Chapter 118: A Girlfriend Can Check In at Any Time

Qin Yichi held her tightly, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other cupping the back of her head, leaving her no room to struggle. Qiao Zhen gave up, resigning herself to her fate as she buried her face in his chest. Outside the window, the gentle sound of the sea lapping against the shore was intoxicating.

Before long, Qiao Zhen keenly sensed the man’s physical reaction. She stiffened, her scalp tingling, her cheeks burning with heat. "Qin Yichi, you pervert!"

Hearing this, Qin Yichi slowly loosened his grip, his Adam's apple bobbing as he spoke in a low, husky voice, "It’s a natural phenomenon. My body likes you so much that whenever I see you, I can’t help but..." In front of Qiao Zhen, all his willpower and self-control shattered into pieces.

The more she heard, the redder her ears became, and she instinctively lowered her head. Qin Yichi chuckled as he carried her to the bed and tucked her in. "Be good, I’m going to take a cold shower." He had planned to spare her for the night, fearing she would be exhausted from the many travel activities planned for tomorrow. Besides, they were still in college and young; he didn't intend to truly cross that line yet. He simply couldn't bear to...

Qiao Zhen lay on the soft seashell-shaped bed, leaning against the plush cushions, tilting her head to watch him. Qin Yichi placed the watermelon on the nightstand and, fearing she might be bored, handed her his phone. "The password and payment code are your birthday."

Qiao Zhen held his phone, stunned, her eyes shimmering with a hint of a smile. "Really? I can look at anything?"

Qin Yichi, while gathering his pajamas, looked up with his dark, alluring phoenix eyes, his thin lips curving into a smile. "Of course. I have no secrets from my girlfriend, and you’re welcome to check up on me whenever you like."

He took his pajamas into the bathroom, closed the door, and soon the sound of rushing water filled the room. Qin Yichi didn't know that his sincere words were gently striking Qiao Zhen’s heart with every syllable. Her heart raced, bubbling over with an inexplicable, budding joy that made her want to roll around on the bed. It felt as if sweet little flowers were blooming in her heart.

She pursed her lips and hurriedly reported to her "strategists." Even during summer break, the dorm group chat was always buzzing with 99+ messages. As soon as Qiao Zhen popped up, the other three responded instantly:

[Yun Yue]: "Wait... he proactively let you check his phone? And even gave you his payment password!"
[Sheng Lulu]: "Ahhh, I don't believe it! Is this a sci-fi movie? Does such a carbon-based life form actually exist? [Black person question mark meme]"
[Chen Meixiang]: "Zhenzhen, remember to check his WeChat chats, who can see his Moments, his TikTok likes and follows, check for secret accounts, search history, and notes..."

***

After replying with "Mm-hmm," Qiao Zhen curiously unlocked Qin Yichi's phone. She had never doubted him, trusting him completely; she was simply curious about what he usually did so she could understand him better.

The phone wallpaper was a photo of them confessing their feelings on the mountaintop; the lock screen was the same. Opening WeChat, the only pinned chat was her, saved as "Little Darling" with a red heart. In that instant, Qiao Zhen’s heart felt like it had been struck by an arrow, bursting with countless glittering ribbons.

She scrolled slowly. Qin Yichi’s WeChat list was long, but most were inactive. His daily chats were all with guys, mostly about games, with the most frequent phrase being "getting online." As for his Moments, every post about her was set to public, visible to everyone; there were no filters. Each post had over a hundred likes, with strings of comments like: "So happy for you two!"

Qiao Zhen lowered her eyes, feeling inexplicably cherished, like the apple of his eye. She bit her lip, exited WeChat, and opened TikTok to check his likes and following list. They were mostly sports stars, motorcycle racing clips, anime highlights, and some emotional videos with titles like: "What gifts to give your girlfriend," "How to make a relationship last," "How to be a competent boyfriend," "How to make your girlfriend happy"...

As she scrolled, Qiao Zhen’s eyes grew hot, her nose stung, and her heart softened bit by bit. Following her friends' advice, she opened his notes. There was only one folder titled [Qiao Xiaozhen]:

"Her favorite fruits are strawberries, watermelon, and peaches. She has a mild allergy to mangoes and hates dragon fruit."
"For milk tea, she likes jasmine green tea, iced black tea, strawberry matcha milk... less ice, 50% sugar, add pearls, add taro paste depending on the situation."
"Her period is..."

Everything about her was recorded there. He had even silently noted down a concert she had once mentioned in passing. Qiao Zhen hung her head, as if wrapped in warmth; a current flowed through her, and ripples spread across her heart. The softest part of her soul had been touched with precision.

Meanwhile, the sound of water from the bathroom drifted to her ears. Qiao Zhen felt a lump in her throat, inexplicably recalling the two times Qin Yichi had helped her before:
— "Zhenzhen, I want to help you; it will make you feel good."
— "I guarantee our little birthday girl will be satisfied~"

Qiao Zhen covered her face, feeling as if she were burning up. The more she thought about it, the more restless she felt.

***

Kind people should help each other. After a long while, she made up her mind, gathered her courage, and walked to the bathroom door to knock twice. The person inside didn't seem to hear; there was no response.

Qiao Zhen emboldened herself, turned the knob, and opened the bathroom door with a click. She poked her head in, her voice sweet and soft: "Qin Yichi, I want to help you~"

Inside, Qin Yichi seemed completely unprepared for this scene. His body stiffened abruptly, and his eyes filled with astonishment. Through the transparent glass, the two looked directly at each other. Qiao Zhen saw his wild, seductive physique in full view.

The man had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his frame tall and statuesque, perfect like a Roman sculpture, radiating pure masculine energy. A single drop of water traced a path down his defined Adonis belt. The visual impact was overwhelming.

Qiao Zhen’s breath hitched, her brain stalled, and her heart felt like it was about to explode. Qin Yichi raised an eyebrow, turned off the faucet with a look of intrigue, and walked toward her with a smirk: "What did you just say?"

Qiao Zhen came to her senses, her scalp tingling, and she hurriedly tried to cover it up: "Nothing, I'm so sleepy, I'm going to bed, never mind helping you, haha..."

As soon as she finished speaking, she slammed the door shut with a "bang," her heart pounding in terror. Help, this is too scary. Ahhhhh!!! Even though she had mentally prepared herself, it was just...

Qiao Zhen scrambled to dive into the covers. But the next moment, the bathroom door swung open, and a powerful arm pulled her back effortlessly: "Too late."

Qiao Zhen felt the world spin as she was abruptly pressed into the corner of the bathroom, her back against the cold tiles. The door closed again. The bathroom was filled with mist, the air humid, thick with a lingering, romantic tension.

Qin Yichi braced a hand against the wall, trapping Qiao Zhen firmly in his embrace. With a look that was half-smile, half-gaze, his voice grew exceptionally husky and seductive: "So, my girlfriend wants to help me?"