Chapter 21

She put the bouquet and gifts in the car. The movie was just starting when they went upstairs. The VIP theater offered free popcorn and Coke, and Shen Mi took a serving.

This was her first time at a movie theater.

Before, Ke Zhan and his roommates had invited her a few times. But at that time, in order to earn the registration fee for driving school, Shen Mi went to work at a restaurant after school, and she also had to do game coaching at night. Two hours of movie time was too much of a waste for Shen Mi who was working and studying.

The last time she saw a big screen like this was when she was a child. The village organized the old men and women to bring a group of left-behind children to watch an old spy movie. It was her first time experiencing a 3D big screen, and Shen Mi was a little uncomfortable. She hadn’t gotten into the movie after watching for ten minutes.

Xie Rongzhuo next to her was intently watching the screen. The light and shadow from the screen projected onto his sharp jawline. This kind of noble gentleman was not something you could see in a remote village. If Shen Mi hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn’t have believed that a real person could have the face of a comic book male god.

She turned her head to glance at the screen, but her gaze returned to Xie Rongzhuo’s face. He was more handsome than the male lead in the movie.

“Hiss”

She bit her finger while eating popcorn. The pain shot through her whole hand, and Shen Mi gasped in pain.

Xie Rongzhuo turned his head, his body slightly leaning towards her, and lowered his neck to ask softly, “What’s wrong?”

He was very close, his breath brushing past her ear, making Shen Mi’s ears tingle.

Her heart felt a little itchy.

“Nothing.” Afraid of disturbing other viewers, Shen Mi rubbed her finger and didn’t say anything more.

Her hand was caught. Shen Mi was startled at first, then clearly felt Xie Rongzhuo’s body temperature, and her heart began to beat uncontrollably again.

Forgetting to pull her hand back, she turned her head and stared at Xie Rongzhuo’s profile without blinking.

His expression remained calm as he continued watching the movie, holding her index finger and rubbing it back and forth on her fingertip in a soothing manner.

The action was natural, as if doing all this was a natural reaction, just like when she was bullied by her peers in the game, he directly bought an account and airdropped in to vent his anger for her.

That sense of complete security made the man sitting next to her feel familiar.

Miraculously, Shen Mi didn’t feel her finger hurting anymore.

As if sensing her thoughts, Xie Rongzhuo released her hand and chuckled softly, “Take your time, no one’s going to snatch it from you.”

Without needing a mirror, Shen Mi knew her face must be flushed red.

•  

Coming out of the cinema, Shen Mi listened to the surrounding discussions about the plot, but her mind couldn’t recall any of it.

Maybe she wasn’t watching the movie, but Xie Rongzhuo.

The scene of Xie Rongzhuo rubbing her finger just now flashed through her mind.

Meanwhile, the large hand that had held her finger was now holding a phone. Xie Rongzhuo had fair skin, and his hands were also white. The black phone made his slender fingers look incredibly beautiful.

Recalling the picture of him holding a medicine box that he sent when she still didn’t know he was her master, Shen Mi couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.

That photo was a killer for hand fetishists.

She still kept it in her photo album to this day.

Compared to Xie Rongzhuo’s hands, Shen Mi felt like her hands were bear paws.

Shen Mi put her “claws” in her coat pocket and walked forward silently.

She wasn’t a shy person. She could be dignified and graceful in even the most serious situations. But when facing Xie Rongzhuo, she suddenly felt like a different person, becoming nervous and helpless, just like when she went for her first interview. She had emptied all her courage in this lifetime.

She didn’t know what she was nervous about.

Clearly, they had said things that were more intimate than this during their voice calls before.

“Don’t you like this movie?”

Xie Rongzhuo had stood beside her at some point.

Shen Mi reacted half a beat late, stunned for a moment before replying, “It’s okay.”

Xie Rongzhuo asked again, “What did you like to watch when you went out with people before?”

Shen Mi: “I’ve never been.”

Xie Rongzhuo turned his head and looked at her with an unclear expression.

Shen Mi looked up, meeting his gaze, and subconsciously slowed down her pace. “I used to work at a restaurant and spent all my free time at night coaching in games. I didn’t have time to go out.”

She didn’t know why she explained so obediently. Maybe Xie Rongzhuo’s gaze just now was too captivating, with an invisible pressure. In that second, Shen Mi had a strong feeling that if she didn’t answer this question properly, it would be terrible.

Xie Rongzhuo hummed in response and stopped to wait for the elevator.

He seemed satisfied with her answer.

The lights flickered in his eyes, reflecting on her face. That uncomfortable and strange feeling came back again. Shen Mi moved her eyes away, not daring to look at him again.

He said, “It’s still early, do you want to grab something to eat?”

Thinking that Xie Rongzhuo hadn’t eaten much for dinner, Shen Mi nodded. “What do you want to eat? I’ll make a reservation.” She took out her phone, her occupational disease acting up.

Xie Rongzhuo didn’t answer. “Didn’t you forget, I’m treating you today.”

Shen Mi put away her phone and looked at him. “Then, what do you want to eat? I’ll go with you.”

•  

Xie Rongzhuo chose an old-fashioned porridge shop that had been open for over twenty years. It wasn’t the busiest time, and there were window seats available.

Not long after ordering, a plate of stir-fried rice noodles arrived.

Xie Rongzhuo suddenly spoke in Cantonese.

His Cantonese pronunciation was incredibly sexy and pleasant to hear. Shen Mi didn’t understand, her attention fully captivated by his cool, magnetic voice, making her feel a little fluttery inside.

He then repeated himself in Mandarin.

“My grandmother was from Guangdong. The noodles she cooked for me when I was young were delicious.”

At that moment, the waiter brought over a steaming pot of congee.

Xie Rongzhuo picked up an empty bowl, filled it with a small portion of congee, and handed it to Shen Mi: “The congee here is very sweet, try it.”

“Thank you.” Shen Mi took a spoonful, lowered her head to take a sip, and raised the corner of her lips: “It’s delicious.”

Xie Rongzhuo said, “There’s also a place that serves authentic roast goose rice, I’ll take you there sometime.”

Xie Rongzhuo was a man who would never say two words when one would do. Tonight, he broke his usual brevity and suddenly became down-to-earth.

The familiar feeling that had vanished returned, as if the person sitting across from her wasn’t the CEO of Rui Xing Bank, but her master.

Shen Mi unconsciously relaxed, “Okay.”

•  

The car was parked quite a distance away. Leaving the late-night eatery, Shen Mi walked side-by-side with Xie Rongzhuo on the sidewalk.

The moon hung high in the sky, and the evening breeze was cool.

There were many people on the road tonight, young people out and about. Couples on the side of the road held hands and embraced, whispering sweet nothings to each other, oblivious to the stares of others, their eyes only for each other.

But that was someone else’s romance. Shen Mi and Xie Rongzhuo remained silent, the silence seeming to stretch on.

She raised her head, and as if sensing her gaze, Xie Rongzhuo suddenly turned his head.

Their eyes met.

This time, Shen Mi didn’t shy away, meeting his gaze openly, breaking the quiet: “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

Xie Rongzhuo seemed to know what she was going to say.

“You’ve come to your senses?”

She didn’t know when this unspoken understanding had formed between them, but with just a word, a glance, Xie Rongzhuo could guess what she was going to say or do.

This kind of “being figured out” understanding was initially very unfavorable to Shen Mi, but now it saved her the trouble of introductions and explanations, turning into a good thing.

“I thought about it, and I really should apologize to you. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things about you before.” Shen Mi cleared her throat, looking away, her expression a little unnatural, “It was my own misunderstanding, you’re not a bad guy.”

Xie Rongzhuo: “What did you misunderstand?”

Shen Mi: “I thought you were deliberately trying to charm me, seduce me.”

Xie Rongzhuo tilted his head and glanced at her: “How do you know I wasn’t being deliberate?”

Shen Mi: “?”

“Go on.”

“Okay.” Shen Mi continued, “You didn’t tell me you were Qingqing’s uncle, and I said bad things about you,” she downplayed it, “We both did wrong, so let’s just call it even. What do you think?”

Xie Rongzhuo raised an eyebrow slightly: “Not really. Just calling it even means I’m at a loss.”

“Ah? Oh.” Shen Mi hurriedly took out her phone: “I’ll transfer you the money for the fridge and air conditioner—”

Xie Rongzhuo pressed down on her hand: “I’m not talking about that.”

Shen Mi’s fingers trembled slightly as she looked up at him: “Then what?”

Xie Rongzhuo withdrew his hand, lowering his gaze to glare at her: “You owe me for my apprentice.”

“…”

He was using her previous words against her.

When she first learned that Xie Rongzhuo was her master, Shen Mi felt as if she had been struck by lightning, a bit dazed, and her behavior became rather strange. Now, with Xie Rongzhuo bringing up the past, she felt a bit embarrassed and turned her face away, pretending to look around.

“Ah, did we pass it? I remember the car was parked over there.” She pointed to the other side of the street.

Thinking that by changing the subject, this matter would be forgotten, Shen Mi was unaware that Xie Rongzhuo was not so easily distracted: “I remember someone saying that after work, I’m her master.”

He raised his hand to glance at his watch, then lifted his eyelids, his words laced with meaning: “Are you still working overtime?”

She had indeed been avoiding him quite obviously lately, “Once a teacher, forever a father, I’m…” Shen Mi searched for an excuse, “A grown woman avoids her father.”

“…”

The emotions in Xie Rongzhuo’s eyes shifted several times before he suddenly snorted with amusement: “Hmm, so those late-night voice calls were me comforting my daughter.”

Shen Mi blurted out: “You like playing that kind of game?”

“…”

What was wrong with her tonight? Her mouth wasn’t listening to her brain.

She secretly glanced at Xie Rongzhuo.

Shen Mi had never seen so many micro-expressions on Xie Rongzhuo’s face before. He seemed to be holding back his words, his jaw tightened, his lip line slowly straightened, as if he had reached his limit.

The green light came on, but Shen Mi was still standing there in a daze. Her wrist tightened, and Xie Rongzhuo pulled her across the crosswalk.

His grip was strong, and Shen Mi felt a sharp pain in her wrist.

After crossing the street, Xie Rongzhuo withdrew his hand, stared at Shen Mi for a few seconds, and sighed softly: “Shen Mi, have you been putting all your energy into making money?”

It was true.

But his disapproving look didn’t seem like he was praising her.

Thankfully, she had a thick skin. Shen Mi rubbed her wrist, smiling brightly: “Then can you let me work on projects?”

Xie Rongzhuo’s face darkened, and he asked in a low voice: “Why do you want to work on projects?”

“Because the commissions are high.” Shen Mi didn’t hide her ambition, “I want to make more money.”

Xie Rongzhuo looked down at her, his glasses reflecting the light, his eyes deep: “Shen Mi, are you stupid? Don’t you know about shortcuts?”

Shen Mi: “What shortcut?”

Xie Rongzhuo closed his eyes, took a deep breath.

“Nothing, let’s go.”

Wait, what? He left it hanging like that?

Shen Mi, with a thick face, caught up with Xie Rongzhuo, tilting her head and smiling: “Master.”

She was always able to adapt and compromise.

“Show your apprentice the way?”

Xie Rongzhuo sneered, “Now you remember me?”

“I’ve always recognized you, it’s just that I felt ashamed and embarrassed, so I left some space for you to accept my outrageous behavior.”

“These days, your apprentice has been reflecting on how she could have become such a terrible disciple, even failing to recognize her master standing right in front of her! It’s simply unreasonable and unforgivable.”

“Not only do you not know how to respect your teacher, but you also always disturb your master’s sleep!”

“Pretentious, spoiled! You should be properly disciplined, made to work on more projects and suffer a bit!”

Xie Rong Zhuo’s back was cold and distant as he responded.

Xie Rong Zhuo had long legs, and Shen Mi, wearing high heels, couldn’t run fast. She was panting as she chased after him.

“Master! Master, wait for me.”

“Tell me, Master, is there a shortcut?”

•  

Shen Mi didn’t know what line she had crossed. Xie Rong Zhuo, without even taking his car, threw the keys at her, his face dark, and told her to disappear immediately.

While others were celebrating Valentine’s Day, Shen Mi was going through a trial.

Two hours later, she returned home and opened Xie Rong Zhuo’s WeChat, feeling guilty as she typed:

Shen Mi: Master, have you arrived home?

Shen Mi: I’ll drive the car over to you tomorrow, Master.

Shen Mi: Good night, Master.

Xie Rongzhuo didn’t reply.

Shen Mi tossed her phone aside and lay in bed, carefully analyzing the shortcut to her project.

Personal ability, courage, market intuition, and judgment all depend on having sufficient funds. Otherwise, it’s just empty talk. Shen Mi’s teacher had said she had talent and needed a mentor to cultivate her, but lacked an opportunity.

In other words, she had no money.

Money???

Shen Mi finally figured it out.

—The shortcut to her project was Xie Rongzhuo!

Xie Rongzhuo had money!!

Shen Mi suddenly woke up.

She sat up with a jolt, realizing.

It was just a failed online romance, what was the big deal?

Why did she have to offend Xie Rongzhuo and get into a fight with him?

Wouldn’t it be better to just cling to his leg?

Author’s Note:

Baby, you finally woke up!!

—