Chapter 048

“Let’s go, good night!” Zhu Qing said, hugging He Ye as she got out of the car with a smile.

He Ye watched her walk into the community, waving again when Zhu Qing turned around. That was their real goodbye for the night.

She then turned to look at Lu Jin, who was in the rearview mirror.

The relaxed atmosphere from earlier was replaced by tension now that it was just the two of them.

He Ye looked down.

It wasn’t fear; it felt more like being prey under the gaze of a hunter. Even if the hunter didn’t act, just watching made her nervous.

Of course, there was no real predator-prey relationship between them, but the way males pursue females can be similar to hunting.

He Ye had seen many boys in college at Jiaotong University, but Lu Jin’s gaze made her feel most unsettled. It felt like he had marked her long ago, and no matter how far she went, he could easily find her again.

This was likely a sixth sense that Lu Jin triggered in her. It seemed unfounded since there were many attractive girls, yet Lu Jin seemed only interested in her.

She felt anxious around Lu Jin, unable to stay calm. He was assertive, holding her close, making her feel like she had been taken hostage.

Maybe over time, He Ye would get used to his presence, but not yet.

“Do you like sitting in the back?” Lu Jin asked her.

The back seat was roomy and dim, and she felt awkward, as if he had kidnapped her.

Lu Jin liked being near her. From their first meeting in the supermarket, her gentle appearance stirred something primal in him that he felt embarrassed about.

He had often taken advantage of her kindness, but eventually, he scared her away.

So, he didn’t want to frighten her again.

When he spoke, He Ye realized she was sitting like he was the driver. She smiled and said, “I’ll move to the front.”

As she moved to open the car door, she heard it click—he had locked it from the front.

Confused, she looked at him.

Lu Jin was focused on driving and quietly said, “Let’s just relax. We’ve been shopping all night; we can get some sleep.”

He Ye was still surprised. He turned on soft music in the car.

Since the car was already moving, she couldn’t change seats. Noticing he was concentrating on driving and not talking, she leaned back in her seat.

The warm air conditioning and her travel fatigue made her sleepy.

She yawned quietly. Seeing that Lu Jin didn’t notice, she shifted her position, tilted her head, and closed her eyes.

The music automatically changed to the next song. Lu Jin kept his eyes on the road, glancing at the rearview mirror only at red lights.

The next afternoon, He Ye took a taxi back to Dangui Jiayuan, carrying a large bag of vegetables and fruits that Wu Li had packed for her.

Her previously empty fridge was now stocked with fresh produce.

She took a photo and sent it to Zhu Qing, her best friend.

She didn’t often post on WeChat Moments, so she shared her excitement privately.

Zhu Qing replied: [I’m so jealous! You had all the snacks you wanted as a kid, and now you have all the fruits you want after graduating. I have to gather courage just to eat cherries!]

He Ye responded: [Don’t pretend! Your bottle of water costs enough to buy several kilograms of cherries.]

Zhu Qing replied: [That’s a face-saving project! You should upgrade your skincare products. Even if you’re naturally pretty, maintenance matters.]

He Ye asked: [Do you have any recommendations?]

Zhu Qing quickly sent links: [If you’re unsure, I’ll take you to the counter to check it out! Let’s go now so we can have dinner after shopping.]

They spontaneously planned a shopping trip.

When they met at the mall, He Ye noticed they had already started Valentine’s Day promotions, with rose decorations everywhere.

Zhu Qing said, “Honestly, the way Lu Jin looks at you is intense. Don’t you feel it?”

He Ye didn’t respond, thinking Lu Jin had always looked at her that way.

Zhu Qing continued, “I bet he won’t miss this Valentine’s Day. Get ready.”

He Ye remembered last summer, when Lu Jin gave her a rose gift box and a handwritten love letter.

Thinking about the letter still made her uneasy.

“Why are you blushing?” Zhu Qing asked suspiciously. “Has he already made a move?”

“No, well, where is the counter? Let’s stop talking about him.” He Ye quickly changed the topic.

At seven o’clock that evening, He Ye took a taxi back to her community with her new skincare products and pretty clothes.

The house was quiet as usual. She put the new clothes in the washing machine and stored the skincare products above the sink to use later.

After finishing her chores, He Ye sat on the sofa for a bit before heading to the master bedroom.

She opened the closet and pulled out a box from the corner.

Inside were the dress and necklace he had given her. The roses from that time were long gone, but the love letter was still there, tucked inside the folded dress.

This was her biggest secret, kept hidden from her father and grandparents during high school.

The love letters were still neatly rolled up and looked new because she rarely read them.

“He Ye, I love you.”

“It’s Amarantine.” 

Eighteen-year-old Lu Jin had written this with clear, confident handwriting.

Only someone bold and cheerful could say those three words easily. Someone like He Ye couldn’t express such feelings, even if she truly loved someone.

Valentine’s Day was on Friday.

On Thursday evening, as it was almost time to leave work, Cheng Rui started chatting again: “Jiang Xu, tomorrow is a holiday, and it’s the weekend. Where will you take Sister Yu to play? I’m studying early to prepare for future relationships.”

Jiang Xu smiled, “I work during the day and will drive to a resort hotel after work.”

Cheng Rui turned to Wang Wei: “What about you?”

Wang Wei replied, “We all have responsibilities, so it’s hard for us to go anywhere.”

Cheng Rui asked, “Surely there will be some roses, right?”

Wang Wei answered, “You don’t have to remind me; otherwise, I’ll have to kneel on a durian  when I get home.”

Cheng Rui envied, “I don’t even get to kneel on a durian. Team leader, can we plan a social gathering with more girls during our company events this month?”

The person he asked didn’t respond.

Brother Qiang said, “It’s better not to, or those girls will swarm Team Leader, which will hurt your confidence even more.”

Cheng Rui sighed dramatically, then became curious again: “Team Leader, you’re so handsome; you’ve never been in a relationship, have you?”

He Ye, who was coding and listening casually, didn’t respond.

“Yes, I have” Lu Jin’s familiar cold voice made her shrink back, trying to be less noticeable.

The others were all excited. Feng Qiuyu even turned around and asked Lu Jin directly, “When did you start dating? Were you pursuing her, or was she pursuing you?”

Before Lu Jin could decide whether to reply, he received a WeChat message.

Xiao YeZi: [Don’t say that.]

With a smile, Lu Jin replied: [Okay.]

“Personal privacy, I don’t want to talk about it.”

Cheng Rui laughed: “Usually, the person who says this is the one who got dumped.”

Gong Hang glanced at He Ye, who was working at the next desk. He noticed her blushing ear and thought, *So that’s why; no wonder.*

Meanwhile, He Ye received a new message from Lu Jin: [You don’t have to work overtime tonight; I’ll give you a ride this evening?]

He Ye: Alright, thanks.]

At around six o’clock, He Ye finished work and, as usual, walked a bit before getting into Lu Jin’s car near the subway entrance.

Even though he joked about picking her up and dropping her off every day, he never seriously suggested it. If it rained, he would offer, but on sunny days, they usually went their separate ways.

“Tomorrow is a holiday. Did any graduates from Peking University or Tsinghua University invite you out on a date?” Lu Jin asked, smiling.

He often brought up these fictional characters to tease her.

He Ye replied, “Yes, I made a lottery program. They’ll draw lots in the evening. Whoever wins will go to dinner with me.”

Lu Jin: “I’m jealous. Luckily, I have a date too.”

He Ye’s eyelashes fluttered as she looked out the window.

Lu Jin explained: “I scheduled a maintenance appointment for my car after work.”

He Ye: “…”

The next day after work, Lu Jin really left early.

He Ye sat at her desk, typing. She seemed calm, but inside, she felt an indescribable emotion.

This feeling intensified when she received a message from Zhu Qing while on the subway.

Zhu Qing: [So, did Lu Jin ask you out for dinner?]

He Ye: [No, he probably didn’t mean that at all. Don’t say that again.]

Zhu Qing: [……]

She turned to Zhou Xiangming and said: [We worked hard to help, but Lu Jin didn’t react tonight? Of course, He Ye didn’t complain to me, so I asked and was shocked.]

Zhou Xiangming: [I’ll try to hint at it.]

He typed quickly: [I didn’t get any information from you. Forget it. Let him do what he wants. We can’t understand the thinking of top students from Tsinghua University.]

Zhu Qing confirmed that Lu Jin had no plans, so she stopped paying attention to Zhou Xiangming.

Zhou Xiangming: [What about you? Are you going to spend the night alone again? How about I borrow your room for a night so we can hold hands and take some photos?]

Zhu Qing still didn’t reply.

Zhou Xiangming wanted to send a question mark but realized he was blocked…

Of course, you can still have a happy Valentine’s Day without a boyfriend.

Zhu Qing took He Ye out for dinner, and afterward, they went for a beauty spa.

Coming out of the beauty salon, both felt relaxed.

Zhu Qing wanted to go somewhere else, but He Ye received a message from Lu Jin.

Team Leader: [Are you at home, or are you dating the Peking University or Tsinghua University graduate who won the lottery?]

He Ye bit her lip.

Zhu Qing, watching her, asked, “What do you mean by a graduate from Peking University or Tsinghua University?”

He Ye explained.

Zhu Qing burst into laughter and patted her shoulder: “I was worried about you two. It turns out you’ve already started flirting. The university bully must be taking action! Go home and wait; I’m going home too, to watch a movie with my mom!”

Before He Ye could stop her, Zhu Qing ran off. After some distance, she took out her phone and stood by the road, trying to hail a taxi.

Noticing He Ye still looking at her, Zhu Qing waved with a bright smile.

They stood in Ancheng’s busiest business district.

In He Ye’s view, couples held hands and walked by, happily enjoying the holiday. Only her good friend was alone.

Though she smiled, He Ye felt inexplicably sad.

*Is it Zhou Xiangming?*

*Does that guy like Zhu Qing or not? If he doesn’t like her, why does he always find excuses to bother her? If he does, why is there no action tonight?*

He Ye wanted to accompany her friend, but Zhu Qing’s car had already arrived. Zhu Qing seemed to know what He Ye was thinking and got in the car as if escaping.

He Ye had no choice but to call a car.

Sitting in the car, she first messaged Zhou Xiangming: [What are you doing?]

Zhou Xiangming: [I’m alone at home, without a girlfriend.]

He Ye didn’t know what to reply.

Zhou Xiangming: [By the way, please ask Zhu Qing why she blocked me.]

He Ye: [What did you do to offend her?]

Zhou Xiangming: [I didn’t do anything; I was just joking. It was always fine before, but tonight she was strange.]

He Ye: [Send me that joke, and I’ll analyze it for you.]

Zhou Xiangming had no doubts and quickly sent the screenshot.

He Ye read it and laughed.