Metamorphosis

A single glance seemed to convey more than a thousand words, and Shen Yi gazed back at her just as intently.

Leaning down until their foreheads touched, he asked,

"What's wrong?"

Fu Nanzhi's nose twitched slightly, and her lips parted hesitantly before she spoke:

"Nothing... I'm just happy."

"Of course you are."

Shen Yi cupped her face in his hands,

"Your face blindness is gone—completely gone!"

"Mhm."

Fu Nanzhi nodded emphatically, planted a kiss on Shen Yi's cheek, and then added,

"It's all thanks to you."

Shen Yi froze for a moment, wondering if Fu Nanzhi had guessed something. He quickly played it off:

"What did I do? It’s not like I performed some miracle cure."

Fu Nanzhi pursed her lips in amusement before explaining,

"Before I met you, I couldn’t even remember what my parents looked like."

"Now, everything’s changed. How could that not be because of you?"

Realizing what she meant, Shen Yi chuckled and pinched her nose lightly.

"As long as you don’t blame me for altering your life."

"I wouldn’t."

Fu Nanzhi rested her head against Shen Yi’s shoulder, her voice muffled.

The two stood quietly in the living room, neither speaking.

The room was serene, and Fu Nanzhi leaned into Shen Yi, savoring the peaceful moment.

After a while, Fu Nanzhi’s breathing evened out as if she’d fallen asleep. Shen Yi patted her back gently and whispered,

"Tired, huh? It’s getting late."

"Let’s go to bed."

"Mhm."

Fu Nanzhi roused from her half-asleep state, pulled away from Shen Yi’s embrace, and straightened up.

"I’ll help you make the bed. Which color do you prefer?"

Shen Yi waved her off with a smile.

"No need. You haven’t even changed yours yet—I’ll handle it."

"As for the color, anything’s fine, just nothing too bright."

Fu Nanzhi pouted.

"You won’t even let me help..."

"What if you mess it up?"

Shen Yi pointed at his own face and laughed.

"You’re treating me like a baby who can’t even make a bed?"

"Go on, get some rest."

"Hmph."

Fu Nanzhi stomped her foot, grabbed a set of bedding, and muttered under her breath,

"So clueless."

"What?"

Shen Yi tilted his head.

"Nothing. I’m leaving."

With that, Fu Nanzhi headed upstairs to her room.

Shen Yi shook his head and crouched down to feel the fabric of the sheets and duvet cover.

He wasn’t familiar with bedding brands, but the material was undeniably soft and comfortable against the skin—clearly, Cheng Jun had put thought into selecting them, and they probably weren’t cheap.

Grabbing a plain-colored set, Shen Yi walked to the control panel, turned off all the lights on the first floor, and went upstairs.

Passing the second floor, he paused to listen. Whether due to soundproofing or the three women already being asleep, it was completely silent.

Shen Yi reached the third floor and entered his room.

The third floor had two master suites, and Shen Yi had chosen the one on the right.

The room was spacious, featuring a walk-in closet, bathroom, and even a small sitting area—compact but functional.

A decorative screen divided the space, and at the center stood an oversized bed, piled high with plush pillows, looking irresistibly cozy.

Shen Yi eyed the bed, then the bedding in his hand, muttering,

"Will this even fit?"

Guest room beds were usually smaller than master suites, and he wasn’t sure if Cheng Jun had accounted for that.

Tossing the bag onto the bed, Shen Yi wheeled his suitcase into the closet.

After unpacking and hanging his clothes, he stood back and remarked,

"This closet is wasted on me..."

His belongings barely filled a tenth of the space, leaving it feeling cavernously empty.

Grabbing a change of clothes, Shen Yi headed to the shower.

The bathtub was massive, but he bypassed it—filling it would take longer than three showers, and he couldn’t be bothered.

"Whoosh..."

Steam gradually fogged up the bathroom door.

Click.

The bedroom door creaked open, and a bright face peeked through the gap—Fu Nanzhi.

She’d changed into pajamas, her cheeks flushed pink from her own recent shower.

Closing the door quietly, she tiptoed inside.

Hearing the water stop, she knew Shen Yi was finishing up.

A mischievous idea struck her, and she hid by the door, ready to "surprise" him.

Meanwhile, Shen Yi wrapped a towel around himself and stood at the sink, pushing back his slightly overgrown hair.

"Forgot to get a haircut last time... I’ll go tomorrow."

He grabbed the hairdryer and ruffled his hair dry.

Towel secured, he pulled open the bathroom door to grab his clothes.

Fu Nanzhi seized the moment, leaping out with her hands raised like claws, eyes wide in mock menace:

"Boo!"

Shen Yi jolted so hard he nearly lost his towel.

"Jesus!"

He blurted out instinctively.

"Ha ha ha!"

Fu Nanzhi doubled over laughing, clutching her stomach.

"Surprise! Did I scare you?"

Shen Yi exhaled sharply, rolling his eyes.

"You... you’re ridiculous."

"Did you really come here just to startle me?"

Truthfully, he hadn’t been scared—just startled.

Honestly, with Fu Nanzhi’s delicate features, even her "scary" face was more adorable than frightening. If she were a ghost, she’d be the kind people willingly followed.

Dropping her act, Fu Nanzhi crossed her arms.

"I didn’t come just to scare you. There’s something important."

Shen Yi straightened, curious.

"What is it?"

Fu Nanzhi beckoned mysteriously.

"Look at this."

She rolled up her sleeve, revealing a slender, porcelain-smooth arm.

Shen Yi inspected it but found nothing unusual.

"What’s wrong with your arm?"

"Did you strain it moving stuff earlier?"

"No, not that."

Fu Nanzhi shook her head, thrusting her arm closer.

"Look again."

"Don’t you think I’ve gotten fairer?"

Shen Yi scratched his head. She was fair, but whether she’d gotten fairer was beyond him—to him, she’d always been pale.

Still, he nodded obligingly.

"Yeah, very fair."

"Right?"

Fu Nanzhi lifted her chin proudly.

"Honey, I almost had a heart attack in the shower earlier."

"Why?"

"I shed."

"Huh?"

Seeing his confusion, Fu Nanzhi leaned in and whispered:

"I was washing up, and when I scrubbed..."

Earlier, after making the bed upstairs, she’d stepped into the shower. The moment the water hit her skin, she’d felt an odd tingling.

She didn’t pay much attention at first, casually scrubbing her body. But as she did, her skin began to peel off like a thin shell wrapped around her, flaking away at the slightest touch. Fu Nanzhi was utterly terrified.

Fortunately, there was no other discomfort. In fact, her newly revealed skin was fair and smooth, almost delicate. She examined herself in the mirror for a long while before rushing over to share the discovery with Shen Yi.

"Honey, do you think I might’ve been a snake spirit in my past life?"

Listening to Fu Nanzhi’s vivid description, Shen Yi already had his suspicions. With a teasing smile, he played along to comfort her.

"A snake spirit? Then I must be Xu Xian, huh?"

"Stop joking! I’m being serious here."

Fu Nanzhi smacked his arm in annoyance, thinking he didn’t believe her. To prove her point, she undid the buttons of her pajamas, revealing her bare, flawless back.

The dazzling whiteness left Shen Yi momentarily stunned. Blinking in surprise, he asked,

"Why aren’t you wearing a bra?"