An Ruo had promised Shen Xiaoxing that she would take him to eat wontons at the entrance of their alma mater. That day, she got off work early. As soon as she stepped out of the company, she spotted a Maybach parked by the roadside from afar.
Han Chong leaned against the car. Seeing her come out, he raised his hand and waved, then respectfully bowed across the street.
An Ruo: “...”
Driving such a flashy car and blocking the company entrance during rush hour—she didn’t want to become the talk of the office.
She pulled out her phone and called Han Chong, telling him, “Drive ahead first. There are too many people and eyes here; I don’t want to attract attention.”
Han Chong acknowledged respectfully, hung up, and immediately drove forward, parking discreetly by the roadside in a quiet spot.
An Ruo quickened her pace while glancing around to see if anyone was watching. Han Chong opened the car door, and she slipped in quickly.
Once inside, she realized the man had come too. He was dressed in casual clothes, his stern face softened by a faint, gentle glow. His features were exquisite and well-proportioned, with sharp, chiseled contours that were deep and three-dimensional. Even doing nothing, standing there, he was a breathtaking masterpiece.
But fate had its cruel twists, leaving such a strikingly handsome man with a physical disability.
An Ruo was in a good mood. “Why are you here?”
“Aren’t we going for wontons?” The man’s thin lips curled into a faint smile. “If you go home after work, it’ll be late. I figured I’d come pick you up and we’d go together.”
An Ruo held his hand and said softly, “Are you cold?”
The man paused slightly, then his palm wrapped around her small hand, his smile deepening. “Just thinking about waiting for you makes me not cold.”
“...”
Uh...
An Ruo’s gaze slowly dropped to his large hand holding hers.
Her heart trembled. She wanted to pull away, but the man seemed to sense it and deliberately held on, even bringing her hand to his lips and breathing warm air onto it. “Your hand is so cold. Did you wear too little today?”
Over the past couple of days, the man’s attitude toward her had reached a level of deep affection. An Ruo stared at him blankly, feeling like something was off but unable to pinpoint it.
“It’s fine.”
An Ruo tried to pull her hand back again, but the man not only refused to let go but reached for her other hand, his voice low and tender. “Give me the other one too.”
“I’m not cold...”
Before she could finish, the man gently tugged her arm, pulling her onto his lap. Though this wasn’t the first time, last time she was injured. Now, with both of them fine and this close, An Ruo’s mind went blank.
“I’ll crush you...” An Ruo fidgeted nervously, afraid of putting pressure on his disabled leg.
Shen Xiaoxing’s voice was a little hoarse. “It’s fine. You’re very light.”
The air grew increasingly charged with intimacy. An Ruo looked at his strikingly handsome face, and for a moment, she felt her cheeks warm.
The man spread his coat open and pulled the girl into his embrace for warmth.
Forced to lean against his chest, An Ruo listened to his strong, steady heartbeat. The surrounding traffic noise seemed to hit pause; at that moment, all she could hear was his heartbeat.
Shen Xiaoxing lowered his gaze, seeing the girl pressed against his left chest, listening to his heartbeat. The faint, unique fragrance of her lingered in his nose, as if he could never get enough of it. He greedily wanted all of her.
He raised his hand and cupped her cheek. She looked up in confusion, meeting his empty, sightless black pupils. It felt as if time had stopped...
Shen Xiaoxing recalled Gu Chao’s words—they all believed he had fallen for An Ruo, but he just refused to admit it.
Now, he was truly lost. Was it the day she changed her mind and didn’t kill him? Or when she gently coaxed him not to give up on treatment during his fake frustration with rehab? Maybe it was when Shen Tingfeng pushed him down the slope, and she rushed over without a second thought. Or perhaps... the first time she stepped into the villa, he watched through the monitor as she dragged her suitcase, cautiously walked into the living room, and greeted everyone with a silly smile.
So, this world wasn’t as terrible as he had imagined.
...
The man held her face, his handsome features slowly closing in. His breath grew nearer, and An Ruo’s heart tightened. She froze in his arms, afraid to move.
Just as their lips were about to meet, Han Chong suddenly stopped the car and, at the most inopportune moment, said, “Master, Mistress, we’ve arrived.”
An Ruo snapped back to reality and scrambled out of the man’s arms. In her haste, she bumped her head against the car’s soft top and winced in pain.
Seeing the familiar street, she smiled and pointed. “Right here. I can’t believe it still looks the same after all this time.”
Han Chong helped the man out of the car but was met with a cold glare—a sinister look that left him utterly confused.
Had he done something wrong?
An Ruo personally pushed him into the shop. It was dinner time, and the place was packed. She scanned the room and was relieved to spot an empty table.
From the moment they entered, the diners’ eyes never left them. Most gazes seemed to say: Such a handsome man, and he’s disabled—what a shame!
Shen Xiaoxing was used to pretending to be blind and never cared about what others whispered behind his back.
“Is it too noisy?” An Ruo noticed his furrowed brow, as if he was a bit displeased. She explained softly, “It’s a small shop, no private rooms.”
“I’m used to quiet. Hearing some outside noise once in a while is nice.”