Chapter Ninety-Six: So You Actually Like...

The man surnamed Huangpu held her close, burying himself at the slope of her shoulder blade and breathing in the faint, natural fragrance of the girl in his arms. Only then did the violent storm in his heart begin to settle.

Tonight she had looked so lovely. It was fortunate no one had seen her face; otherwise he might have felt murderous.

“Then promise me first, and I’ll promise you after.”

“Fine. I promise.”

“Mm. Then I promise you too.”

She wrapped her arms around him as well, and her heart steadied considerably.

Suddenly, her neck felt a little itchy. She lowered her head and saw that the man had left a mark there, neither too deep nor too shallow.

She was a little exasperated. “What are you doing?”

He lifted his head, his eyes full of grievance. “Whose fault is it that you dressed like this tonight?”

He was nearly unable to restrain himself anymore.

She pushed him away. “That is no excuse.”

After getting into the car, she glanced at the mirror and, as expected, saw the mark clearly. On that fair, delicate neck were one or two red traces.

She fastened the buttons of her coat all the way up to her throat, then turned to glare at the culprit.

Sitting in the front passenger seat, the man looked at the girl’s resentful expression, and his smile could not be concealed.

“Your zither playing was so beautiful. I can’t believe I wasn’t the first to hear it.”

Before now, she had only played the piano and painted in his presence.

“Well, didn’t you hear it tonight?”

He looked at her seriously. “But I think that still isn’t enough. What should I do?”

“Then I’ll play for you another day. It’s very late now; we should go home.”

He leaned closer, his tone pleading. “Then come to the company and see me tomorrow, all right?”

“But I have work.”

This past month she had been working earnestly, and each day had been full and satisfying.

When he heard that, he simply pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

“So you’d abandon me for work, hmm?”

“I’m not abandoning you. I may just not have time tomorrow.”

After all, these days had been busy, and they were still negotiating an international cooperation.

“Then the day after tomorrow?”

His breath brushed her face, making her feel a little warm. The mint scent in his breath was stronger than before, and her cheeks turned rosy, so lovely that one wanted to kiss them.

“The day after tomorrow, I might... mmph.”

He sealed her mouth with his own, unwilling to hear any words of refusal. His agile tongue tangled with hers until she was slightly short of breath. Only then did he ease back a little. “Be good. Breathe out.”

Not far away, Ye Zuo looked at the two people kissing in the car, his heart aching unbearably. He clenched his fists and turned away.

Master Shangguan had feared that something else might happen to her, so he had sent Ye Zuo to pick her up. He had not expected to encounter such a scene. He should have known, shouldn’t he?

...

“Ye Zuo? Why are you here?”

After changing clothes, Xia Wanqing had just come out of the television station where the recording had taken place when she saw Ye Zuo sitting there alone.

She walked over and sat beside him. “Are you here to find Ranran? She’s already gone back.”

Ye Zuo gave a faint acknowledgment, then stood up and left.

Xia Wanqing followed behind him as well, not saying a word, simply trailing quietly.

He stopped. “Miss Xia, it’s already so late. You should hurry back.”

“We’re already this familiar. Shouldn’t we be able to call each other by name?”

“Sorry, Miss Xia. I’m going back.”

“Ye Zuo, where is your car? Drive me home, then.”

“Sorry, I didn’t drive here.”

“How could that be? You drove all the way here from so far away. You must be lying to me.”

He looked at her, his tone calm. “Miss Xia should really head back now. It isn’t safe if it’s too late.”

“Then if you take me, won’t that be safe? Besides, you’ve saved me twice already.”

Once, by taking her to the hospital.

Once, by helping her beat up those thugs.

“Miss Xia, in this world there is no one you can trust forever, especially not unfamiliar strangers.”

“But we’re not strangers!”

Ye Zuo glanced at her and said nothing, yet his bearing was cold, as though they truly were not familiar at all.

Her voice fell. Hurt, yet also tinged with mockery, she asked, “So even now, you still think of me as a stranger?”

His tone did not change in the slightest, and his face remained as expressionless as always. “Miss Xia should go back. From now on, treat me as a stranger too.”

“How am I supposed to treat you as a stranger?” Xia Wanqing’s tears fell. This was the first time she had ever liked someone so much.

And yet he had always regarded her as a stranger.

“I’ve liked you for so long. You don’t have anyone you like, so why can’t we be together?”

Looking at the tearful Xia Wanqing, Ye Zuo felt utterly unmoved. His tone remained as natural as ever, yet his words struck hard into her heart. “I already have someone I like.”

Xia Wanqing stared at him in disbelief. “How is that possible? You’ve always stayed by Ranran’s side. How could you have someone you like?”

His expression was steady, revealing not the slightest hint of falsehood.

Then she suddenly thought of a shocking possibility. “So... the person you like is Ranran?”

She looked at him and felt that she had guessed right. Shocked, she also found it absurd. “You actually like Ranran? But she already has Huangpu Shenqing! How ridiculous this is...”

She liked Ye Zuo.

Ye Zuo liked Ranran.

And Ranran liked Huangpu Shenqing.

It was truly laughable.

She fled in embarrassment, wanting to get away from this place, this ridiculous place that only brought her pain.

She ran wildly, not knowing how far she had gone or how many people she had bumped into. She only wanted to run, only wanted to leave.

At last, she could not run anymore. Defeated, she sank to the ground and cried out loud—crying for her own foolishness, and crying for her own misery.

People really do lower their guard at the moments when they are most heartbroken and at their lowest, and Xia Wanqing was no exception.

She had no idea that danger was already right behind her.

When she had finally cried herself out, she leaned beside a station.

A black figure arrived silently and clamped a hand over her mouth from behind.

She widened her eyes, and before long, she fainted.