Chapter 3

Jinwu had never felt that a short road could be so long.

Her vision was temporarily blocked, her cheek pressed against his neck, her waist wrapped in his strong arms.

The man’s scorching body heat seeped through the thin fabric, penetrating her skin.

As if he wanted to imbue her, inside and out, with his warmth and scent.

She pursed her lips, feeling a little uncomfortable.

She wasn’t used to being physically close to others.

This was why Fu Yulchen had always complained that she was too conservative, accusing her of putting on airs.

Now, being held by an old classmate she had just reunited with, she should have been uncomfortable.

But for some reason, this feeling of being protected in his arms, had a subtle sense of familiarity…

Jinwu was startled by this thought.

The strength of her arms around his neck involuntarily increased.

“Ouch, it hurts~.”

Duan Shiyan raised his eyebrows slowly, his voice trailing off with a playful nonchalance, “Dr. Jin, are you trying to strangle me?”

The man with his long legs could easily take two steps for every one of others.

But he walked slowly, deliberately stretching the short distance to the parking lot into a walk of hundreds of meters.

He chuckled, “Relax, I’m not going to sell you.”

Jinwu embarrassedly gave a soft “oh.”

Like a slightly relaxed, prickly hedgehog, she raised her head from his neck, her voice soft and earnest, “Sorry, I’ll be careful.”

Damn, how could she be so cute!

Her serious, trusting demeanor, believing his nonsense, was just too cute!

Duan Shiyan’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

His heartbeat instantly went haywire, as if it was about to burst out of his chest the next second.

They say a person’s self-control matures with age.

At least they wouldn’t be like a young, lovestruck boy who would blush and have a racing heart at the slightest provocation.

He thought he had grown up, but his self-control hadn’t improved at all.

In front of her, he was still as helpless and submissive as he was ten years ago when he first fell for her.

—

A limited-edition Bugatti La Voiture Noire was parked by the side of the road.

Duan Shiyan carried Jinwu directly to the passenger seat, opened the door with one hand, and put her in with a boyfriend-like strength.

A “click” sound.

He took the seatbelt and fastened it for her.

As the distance between them closed again, that powerful, invasive feeling enveloped her like a dense net, leaving her with nowhere to escape.

Jinwu’s heart skipped a beat.

Her brain, which had been stuck in a loop, finally started to work again.

From reuniting with an old classmate she hadn’t seen in ages, to being held like a child in his arms, to now sitting in his car.

Everything happened too suddenly.

So sudden that it felt like the heavens had suddenly thrust a brand new script into her hands, leaving her with a sense of unreal bewilderment.

The lingering numbness from the man’s broad palm on her waist felt like a flame, burning with an undeniable warmth.

What had she done…

She felt like a whistling kettle on the verge of boiling, Jinwu belatedly realized her face was starting to burn.

Her usually cool and beautiful brows were uncharacteristically clouded with a bewildered helplessness, accentuated by a few faint blushes, creating a stark contrast.

Someone was bewildered.

Someone was so smitten they were rolling on the floor.

Duan Shiyan, against the overhead light, stared at the faint blush on her face, his dark pupils as deep as ink.

His Adam’s apple bobbed again, his lips starting to feel dry.

He was going crazy.

How could someone even look cute when they were stunned!

And the shy expression on her face was just as cute, it was explosive!

The kind of cute that made him want to punch a hole in the earth!

Duan Shiyan couldn’t help but squint slightly, his long eyelashes hiding the intense possessiveness swirling in his eyes. He endured the dryness in his mouth, his fingers, hanging by his side, tightened.

What to do?

He didn’t want to hold back anymore, he wanted to kiss her.

Not a fleeting touch, but a deep, passionate kiss.

Duan Shiyan took a deep breath, awkwardly averted his gaze, desperately trying to suppress his obviously racing heartbeat.

Get a grip, you.

Don’t go completely off the rails after just one night.

Duan Shiyan, who had barely regained his composure, was about to close the car door for her, but Jinwu, who had come to her senses, pressed her hand against the door, “Wait, there’s a subway station nearby, I can go back myself, no need to trouble you.”

Ah, rejected again…?

Someone’s perked-up tail instantly drooped back down, limp and dejected.

“Little Monitor, are you really going to be so polite with me?”

Duan Shiyan leaned against the car door, his eyes lowered as he looked at her, his voice a low, husky murmur, “Or do you mind that I was a bad student back then, so you still hate me…?”

Jinwu: ?

What’s that supposed to mean??

As the person involved, she had no idea about this at all???

The tall, handsome man before her hung his head, silently radiating an aura of loneliness and desolation.

It made her inexplicably think of a big dog that had been wronged.

“Fine.”

Duan Shiyan sighed slowly, “Since you hate me, I’ll just pretend I didn’t say anything…”

Jinwu was completely stunned.

The boy who had always been arrogant, flamboyant, and wild, fearless of anything, was now showing such a pitiful expression in front of her.

It instantly subdued the cold beauty who only yielded to kindness.

“No, wait!”

Seeing him turn to leave, Jinwu didn’t even think, she quickly grabbed his hand, “I’ve never hated you!”

“Oh?”

Duan Shiyan stopped in his tracks, looking down at her hand holding his, his peach blossom eyes quickly flashed with a smile, “So you like me then?”

Jinwu: ?

Alright, he was teasing her again like he used to.

She let go of his hand, a little annoyed, about to correct him seriously.

But as she looked up, she met his burning gaze, as if filled with affection, so intense it was about to overflow.

As if her liking him was something extraordinary, something worth his happiness.

The words that were about to escape Jinwu’s lips abruptly stopped.

Something in her heart was stirred, becoming a little subtle.

Fate really loves to play tricks.

She had always hoped for someone who could look at her with such intense eyes.

Fu Yulchen, who was still her boyfriend at the time, had never looked at her like that.

Now, she was seeing it in someone she had just reunited with.

Although it might be because of his peach blossom eyes that could make even a dog feel loved, this feeling was too precious, she suddenly didn’t want to refuse.

“Didn’t you say you were going to take me home?”

Jinwu said softly.

Her brows curved slightly, the coldness in her eyes gradually melted away, her tranquil smile, like gentle moonlight, was stunningly beautiful, “Then I’ll trouble you.”

Someone agreed.

Someone’s little dog tail instantly perked up.

Duan Shiyan looked down at her smile, the tip of his ear, hidden in his hair, instantly flushed a delicate red with pure affection.

“Okay.”

He made sure she was securely fastened in her seatbelt before closing the car door for her.

Turning around, the pitiful and pathetic expressions on his face had vanished completely.

Duan Shiyan looked again at the hand that had just been held by the girl, a slow, happy curve forming on his lips.

His Little Monitor was still the same as before, soft and gentle, both in body and heart.

“Buzz—”

The phone in his suit pants pocket vibrated.

As soon as he answered, the other person’s loud voice rang out, “Hey! Duan Ge, I heard you rushed to the bar after getting the news of your sister-in-law and Fu Yulchen breaking up, you wouldn’t be trying to reconcile them, would you!?”

On the other end, Xue Nan was like an excited king crab, his face full of disappointment, “When will you finally ditch your second male lead script, don’t you know there’s a saying, ‘Secret love will be defeated by open love, secret love will always die’!”

“I don’t care! You have to get your sister-in-law back tonight, no matter what! Otherwise, you’ll be betraying the intelligence I painstakingly provided!

Betraying my sad, romantic, tool-man character who is responsible for sending the male lead a love assist! You better get your act together, otherwise I’ll pluck all your dog hairs—”

“Who said I came to reconcile?”

Duan Shiyan held the phone, his handsome features, which had only shown a contrast of cuteness to Jinwu, were now wild and unrestrained, his whole being radiating the unrestrained sharpness of a superior. “I’m here to take advantage of the situation.”

Xue Nan: What!?

Really!?

The secret admirer is finally no longer a silent, unrequited lover, he’s finally going to take the initiative!?

Good, good, good!

From now on it’s—

Fu Yulchen OUT!

Duan Shiyan UP!