.

As if scalded, Tang Wulin whipped around, his back pressed tightly against the cold tiled wall. His trembling hand fumbled for the handle and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

"Gu Yue! Gu Yue, listen to me!" he shouted incoherently from outside the door. "I didn't mean to! I really didn't mean to! I just really had to pee! I didn't see anything!"

Gu Yue's suppressed sobs and furious growl came from inside the bathroom. "Get lost! Tang Wulin, get lost! I don't want to see you!"

"Gu Yue, calm down first. Listen to me..." Tang Wulin's voice was clearly panicked. "I really was just in a hurry to use the restroom. I pushed the door open and then... I turned around immediately, I swear!"

"Shut up!" Gu Yue's voice had already taken on a sobbing edge. "Get out! All of you, get out!"

Xu Xiaoyan and Xie Xie looked at each other in the living room. With one glance, they instantly understood what had just happened.

Xie Xie could not help snickering. He nudged Xu Xiaoyan with his elbow. "Hey, Wulin's really lucky. He got quite the eyeful this time."

"Xie Xie!" Xu Xiaoyan's face went pale with fright. She hurriedly covered his mouth. "Are you crazy? How can you say something like that out loud?!"

Unfortunately, it was already too late. The sounds from the bathroom came to an abrupt stop, followed immediately by Gu Yue's enraged roar. "Xie Xie! Just you wait!"

Hearing that, Tang Wulin grew even more anxious. "Gu Yue, it's not what you think. Xie Xie just has a loose mouth. Don't lower yourself to his level..."

"Out!" Gu Yue's voice was decisive. "Everyone, get out immediately!"

Helpless, Tang Wulin could only turn toward the living room. "Xu Xiaoyan, Xie Xie, you two should go home first. Gu Yue's in a bad mood right now. We'll come see her another day."

Xie Xie wore a gleefully malicious expression. "Come on, Wulin, aren't you being a little unfair? Gu Yue gets mad, and you kick us out?"

"You still dare say that?" Tang Wulin glared at him. "If it weren't for that foul mouth of yours, Gu Yue would've calmed down already!"

Xu Xiaoyan pulled Xie Xie toward the door. "Enough, enough. Let's go back first. We'll come apologize tomorrow."

After the two left, Tang Wulin stood outside the bathroom door and continued soothing her softly. "Gu Yue, I know you're angry right now, but I really am innocent. You have to believe me. My feelings for you have never changed..."

Rustling sounds of clothing came from the bathroom. About ten minutes later, the door finally opened. Gu Yue wore a simple white T-shirt and jeans, her hair still wet and her face as cold as ice. Without even looking at Tang Wulin, she walked straight toward her bedroom.

"Gu Yue..." Tang Wulin tried to step forward, but she coldly avoided him.

Gu Yue entered her room and locked the door without hesitation. Tang Wulin's hand remained suspended in midair, hanging there awkwardly. He sighed and leaned against the hallway wall, his heart filled with conflicting emotions.

At that moment, Xie Xie, who had somehow slipped back, stood at the entryway waggling his eyebrows at him.

"So? Has Gu Yue calmed down?" Xie Xie asked with a mischievous grin.

Tang Wulin shot him an irritated glare. "This is all your fault! If you hadn't run your mouth, I would've coaxed Gu Yue into calming down already!"

"I was only telling the truth." Xie Xie said shamelessly. "But seriously, Wulin, you really came out ahead this time. Gu Yue's so pretty, and normally you can't even get a look at her. This time, you completely..."

"Xie Xie!" Unable to endure it any longer, Tang Wulin grabbed him by the collar. "Do you think this is funny?"

"Hey, hey, hey, don't hit me!" Xie Xie dodged while begging for mercy. "I was wrong, okay?"

"What were you wrong about?" Tang Wulin asked through gritted teeth.

"I shouldn't have said nonsense, I shouldn't have made things worse, I shouldn't have..." Xie Xie counted on his fingers. "Anyway, I just shouldn't exist, all right?"

Tang Wulin let go and straightened his clothes. "Fine, hurry up and go home. Remember, no one is allowed to mention what happened today again, especially anything about Gu Yue."

"Got it, got it." Xie Xie patted his chest in promise. "But boss, seriously, you really were pretty unlucky this time."

But from another angle, getting to see Gu Yue in her true form means even taking a beating wouldn't be a loss, right?"

"Are you done yet?" Tang Wulin raised his fist as if to hit him, and Xie Xie hurriedly fled with his head covered.

The two chased and tussled around the living room until Tang Wulin's fist landed on Xie Xie's shoulder, making him grimace in pain. "Ow! Boss, you hit really hard!"

"Good. At least you know it hurts." Tang Wulin snorted coldly. "If you dare spout nonsense again next time, it won't end this simply."

Xie Xie rubbed his shoulder and said pitifully, "I was wrong, really wrong. But boss, you have to admit, this is pretty awkward."

Tang Wulin sat back down on the sofa and picked up the fruit that had yet to be put away. "No kidding. Who could've expected something like this to happen? I was only in a hurry to use the restroom, and then..."

"And then you ran into the most spectacular moment of your life." Xie Xie finished the sentence for him, then burst out laughing.

Tang Wulin rolled his eyes. "Can you be serious for once? Gu Yue probably hates me to death right now."

"Hates you?" Xie Xie tilted his head and thought about it. "I don't think so. She's really angry right now, but you should know Gu Yue is actually a very kind person. Once she calms down, she should understand."

"I hope so." Tang Wulin sighed, popped a strawberry into his mouth, and said, "Right now, I only hope she'll forgive me soon."

"Don't worry. Women always say one thing and mean another." Xie Xie spoke as though he were an expert. "Maybe she'll come looking for you herself tomorrow."

"Where does that confidence come from?" Tang Wulin questioned.

"Experience." Xie Xie smiled mysteriously. "All right, I'll stop messing with you. I really need to head back."

"Come later tomorrow, or you might get beaten up."

"Got it." Xie Xie walked to the elevator, then suddenly turned back. "Wulin, no matter what, your brother still supports you. Keep it up!"

After the elevator doors closed, Tang Wulin stood alone at the entrance, staring blankly at the lights at the end of the hallway.

What had happened tonight was far too unexpected. He had no idea how he was supposed to face Gu Yue.

Returning to the living room, he rearranged the fruit on the coffee table, only to notice a faint sliver of light shining from beneath Gu Yue's bedroom door.

It seemed she had not gone to sleep yet. Maybe she was still angry over what had happened.

Tang Wulin picked up his phone and hesitated for a long time, but in the end, he did not call Gu Yue. He knew that any explanation right now might only backfire.

The best course was to give her time and space, and let her calm down on her own.

He walked to the balcony and looked down at the traffic-filled street below. The night breeze softly brushed his cheeks, carrying the warm glow of distant neon lights.

The city's nights were always like this—peaceful amid the clamor, lonely beneath the bustle.

His phone vibrated. It was a message from Xu Xiaoyan: "Wulin, are you home? Is everything okay with Gu Yue?"

Tang Wulin replied, "I'm home. Gu Yue is still angry, so I won't disturb her for now."

"Then get some rest early. We'll think of a way to cheer her up tomorrow."

"Mm, thanks."

Setting down his phone, Tang Wulin took a deep breath. Tonight's experience had taught him that the worst situations often arrived without warning.

He just did not know whether Gu Yue saw it the same way.

The night grew deeper, and the city lights gradually became sparse. Tang Wulin sat on the sofa, listening to the faint sound of breathing from Gu Yue's room, his heart filled with both guilt and anticipation.

Tang Wulin stared at the ceiling, the image he had just seen replaying endlessly in his mind.

The shock and impact still lingered in his heart, leaving him both ashamed and confused.

He knew he had to take responsibility for it and find a suitable way to win back Gu Yue's trust.

The answer to that question would probably have to wait until tomorrow.