“But, Miss Wen, if you don’t let go soon, I won’t be polite anymore. Don’t go accusing me of being a pervert again.”
Hearing his teasing remark, Wen Zhi looked down and only then realized she had been holding his hand all along.
She quickly let go in fright.
The soft, delicate little hand slipped right out of Su Wenjing’s palm.
“Tsk.”
“Shouldn’t have mentioned it.”
Wen Zhi flusteredly withdrew her hand, but the warm sensation of the man’s touch seemed to linger in her palm.
“If I didn’t let go, couldn’t you have let go yourself?” Wen Zhi glared at him.
This guy really seemed to enjoy teasing her more and more.
“Ha.”
“When a beauty offers her jade-like hand so willingly, should I be the one to let go?”
“You think I’m Tang Sanzang? Someone who avoids women?” Su Wenjing enunciated his words with playful flirtation, leaning in slightly and lowering his head toward Wen Zhi until their faces were almost touching.
Wen Zhi blushed under his gaze and was the first to look away.
Too embarrassed, she reached out and gently pushed him away, unable to resist chiding him, “Why are you always so improper…”
A girl with a hint of shyness in her voice, even her accusations sounded soft and harmless, lacking any real threat.
Su Wenjing genuinely felt he had never been happier than at this moment.
He straightened up and stopped teasing her, afraid the young lady might not be able to handle it. What if she got scared and ran off?
“Let’s go, I’ll take you down the mountain. You should go back and rest.” He suddenly turned serious, as if the mischievous guy teasing the young lady earlier wasn’t him at all.
Wen Zhi didn’t speak to him either, perhaps still feeling shy. She let out a soft hum and walked straight to the passenger seat. Opening the car door and getting in, her movements were smooth and seamless.
Wen Zhi thought to herself, mainly because when Su Wenjing arrived earlier, he had opened the passenger door for her. It wouldn’t be polite for her to sit in the back on the way back, as that would make him seem like just a driver.
“Wow, quite self-aware, huh.” Su Wenjing couldn’t help but find her series of smooth actions amusing.
He lowered his head, chuckled softly, shook his head helplessly, and walked over to the driver’s seat.
Soon, the car smoothly turned around and sped down the mountain.
The night was as dark as ink, and the city’s neon lights flickered under the night sky like scattered stars.
Once off the mountain road, Su Wenjing drove steadily along the wide road. The soft interior lights illuminated his handsome face.
Suddenly, Su Wenjing’s phone rang, breaking the tranquility inside the car. He frowned slightly, glanced at his phone, and answered the call.
From the other end of the line came the loud voice of his grandfather, Wang Cheng, filled with displeasure.
“You brat! You’re already at the doorstep and you still won’t come in!”
Wang Cheng’s voice echoed inside the car, startling Wen Zhi a little. She looked at Su Wenjing and saw a hint of a helpless smile on his face.
“What, are you trying to emulate Yu the Great, passing by your own home three times without entering?!” Wang Cheng continued to question.
Su Wenjing sighed softly and held the phone a little farther away to avoid the loud voice disturbing Wen Zhi.
He replied, “Hey, hey, hey, at least pay a little attention to your refined scholar image, will you? Yelling like that all the time—if others hear you, it’ll ruin your reputation.”
“You’ve got quite the reputation, but I don’t see much filial piety from you—how many times have you actually come to visit me?” Wang Cheng said sarcastically.
Su Wenjing explained, “There’s a reason for that. I brought someone to take a spin around your treasured feng shui spot and enjoy the night view. She’s a bit shy and too embarrassed to come visit in person. I couldn’t just leave her and run home to keep you company, could I?”
“Tch, it’s your mouth—you can say whatever you want. All talk and no action,” Wang Cheng grumbled.
Su Wenjing smiled helplessly and continued to coax him. “Really, I’m not lying. How about tomorrow? I’ll set aside the whole day for you.”
“Fine, why not? But don’t think I don’t know who that girl you brought tonight is. You even dared to bring her right under my nose.”
Wang Cheng’s voice carried a hint of teasing.
Su Wenjing played dumb. “What girl? I have no idea.”
“Keep pretending, keep acting. I won’t pry into this matter, but tomorrow morning, you must show up in front of me.”
Wang Cheng’s tone left no room for doubt.
Su Wenjing had no choice but to compromise. “Got it, got it. Hurry up and go to sleep. If it gets any later, my grandma might come pull your ear.”
“Get lost!” came a vigorous retort, followed by the click of the call ending. Su Wenjing slipped his phone back into his pocket, a relaxed smile spreading across his face.
Wen Zhi, who had been listening nearby, only partially understood the conversation. Though she couldn’t grasp all the Cantonese, she got the gist of it. She blinked curiously and turned her gaze toward Su Wenjing.
“Um… is your grandpa urging you to go home?” she asked tentatively.
Su Wenjing turned to look at her, amused by her curious expression. He teased, “You understood that?”
Wen Zhi lifted her chin proudly and replied with a phrase she’d picked up from watching Hong Kong dramas: “Piece of cake.”
Su Wenjing nodded enthusiastically, praising her. “Wow, you’re a quick learner.”
“Student Wen Zhi is really clever,” he continued.
Wen Zhi felt a bit embarrassed by the praise. She cleared her throat and changed the subject. “Um, are you going to see your grandpa tomorrow?”
Su Wenjing nodded. “Yeah, if I don’t go, he’ll send someone to drag me back.”
“Oh.”
“What do you mean, ‘oh’? I invited you earlier, but you didn’t want to come.”
“Of course I couldn’t go.”
The car continued driving through the night, soon arriving at the hotel where Wen Zhi was staying. After parking, Su Wenjing turned to look at her. “Any plans for tomorrow?”
“Nothing much. Sleep, then fly to Haishi in the afternoon. I promised my little brother I’d take him to the amusement park.”
Su Wenjing nodded. “Alright. Want me to send someone to take you to the airport tomorrow?”
Wen Zhi shook her head. “No need. My dad already arranged a driver for me. I won’t trouble you, Senior.”
“Okay, then be careful on the road,” Su Wenjing reminded her.
“Let me know when you arrive.”
Wen Zhi nodded, then bid farewell to Su Wenjing, “Thank you for your hospitality tonight. When we return to Haishi, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
Hearing this, a clear smile appeared in Su Wenjing’s eyes as he teased her, “Miss Wen, why don’t you count how many meals you owe me?”