Sheng Qi's lips were tightly pressed together, as if every nerve in his body was taut.
Gazing at the girl before him with her radiant smile, the light in his eyes deepened bit by bit, as though he was trying to see through her.
Such a pair of eyes were too pure, too clear, even the fondness within them was unguarded and blatant.
Sheng Qi was silent for a long moment, then his thin lips moved slightly: "What do you like about me?"
Bai Tang raised an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly—a ridiculously cute head tilt that carried a hint of confusion.
*Big shot, you're really something, even a confession requires me to praise you!*
"I like your ethereal beauty, your noble and aloof aura..." Bai Tang curled her lips and continued her flattery: "I like the you whose eyes hold a little angel like me, the you whose lips speak my name, Bai Tang..."
"I like every smile and frown of yours, every word and action..."
Bai Tang gazed deeply back into his eyes, her tone half-joking as she said softly: "I like... the you who doesn't like me!"
Sheng Qi looked at her, and that last remark, half-true and half-false, brought him an indescribable sense of oppression.
It seemed, from the very beginning, her affection for him had been inexplicable.
And her first sentence just now had clearly told him what her affection was based on.
Sheng Qi stared at her smiling eyes, which were wicked and willful, glinting with a sly light.
Because what she truly liked was this face, she didn't care at all about his attitude toward her.
Sheng Qi thought, if this face belonged to any other man, then today, she wouldn't be sitting by his side.
At the thought of such a possibility, Sheng Qi let out a somewhat self-mocking laugh.
The look in his eyes as he stared at Bai Tang involuntarily turned colder. The more he thought about it, the more he felt she deserved a beating.
Sheng Qi slowly loosened his grip on the steering wheel. After a few seconds, he withdrew his gaze from Bai Tang, started the car again, and drove smoothly forward.
But he knew that beneath his calm exterior, his heart... was in turmoil.
Bai Tang waited for a long time, only for the man beside her to stare at her for a while, then look away and continue driving. She was a bit confused.
Was her confession not straightforward enough? Not passionate enough? Or had her compliments failed to hit the mark?
"Big shot, I was seriously confessing to you just now. Shouldn't you at least give me some response?" Bai Tang's mouth twitched hard. "Show me some respect, okay?"
Sheng Qi turned his head and gave her a cold, dangerous glare.
Bai Tang: "..."
Fine, she'd shut up!
Bai Tang lowered her head, thinking about what to eat for lunch, and sent a list of her desired dishes to Bai Wu.
Sheng Qi stared straight ahead, his peripheral vision catching her typing away on her phone. The light in his eyes dimmed a little.
"Bai Tang, the most important thing for you right now is to study!" Sheng Qi said coldly.
Bai Tang looked up, staring at him with confusion. Why was it this topic again?
"So, put away those thoughts for now. Don't go around imitating others with early relationships. Focus on your studies!" Sheng Qi said sternly.
Bai Tang blinked, then smiled: "Teacher Sheng, you're really a good teacher!"
Sheng Qi ignored her tone and said coldly: "That bodyguard of yours is too old for you. He's not suitable."
Bai Tang found it amusing. Why was he so fixated on Bai Wu?
"Then who's suitable for me? Zhang Xiaochu?" Bai Tang asked.
"Zhang Xiaochu is a chuunibyou. He's even less suitable!" Sheng Qi said coldly.
"Chuunibyou?"
"Chu'er is a naive sweetheart. Not suitable either!"
Bai Tang laughed out loud: "Then what about Sheng Qi?"