On the misty, rain-soaked terrace, Ni Xia could almost hear her own heart pounding.
She finally understood why some girls suddenly turned red and their hearts raced whenever they unexpectedly ran into the person they had a crush on. They could barely get a word out.
“Why are you here?”
You Jue withdrew his gaze. Only after turning his back to Ni Xia did he answer calmly, “Mr. Ni asked me to come.”
“But didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”
“I said you didn’t need to pick me up.”
“Hey, you should use a few more words next time. You had me feeling disappointed for quite a while.”
Ni Xia walked toward You Jue with her hands behind her back, her steps becoming noticeably lighter.
After sitting down in the chair beside him, she didn’t know what to say next. Her mind was already busy calculating how much money Grandpa might give her today.
Grandpa really was something.
He had secretly invited You Jue over without telling her. If she had known, she wouldn’t have dressed so warmly.
Ni Xia’s excitement was impossible to hide. She sat quietly, occasionally sneaking glances at him.
Less than half a minute later, You Jue frowned slightly and asked, “You majored in directing in college?”
“Yeah.”
Ni Xia didn’t understand why he suddenly asked.
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
You Jue turned his head to avoid her gaze.
“I thought you had majored in acting.”
You act so convincingly.
Ni Xia froze for a moment before realizing what he meant.
She lowered her head shyly.
“Hmm… A lot of people did think I was an actress.”
You Jue: “…”
“What about you?” Ni Xia rested her chin on her hand and moved closer to him with a bright smile. “I heard you went to graduate school too. What did you specialize in?”
“Financial crimes.”
For some reason, those four ordinary words sounded completely different coming from You Jue. They were like a cool breeze brushing across her heart, making Ni Xia’s back feel strangely cold.
Without making it obvious, she slowly moved herself farther away from him.
In the silence, Ni Xia suddenly sensed something. She turned around and saw that Ni Jianguo had somehow appeared at the doorway.
“Grandpa?”
You Jue also turned at the sound and stood up.
“Mr. Ni.”
Ni Jianguo was nearly eighty, but whether because of his naturally strong constitution or because he was still actively working, he looked at least ten years younger than people his age.
The wrinkles covering his face didn’t make him look old or worn out. Instead, they gave him an air of authority.
He nodded at the two of them.
“What are you talking about?”
“Just—”
“We were talking about our college majors.”
Before You Jue could finish, Ni Xia quickly answered for him.
She smiled at Ni Jianguo.
“You Jue said he thought I had majored in acting.”
Ni Jianguo pursed his lips and gave a quiet hum before glancing at You Jue.
“Girls change so much as they grow up. She’s even prettier than she was when she was little.”
You Jue: “…”
He shouldn’t have made that sarcastic remark earlier.
Seeing that You Jue had nothing more to say, Ni Jianguo didn’t continue either.
He waved at the two young people.
“Come downstairs for dinner.”
Ni Jianguo usually ate light meals, but today he had specially prepared a table full of meat and rich dishes for the two young people.
Unfortunately, the round dining table was 1.6 meters in diameter. Once the three of them sat down, it felt as if the distance between them was as wide as the East African Rift.
Ni Xia resentfully glanced at Ni Jianguo, but unfortunately, her grandfather completely failed to understand the message in her eyes.
The moment they sat down, he began what sounded like an official speech.
“First, I invited you here tonight because I want to thank you for all the help you’ve given the company recently.”
“You’re too kind, Mr. Ni. It’s part of my job.”
“Second, you and Xia Xia were classmates in high school. I hope you two can stay in touch and help each other when needed. It’s not easy to have such a connection.”
“Of course.”
You Jue’s answer was precise and formal, leaving Ni Jianguo unsure of what to say next.
He took a sip of tea before continuing.
“Xia Xia graduated two or three years ago, but she still doesn’t have a proper job. All she thinks about is making that seafood movie of hers. She’s been messing around with it for so long and still hasn’t gotten anywhere.”
“…”
Ni Xia’s bright expression dimmed slightly.
But only slightly.
After all, she had grown used to Grandpa taking every opportunity over the past two years to criticize her.
Ni Xia thought the lecture would continue for quite a while—
“Mr. Ni, it’s not a seafood movie. It’s a fantasy story set in an underwater world. The original novel is short but very well written, with a lot of imagination. I think it could be quite popular if it’s adapted into a film.”
Ni Xia, who had been looking down, suddenly raised her eyes and looked at You Jue in surprise.
“You’ve read Bailey’s Underwater World?”
“Mm.”
You Jue spoke calmly.
“As your lawyer, of course I had to read the original novel.”
Ni Xia’s expression instantly froze.
She could only blink at him.
Why did he have to bring up the lawsuit just like that?
As expected, Ni Jianguo caught the important information.
“Your lawyer?”
“Mr. Ni, didn’t you know?”
A faint smile appeared on You Jue’s lips.
“Ni Xia’s film is involved in a contract dispute. I’m representing her as her lawyer.”
Ni Xia’s heart leaped when she saw Ni Jianguo narrow his eyes and look at her.
“Yes, yes. He’s very responsible. He even came to my house to help me organize the documents.”
“Many clients have difficulty distinguishing which evidence is useful. That’s quite normal in our line of work.”
Ni Xia completely ignored what You Jue was saying and focused only on Ni Jianguo.
“And he often has to contact me about work late at night. It’s really hard on him.”
“I’m either in court or in meetings during the day.”
You Jue enunciated every word.
“Nighttime is the only time I have free.”
“Exactly. That’s why I even made him a late-night snack and delivered it to him last night.”
“…”
Hearing this, Ni Jianguo asked, “You know how to cook now?”
“What could be so difficult about cooking?”
Ni Xia answered without batting an eye. Then she turned to You Jue.
“By the way, I’ve learned a few more dishes recently. Do you want to try them sometime?”
You Jue lowered his head and picked up his chopsticks, deliberately avoiding Ni Xia’s fake-sweet gaze.
“Let’s eat first.”
“Oh, okay.”
Ni Xia secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Let’s eat while it’s hot.”
Ni Xia had never thought the food at her grandfather’s house could taste so bland and tasteless.
Throughout the entire dinner, Grandpa kept discussing the company’s legal matters with You Jue and didn’t bring the conversation back to her.
That was exactly why Ni Xia felt so uneasy.
If Grandpa had noticed something strange between them, she could forget about asking him for money. She was even afraid he might take back the money he had already given her.
But the two men talked endlessly, leaving her with no chance to say anything.
More than an hour later, dinner was over and their conversation had finally come to an end. Ni Jianguo finally showed signs of fatigue.
Seeing this, You Jue stood up to leave.
“Mr. Ni, I’ll head back first. I still have some work to finish tonight.”
He’s leaving already?!
Ni Xia hurriedly tried to think of something to say, but she didn’t know how to bring it up.
Besides, even Ni Jianguo didn’t try to keep him.
“Go take care of your work. Come over for dinner again when you have time.”
Seeing You Jue put on his coat, while Ni Jianguo also looked ready to rest, Ni Xia knew she had completely lost her chance.
“Grandpa, I’ll go home too.”
Ni Jianguo waved at her before asking, “Did you drive here?”
“No.”
Ni Xia answered gloomily.
“I lent my car to Gu Yusheng.”
Ni Jianguo took out his phone.
“Then I’ll have the driver take you home.”
“Grandpa, no need. It’ll take the driver a long time to get here. I’ll just take a taxi.”
“Not that long. He’ll be here in half an hour.”
“It’ll be inconvenient for Uncle Wang to come all the way here this late at night. Let him rest.”
“It’s not safe for a girl to take a taxi alone at night.”
“It’s fine. I often take taxis at night—”
Perhaps because she was extremely nervous, Ni Xia hadn’t even finished speaking when she keenly sensed the man beside her let out a quiet sigh.
She turned her head and saw that You Jue had already put on his coat.
The black coat gave his figure a sharp, firm outline, making his expression seem even colder.
Yet he remained perfectly polite.
“I’ll take you home.”
You Jue’s car was parked outside the residential complex, several hundred meters away.
The rain had stopped long ago. The greenery inside the complex was lush, and the damp air carried the fresh smell of wet soil.
The two walked toward the exit, slightly out of step with each other, neither saying a word.
Her wallet was empty, and Ni Xia’s heart felt just as empty.
At that moment, Gu Yusheng finally saw the message Ni Xia had sent.
[Gu Yusheng]: ???
[Gu Yusheng]: Five or six million?! Are they trying to leave us with no way to survive?!
Exactly.
Ni Xia reluctantly turned her head and looked back at the golden house.
By chance, she saw Ni Jianguo standing on the second-floor terrace.
Although he was only a blurry figure from this distance, Ni Xia somehow felt that Grandpa was watching them.
A tiny spark of hope lit up in her heart again.
She kept her expression calm and casually said, “It’s so cold…”
You Jue didn’t stop walking. He merely glanced at her.
Ni Xia hugged her arms and looked back at him pitifully.
When he still showed no reaction, her gaze drifted downward and lingered on his coat.
After a moment, You Jue silently turned his head away. Then he pulled down the zipper, took off his coat, and handed it to Ni Xia.
The whole movement was smooth and effortless, but there wasn’t the slightest hint of tenderness.
That wasn’t nearly enough.
Ni Xia put on the coat and unwillingly looked back again.
Sure enough, Grandpa was still standing there.
Everything depended on this moment.
She gritted her teeth and said again, “I’m still cold.”
There was already obvious impatience on You Jue’s face. He said nothing.
“Can you give me a hug?”
“…”
You Jue lowered his head and looked at her coldly.
“Are you planning to push your luck even further?”
Ni Xia didn’t say a single word during the entire thirty-minute drive home.
She kept her head against the car window, expressionless. Even when the car went over a speed bump and her head knocked against the glass, she didn’t react at all.
You Jue knew exactly what she was upset about.
Seeing how completely dejected she was, he even felt a little like laughing.
But in the end, he didn’t laugh.
When they approached the next speed bump, he simply slowed down and braked carefully.
Once the car stopped at the entrance of the residential complex, Ni Xia glanced at her completely inactive banking app and finally gave up all hope.
She thanked him listlessly, unfastened her seat belt, and began taking off his coat.
Perhaps because the car was an enclosed space, her scent became especially noticeable when she opened the coat.
You Jue looked out the window.
It was a bleak autumn night after the rain, and there were very few pedestrians on the street.
The streetlights cast dim yellow halos over the withered trees, making the night look especially cold.
“You can keep it for now.”
You Jue suddenly spoke.
“Give it back next time.”
Ni Xia froze and slowly turned her head toward him.
“Next time…”
Her eyes lit up, and anticipation crept into her voice.
“When will that be?”
You Jue turned his head too and looked directly at her, raising one eyebrow slightly.
Meeting his gaze, Ni Xia suddenly felt as though something had lightly scratched at her heart.
Her breathing tightened.
Just when she thought You Jue was about to say something suggestive, she heard him say,
“When we finish compiling the evidence and hold the strategy meeting.”
“…”
Ni Xia immediately opened the car door and walked into the residential complex without looking back.
Once her figure disappeared into the darkness, You Jue slowly withdrew his gaze.
When his eyes fell on the entrance of the complex, his gaze wandered for a moment before he lowered his eyes and switched off the hazard lights.
But just as he was about to step on the accelerator, a taxi suddenly stopped in front of him, blocking his path.
It was only a matter of seconds.
As You Jue turned the steering wheel to the left to drive around it, the passenger in the taxi got out.
Even though they hadn’t seen each other in a long time, they had grown up together since childhood. You Jue recognized him at once.
The tall, thin young man looked exhausted from his journey, and his clothes seemed to carry the faint scent of fallen leaves from New York.
“You Jue?”
Fang Jialin was about to retrieve his luggage from the trunk when he spotted You Jue in the driver’s seat.
Even his glasses couldn’t hide the surprise in his eyes.
“Didn’t you say you had something to do tonight?”
As he spoke, he quickly walked over to the car.
The window slowly rolled down.
You Jue looked at Fang Jialin with an unusually calm expression.
“I finished.”
“Then you should have told me you were coming.”
Fang Jialin didn’t even ask why You Jue was here. He hurriedly unloaded his luggage and nodded toward him.
“Come on. Why aren’t you getting out?”
You Jue glanced toward the inside of the residential complex and said,
“Get in. I’ll drive us to the underground parking lot.”
Fang Jialin looked at the wet ground and immediately loaded his suitcase back into You Jue’s trunk.
He didn’t return to China very often, but he kept in frequent contact with You Jue.
This time, however, he had no plans to go back to the United States. His state of mind was different now, and he had a lot to talk about.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Fang Jialin chatted nonstop. He didn’t notice that You Jue drove around the parking lot for more than ten minutes.
When they finally pulled into a temporary parking space, Fang Jialin unfastened his seat belt and looked around the underground parking garage, nodding with satisfaction.
You Jue got out and helped him take his suitcase from the trunk.
Fang Jialin stood nearby, pulling out his phone to check the rental information.
“Which building was it again…?”
“Building Eleven.”
“Oh, right.”
Fang Jialin looked up and smiled.
“You remember it better than I do.”
You Jue said nothing. He pushed the suitcase toward Building Eleven.
After entering the elevator lobby, Fang Jialin looked around and nodded again in satisfaction.
“This complex is a little old, but the quality is really good. No wonder the rent is so expensive.”
You Jue remained silent. Once they entered the elevator, he finally asked,
“What floor?”
“Oh, right.”
Fang Jialin checked his phone again.
“Eighth floor.”
As You Jue reached out to press the button, his eyes unconsciously flicked toward the button for the seventh floor.
“Can the place be lived in tonight?”
“Yes.”
Fang Jialin said, “My mom came over the day before yesterday when she had some free time. She got all the necessities set up.”
As they spoke, the elevator reached the sixth floor and unexpectedly began slowing down.
When it stopped at the seventh floor, You Jue’s eyes sharpened.
For a moment, time seemed to stretch several times longer.
After a long pause, the elevator doors slowly opened.
A middle-aged woman in a property management uniform stepped inside.
You Jue’s tense breathing suddenly eased.
Then he suddenly felt that something was wrong.
He and Ni Xia were completely innocent.
So what was there to be nervous about?