Ryan showed the patience of someone coaxing a small child. He gently held Evelyn's hands and immersed them in the warm water, using his fingertips to slowly massage along the pale palms.

  The dried blood was stubborn, and he had to apply a little more pressure, but he remained extremely careful, afraid of hurting her.

  Evelyn lowered her gaze, her eyes fixed on the two hands intertwined in the water, gradually losing herself in thought.

  The water rippled faintly, her slender hands shimmering subtly in the warm glow, obediently allowing him to wash them.

  The two pairs of hands moved lightly in the water, sometimes touching, sometimes separating, tracing an intimate path in the clear liquid.

  Occasionally, Ryan would deliberately flick tiny splashes of water with his fingertips onto the back of her hand, a barely perceptible smile flickering in his eyes.

  She could clearly feel the warmth of his palms, spreading through her fingertips to every limb. Evelyn wanted to say something, but her voice was too soft to form.

  She secretly glanced up, catching sight of his focused profile. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, landing on the tips of his hair, making him look exceptionally dependable.

  Not far away, Darlene and Derrick huddled together, whispering, their voices low but full of excited gossip.

  "This change is way too fast!" Darlene clicked her tongue, her eyes scanning Ryan and Evelyn in disbelief.

  "They were practically at each other's throats just a moment ago, and now they're acting all lovey-dovey!" She muttered to herself, realizing this must be what"relationship mode" looks like.

  Derrick watched the two smiling at each other in the water, a hint of envy flashing in his eyes. Without thinking, he blurted out,"Do you want me to wash your hands too?"

  The moment he spoke, Darlene whipped her head around, glaring at him in shock."Are you crazy? Or is your brain broken?"

  She reached out, pretending to touch his forehead teasingly."Do you want me to release a bit of cold energy to cool you down? So you don't talk nonsense here."

  In the past, Derrick used to shout every day about tying her up and whipping her. How could he possibly have said something so gentle?

  Derrick quickly turned aside to avoid her hand, his cheeks instantly flushed red, his voice a mixture of embarrassment and anger."If someone asks me to wash, I'd still refuse!"

  He turned his face away, not daring to look into her eyes, but a flicker of panic rose in his chest. Seeing Ryan and Evelyn just now had caused him to speak instinctively—it had been a huge mistake!

  Darlene noticed the redness at his ears and a sly glint appeared in her eyes. She deliberately smiled, wiggling her hands in front of him."Really? Then come wash them."

  Derrick stiffened, turning around with even more embarrassment."I changed my mind! I'm not washing them!"

  Inwardly, he cursed himself: she didn't want it just now, and now she offered it voluntarily—does she really think I'm a servant who must obey her command?

  "You won't do it even if I give it to you," Darlene scoffed, retracting her hands, though a faint smile curved her lips and a soft blush touched her cheeks.

  She had only been teasing casually, never expecting Derrick to take her seriously, nor did she anticipate her heart would start racing.

  "Who says I won't!" Derrick spun around suddenly, determination flashing in his eyes."Just you wait! Next time, I'll wash them for you!"

  Darlene arched a brow and smiled, deliberately provoking him."Alright then, come on!"

  "I'll come!"

  The two stared each other down, the atmosphere instantly tinged with tension. Both cheeks carried varying shades of red, yet neither was willing to give in first.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  ......

  Ryan slowly lifted Evelyn's hands out of the water, and a smooth, soft towel appeared in his hands as if by magic.

  "No need, it will dry quickly," Evelyn instinctively tried to pull her hands back, but Ryan's steady hold on her wrists prevented her from escaping.

  "Be good." Ryan raised his eyes, his deep gaze locking onto her averted pupils.

  His focus was so intense that Evelyn's struggles gradually weakened, leaving her no choice but to let him hold her hands.

  Ryan's lips curved into a satisfied smile as he picked up the towel and gently wiped the water droplets from her palms.

  The towel felt incredibly soft, and it carried a subtle mixed floral fragrance.

  "Smells nice, doesn't it?" Ryan teased as he wiped.

  "This towel was made by soaking in the essence of ninety different flowers," he said, making it up on the spot. But seeing Evelyn sniff it seriously, he couldn't help feeling secretly delighted.

  The fresh floral scent lingered around her nose, deepening the blush on her cheeks even more.

  Ryan's heart leapt at the sight of her flushed face and reddened ears. Her affection level must have shot past 40%! Especially her ears—they were like a shy detector, turning red at the slightest embarrassment, irresistibly cute.

  "Evelyn, your face is red," Ryan teased, his voice carrying a playful tone.

  "No! You're seeing things!" Evelyn tried to hide the heat in her cheeks.

  But she had forgotten her ears. The faint redness stubbornly remained at the tips.

  She didn't even realize that her ears were her most sensitive feature. Whenever she felt shy, they were the first to betray her.

  "Looks like I really was seeing things," Ryan said, following her words, and deliberately let out a couple of silly laughs.

  His eyes never left her ears, thinking to himself: she looks too cute like this. I wish she could stay like this forever!

  Evelyn dared not meet his gaze and quickly turned her head, pretending to admire the scenery around her.

  Birds chirped in the branches above, but she could take in none of it. Her mind was entirely filled with the gentle touch of his hands on hers and the lingering floral scent.

  A brief silence fell between them, broken only by the rustle of wind and bird calls. The atmosphere was quietly intimate.

  After a while, Evelyn slowly turned her head, her eyes filled with deep remorse, her voice growing softer as she spoke:"I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have hit you so hard."

  Thinking of how near to death Ryan had looked, guilt surged through her. If her anger hadn't flared, she wouldn't have nearly hurt him.

  "It's okay," Ryan said calmly, putting away the enchanted towel.

  "I was too forward and offended you. I deserved that beating," he added, lightly massaging the back of her hand. The touch of her skin sent a flutter through his heart.

  Evelyn quickly withdrew her hand, hiding it at her side, fingertips curling slightly, afraid he might make another intimate gesture.

  But seeing Ryan's gentle smile deepened her guilt even further.

  "Do you feel any discomfort anywhere?" Evelyn asked, her voice soft with concern."Earlier, I didn't hold back—did I cause any internal injury?"

  Evelyn's gaze fell on Ryan's weak face, and her confusion deepened. Could it be that the power he displayed that night didn't come from himself, but from some kind of magical item?

  The thought had barely appeared when Ryan coughed a few times:"I feel a bit of tightness in my chest."

  "Don't move, let me check." Evelyn still couldn't calm her mind; the guilt she had felt earlier surged up again.

  She extended her hand, her fingertips glowing faintly with magical light, slowly reaching toward Ryan's chest.

  From a distance, Darlene and Derrick stared in disbelief, lowering their voices:"He's making a move again!"

  Darlene covered her mouth to stifle a laugh."They just finished washing hands, and now she's checking his injuries!"

  Evelyn's fingertips were cool, carrying the unique clarity of magic, and she gently pressed them onto his chest.

  She closed her eyes, channeling her mental focus into fine strands of magic, letting them seep through Ryan's clothing to carefully sense the flow of his magical energy and the state of his meridians.

  Ryan watched her intently, taking in her long eyelashes, her fair cheeks still tinged with lingering blush.

  Especially her ears, revealing a hidden shyness beneath her usual aloofness, so cute that he couldn't help but stare.

  While she still carried guilt in her heart, while she was completely unguarded, not taking this chance to get closer would be a disservice to his actor-level performance!

  With that thought, Ryan slowly lifted his hand.

  Evelyn was completely focused, having already scanned Ryan's meridians three times with her magic.

  Just as she was about to ask a question, she suddenly felt a warm touch on her cheek. Ryan's fingertips gently pinched the soft flesh of her face, then deliberately flicked it lightly.

  The soft rebound of her flesh was clearly perceptible, with a subtle elasticity.

  Evelyn's eyes snapped open, and she withdrew her hand from his chest. But this time, she didn't lash out in anger as before; she just glared at Ryan, her chest rising and falling slightly.

  I knew you couldn't bring yourself to hit me! Ryan's heart leapt, but he deliberately wore a look of innocent confusion, as if his action had been nothing more than an instinctive reflex.

  He even thought Evelyn's glare, tinged with embarrassment and anger, wasn't intimidating at all—it had a peculiar charm.

  Like a little cat that's been provoked, baring its claws but incapable of causing harm.

  "Don't do that again." The blush on Evelyn's cheeks instantly spread to her neck.

  She couldn't believe that Ryan would push his advantage, taking the chance to tease her while she was checking his injuries.

  To hide her embarrassment and prevent him from doing anything further, Evelyn conjured a thought and drew a veil over her face.