Clumsy Tenderness

In the cramped kitchen, the sounds of spatulas clattering, hot oil sizzling, and the range hood humming together create a symphony of everyday life.

The sweet and sour aroma of tomatoes and the fresh fragrance of shrimp quickly filled the air.

Aemeath held a spatula and stirred the food in the pan.

Lu Yan stood half a step behind her, his arms naturally encircling her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder once more.

"It smells so good~" Lu Yan took a deep breath.

"Of course, look who made it." Aemeath picked up a piece of egg covered in tomato sauce with her chopsticks, blew on it gently, and then held it to Lu Yan's lips. "Try it, how's the saltiness?"

Lu Yan opened his mouth and ate the egg, chewing it carefully. "Mmm, perfect. The sweet and sour flavor is just right; it's the best tomato and egg stir-fry I've ever had."

"Smooth-talking." Although Aemeath said this, the smile in the corner of her eye betrayed her true feelings.

A simple meal of two dishes and a soup was quickly served.

The two sat facing each other, enjoying this simple yet incredibly delicious dinner under the warm glow of the pendant lights. They chatted casually as they ate, discussing their plans for getting their marriage certificate in a few days.

After dinner, Lu Yan very conscientiously took on the task of washing the dishes, while Aemeath comfortably nestled back on the sofa in the living room.

Night had completely fallen, and the city's neon lights flickered outside the window.

After washing the dishes and drying his hands, Lu Yan walked to the sofa and sat down next to Aemeath.

Aemeath skillfully draped her leg over Lu Yan's leg, leaned to the side, and rested her head on his shoulder.

A mindless comedy variety show was playing on the TV screen, with exaggerated sound effects and the guests' laughter echoing in the living room.

Actually, neither of them was really paying attention to the TV. Lu Yan's one hand was gently resting on Aemeath's waist, while his other hand was idly playing with her thigh, as if he were handling a work of art.

"A-Yan, look at that guest, he's so clumsy, he can't even pass such a simple game." Aemeath pointed at the TV screen, laughing uncontrollably.

"Yeah, she is pretty clumsy." Lu Yan casually agreed, but his gaze remained fixed on Aemeath's profile.

The dim light from the television screen cast shadows on her face, making her delicate features appear even more soft and beautiful. Her long pink hair cascaded into his arms, exuding a pleasant fragrance.

Just as the variety show was interrupted by commercials, Aemeath suddenly darted out of Lu Yan's arms like a nimble snake.

She stood up, patted the wrinkles off her clothes, and then turned to look at Lu Yan.

"It's almost time!" Aemeath smiled and reached out, grabbing Lu Yan's large hand and pulling him up from the sofa. "Let's go, Master Lu!"

"Where are we going?" Lu Yan stood up as she pulled him up, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Aemeath didn't answer, but instead pulled him straight towards the bathroom. As she walked, she glanced back at him and said with a grin:

"Go check out the exclusive service you promised me today. Come on, let me teach you how to treat my beautiful hair properly~"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan paused slightly, then turned and gripped Aemeath's soft little hand tightly.

"Are you really going to teach me now?"

Looking at her long, flowing pink hair, which cascaded like a waterfall, Lu Yan recalled the boast he had made that afternoon. His heart skipped a beat, and his voice carried a rare hint of nervousness:

"Honey, you have to teach me properly. I don't want my soft, smooth hair to be messed up by my clumsy hands. If my hairstyle is ruined in the wedding photos, I'll really be a sinner."

"Don't worry, with this master personally guiding you, I guarantee you'll learn it in no time!" Aemeath proudly raised her chin.

Pushing open the bathroom door, a faint aroma of fragrance filled the air.

The bathroom ceiling light emitted a soft, non-glaring glow, illuminating the spacious sink and a large half-length mirror.

"The first step, and the most important one." Aemeath pushed Lu Yan to the sink, then turned around, stood in front of the mirror with her back to him, and handed Lu Yan a wide-toothed wooden comb.

"Before washing your hair, you must comb it thoroughly. There can't be any knots, otherwise it will get tangled in the water and easily break." Aemeath looked at Lu Yan in the mirror and solemnly imparted her secret.

Lu Yan took the comb, took a deep breath, and then carefully walked behind Aemeath, reaching out his left hand to gently lift a lock of her long pink hair.

"Should we start combing from the roots?" Lu Yan asked, like a model student eagerly seeking guidance.

"Idiot, start from the ends!" Aemeath looked at Lu Yan's alarmed expression in the mirror and couldn't help but laugh. "First, comb out the knots at the ends, then slowly work your way up. That way, you won't pull your hair and get a headache."

"Okay, let's start with the ends." Following her instructions, Lu Yan took a comb and gently began to comb her hair from the ends.

He moved slowly, afraid that if he used too much force, he would hurt her.

In the quiet bathroom, the only sound was the soft rustling of a wooden comb through the hair.

Lu Yan's gaze was a hundred times more focused than when he was painting.

He watched as strands of pink hair slipped through his fingertips, the delicate, smooth touch giving him an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

"Hmm~~ Master Lu's technique is pretty good, the pressure is just right." Aemeath closed her eyes, feeling the slight tug on her scalp, and gave a comfortable compliment.

After finishing her tidying up, Aemeath turned around and pointed to the faucet on the sink.

"Next is the second step: wash my hair. You should be familiar with the process." Aemeath closed her eyes and waited.

Lu Yan turned on the tap, rolled up the cuffs of his white shirt, placed the inside of his wrist under the water, and carefully turned the hot and cold water valves.

"Is this temperature okay?" Lu Yan cupped the water, which he had adjusted to the correct temperature, in his hands and offered it to Aemeath so she could feel it.

Aemeath extended her finger and probed it, then nodded in satisfaction.

Lu Yan picked up the showerhead beside him, controlled the water flow, and gradually wet her hair completely. The warm water flowed along her pink hair, and a thin layer of steam gradually rose in the bathroom, covering the mirror with an ambiguous white mist.

Lu Yan turned off the shower, picked up the shampoo from the sink, and squeezed a large amount into his palm.

He rubbed his hands vigorously, and soon, dense white foam expanded in his palms, filling the small bathroom with a rich, sweet peach scent.

Lu Yan took a deep breath, gently placed his foam-covered hands on Aemeath's scalp, and began to massage.

"Mmm... so comfortable~" Aemeath exclaimed sweetly.

Lu Yan's slender fingers moved between the dense foam and soft hair. His fingertips pressed against her scalp, rhythmically circling, pressing, and rubbing.

"A-Yan ~" Aemeath's eyes were closed, her voice becoming soft and gentle, "Your massage is so comfortable, I'm almost falling asleep."

"Don't sleep, we still need to apply conditioner later." Lu Yan's voice became exceptionally gentle and husky in the steamy air. "What if you fall asleep and accidentally choke on the water?"

"No way, you're here to protect me," Aemeath matter-of-factly, feigning innocence.

After rinsing off the shampoo foam, the most important step—hair care—begins.

Aemeath opened her eyes, turned to look at Lu Yan, and pointed to the round jar from before. "Next, we'll get to the main event. Open it and scoop out an amount about the size of two coins."

Lu Yan's expression hardened. He unscrewed the cap, looked at the milky-white cream inside, carefully scooped out a little with his finger, and then held it up to Aemeath's face, gesturing with extreme precision. "Is this enough? Isn't it a bit too little?"

"Just a little more, my hair is very long." Aemeath looked at his cautious manner, and her heart was overflowing with sweetness.

Lu Yan added a little more and placed it in his palm.

"Now, rub them evenly in your palms." Aemeath said, placing her small hand on the back of Lu Yan's large hand, gently bringing his palm together and rubbing. "Yes, that's it. Then, use your fingers, like a comb, to slowly comb from the middle of my hair to the ends."

Following her instructions, Lu Yan gently grasped the strand of pink hair with both hands.

"Remember this most important point," Aemeath turned her head, her tone suddenly becoming serious, "Never, ever apply hair mask to your scalp, otherwise your hair will be flat and oily after it dries."

"Okay, I got it. I absolutely won't touch the scalp." Lu Yan nodded repeatedly, his eyes focused as if he were handling a rare treasure.

His fingers moved through the damp hair, evenly applying the hair mask with a faint floral scent to each strand.

Fearing he might get it on his scalp, his movements were somewhat stiff and slow, each stroke carefully executed. His hands, usually so adept at drawing, now seemed clumsy and helpless when faced with these soft strands of hair.

"A-Yan, your hands are too stiff, relax a little~ My hair isn't glass that breaks at the slightest touch." Aemeath couldn't help but tease him, feeling his slightly trembling fingertips.

"No, this is a big deal, it depends on how good our marriage certificate photos will look, we can't be careless." Lu Yan was extremely serious, completing each action meticulously.

He gently rubbed the ends of his hair, which were covered in hair mask, a few times to help absorption, until all the strands of hair became smooth.

"All applied. What's next?" Lu Yan let out a soft breath, a fine layer of sweat even appearing on his forehead.

"Next, take that hot towel and wrap it around my hair. We need to wait quietly for fifteen minutes," Aemeath instructed.

Lu Yan took the hot towel he had prepared earlier and gently coiled up her long hair, which was covered in hair mask, and then wrapped it tightly with the towel.

After finishing all this, he sat down on a small stool next to Aemeath, pulled over a dry towel to wipe his hands, and his deep eyes were full of relief after completing the task.

"How do you plan to keep me company during this long fifteen-minute wait, Master Lu?" Aemeath turned around, resting her chin on her hands, and looked at him with a smile.

The steam in the bathroom carried a pleasant floral scent, blurring their faces slightly.

Lu Yan reached out and gently rubbed Aemeath's flushed cheeks with the back of his fingers, his voice low and mellow. "How would you like to kill time? Or, shall we review the poses we practiced in front of the mirror this morning?"

"No way! I have a big towel wrapped around my head right now, it doesn't look good at all," Aemeath pouted coquettishly.

"Who said that? I think she looks absolutely gorgeous." Lu Yan's gaze traced her features inch by inch, his eyes filled with deep affection. "Whether it's the radiant Little Aemeath of the usual time, or the Little Aemeath Ai now with a towel on her head, obediently waiting for me to fix her hair, she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life."

"You... your words are getting sweeter and sweeter." Aemeath's heart skipped a beat, and the blush on her cheeks was not only from the temperature in the bathroom, but also from the undisguised affection of the man in front of her.

She couldn't resist leaning forward and gently pecking Lu Yan's lips. "This is a reward for Student Lu is well-behaved, obedient, and studies diligently."

The fifteen-minute wait flew by amidst their sweet bickering.

Lu Yan carefully rinsed the hair mask thoroughly, making sure there was no residue left.

Then, Aemeath's hair in a dry towel, picked her up horizontally, and carried her out of the steamy bathroom, back to the cool and comfortable bedroom.

He had Aemeath sit on the edge of the bed, while he brought out the hairdryer and plugged it in.

"Sit still, I'm about to begin the final step." Lu Yan turned on the hairdryer and set it to a warm, low setting.

With the gentle hum of the hairdryer, Lu Yan's slender fingers once again ran through the pink strands of hair. He held the hairdryer in one hand and gently manipulated the hair with the other, his movements practiced and tender.

A warm breeze swept by, and the floral scent, a blend of shampoo and hair mask, instantly filled the entire bedroom.

Aemeath closed her eyes, feeling the comfortable warmth on her scalp and the gentle touch of Lu Yan's fingertips.

The feeling of being wholeheartedly cared for by a loved one is still so familiar.

When his hair was about 70-80% dry, Aemeath suddenly grabbed Lu Yan's wrist.

"Wait, there's one last step!" She pointed to a small glass bottle on the bedside table. "That's hair oil. Squeeze two drops into your palm, rub them together to warm them up, and then apply it to the ends of your hair, just like you did with the hair mask."

Lu Yan turned off the hair dryer and obediently did as instructed. The hair oil had a very light texture and a pleasant peach scent. He carefully massaged the oil into the ends of his hair, then turned the hair dryer back on to dry his hair completely.

As the last bit of moisture dissipated, her long pink hair, as smooth and lustrous as the finest silk, exuded a captivating fragrance.

Lu Yan turned off the hairdryer and set it aside. He stood in front of Aemeath, gently cupped her long hair, which he had personally cared for, in his hands, and took a deep sniff.

"It smells wonderful." Lu Yan's voice was filled with undisguised satisfaction. "And it's so soft and smooth. It seems I've successfully completed my apprenticeship."

Aemeath stood up, wrapped her arms around his neck, looked up at him, and saw his handsome face reflected in her eyes.

"Master Lu's skills are so good, then from now on, you'll be in charge of all my hair care from now on!" she announced with a smile.

"It's my honor." Lu Yan casually put his arm around her waist. "Not only your hair, but your future, I'll take care of it all."