Chapter 28

At the end of February, the temperature in Haicheng had already started to warm up. During the day, it usually stayed between 10 to 15 degrees Celsius, so Lu Jiu had begun experimenting with different ways to wear dresses. 

For example, today she was wearing a light blue qipao with white trim, a thick one for the cooler weather. Lu Jiu thought she looked beautiful, but a certain man kept frowning as he looked at her. 

“What’s wrong? Is there something off?” They had only been together for a few minutes, yet he had already frowned at her outfit several times. 

Wei Shian didn’t rush to respond. Instead, he took her hand and held it tightly in his palm, only relaxing when he felt how warm it was. “Isn’t it too cold to be wearing so little?” 

It might have been fine during the day, but now it was evening, and the temperature was no more than 4 to 5 degrees. 

“I’m not cold. My hands are warm, aren’t they?” 

“That’s because you just came out of a room with heating.” 

Fine, her boyfriend was as overprotective as her mother. With no other choice, Lu Jiu went back inside to grab a short cape and put it on. “Is this better?” 

Wei Shian still wasn’t completely satisfied, but knowing that girls like to dress up, he decided he would just try to keep her in heated places as much as possible. 

With that in mind, he took her hand and led her straight to the parking lot. 

Once they were in the car, Wei Shian instinctively fastened his girlfriend’s seatbelt, turned on the heater, and then released the brake to start driving. 

It was only then that Lu Jiu remembered to ask, “Where are we going to eat?” 

Wei Shian asked, “Is there anything in particular you want?” 

Lu Jiu replied, “I want something with a strong flavor.” 

Wei Shian teased, “Pig brain? Silkworm pupae?” 

“No! Stop teasing me.” If he weren’t driving, she would have pinched him. 

When the light turned red, Wei Shian lightly stepped on the brake. Once the car came to a stop, he took her delicate hand, kissed it, and coaxed her, “Don’t be mad, I was just teasing you.” 

Feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement, Lu Jiu curled her fingers. This man loved to tease her, only to then try to make it up to her. She couldn’t figure out what was up with him. 

Thinking about this, she decided to get back at him by pinching the exposed part of his wrist. 

It felt like a mosquito bite to him, and trying not to laugh, Wei Shian pulled her hand closer and kissed her slender, fair wrist. After the kiss, he asked, “Should I kiss here?” 

Lu Jiu felt herself getting flustered. 

— 

At the start of the 2000s, Haicheng couldn’t compare in prosperity to cities like Shanghai or Beijing. But since many big factories had been established, there was an influx of people seeking jobs from other regions. 

Because of this, a street full of diverse foods from all over the country had gradually developed, and it had become a popular spot. 

During the day, it wasn’t as crowded, but at night, the street would be packed with people. 

Lu Jiu was being protected by her tall and strong boyfriend as they moved with the flow of the crowd toward a spicy hot pot restaurant. When she saw the restaurant’s sign, her eyes lit up. 

Wei Shian had been watching her reactions closely and could tell he had chosen the right place. He raised his hand to pinch her soft, rosy cheek. “So, this is what you want?” 

Lu Jiu smiled up at him, her eyes curving. “Yes, I haven’t had this in a long time.” The last time she had it was a year ago, with Jingjing. She never expected Wei Shian to bring her here. 

His girlfriend’s smile was so sweet, with her peachy cheeks and beautifully painted brows, that Wei Shian couldn’t resist pinching her face again. “You’re so easy to please.” 

It was so noisy that Lu Jiu didn’t catch what he said. “What did you say?” 

Wei Shian shook his head. “Nothing. Let’s go in, but I’m not sure if there’s any seating left.” 

Waiting for a table was such a hassle, so Lu Jiu immediately looked around and then quickly pulled her boyfriend toward the only empty table near the entrance. 

She acted fast—just as she sat down, two young men also approached, clearly aiming for the same table. 

Since she had claimed it first, there was no reason to feel guilty. But out of politeness, Lu Jiu still gave them a friendly smile. 

Wei Shian, on the other hand, felt complicated. Seeing how his girlfriend’s smile had turned those two young men into blushing tomatoes, he couldn’t help but feel a mix of pride and amusement. Not to mention the subtle glances other customers were giving them. He knew how striking Lu Jiu’s beauty was. 

He rubbed her head and asked, “Do you want to pick out the ingredients yourself?” 

Lu Jiu brushed away his large hand and, after thinking for a moment, declined. “You do it for me. I need to watch the table.” 

Why was she so adorable? Wei Shian couldn’t help but pinch her cheek again. “Alright, I’ll get you extra tripe and bamboo shoots.” 

“Mm-hmm, and more beef stomach, medium spicy.” 

“Got it.” 

The restaurant was small. To fit more tables, the counter with the ingredients was pushed right up to the entrance. 

While Wei Shian went outside to select their ingredients, Lu Jiu took out her phone to play a solitaire game, occasionally glancing up to check on her boyfriend. 

After she finished one round, she looked up again and saw Wei Shian already in line to pay. 

But that wasn’t the important part. The important part was that there were two very pretty girls standing beside him, enthusiastically talking to him. 

This scene was all too familiar to Lu Jiu, as she herself was often approached by strangers. But jealousy is something that doesn’t respond to reason. 

Even though Wei Shian kept a straight face and barely responded, Lu Jiu still felt a bit sour inside. 

So, she took another look at her boyfriend’s outfit: a black leather jacket in a baseball style, paired with black cargo pants and tan Dr. Martens boots. 

“Why are you dressed so nicely?” 

After paying the bill and holding the order number, he asked, “Who were you just looking at?” 

Lu Jiu snapped back to reality. “No one.” 

Wei Shian raised an eyebrow but didn’t press the issue. He picked up the kettle to scald the bowls and chopsticks. 

To Lu Jiu, the silver kettle didn’t seem small, but in her boyfriend’s long, broad hands, with prominent veins, it suddenly looked miniature. 

“What’s up?” Wei Shian asked as he pushed the sterilized bowls and chopsticks toward her, noticing that her eyes were following his hand. Instinctively, he glanced at his right hand but found nothing unusual. 

Unable to keep her thoughts to herself, Lu Jiu pulled out a napkin and, while wiping the table, casually asked, “Did you run into someone you know earlier?” 

“No.” 

Wei Shian was a very perceptive person. As soon as he finished speaking, he realized what was behind his girlfriend’s unusual behavior. He felt a bit helpless but mostly happy—happy that she cared, pleased by her little jealous streak. 

But Wei Shian wasn’t the type to intentionally make his girlfriend unhappy over such subtle emotions. So, he took the initiative to explain, “They asked for my phone number, and I told them I was broke and didn’t have a phone.” 

Lu Jiu 

felt embarrassed—embarrassed at how easily he had seen through her, and embarrassed by his excuse. “Do you really think they believed you didn’t have a phone?” 

It was 2004; even if someone didn’t have a mobile phone, they would at least have a pager. 

Besides, her Wei Shian didn’t look like someone who was broke. 

Wei Shian poured hot water into her teacup and replied nonchalantly, “It doesn’t matter whether I have a phone or not, as long as they understood the refusal.” 

Lu Jiu was skeptical. “You said you didn’t have a phone, and they just left?” 

Wei Shian answered matter-of-factly, “I walked away before they could say anything else.” 

That made sense—most people were normal, after all. 

But it didn’t change the fact that someone had tried to hit on her boyfriend, which was still annoying. 

“Jealous,” Wei Shian said, clearly in a good mood. He wanted to kiss her, but since they were in public, he settled for lightly pinching her upturned nose instead. 

Who’s jealous? Lu Jiu wasn’t backing down. “Earlier this afternoon, a guy asked for my QQ number. He said he took a photo of me and wanted to send it to me.” 

Wei Shian’s face darkened instantly. “Who was it? Did you give it to him?” 

Lu Jiu laughed. 

— 

After dinner, it was still early. 

Not in a rush to go home, the two bought hot drinks and walked hand in hand to a nearby park. 

Lu Jiu held her drink in one hand and linked arms with her boyfriend as she talked about her upcoming trip to Shendu next week. 

Wei Shian had heard her mention it before, but it wasn’t confirmed at the time. 

He didn’t mind that Lu Jiu was busy with work since he was busy too. 

But traveling by car to Shanghai and then taking a long flight to a place over a thousand kilometers away—he definitely wasn’t comfortable with that. Even though she said her family had arranged for someone to accompany her. 

With that in mind, Wei Shian suggested, “I’ll urge my brother. If the veteran can come over, she can go with you. If not, I’ll take some vacation days.” 

She hadn’t expected him to be so concerned. Lu Jiu stopped walking and looked up at him helplessly. “Someone will be accompanying me, and I already told you that my other good friend, Tong Xin, who was my college roommate, works at the Shendu peony base. That’s why I chose Shendu in the first place. We’ve already arranged everything. Besides, it wouldn’t be right for you to take time off just after the New Year, would it?” 

Wei Shian said, “It’s fine. I’ve wasted most of my vacation days over the years. It’s not a big deal if I take a break for once. Captain Liu won’t mind.” 

He didn’t want to be overbearing, but because of his job, Wei Shian had seen too much darkness in the world. With such a beautiful girlfriend, how could he not be worried? 

Seeing that he was determined to go with her, Lu Jiu, not one to argue much, finally leaned her head against his chest and sighed in resignation. “Fine, then get in touch with your brother and ask him to hurry. If necessary, I can delay my trip by a few days.” 

Wei Shian placed his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her closer to his chest, laughing softly. “My dear peony, you’re so obedient.” 

Obedient? She was doing this for him! Lu Jiu, a bit annoyed, reached up to pinch him. 

She had already accepted that she couldn’t win an argument with words, but she could still pinch him. 

However, as she felt the muscles beneath her hand tense up instantly, Lu Jiu suddenly realized something was off. 

Wait… Did she just pinch his waist? 

And when did her hand slip inside his jacket? 

Unable to figure it out, Lu Jiu slightly pushed away to get a better look. 

“Don’t move,” Wei Shian’s husky and restrained voice sounded in her ear. No man can remain a gentleman in front of the woman he loves, especially when he cherishes her as much as he does. It took all his self-control to hold back. 

The low, deep tone made Lu Jiu uneasy, and suddenly her heart started racing. Not wanting him to notice, she instinctively tried to step back. 

“Hiss… Don’t move. If you do, I’m going to kiss you.”