A black Mercedes-Benz was discreetly parked at the corner. Zhou Ji must have seen her arrive, as he opened the car door and got out. He stood in the light, his tall, slender figure as if coated in a lustrous sheen, the contours of his profile sharp and defined.
Xin Zhiyao's heart quickened, and she unconsciously sped up her pace.
Standing before him, Xin Zhiyao tilted her head up to look at him, her voice involuntarily soft, "Professor Zhou."
The girl's eyes seemed like stars in the night under the light.
Zhou Ji curved the corner of his lips, "Get in the car."
The two got into the car. Zhou Ji fastened his seatbelt and then, as if remembering something, asked, "Are you hungry?"
"No..." Xin Zhiyao was about to say she wasn't hungry when her stomach suddenly rumbled loudly in the quiet car.
"..."
This uncooperative stomach, could it at least show some consideration?
Xin Zhiyao's face instantly flushed red as she secretly glanced at Zhou Ji.
His eyes held a smile, "What do you want to eat?"
Xin Zhiyao remembered that Yu Xiaoxiao had secretly fried a small portion of popcorn chicken for the two of them before she left work. She had forgotten to eat it in her haste. Zhou Ji's mention of food now stirred her appetite.
"I want popcorn chicken," the words blurted out.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ji picked up his mobile phone, "Let me see if there's any nearby."
Xin Zhiyao hadn't expected him to agree so readily, "I thought you wouldn't agree to me eating this."
Zhou Ji turned his head slightly, seemingly surprised, "Why do you say that?"
"Popcorn chicken is junk food in your eyes, and I'm pregnant now, which isn't good for the baby."
Zhou Ji smiled, "It's okay to eat it occasionally. Besides, the baby's ultimate outcome is only slightly related to diet; it's more likely linked to the parents' genes."
Xin Zhiyao hadn't expected Zhou Ji to be so open-minded.
She remembered that when she was little and wanted to eat something from outside, her parents would scold her, saying she was eating indiscriminately and that outside food wasn't clean.
Her requests always seemed to be rejected, never fulfilled.
They seemed to try to control her life in this way, to make her obedient and afraid to disobey.
"I see a place nearby with a pretty good rating, let's go there."
Zhou Ji's voice pulled Xin Zhiyao's thoughts back. She quickly agreed.
By the time Zhou Ji's car stopped at her part-time job location, Xin Zhiyao was terrified, thinking Zhou Ji had found out about her secret part-time job and had personally brought her to the scene of the crime.
"What's wrong?" Zhou Ji noticed Xin Zhiyao's unusual behavior.
Xin Zhiyao looked at his expression with uncertainty, but he seemed the same as usual.
Was she overthinking it?
"N-nothing."
Zhou Ji looked at her for a few seconds and didn't press further, "Besides popcorn chicken, what else do you want to eat? Or shall we go down together to order."
Xin Zhiyao shook her head like a rattle drum, "N-no, I won't go. You go."
"You wait for me here."
As Zhou Ji got out of the car, Xin Zhiyao hadn't even had time to relax when she saw Zhang Hongwen standing at the doorway making a phone call, his gaze drifting in her direction.
Afraid of being discovered, she immediately hid in her seat.
When Zhou Ji returned and opened the door, he saw the scene before him.
Xin Zhiyao was huddled in her seat like a thief. The moment their eyes met, it felt as if crows flew by.
"What are you doing?" Zhou Ji spoke first.
Xin Zhiyao immediately felt awkward. Her mind raced, and she deliberately fumbled around under the seat with her hands, "I dropped something, I'm looking for it."
"Dropped what? Get out of the car, let me see," Zhou Ji said, moving to come over.
"N-no, you don't need to," Xin Zhiyao quickly sat up straight, forcing a smile, "I thought I dropped my earring, then I remembered I wasn't even wearing earrings today."
What a clumsy excuse. Zhou Ji had known her for so long, yet he had never seen her wear earrings.
Zhou Ji's gaze slightly narrowed, but he didn't say anything further, carrying the freshly fried popcorn chicken into the car.
"Just one portion of popcorn chicken. It's late, don't eat too much."
"Thank you." Xin Zhiyao obediently reached out to take it.
Zhou Ji started the car.
Only when the Milk Tea Shop was getting further away did Xin Zhiyao finally feel completely reassured.
It seemed to be a coincidence. She knew Zhou Ji couldn't be that omniscient; how could he have discovered her secret part-time job in just one day?
A rustling sound of eating came from beside her, and the faint scent of fried popcorn chicken wafted through the car.
During a red light, Zhou Ji glanced at Xin Zhiyao.
She held the bag of popcorn chicken, her slender fingers picking out pieces and popping them into her mouth, chewing with gusto, her small face filled with satisfaction.
Seeing her like this, the corner of Zhou Ji's mouth curved unconsciously.
When Xin Zhiyao noticed his gaze, she was about to pop a piece of popcorn chicken into her own mouth. Seeing Zhou Ji looking at her, she suddenly realized her lack of consideration.
Why hadn't she asked him if he wanted any?
She instinctively extended the popcorn chicken in her hand towards him, "Do you want some?"
Zhou Ji's gaze fell on her fingertips.
Her nails were neatly trimmed, clean and rounded, with pink nail beds and a faint crescent moon.
His gaze flickered, and Zhou Ji leaned forward, opening his mouth to bite the piece of popcorn chicken.
Xin Zhiyao's heart skipped a beat.
The car's interior light was dim, and the shadows sculpted his features even more three-dimensionally. The shadow of his lowered eyelashes fell beneath his eyes, giving him an alluring, almost unconscious charm.
Especially when his lips brushed against her fingertips, that soft touch made Xin Zhiyao recall the scene of them kissing that night.
Their lips and tongues were entangled, and it seemed like gasps of breath escaped...
Ahhh, stupid brain, stop it, don't think, absolutely do not think.
Xin Zhiyao's entire body grew hot, and she couldn't bring herself to meet Zhou Ji's gaze.
Zhou Ji bit down on the popcorn chicken, his tongue easily rolling it into his mouth.
"Mmm, it tastes pretty good," Professor Zhou commented.
The ambiguity lasted only a moment. The light turned green, and the car started moving again.
Xin Zhiyao's wildly beating heart slowly calmed down. She feigned composure and quietly asked Zhou Ji again, "Do you want more?"
"You eat it," Zhou Ji's voice was gentle.
Xin Zhiyao mechanically ate, "I thought you wouldn't like eating these."
"I don't really like them. I ate mostly these when I was studying abroad," Zhou Ji gripped the steering wheel, his gaze focused ahead, "But seeing how much you enjoy it, I wanted to try it."
"Is there any difference?"
Zhou Ji pondered for a moment, seemingly genuinely considering the question.
"The taste of popcorn chicken is about the same, but the feeling of eating it is different."
"So?" Xin Zhiyao asked, a little dazed.
"Perhaps because I'm in a good mood, it tastes exceptionally delicious."
These ambiguous words were the most suggestive.
Xin Zhiyao looked at his profile, and her now-calm heart began to race wildly again.
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