Oh no! My yandere school beauty is so clingy!

Shen Yu and Lin Anran returned home. The house was quiet, with only the faint light of the motion-sensor light in the entryway turning on automatically.

After changing their shoes, the two of them almost simultaneously slumped onto the sofa, sinking into the soft cushions and letting out a long breath in unison.

The main lights in the living room weren't on; only a dim, yellow floor lamp was left on, casting their shadows on the wall in a soft, overlapping pattern.

It was quiet all around, so quiet they could hear each other breathing. This familiar darkness and tranquility, with only the two of them, made them feel exceptionally at ease, and their nerves, which had been tense all day, finally relaxed...

Lin Anran shifted on the sofa, moved closer to Shen Yu, and placed her hand on his shoulder. Her voice was still a little tired, but very earnest:

"Let me give you a massage; your shoulders must be really stiff."

Shen Yu glanced at her sideways, and in the dim light, he could see the faint blue under her eyes.

He gently took her hand that was resting on his shoulder and shook his head:

"No, you must be tired too. Let's take a shower early and then get some rest."

Lin Anran blinked, seemingly wanting to persist, but seeing that Shen Yu's expression was indeed tired, she nodded.

Then, a slightly mysterious, sly smile curved her lips, and her voice became lighter:

"Okay! I'll go first then!"

After saying that, she got up, barefoot, and quickly walked towards the bathroom.

A short while later, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

Shen Yu leaned back on the sofa, completely relaxing, and only then did she feel as if all the bones in her body had fallen apart.

He raised his hand and pinched his brow hard, where a dull, aching pain came from the tension and overthinking that had lasted for so long.

He was indeed very tired, the kind of tired that leaves him physically and mentally exhausted. He just didn't want to show it too much in front of Lin Anran, afraid that she would worry and try to take care of him, which would prevent her from getting enough rest.

The sound of water running in the bathroom was continuous and particularly clear in the quiet night.

The rustling sound, as if carrying some kind of hint, crept into Shen Yu's ears. He leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and images involuntarily surfaced before him... Lin Anran's warm skin, her moist, teary eyes...

It was the complete dependence she showed when she held him tightly...

It seems... there really have been a few days when, because of a series of events, they haven't had much of a proper time together...

Shen Yu coughed twice, as if trying to dispel the inappropriate thoughts in his mind.

He sat up straight, reached out and grabbed a book haphazardly from the coffee table. Without even seeing what it was, he opened it and tried to focus his attention on the dense text.

But the sound of water in the bathroom made him somewhat distracted.

After an unknown amount of time, the sound of water in the bathroom stopped.

After a while, the door was gently pushed open.

Lin Anran came out.

She wasn't wearing pajamas as usual; instead, she was wrapped in a large bath towel, her hair still dripping wet, which she casually draped over her head with another towel.

The bath towel wasn't wrapped too tightly, revealing her slender collarbone and rounded shoulders, her skin slightly pink from the steam.

Shen Yu's gaze was involuntarily drawn to her, lingering on her for several seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing...

Lin Anran seemed unaware of his slightly burning gaze, or rather, she was aware but didn't care.

She walked to the sofa and smiled at Shen Yu:

"Alright, Yuyu! Go wash up!"

Shen Yu's gaze shifted from her shoulder, meeting her clear, smiling eyes. He hastily looked away, nodded, and his voice was lower than usual:

"Oh well."

Shen Yu walked into the bathroom, where the warm water washed away her fatigue and dust.

After taking a shower, he haphazardly dried his hair with a towel and walked to the shelf where he kept his change of clothes.

He picked up the folded pajamas, paused for a moment, and then put them back.

He couldn't explain why, but somehow, he just put on his pajama bottoms, shirtless, and walked out of the bathroom while drying his hair with a towel...

The living room was pitch black; the nightlight had been turned off sometime ago.

Only a sliver of warm yellow light shone through the crack in the bedroom door.

Shen Yu was stunned. Lin Anran wasn't waiting for him in the living room; she was actually in the bedroom.

She would usually sit on the sofa in the living room, waiting patiently for him...

He walked to the bedroom door and gently pushed it open.

Lin Anran was already lying in bed, the blanket covering her completely, with only her small head showing, her long, black hair spread out on the pillow.

Hearing the door open, she turned her head to look at the doorway.

When her gaze fell on Shen Yu's bare upper body, her cheeks flushed red, all the way to her ears.

She pursed her lips, her throat bobbing involuntarily, blinked rapidly a few times, and then stared intently at him...

Shen Yu felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, but was more intrigued by her unusual demeanor.

He smiled, walked to the bedside, and spoke with a hint of teasing:

"What's wrong? Why are you in bed so early today? Are you tired? Want to rest early?"

Lin Anran didn't answer, but instead raised one hand, stretched it out from under the covers, and gently beckoned to him with her finger.

Her face flushed even more, her fingertips turning pink, and her voice was very soft, with a barely perceptible tremor:

"Yuyu...come here..."

Shen Yu's heart stirred. Although she was somewhat puzzled, she still went over as instructed.

He braced himself on the edge of the bed with both hands, one knee on the mattress, preparing to get on as usual. He had only leaned halfway down...

The blanket was suddenly pulled back by a corner.

A long, slender leg emerged from under the covers, carrying a hint of coolness and a smooth, silky touch, and gently draped over his bare shoulder...

Shen Yu's body froze instantly, his movements halted halfway.

His gaze unconsciously followed that leg.

From rounded ankles to slender calves, and then to smoothly contoured thighs...

The lighting was dim, but the black stockings on her legs... gleamed with a delicate, almost subtle sheen in the yellowish light, clinging tightly to her skin...

His breath hitched slightly, and he abruptly looked up, meeting Lin Anran's eyes...

Lin Anran's face was already incredibly red, and even the corners of her eyes were tinged with crimson.

She looked at him, her eyes darting away, yet carrying a mixture of desperate courage and shyness.

Her lips moved, but her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, thick with nasal tone and dependence:

"Yu Yu... I miss you..."

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Shen Yu's lips curled into a slight smile as he reached out and gently placed his hand on Lin Anran's ankle...

"Me too..."