Xie Ning glanced out of the corner of his eye at Xia Zhi’s raised feet, then suddenly walked toward the mouth of the alley.
He bent down to pick up the high heels that had been abandoned in the puddle.
From behind him came Xia Zhi’s voice,
“Don’t pick them up, I don’t want them anymore…”
Xie Ning felt a bit helpless.
It seemed the young miss truly didn’t understand that things could be washed clean when they got dirty.
But his temper wasn’t good enough to turn around and explain it to Xia Zhi.
He spoke coldly, his voice clear and slightly magnetic, but his tone… as gloomy as ever,
“If I throw the shoes away, do you plan to… keep stepping on my hand?”
Xia Zhi blinked. “…Oh.”
He’s so fierce…
For some reason, Xia Zhi was a little afraid of Xie Ning.
Afraid of being scolded, she could only obediently keep quiet.
She watched as Xie Ning reached out, hooking the pair of light champagne-colored high heels from the puddle with two fingers.
Xie Ning carried the high heels back and gently placed them on the ground in front of the chair.
Then, wearing only a pair of sweatpants, he walked into the convenience store.
A few minutes later, he emerged, carrying a pack of bottled water in his left hand and a pack of tissues in his right.
Without a word of explanation, the man walked to the roadside, crouched down,
and began washing Xia Zhi’s shoes.
The small bottles of mineral water were 330 milliliters each, with twelve bottles in the pack.
Xie Ning opened two bottles, rinsing one shoe inside and out, but his mind wandered,
‘These are new shoes, aren’t they? Judging by the wear on the soles, they’ve been worn less than a hundred steps… How many shoes does this young miss have, anyway…’
Shaking off his thoughts, he opened two more bottles and rinsed the other shoe clean.
Then he took the tissues and carefully dried them.
Xie Ning carried the clean shoes back and placed them beside Xia Zhi’s feet.
Clever as he was, when facing this pampered young miss, he had already learned to anticipate her needs.
He took the initiative to ask,
“Your feet… should I wash them too?”
Xia Zhi sat on the chair, looking up at him with a slightly dazed expression.
Probably… she had never considered such an “unrefined” method, but deep down, she thought it was a good idea…
The young miss nodded,
“Okay~”
Then, still sitting, she stretched her feet toward Xie Ning’s legs.
“?”
Xie Ning looked at her, confused.
“?”
She looked back at him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
After five long, suffocating seconds…
Fudan University’s proud Xie, the campus heartthrob, was so shocked that he lost his composure, his expression changing,
“Huh? You want me to wash them for you?”
Well, Xia Zhi was sitting, and her feet couldn’t touch the ground, so it really was inconvenient.
Xie Ning convinced himself with this reasoning.
The young man crouched down again, unscrewed a new bottle of mineral water, and poured it over Xia Zhi’s feet.
“Ah… it’s so cold!”
Even though it was summer, the temperature difference between the mineral water and body temperature was still quite significant.
The delicate young miss shrank back instinctively as the cold water splashed over her.
Xie Ning glanced up at her but said nothing.
However, he softened his movements, slowing the flow of water.
In the middle of the night, City S was far from asleep.
The city streets were brightly lit, with cars flowing like water and crowds bustling like dragons.
At the intersection of the old city and the modern metropolis, it was an exceptionally rare quiet spot.
Outside the deserted convenience store at the mouth of the alley, a radiant and beautiful woman sat obediently on a green bench, stretching out her feet. A tall, handsome young man crouched beside her, opening bottle after bottle of mineral water, silently pouring it over her feet.
The bright lights from the convenience store shone through the glass, casting their elongated shadows on the ground.
Two shadows were positioned exceptionally close, almost overlapping, then slowly engulfed by the spreading water.
Once all the water was used up, Xie Ning coughed lightly twice, stood up, and sat down beside Xia Zhi.
In this weather, there was no need to wipe; feet would dry quickly on their own.
After her feet had dried, Xia Zhi finally put on her shoes.
Turning her head, she gave Xie Ning a sweet smile.
“Thank you, Xie Ning. You’re really kind.”
It was the first time Xie Ning had heard a girl say he was kind.
Feeling a bit awkward, he touched his nose.
“Last time at the hotel… I should be the one thanking you.”
Xia Zhi smiled gently, not wanting to make Xie Ning uncomfortable, and modestly replied,
“It was nothing. You know, we rich kids have a lot of free time. It was just a small favor; don’t worry about it.”
“Heh…”
The man lowered his head and chuckled, no longer dwelling on the matter.
Casually, he asked Xia Zhi, “How did you know my name?”
“I heard it that night at the hotel,”
Xia Zhi answered, then suddenly remembered she hadn’t introduced herself yet and looked apologetic.
“My name is Xia Zhi.”
“Xia Zhi…”
Xie Ning lowered his gaze, staring ahead, and repeated the two words.
Young Miss, Xia Zhi.
“Should I call a taxi to take you home?”
“…No.”
Xia Zhi had never taken a taxi in her life.
Ride-hailing services were even more unfamiliar to her.
Xie Ning thought for a moment, then smiled to himself before pulling out his phone and handing it to her.
“Then call someone to pick you up.”
“Oh.”
Xia Zhi only remembered a few phone numbers—her dad’s, Pei Yuhuan’s…
Oh, right!
Xia Zhi called her best friend Bai Jiyue, gave her the location, and waited for her to come pick her up.
From Bai Jiyue’s home to here, it would take at least 20 minutes even at the fastest.
Approaching midnight, the wind at the intersection carried a slight chill.
Xia Zhi was dressed lightly, and she had just washed her feet with cold water…
As the night breeze brushed past, she shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.
Xie Ning glanced at her from the corner of his eye and pursed his lips.
Truthfully, the convenience store behind them had hot coffee or heated boxed soy milk.
But Xia Zhi was so delicate; she had probably never drunk such cheap street beverages. Xie Ning couldn’t bring himself to ask.
And truthfully, just two minutes through the alley on the right would lead Xia Zhi to his home, where she could sit for a while.
But…
Xie Ning thought about his home—so small, so old.
To a young miss like her, it was probably as dreadful as the flyers on the walls or the puddles on the ground.
He couldn’t bring himself to ask that either.
Xie Ning stood up and pulled out a cigarette case.
“I’m going for a smoke.”
Leaving the convenience store entrance, he walked into the nearby alley.
Xie Ning stood sideways, facing Xia Zhi’s direction, slightly lowered his head, and lit a cigarette.
Then he turned his face away, slowly exhaling pale gray smoke.
The man’s tall figure stood in the shadows, smoking. Behind him, the pitch-black alley contrasted sharply with the brightly lit buildings ahead.
This stark contrast centered on Xie Ning, made all the more striking by his shirtless state.
Night, city, a well-built body, light and shadow, and faint smoke.
Xia Zhi found the scene uniquely beautiful. She picked up Xie Ning’s phone from the stool and took a photo of him.
Click.
Xie Ning heard the sound and turned to look.
His deep, unfathomable eyes, hidden behind the smoke he had just exhaled, carried a weariness that didn’t match his age.
So, Xia Zhi took another photo.
Xie Ning’s expression stiffened, and he simply turned his back, ignoring her.
Just then, a white Continental pulled up at the intersection.
It was Pei Yuexuan’s car!
Xia Zhi set down her phone and immediately stood up.
Pei Yuexuan stepped out of the car, still wearing the white shirt and suit pants from work. It was clear he had come straight from overtime at the company.
“Rere!”
The man strode toward her, looking her over from head to toe.
“Brother Yuexuan, why are you here?”
“Jiyue fell asleep and called me.”
Pei Yuexuan explained gently, reassuring Xia Zhi, “Let’s get in the car first.”
His gaze shifted past Xia Zhi’s shoulder toward Xie Ning, who had already returned to the convenience store entrance.
He glanced discreetly at the T-shirt on the chair.
He gave Xie Ning a slight nod in acknowledgment.
Then, turning back, he opened the car door for Xia Zhi and helped her inside.
“Wait a moment,”
Xia Zhi turned and called out Xie Ning’s name.
“Xie Ning, don’t delete the photos on your phone. Next time we meet, send them to me.”
Next time?
“Mm.”
Xie Ning gave a noncommittal nod.
Picking up his T-shirt, he walked into the narrow alley on the right.
Pei Yuexuan’s garage was filled with luxury cars.
The Continental he usually drove for daily errands was his cheapest car, costing six million yuan even after taxes. And the license plate on the front was worth even more than the car itself.
The luxury car started up, carrying the lost princess slowly back to the world of light.
Meanwhile, Xie Ning’s figure completely vanished into the unlit alley.