Chapter 16: Cute

Rather than a genuine compliment, Ming Can’s latter statement seemed more like a reluctant attempt to thank him for his help.

Chi Xiao’s lips twitched slightly as he slipped his phone into his pocket and strode toward the parking lot.

About ten minutes later, Ming Can received a message from Chi Xiao saying he had arrived.

Among the four roommates, one was sober, one was half-drunk, and the other two were completely wasted. Ming Can, the sober one, along with the half-drunk roommate, supported the two drunk ones as they stumbled out of the dimly lit bar.

There was a short distance from the bar entrance to the roadside. Ming Can squinted and saw a black car parked under a street tree. Standing beside it was a tall figure in a dark gray coat and black trousers, his silhouette sharp and commanding. He was facing away from them, the shape of the back of his head… strikingly similar to her son’s.

“We just started drinking, why are we leaving already?” Xu Jiayun mumbled, clinging to Ming Can’s shoulder. Her drunken eyes vaguely caught sight of a figure about ten meters ahead. Even in the dim night and bustling crowd, his presence was impossible to miss. Xu Jiayun chuckled and gestured with her hand, “Wow! Such—long legs. Who’s that handsome guy?”

Ming Can thought for a moment and replied without hesitation, “He’s the driver I called.”

After leading her roommates to the car, Ming Can helped them one by one into the back seat and fastened their seatbelts.

She then got into the passenger seat and let out a long sigh.

Chi Xiao was the last to get in. The door clicked shut, cutting off the noise from the street outside. He heard Ming Can whisper, “Thanks for the trouble, senior.”

He had heard this phrase many times over the past few days.

Although Ming Can had said “thanks for the trouble” before, she hadn’t truly meant it. While she wasn’t ready to reveal Miaomiao’s identity to him yet, as Miaomiao’s biological father, it was only natural for Chi Xiao to do things for him.

Today, however, was different. Today, Miaomiao wasn’t here. Chi Xiao had come to pick up her and her drunk roommates. Xu Jiayun and the other drunk roommate were slumped together in the back seat, occasionally letting out a burp, the smell of alcohol ruining the once fresh and clean air inside the car. Ming Can stared at the rearview mirror, her temples throbbing, terrified that they might vomit in Chi Xiao’s car at any moment. This filled her with endless gratitude and guilt toward Chi Xiao.

Fortunately, the bar was only two streets away from B University, and within minutes, the car arrived at the school gate.

B University doesn’t allow social vehicles to enter freely. Ming Can rolled down the window, about to explain to the security guard that they were just dropping someone off and would leave soon, but she saw the guard raise the barrier without any questions.

Chi Xiao explained, “I occasionally come to pick up Chi Yao, so I got a pass for your school.”

Normally, only faculty and students of the university can apply for such passes, but with the right connections, anything is possible, right?

Ming Can nodded.

It sounded like the two brothers had a really good relationship. With a brother like that, no wonder Chi Yao had developed such a lawless and unruly personality.

The car stopped at the dormitory building. Ming Can got out and escorted her roommates all the way inside, making sure each of them was seated safely before she felt comfortable leaving.

Back in the car.

The ventilation system hummed as it worked, and the fresh, cool scent of mint quickly replaced the smell of alcohol in the cabin.

It was the first time she had been alone with him in such a confined space, and having had a bit to drink, Ming Can’s mind was a bit foggy. She sat in her seat, staring blankly, taking a few deep breaths.

The car hadn’t started yet.

Chi Xiao glanced at Ming Can, who belatedly realized she had forgotten to fasten her seatbelt and hurriedly did so.

After dropping off her roommates, Ming Can felt less guilty about troubling him. She leaned back lazily in her seat, reminding Chi Xiao to turn on the navigation so she could input the address.

Chi Xiao: “No need, I remember.”

Ming Can’s lips curled into a smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes.

B University was very close to where she lived, and if they drove fast, they could get there in ten minutes. Thinking this, Ming Can decided not to delay any further and took the initiative to start a conversation: “Senior, do you have a partner?”

An abrupt question about his romantic life. Chi Xiao, with one hand on the steering wheel, was slightly taken aback. His amber eyes turned toward her: “No.”

“Same here,” Ming Can nodded, her voice gentle. “Someone as talented as you probably doesn’t have the time for relationships. I’m the same; I have no interest in guys at all. During university, I just want to focus on studying and developing myself.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the ventilation system happened to stop, leaving only deafening silence in the car.

This was the most tactful way Ming Could think of to reject him. Those who knew her well were aware that Ming Can was strong-willed and proud, straightforward and blunt, especially when it came to rejecting romantic advances from the opposite sex. She would never inconvenience herself to spare someone else’s feelings.

When she first sensed that Chi Xiao might have feelings for her, her immediate thought was to reject him. She had no romantic interest in Chi Xiao, and even if something might happen between them in the future, it wouldn’t change the fact that she didn’t like him now.

But Chi Xiao was different from other suitors. First, he was Miaomiao’s father, and Ming Can planned to maintain a good relationship with him going forward, so she couldn’t afford to burn bridges. Second, she only had an intuition that he might be interested in her—he hadn’t openly pursued her or made any overtly affectionate gestures. Therefore, she could only use this very subtle way to hint to Chi Xiao that she wasn’t interested in men. If he did have feelings for her, he would naturally back off. If he didn’t, then her words could be taken as casual conversation, harmless and inconsequential.

Ming Can felt she had handled the situation perfectly.

After she finished speaking, there was a brief pause. The young man in the driver’s seat lowered his gaze slightly and let out a single, emotionless syllable: “Hmm.”

It seemed as though he only made the sound to acknowledge her words, as if reluctantly letting out a hum to show he had heard her.

Ming Can: …

The atmosphere became awkward, like throwing a punch into cotton. Fortunately, Ming Can’s punch was light, and the cotton probably thought she had just brushed against it.

At this point, Ming Can began to doubt her initial judgment. The way this guy was acting now, so indifferent, made it seem like he had no interest in her at all.

But even if he was interested, it was likely just a fleeting attraction from their brief interactions, not anything deep. So it was normal for him to react so mildly after her subtle rejection.

At that moment, the car drove out of the school gate along the main road and merged into the bustling traffic.

The warm, dim light from the streetlamps flowed into the car, illuminating the young man’s sharply defined profile.

Chi Xiao kept his eyes on the road, his gaze deep and dark. Suddenly, he asked in a low voice, “Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?”

Ming Can: “Of course not.”

She adjusted her seatbelt, turned to him, and flashed a seemingly sincere smile: “Senior, I think you’re a really great person. Let me treat you to a meal sometime.”

Chi Xiao: …

Was one rejection not enough? Now she was giving him a “good guy” card?

Ming Can continued, “There’s just one small favor I need your help with.”

Chi Xiao: “Go ahead.”

To reasonably arrange for Miaomiao to meet him, Ming Can came up with a clever plan: “You met my cousin Miaomiao a few days ago. His parents recently went abroad for some business and left him in my care for a while. My main responsibility is to take him out to play. A few days ago, he suddenly told me he has a dream.”

Chi Xiao: “What dream?”

Ming Can: “He wants to get into A University.”

Chi Xiao: …

After a moment of silence, Chi Xiao couldn’t help but ask, “How old is he?”

Ming Can: “He’s almost six.”

Chi Xiao: …

Are kids these days so precocious? Not even six years old, and already aiming for A University?

Ming Can: “He really likes A University, so I thought I’d take him there sometime to experience the university atmosphere, especially places like the library. I originally planned to ask Yiqing to be our guide, but she said she’s been too busy with student council work lately. I don’t know many people at A University, so I was wondering if you could help us out and take Miaomiao and me on a tour of your school’s library?”

In truth, she knew plenty of people at A University, and Rui Yiqing wasn’t actually too busy.

But if she were to take Miaomiao around A University, she would still need to disguise herself to avoid being recognized.

Chi Xiao: “Sure.”

Ming Can was about to say that he could refuse if he was busy, but before she could get the words out, Chi Xiao had already agreed.

Then she heard him add, “I remember only the North Library is open to outsiders. When are you planning to come? I’ll make a reservation.”

Ming Can thought for a moment: “How about Friday afternoon? Are you free then?”

The last lecture they attended was on a Friday afternoon. She didn’t have classes at that time, and Chi Xiao probably didn’t either. She didn’t want to bother him on the weekend—after all, he was a wealthy young master, and weekends might be even busier for him than weekdays.

Chi Xiao: “I’m free.”

He still appeared cold and indifferent, not particularly enthusiastic, yet his decisions and actions completely contradicted that demeanor.

Ming Can silently cursed him in her mind for being such a show-off, while also marveling at how kind-hearted he seemed. His reputation outside was always one of aloofness and keeping people at arm’s length—definitely not the type to be overly generous like Cheng Xiuyuan. So, was there a hidden saintly heart beneath his cold exterior? Or was he only kind to specific people?

Ming Can hadn’t interacted with him enough yet to figure it out.

However, since he was so easy to talk to, she couldn’t help but push her luck and give him a bit more to do.

Besides.

This was something he should be sharing the responsibility for anyway.

Ming Can: “Since we’re meeting on Friday, Miaomiao can work on his weekend homework at the library. Senior, since your grades are so good, it would be even better if you could give him some guidance!”

Hearing this, Chi Xiao glanced at Ming Can again.

Her lips were curved upward, the corners of her eyes slightly crinkled, and her fair cheeks had a faint pink hue. She looked genuinely enthusiastic.

Chi Xiao instinctively felt that this was the most sincere smile she had shown him all evening.

He just didn’t know what she was so happy about.

Turning his gaze back, Chi Xiao asked calmly, “Which subject should I help him with?”

Ming Can pretended to think for a moment: “Math, maybe? I remember you got a perfect score on the math section of the college entrance exam, right?”

She had looked up his college entrance exam results online recently, so it was fresh in her memory.

Chi Xiao’s lips curved slightly: “You got a perfect score too.”

Ming Can was stunned: “How do you know that?”

Chi Xiao paused before answering, “I saw the honor roll at the high school entrance back then.”

His memory was terrifying. Ming Can was amazed. They hadn’t even known each other back then, yet he remembered a stranger’s college entrance exam score.

Outside the car window, the street scenes flowed by like sand slipping through an hourglass.

The atmosphere grew quiet. Ming Can gazed out at the night scenery, and occasionally, when the light reached a certain brightness, she could clearly see Chi Xiao’s face reflected in the window.

His side profile was sharp, a perfect blend of ruggedness and refinement, pleasing to the eye from any angle.

When he wasn’t speaking, his demeanor was icy, but after spending some time with him and getting used to his aloofness, she began to appreciate the steadiness beneath that unchanging coldness. He was like a god with an unnervingly stable mental state.

Perhaps because her own temper was so volatile, Ming Can sometimes admired people who could always maintain emotional stability.

She extended her index finger and lightly tapped the window, idly counting the buildings that flashed by. The car turned left at an intersection, and the outdoor lights dimmed. Ming Can saw her finger land right on the reflection of Chi Xiao’s eye in the window and quickly pulled her hand back.

She took a soft breath, feeling as though another layer of her defenses had crumbled.

There were only two or three minutes left to their destination. The car stopped at the last traffic light.

When no one was speaking, the cabin was too quiet. It felt too late to start playing music through the Bluetooth now.

Chi Xiao’s hand rested on the steering wheel, his long index finger tapping lightly. As if unable to bear the silence, he suddenly initiated a conversation: “Have you… watched any movies recently?”

Ming Can: …

What a clunky, awkward topic.

Just then, an idea flashed in her mind, and she answered the question seriously: “I recently watched a Korean drama called 《Shining Winter Melon》. It’s about a guy who travels back in time to when his parents were in school and becomes friends with his young parents. It’s pretty good.”

In truth, she hadn’t had time to watch any Korean dramas recently, but she had heard Xu Jiayun and the others talking about it and had some impression of the plot.

Chi Xiao nodded, as if listening attentively.

Ming Can turned to look at him and followed up on the topic: “Senior, do you believe in time travel?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Chi Xiao glanced at her.

He didn’t say anything.

His cool, pale eyes clearly conveyed—

Believing in that would be ridiculous.

Ming Can’s eyelid twitched, but she continued probing: “Even though time travel is pretty far-fetched, it’s a popular theme in movies and literature, which means a lot of people enjoy thinking about it. You could imagine it too—what if one day, your future son…”

No, that was too obvious.

Ming Can rephrased: “If one day, you suddenly fell into a wormhole and traveled back to when your parents were young, what would you do?”

Ming Can asked this question to draw Chi Xiao into the “time travel” scenario, not because she genuinely wanted to know what he would do if he time-traveled.

But after hearing her question, Chi Xiao blinked lightly, as if seriously considering it. After a moment, the corners of his lips lifted into a cold, emotionless curve, and he said softly, “I’d tell them not to be together.”

Ming Can was genuinely taken aback: “Then wouldn’t you cease to exist?”

Ming Can’s family wasn’t happy either, but her thoughts always revolved around her own existence. If it were her, she would never choose to make herself disappear, no matter what.

Chi Xiao: “That’s why there are no ‘what ifs’ in the world.”

He brushed the topic aside lightly, and Ming Can couldn’t press further.

She stared at Chi Xiao’s profile, and a voice involuntarily echoed in her heart:

If that day ever came, and he traveled back to his parents’ youth, he might really do what he just said—

Make his parents separate, even if it meant he would vanish from this world.

–

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

Friday afternoon, during a public lecture.

The classroom’s heating made everyone feel heavy-headed. Xu Jiayun propped her chin on her hand, staring at the girl beside her with a look of utter disbelief. Finally, she couldn’t help but ask, “Cancan, what’s gotten into you lately? Last week, there was a day when you dressed really weirdly, and now you’re doing it again. Look at you…”

Xu Jiayun tugged at the loose, fleecy jacket Ming Can was wearing, then reached up to tousle her explosion of curly, ramen-like hair, unable to bear the sight: “Are you going to collect rent? Cover your face, and you’d look just like the rent-collecting auntie from the movies.”

Ming Can: “I bought a new curling iron and messed up. Ugh, it’s a long story.”

Xu Jiayun: …

As soon as the class ended, Ming Can grabbed the oversized tote bag from under her desk, said goodbye to Xu Jiayun, and headed straight for the back door of the classroom.

“Brother Yao, Brother Yao, Chi Yao!” Han Yihong shouted into Chi Yao’s ear as he slept with his head on the desk. “The class rep is here, wake up! Or you’ll miss her again!”

This scene played out almost every day, and the passing students were used to it. Ming Can didn’t even bother to glance at it as she walked by.

Today, Chi Yao was unusually not in a deep sleep. He lifted his head after Han Yihong’s second shout, his eyes bleary as he asked, “Where’s the class rep?”

“Right in front of you! She just walked past!”

Chi Yao looked confused: “Huh? Wasn’t that an auntie who just walked by?”

Han Yihong: …

After leaving school, Ming Can first went to Morning Star Elementary School to pick up Miaomiao, then took a taxi with him to A University.

The afternoon sun was blazing, casting a bright, glaring light over everything.

Ming Can pulled out a pair of dark red, thick-framed glasses from her bag and put them on. She casually ruffled her wildly frizzy hair, which was flying freely in the wind. As she was about to step through the school gate, she accidentally glanced down at her shadow on the ground…

Oh my god, it was explosive!

Her head looked like it had been through a blender. Even she was startled by the sight.

Not bad, not bad.

Ming Can calmed herself down.

There was no way anyone would recognize her like this.

While holding Miaomiao’s hand, she entered A University through the north gate. Not far in, they saw a tall red-brick building—the North Library of A University.

Under the blazing sun, Miaomiao’s shadow bounced up and down as he waved excitedly at someone about ten meters away: “Brother! We’re over here!”

Chi Xiao walked over upon hearing the call, though his steps seemed oddly hesitant.

Stopping in front of the two, he reached out to pat Miaomiao’s round head as the boy rushed toward him. His gaze, however, remained fixed on the person beside Miaomiao, his expression… complicated.

Ming Can lowered her head slightly, smoothing out her messy, frizzy hair. She pulled her glasses down a bit and peered up at him with her dark almond eyes: “Good afternoon, senior. Is there something wrong?”

Miaomiao tilted his head, watching their strange interaction with curiosity.

This was so new. He had never seen his dad wear such a complicated, strange expression before. It was as if he wanted to say something but didn’t dare, wanted to look somewhere but couldn’t, feeling conflicted, stifled, and with a hint of inexplicable amusement.

“You…” Chi Xiao looked at Ming Can, uttering a single word before trailing off, unsure what to say next.

Although the system had warned Miaomiao not to activate his superpower too early, lest he exhaust his energy and fall asleep, Miaomiao felt he had better self-control now. He was confident he could turn it off right after hearing what he wanted to hear, unlike last time when he had overused it. So, he confidently activated his superpower and heard the thoughts behind his dad’s complicated expression—

[She’s so cute. Saying it out loud would probably kill me… Should I just die instead?]