**50**

When Mo Yichen returned home, Zhu Jia was giving Xiao Wen a bath. Ever since their trip to Lucheng and its bubble party, Zhu Jia had bought Xiao Wen a set of kid-friendly bath bombs that filled the tub with foam as soon as they were dropped in.

Mo Yichen changed into loungewear and entered the bathroom, rolling up his sleeves. “Let me handle it.”

Xiao Wen had been mischievously splashing water earlier, leaving Zhu Jia’s shirt damp.

“You should take a shower—wearing wet clothes could make you catch a cold.” Mo Yichen pointed toward the adjacent shower stall.

The bathroom had a separate shower area that wasn’t visible from the outside, only showing a faint shadow through the glass.

“Alright, but don’t let him soak too long,” Zhu Jia replied. Feeling uncomfortable in her damp clothes, she grabbed a change of pajamas and stepped into the shower.

Mo Yichen sat by the bathtub, playing with the toy ducks alongside Xiao Wen. Soon, the sound of water running filled the room from the shower, accompanied by the scent of creamy bath products wafting through the steamy air.

Mo Yichen looked up instinctively. A faint silhouette appeared behind the shower glass, and he could hear the sound of her dispensing body wash. He couldn’t help imagining the way she was applying the thick foam—likely starting with her slender, fair arms, moving to her delicate collarbone, and then further down…

He shook the thought from his mind, snapping back to reality. He quickly lifted Xiao Wen out of the tub, rinsing off the foam with the faucet. Wrapping him snugly in a cartoon-patterned towel, he carried him out of the bathroom.

Away from the humid, steamy air, Mo Yichen’s head seemed to clear a bit.

After applying lotion and dressing Xiao Wen in pajamas, Mo Yichen placed the boy on the bed, where he quietly entertained himself.

“Mo Yichen, could you grab me a towel?” Zhu Jia’s voice called out. She had realized that the towel she’d brought in had been taken by Aunt Liu for washing, leaving only one hanging near the tub.

“The one by the tub,” Zhu Jia’s muffled voice, slightly softened by the water and steam, came from the shower.

Mo Yichen picked up the towel and walked to the shower stall, tapping lightly on the glass door.

The door cracked open just enough for a pale, damp hand to reach out. “Pass it here,” Zhu Jia said.

The steamy atmosphere seeped out as Mo Yichen handed her the towel, his mind blank for a moment. Her small, wet hand lingered for a beat, as though pulling him from his thoughts.

“What’s wrong? Give it to me,” Zhu Jia said, stretching her hand further out in confusion.

Finally, he handed her the towel. “Thanks!” she said, closing the door with a firm click.

Mo Yichen stood frozen for a moment, his expression dark and unreadable.

Just now, if he had grabbed that hand and pulled her out forcefully, what might have happened?

The thought sent a wave of frustration coursing through him. For the first time in a while, Mo Yichen felt a deep sense of unease. He couldn’t help wondering—was she just this unguarded with him, or did she act this way around other men too?

The semester was nearing its final two weeks, and Zhu Jia was racing against time to catch up, determined to make up for the first half of the term through self-study and extra help from her professors.

On Monday afternoon, after finishing Professor Jiang’s class, Zhu Jia went to the library to return two completed textbooks.

As she turned from the return desk, she almost bumped into a tall figure.

“Here to return books?” The person carried a faint scent of mint.

“Mm, yes. What a coincidence, running into you again!” Zhu Jia nodded at Chen Tingyan, noting how often they’d been crossing paths lately.

They had met up several times for study sessions in the library. Zhu Jia had noticed that English was one of Chen Tingyan’s weaker subjects, which was likely why he frequently sought her help with practice questions.

Luckily, English was her strength. Back in the day, she had prepared hard for the IELTS, ultimately scoring a solid 7.5 on her first attempt.

Chen Tingyan smiled. “Yeah, it is. Do you have some free time now? Can I treat you to bubble tea?”

“No need to go through the trouble,” Zhu Jia replied, finding his constant politeness a bit excessive. He always seemed eager to return favors, whether with food or drinks.

“I insist. You’ve helped me so much. Plus, a new bubble tea shop just opened near campus, and it’s supposed to be really good.”

Zhu Jia’s eyes lit up. “A new bubble tea shop?”

“Yeah, they’re known for their Camellia Latte and Oreo Cookie Milk Tea. I hear a lot of girls in our class are raving about them.”

“Well, let’s give it a try!” Zhu Jia grinned, clearly intrigued. She hadn’t expected Chen Tingyan to be so in tune with the bubble tea scene.

The two walked side by side to the south gate, where they found a newly opened bubble tea shop called English Neighbor. Though the shop was small, its trendy decor and enticing menu drew plenty of customers.

Zhu Jia ordered a Sweet Orange Camellia Latte, while Chen Tingyan stared at the menu, seeming a bit indecisive.

“Why aren’t you ordering? Don’t you like these drinks too?”

Chen Tingyan paused. “Uh, yeah. I’ll go with this.” He ordered an iced lemon tea and added, “No sugar, please.”

Yinglin, the newly opened milk tea shop, was quite popular among students and locals. A small line of people waited outside, as each drink was freshly prepared. Zhu Jia and Chen Tingyan stood by the roadside, a little away from the shop, waiting for their number to be called.

“The winter break is coming soon. Do you have any plans?” Chen Tingyan asked.

“Nothing special, just spending time with family for the New Year,” Zhu Jia replied, already thinking about buying some new clothes for Xiao Wen for the celebrations. “What about you?”

“I’ll head to my grandfather’s place in Hangzhou after my exams next week and stay there until after the New Year.”

“Oh, so you’re from Hangzhou?”

“Sort of. My parents are here, but I grew up with my grandfather in Hangzhou.”

Zhu Jia nodded. “I’ve heard Hangzhou is a great place to visit.”

“It is. If you ever plan to travel there, let me know,” Chen Tingyan said with a smile.

“Once I’m back from Hangzhou, my 20th birthday will be around the corner,” he suddenly mentioned. “You’re invited to my place for a celebration.”

“Your place?”

“Yeah, I had a house party last year too. By the way, we have a Ragdoll cat at home—it’s super adorable. I think you’ll love it.” Chen Tingyan pulled out his phone and showed her some photos of the cat.

The cat was stunningly beautiful, with bright blue almond-shaped eyes, delicate features, and soft, fluffy fur. Zhu Jia’s eyes lit up as she admired it. With such a gorgeous cat, which girl wouldn’t want the chance to cuddle it?

“Alright, I’ll definitely be there,” Zhu Jia said with a smile. “So, you’re not even 20 yet? You should be calling me Zhu Jia-jie, like Wang Zheng does.”

Chen Tingyan raised his chin slightly, a hint of dissatisfaction on his face. “You’re not much older than me. I’ll stick to calling you Jia Jia.”

“Fine, suit yourself…” she said, shrugging. No need to argue with a younger boy—it wasn’t worth it.

“Number 032, your order is ready,” the milk tea shop’s loudspeaker called out.

“I’ll grab it,” Chen Tingyan said as he headed towards the shop.

Zhu Jia nodded and stood by the roadside, waiting idly.

Across the street, a sleek black Aston Martin slowly pulled over. Mo Yichen, sitting inside, spotted Zhu Jia standing there.

Today, she wore a cream-colored knitted dress that accentuated her figure, making her look gentle and adorable. A smile softened Mo Yichen’s sharp features.

Whenever he saw her, his exhaustion seemed to vanish. Picking up his phone, he prepared to give her a surprise call.

But just as he opened his contacts, his smile froze.

A boy in a white sports hoodie approached Zhu Jia, handing her a cup of low-quality milk tea. She accepted it with a bright smile, taking a sip.

She laughed, covering her mouth slightly as if the boy had said something amusing.

From across the busy street, the scene of the youthful pair chatting and drinking their beverages resembled a romantic moment straight out of a teenage movie, exuding the charm of a first love.

Mo Yichen felt as if his eyes had been scalded.

Loosening his tie, which suddenly felt too tight, his gaze turned icy as he scrutinized the boy. Watching him act like a peacock flaunting its feathers, Mo Yichen’s cold eyes seemed to ignite with suppressed anger.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes to regain composure. Rationality returned—barely. He had worked hard to establish a good rapport with Zhu Jia, and things were finally progressing well. He couldn’t afford to mess it up now.

After all, it was obvious Zhu Jia wouldn’t fall for such a childish, flamboyant boy. Immature posturing, a blank canvas of a face, and empty-headed bravado?

Completely unappealing.

Forcing himself to calm down, Mo Yichen dialed Zhu Jia’s number.

At that moment, Zhu Jia was explaining the best way to care for a Ragdoll cat when her phone rang. A deep, magnetic voice resonated through the line, “I’m at the south gate to pick you up.”

“I’m at the south gate too! Why haven’t I seen you?”

“You’re here too?” The voice on the other end sounded slightly surprised.

Zhu Jia scanned her surroundings and finally spotted a black car with its hazard lights on. “I see you! Wait there, I’m coming over.”

A gentle chuckle came from the other end. “Alright.”

After hanging up, Zhu Jia gave an apologetic smile to Chen Tingyan. “My family’s here to pick me up. Let’s chat next time.”

Chen Tingyan waved goodbye as he watched her cross the street and open the door to a black car. His gaze sharpened slightly when he noticed a man in a black suit seated inside.

A flicker of curiosity crossed his mind. Was this her brother? Or perhaps an older relative?

One thing was certain—this man couldn’t be her boyfriend. Zhu Jia would never be interested in someone like that.

Although he hadn’t spent much time with her, Chen Tingyan had noticed that while Zhu Jia was gentle, she also had her own opinions and independence.

That man, with his overbearing aura and apparent controlling nature, didn’t seem like someone Zhu Jia would choose.

And even if he was her current boyfriend, the fact that she referred to him as “family” and not “boyfriend” told him everything. She didn’t have deep feelings for him—breaking up was only a matter of time.

Smiling confidently, Chen Tingyan strolled towards his black motorcycle parked nearby, filled with a renewed sense of assurance.