"It's definitely him… how could he do that?
But wait, he lives here?" Yuhan muttered under his breath as he bent to gather the boxes scattered around him. The elevator incident replayed in his mind like a cruel little joke.
Just then, Li Hao came back in, both hands full.
"Guess who I just saw," Yuhan said, his voice nosy and dramatic even amidst the mess around them.
Li Hao dropped his boxes and crouched beside him to help.
"Who?" he asked,only to stop halfway when the elevator door dinged open.
Both of them froze.
Standing there, tall and cold as marble, was Chen Zixuan.
"Speak of the devil," yuhan whispered.
For a second, Zixuan didn't move. His gaze swept across them, sharp but unreadable, like he was looking through them. Then, unexpectedly, he stepped out of the elevator and bent down beside them.
The air grew tight. Yuhan blinked, unsure if he was seeing right.
Zixuan picked up one of the fallen boxes effortlessly, glanced sideways at Yuhan, and then flashed the faintest, most mocking grin. His teeth gleamed.
"Need a hand?" he said smoothly, even though he already knew how much that grin would annoy Yuhan.
"So, you're aware of your fault," Yuhan said, narrowing his eyes.
Li Hao immediately hit his arm. "Don't start again."
Zixuan raised a brow, unfazed. "Scratch that. I don't make mistakes. I'm just here because I took pity on you. And besides—" he tossed a glance at Yuhan, "—you're my assistant."
With that, he stepped back into the elevator, grabbing a few boxes as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"If you want to help, just say so," Yuhan muttered, following him in with Li Hao.
"Me? Help?" Zixuan scoffed. "Stop joking, Assistant Liang."
"You're back here because half of this was your fault," Yuhan shot back. "I tripped because of you."
Li Hao just stood there, waiting for someone to press the button.
"You must have heard me wrong," Zixuan said coolly. "I don't—wait, what floor?"
"Sixteen," Yuhan replied, crossing his arms.
"I don't make mistakes…" Zixuan paused, then turned sharply. "Wait—sixteen, you said?"
"What, is your ear hurt or something?" Yuhan said pointing to his ear without thinking.
Zixuan looked at him over his shoulder, frown deepening as if processing something.
"You're going to floor sixteen?" he asked, this time his tone serious.
Yuhan blinked, confused. "What…? Don't tell me you're going there too. Or..." he squinted, "...you live there?"
Zixuan didn't answer. He just stared.
"You do," Yuhan said, realization dawning.
Li Hao, who had been stuck silently between the two the entire time, finally sighed. "Please tell me you're not neighbors…"
The elevator door dinged open, and the three of them stepped out slowly.
"What room are you—" both Yuhan and Zixuan said at the same time, stopping mid-sentence to glare at each other.
"Let's say it together, alright?" Yuhan suggested, his tone half-challenging, half-playful.
Zixuan crossed his arms. "Fine."
"One… two… three—"
"203."
"204."
Li Hao gasped dramatically, his jaw dropping. "You guys are actually neighbors!"
Silence hung for a beat. Then Yuhan and Zixuan turned their heads toward each other, disbelief and irritation flashing across their faces.