Pulling out her phone, she glanced at the Moments post she had made earlier. It sat there quietly, without a single comment.
She turned and started walking away.
She had to act as though she didn’t know the vehicle belonged to Lu Chengyue. Otherwise, her cover would be blown.
She walked deliberately slowly.
After only three steps, a familiar voice called out from across the street.
“X-Xu Wanning.”
The moment she heard him say her name, her heart clenched painfully.
Since returning from the future, this was the first time she had heard Lu Chengyue call her by name.
Suppressing the tears threatening to rise, she turned around with a bright smile.
“Hm? Brother Chengyue?”
“What are you doing here?”
Lu Chengyue strode over in a few long steps.
Lowering his head slightly, he looked at her while unconsciously rubbing his fingers against the seam of his trousers.
“I was buying a birthday gift for Zhiyu and happened to pass by.”
Xu Wanning put on an expression of sudden understanding.
“Oh, I see.”
“Have you bought it already?”
“Do you need my opinion?”
“I already bought it.”
“I was just about to head back.”
The truth was, he had bought the gift long ago.
He didn’t know why, after seeing her Moments post, he had somehow ended up driving all the way here on one of his rare days off.
All because she had posted a simple complaint about not being able to get a taxi.
“Did you manage to get one?”
“If not, I can give you a ride.”
Xu Wanning’s eyes instantly lit up.
“Really?”
“That’s great!”
“I still haven’t gotten a taxi.”
“I don’t know what’s going on today—it’s impossible to find one.”
“Running into you is such good luck!”
Her smile nearly blinded him.
How could someone smile so beautifully?
“L-Let’s go.”
He turned around, suddenly awkward enough to almost move both arms and legs on the same side.
Xu Wanning secretly laughed.
She knew it.
Lu Chengyue had fallen for her at first sight and only fallen deeper after that.
The only reason he never pursued her was because he couldn’t believe she would ever like him back.
In her previous life, when she had asked him about it, he had stubbornly denied everything.
Hmph.
Such a perfect opportunity couldn’t be wasted.
“Ah!”
She deliberately stumbled and fell forward toward his back.
The instant he heard her cry out, Lu Chengyue spun around instinctively.
His arm shot out and caught her around the waist, pulling her directly into his chest.
The tips of his ears immediately turned bright red.
Xu Wanning rested against his chest.
Her fingertips lightly brushed over the firm muscles beneath his shirt.
Eyes curved into smiling crescents, she looked up at him with open admiration.
“As expected of a firefighter.”
“You’re so strong.”
“Good thing you caught me.”
“Otherwise that fall would’ve hurt.”
Her voice was sweet but not overly sugary, carrying just the slightest hint of coquettish affection.
Lu Chengyue froze.
The sensation beneath his arm felt far too real.
Her waist.
It was so slender.
Even thinner than his forearm.
He felt like he could encircle it completely with one arm.
“I—I… um…”
He became so nervous he couldn’t even form a complete sentence.
“Hm?”
Since Lu Chengyue hadn’t let go of her, Xu Wanning had no intention of moving away.
She liked being held by him.
Lu Chengyue finally glanced down and realized how intimate their position looked.
Immediately, he stepped back and gently steadied her by the shoulders.
“Did… did you twist your ankle?”
Xu Wanning lowered her head and moved it experimentally.
“No.”
She had actually considered pretending she’d injured it so he would carry her to the car.
But she worried he might insist on taking her to the hospital.
It wasn’t the right time for that strategy yet.
She could save it for later.
“Then… let’s go.”
He turned away stiffly.
This time, however, he deliberately moved to one side and let her walk in front of him.
Xu Wanning obediently crossed the street.
When they reached the SUV, she headed toward the passenger side.
Just as she reached for the handle, Lu Chengyue had already stepped forward and opened the door for her.
“Thank you.”
She climbed in.
Then she gracefully drew her long legs into the vehicle.
Today, she had intentionally worn sheer black tights.
Lu Chengyue’s hand tightened unconsciously around the door frame.
His Adam’s apple bobbed.
Only after she was fully seated did he close the door and walk around to the driver’s side.
As soon as he sat down, Xu Wanning’s eyes flickered mischievously.
She grabbed the seatbelt and yanked hard.
When pulled gently, a seatbelt extended normally.
But when pulled sharply, it locked.
She blinked pitifully at him.
“Brother Chengyue… my seatbelt…”
Lu Chengyue had just fastened his own.
Hearing her voice, he looked over.
The instant he met those innocent eyes, his breathing stalled.
Unfastening his seatbelt, he leaned over.
“Let go.”
Xu Wanning obediently released it and waited with complete trust.
As his ear drew close, she gently blew on it.
Immediately, she watched it turn crimson red.
Hehe.
Feeling her warm breath brush against him, Lu Chengyue’s breathing grew heavier.
He couldn’t tell whether she’d done it intentionally or accidentally.
His hands moved faster.
The moment her seatbelt was secured, he practically fled back to his own seat.
“L-Let’s go.”
The drive back was surprisingly peaceful.
Xu Wanning sat quietly and behaved perfectly.
Not once did she actively flirt.
After all, playing hard to get was important.
If she chased too aggressively, men stopped cherishing what they had.
A notification suddenly sounded from her phone.
Opening it, she saw a voice message from Zhou Ke.
“Senior Sister, my grandfather wants to talk to you. Would that be okay?”
After thinking for a moment, she replied:
“Sure. I’ll stop by the shop later.”
Beside her, Lu Chengyue’s ears practically perked up.
The message had played aloud.
He had heard every word.
A junior student?
Why did his grandfather want to meet her?
What exactly was their relationship?
Xu Wanning noticed him unconsciously rubbing the steering wheel.
Whenever he felt anxious, he always rubbed whatever object happened to be nearby.
He had done the same thing in their previous life.
She didn’t expose him.
A little competition would only make him surrender faster.
And fall even deeper.
“Brother Chengyue.”
“Zhiyu’s birthday is tomorrow.”
“Did she tell you she’s inviting you and your teammates to dinner?”
Lu Chengyue nodded.
“She did.”
“She said all of you would be there too.”
Xu Wanning’s eyes sparkled.
“Right.”
“I’ve never really had a chance to get to know everyone before.”
“This time is perfect.”
“The firefighter standing guard at your station entrance the other day was pretty handsome too.”
Instantly, Lu Chengyue felt something lodge itself in his chest.
A strange, unpleasant pressure.
Pure irritation.
“He’s called Jiang Yishen.”
“Want me to introduce you?”
He spoke through slightly gritted teeth while stealing a glance at her.
Xu Wanning immediately waved her hands.
“No, no.”
“I’m not interested in him.”
“One of my roommates thought he was handsome.”
The chill around Lu Chengyue vanished instantly.
“Then who are you interested in?”
Xu Wanning’s eyes shimmered.
“You guess.”
Lu Chengyue immediately fell silent.
His heartbeat went completely out of control.
Was she doing this on purpose?
Or not?
Neither spoke again for the rest of the drive.
When they arrived at the university gate, Xu Wanning climbed out.
“Brother Chengyue, thank you for bringing me back.”
“See you tomorrow.”
He nodded.
“See you tomorrow.”
Xu Wanning turned and walked toward campus.
Only after her figure completely disappeared from view did Lu Chengyue finally drive away.
As he left, he silently cursed himself.
How pathetic.
A single young woman had him completely wrapped around her finger.
Xu Wanning reached the classroom just as class was starting.
She hadn’t had time to eat lunch.
Clutching her stomach, she pouted miserably.
“I’m starving.”
Wen Shuyang leaned over.
“Ningning, your storage space is packed with food.”
“Just sneak something out and eat it.”
Xu Wanning’s eyes widened.
“Oh, right!”
Quickly, she pulled a loaf of bread from her storage space and bent beneath the desk to eat.
This was a large lecture shared by several classes.
They were seated in the back row.
No one would notice.
She had only just taken her first bite—
“Xu Wanning.”
“Is Xu Wanning here?”
The professor’s voice suddenly echoed through the lecture hall.
Xu Wanning froze.
The bread was still in her mouth.
The sudden roll call nearly made her choke to death.