"Life can always disappoint you," Jin Guangyao murmurs more to himself than to Shen Yuan, though once he has said the words out loud, he finds himself wishing he could call them back again. He purses his lips into a line and carefully does not meet Shen Yuan's eyes in the mirror for a time, instead simply focusing on his chosen task: carefully guiding the comb through Shen Yuan's hair until he has satisfied himself that all of the kinks and knots have been worked through.

(A brief glance at their shared reflection, and he does spot that look, the colour high on Shen Yuan's cheeks, and this time when he presses his lips together, it is to stifle a smile. He has no idea, does he. He really doesn't.)

"How much length did you wish to take off?" he asks as he retrieves a straight razor from the basket. Yep, that's right, he's going to straight razor the ends off your hair, Shen Yuan.