After confirming that there was still time, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Got it. Thanks for coming over. I'll head there soon."
With that, Chu Lulin put down his phone, walked to the mirror, plugged in the hairdryer, pulled a chair over, sat down with his legs apart, and began drying his hair, running his fingers through it.
The whir of the hairdryer filled the air. His movements were unhurried, lazy yet with a hint of casual sexiness.
Liu Miaoke couldn't help but stare.
Once his hair was dry, he put away the hairdryer and turned around, only to find Liu Miaoke still at the door. He lifted his eyelids and glanced at her.
"Something else?"
Liu Miaoke gave a start and quickly waved her hands. "No, nothing."
She then hurriedly left, but before going, she couldn't resist stealing another look into the room, feeling puzzled.
Strange. Why was he showering at this hour?
It wasn't until the door clicked shut that Chu Lulin withdrew his gaze. He turned to the wardrobe, rummaged through it, but ultimately picked the simplest white T-shirt from the corner.
Holding the hem, he was about to change when he suddenly looked back at the door. After a moment's hesitation, he walked over and locked it from the inside.
*
The car drove for about an hour. Just as Jian Ran was about to doze off, it finally stopped at their destination—Quanyun Mountain Villa.
Quanyun Mountain Villa was situated halfway up Quanyun Mountain. It was originally a private villa but later developed into the high-end resort it was today.
The villa had complete facilities and a serene environment. Most guests came from big cities to relax, either exploring the local mountains and waters or simply hiding away from the world within the villa.
Either way, the villa took care of everything.
Jian Ran got out of the car. The security guard at the gate took her suitcase from Xiao Li and led her to the front desk for check-in.
The front desk girl handled the registration while calling their manager. "Miss Jian, please wait a moment. Our manager will be here shortly."
After about two or three minutes, Zhao Meng, the customer service manager, hurried over. Alongside her was a tall, slender young man.
From a distance, his face wasn't very clear, but his outstanding height and temperament were striking.
Dressed simply in a T-shirt and jeans, he somehow managed to look like he was wearing a high-end designer brand.
If she guessed correctly, this must be the villa's uniform. Jian Ran had noticed many people wearing it since arriving, the white T-shirt even bearing the villa's logo.
"Miss Jian, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I'm Zhao Meng, the customer service manager. We spoke on the phone earlier." Zhao Meng hurried over a few quick steps.
Jian Ran withdrew her gaze and politely shook hands with her. "Hello, Manager Zhao."
After greeting her, her eyes couldn't help but drift back to the young man who had just followed Zhao Meng.
Up close, she realized... what a stunningly authoritative face!
Under his neat black hair were deep, striking brows and eyes. His lowered lashes were distinct, and the light cast a faint shadow along the sides of his straight nose, outlining a perfect arc.
Her gaze continued downward, and she suddenly paused. Her pupils dilated slightly.
His lips... were incredibly lip-like!
She knew people who were hand-oriented or voice-oriented, but what no one knew was that Jian Ran was an incurable lip-oriented person!
The young man before her had lips that were a non-strict M-shape, widely recognized as "cool yet sexy."
But that wasn't the best part. The best part was that his upper lip wasn't the typical thin type—there was even a small, round lip pearl in the middle.
Those lips were simply tailored to her taste.
"Miss Jian, this is Xiao Chu. He will be your butler during your stay at the villa." Zhao Meng introduced him at the right moment, then reminded the young man to take the initiative to greet her.
But the young man didn't rush to speak. Instead, he first gave Jian Ran a slight nod.
So cocky!
Jian Ran raised an eyebrow involuntarily. She was always good at first impressions, and she immediately formed a judgment: taciturn, aloof, a hard-to-approach flower on a high peak.
But could such a personality really handle the role of a 'butler'?
Just as Jian Ran was wondering, the aloof young man suddenly curved his brows and lips, revealing an innocent smile.
With that smile, his entire aura transformed. What was especially surprising was the pair of small pear-shaped dimples at the corners of his mouth, completely at odds with his usual temperament.
So obedient.
Paired with his perfect lip shape—absolutely stunning.
"Hello, Miss Jian. My name is Chu Lulin."
The young man's eyes were clear, his smile bright and pure, carrying a youthful air untouched by the world.
He was a completely different person from when he wasn't smiling.
Jian Ran was a little surprised. She had actually misjudged someone for once.
This was hardly a hard-to-approach flower on a high peak; he was clearly just a simple, obedient boy-next-door.
But it was truly amazing how such contradictory qualities—aloofness and innocence—could coexist in one person.
Yet, strangely, it didn't feel incongruous.