He Jinzhou paid the fine and brought Su Xiahe and Meng Wanxing out of the police station.
The man in the beige polo shirt also came out of the station. Watching the two girls’ slender figures from behind, a trace of guilt flickered across his face.
Don’t blame me either. The one who wanted to sabotage your tutoring job wasn’t me—I was just doing someone else’s bidding.
Who asked me to be the hired hand that day!
Back at school, He Jinzhou made Su Xiahe and Meng Wanxing each write a self-criticism letter and promise never again to look for tutoring work outside other schools’ gates. Only then was the matter dropped.
The next day.
Su Xiahe received a WeChat message from Shen Jin.
Shen Jin: [Video.mov]
She tapped it open. The video showed the little Labrador she had rescued at the street park that day.
The little guy was lying on the ground quietly eating dog food, looking pretty spirited.
It seemed the injury on its leg had improved quite a bit too.
She opened the chat and replied: [Thank you for your hard work. You’ve taken such good care of the dog.]
Shen Jin: [Its name is “Yuhe”]
Su Xiahe: “…”
So those were the two characters.
What a strange sense of humor?
Su Xiahe: [Oh.gif]
Su Xiahe: [How much did the dog food cost? I’ll transfer it to you.]
Shen Jin: [Let’s talk about money later.]
Shen Jin: [Do you want to come over and see the dog?]
She did want to, but…
Su Xiahe: [Wouldn’t I be disturbing you?]
Shen Jin: [No. I don’t have work these few days.]
Shen Jin: [Location: Jiangwan Mansion]
Shen Jin: [I’ll be home waiting for you.]
Su Xiahe gripped her phone, hesitating for a long time.
I’ll be home waiting for you.
Those four words were unbearably ambiguous.
Should she go to his place?
That wasn’t appropriate, was it?
But then again.
He was a gentleman, open and aboveboard, with no ulterior motives toward her. How could she keep letting her mind wander like this?
She shook her head. Su Xiahe, you’re being way too presumptuous.
Then she tapped the location to check the distance. It was very close to the school, and she looked up the bus route.
After that, she composed a message and sent it: [Okay, I’m heading out now. I should be there in about half an hour.]
Shen Jin: [Good.]
After sending the message, Shen Jin cast a sidelong glance at the dog.
The dog had been eating so joyfully that it momentarily forgot its current situation and got a little carried away.
It actually trotted over to Shen Jin’s feet and rubbed against his pant leg.
Shen Jin kicked the dog away in disgust. “Stupid dog. You’re not completely useless after all.”
Half an hour later, Su Xiahe arrived at Jiangwan Mansion.
Through the wrought-iron fence, she could see an endless sea of roses inside.
Beside them stood many white European-style benches.
The magnificent architecture was elegant and refined, solemn and stately.
This… was way too luxurious…
She stood at the entrance of Jiangwan Mansion and pressed the doorbell.
A servant heard the sound and walked to the iron gate without opening it. “Who are you?”
Su Xiahe nodded politely and replied, “I’m here to see Dr. Shen.”
The servant hesitated. “Please wait a moment. I’ll go ask Dr. Shen.”
Before the servant could turn around, she heard a gentle voice from behind.
“Aunt Zhou, let her in. She’s my friend.”
It was Shen Jin’s voice. He stood in the distance.
He wore a loose white shirt, its hem casually tucked into black casual trousers.
He looked far more approachable than before—not as cold and distant as when she’d first met him.
The servant immediately opened the door. “Very well, Dr. Shen.”
Su Xiahe stepped inside, and the servant quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t know you were Dr. Shen’s friend. I was rude just now.”
Su Xiahe shook her head. “It’s fine. My name is Su Xiahe. You can just call me by my name.”
She guessed the servant was around forty years old.
In terms of age, she counted as an elder.
So her tone carried a note of respect.
The servant smiled. “Miss Su, this way, please.”
Su Xiahe followed with quick, small steps into the living room.
She looked at the resplendent architecture before her, then at the two big red plastic bags in her hands.
A wave of embarrassment washed over her.
She’d thought that on a first visit, she couldn’t very well show up empty-handed.
So she’d bought two bags of discounted fruit from the stall at the school gate.
Even though they were discounted, they still looked fairly fresh, and she’d picked out a few with good shape and size.
But right now, she truly felt like she was dying of secondhand embarrassment.
She didn’t know what to say, and the atmosphere fell into an icy silence.
Shen Jin looked at the shy girl before him.
She was wearing a black dress with a pleated hem.
Shen Jin hid the delight rising in his heart.
Was it because she was coming to see me that she dressed up so carefully?
He broke the silence first. “Make yourself at home. Have a seat.”
“Oh, okay.”
Su Xiahe hesitated for a moment, then placed the two bags of fruit on the coffee table in the living room, setting her violin case aside as well.
“This is my first time visiting, and I didn’t know what to bring, so I just bought some fruit on a whim.”
Shen Jin glanced at the two red plastic bags…
I’m only worth a few lousy pieces of fruit?
Miss A-He, you really are quite casual about these things.
The servant brought over tea and refreshments. “Miss Su, please enjoy.”
“Thank you.” Su Xiahe nodded politely.
“Shen Jin first—”
Su Xiahe still felt it wasn’t quite appropriate to call him by his full name.
Shen Jin turned his head to look at her. “Is my name that hard to say?”
Su Xiahe was expressionless and said nothing.
“Then don’t call me by my name.”
Su Xiahe stared at him blankly, waiting for him to continue. “Then what should I call you?”
Shen Jin smiled warmly. “Call me ‘big brother.'”
Someday I’ll make you call my name until your voice goes hoarse.
Su Xiahe: “…”
Big brother…
That was even harder to say.
She started changing the subject. “Oh, right—where’s the dog?”
Shen Jin glanced at the soft lump cowering in the corner and called out, “Yuhe, come here.”
That name.
It really was…
Su Xiahe walked over, crouched down, and petted the dog, following along: “Yuhe, have you been eating properly these past few days?”
Shen Jin listened to her calling out the name “Yuhe” and felt it had a rather unique flavor to it.
If she knew the origin of that name, what expression would she have?
Would her face flush and her heart race?
He really wanted to see it.
The Labrador, who had been inexplicably given a perverted name, stopped eating and looked up:
Miss, he’s a bad guy, a pervert. Don’t let him fool you. Run away, quick.
Su Xiahe looked at its fearful yet profound expression. “Yuhe, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you eating?”
Yuhe stared at Shen Jin. “Arf woo, arf arf arf woo~”
Meaning: You need to run, run away now!
Su Xiahe couldn’t read its emotions. “What’s the matter with you?”
“He’s probably still not used to the environment here.”
Shen Jin also walked over, crouched down, and affectionately patted Yuhe’s head.
Yuhe kept shrinking back, but trembled even harder.
Yuhe: You pervert, don’t you dare touch me, get your filthy hands off me.
Su Xiahe said helplessly:
“Yuhe, you need to get used to living here quickly, okay? The uncle and auntie here really like you.”
Yuhe arfed: Like hell they do! This man is a pervert who uses scalpels to cut people open.