YABE - 18

Wen Siyu’s home was in a neighboring city. The high-speed train ride would take less than an hour, while driving would require about two hours.

Jiang Xu placed her luggage in the trunk and prepared to get into the car.

The man walked back around, his hand resting on the front door handle—but then he suddenly froze, silently staring at her.

Wen Siyu, who had been about to open the rear door, was pinned in place by his gaze.

The little girl blinked, confused.

Jiang Xu tilted his chin forward: “Sit in the front.”

Wen Siyu: “….”

“Oh.”

Without asking further questions, the little girl obediently walked to the front, opened the passenger door, and slid inside.

Jiang Xu was satisfied. He opened the driver’s door and got in, glanced at her, then leaned over.

Instinctively, Wen Siyu turned her head toward him, only to meet a handsome face unexpectedly close—his straight nose, deep brown eyes clouded with intensity, and long lashes.

His arm brushed against her delicate, pale cheek as his slender fingers grabbed the seatbelt, slowly pulling it across her ear, cheek, and chest before clicking it into place with a soft click .

The man straightened up and started the car without a word.

Wen Siyu sat frozen beside him, her mind exploding with a sudden boom .

The faint sound of the seatbelt brushing against her clothes still lingered in her ears.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jiang Xu noticed the tips of the girl’s ears turning red.

He subtly adjusted the steering wheel, reversing the car while asking casually: “Your home is in City B?”

The little girl’s gaze was vacant, as if she were sleepwalking.

After a long pause, she let out a dazed “Ah?”

Jiang Xu pretended not to notice, nodding solemnly as he said: “Just give me the address—I’ll set the navigation.”

Still dazed, Wen Siyu recited an address to him.

Jiang Xu drove steadily, though slightly slower than usual. By the time they reached City B, it was nearly 9 PM. Night had fallen, and the little girl beside him was sleeping soundly, her head tilted to the side.

Following the navigation system, Jiang Xu drove into a villa district and stopped in front of a modern three-story villa with a wooden gate blocking the view. From outside, the third floor appeared completely dark. Jiang Xu glanced at the sleeping girl, turned off the engine, leaned over, and studied her under the dim yellow light from outside.

Her soft bangs rested gently on her fair forehead, her long lashes covering her lower eyelids, her small nose delicate and slightly upturned, her lips rosy.

Jiang Xu propped his chin on one hand, tilting his head as he gazed at her.

More than a month had passed since he last saw her—and she seemed even more beautiful now.

He couldn’t get enough of looking at her.

The old man lowered his gaze, sighed deeply, and felt utterly hopeless.

When he looked up again, he was met with a pair of large, round, jet-black eyes.

The little girl had just woken up, her big eyes still hazy with sleep. She lifted her head groggily: “Teacher Jiang…” Rubbing her eyes, her voice came out hoarse: “Are we here?”

Jiang Xu hummed softly, pondering how he could keep hearing that soft, sweet voice of hers.

Wen Siyu rubbed her eyes for a moment, then covered her mouth as she yawned lightly, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes before she finally became more awake.

Jiang Xu straightened up, leaning back into the driver’s seat, and suddenly spoke: “I’m sorry.”

The apology came out of nowhere, leaving Wen Siyu confused as she looked at him.

“For not seeing you off that day—I’m sorry.”

Wen Siyu froze.

“At the time, there were some things I hadn’t figured out yet. My mind was restless, so I didn’t go.”

That morning, when the little girl woke up groggy, her first words were asking why she was there. Her natural, straightforward demeanor—and her obvious cluelessness about what had happened—had inexplicably irritated him.

So much so that he didn’t want to speak, didn’t want to do anything, didn’t even want to move—or delve deeper into why this sudden irritation had arisen.

Jiang Xu’s deep brown eyes were unreadable: “Later, I figured it out. So today, I came to apologize. I’m sorry.”

The car was silent. He spoke earnestly, each word crashing clearly into the girl’s eardrums, leaving her stunned.

Three consecutive apologies, along with his sudden explanation, caught her completely off guard, leaving no time to process.

It wasn’t until a spotlight suddenly shone from behind them, accompanied by the abrupt sound of another car approaching, that the silence was broken.

The two turned their heads. Through the rear window, the bright light stung their eyes.

Squinting, Wen Siyu recognized the car behind them and exclaimed: “It’s my brother!”

The little girl unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door, and jumped out, hopping over. Halfway there, she remembered she hadn’t taken her luggage and turned back—only to see Jiang Xu already opening the trunk and leisurely walking over with her small suitcase.

By this time, Wen Siyuan had also gotten out of his car. The man carried several bags in his hands, his expression unusually cold. He didn’t even glance at his bouncing younger sister but instead fixed his gaze directly on the man behind her.

When Wen Siyuan arrived home and saw a car parked in front of his house, his first thought was how rude it was for someone to block his driveway. These days, people really lacked manners.

Turning off the engine and pocketing the keys, he picked up the snacks he’d bought for his little sister and was about to get out of the car when he saw a long-haired girl step out of the other vehicle.

She wore a white dress and bounced over cheerfully.

That was unmistakably his little sister.

As she exited the car, the driver’s door opened, and a man stepped out.

The man opened the trunk, took out a small suitcase, and walked over slowly. The little girl, who had hopped forward, turned back to meet him. The man leaned down to say something to her, their proximity close.

Wen Siyuan narrowed his eyes, his expression sour, and opened his car door to step out.

As he approached, he realized the man looked somewhat familiar.

He felt like he’d seen him somewhere before.

After a moment of reflection, Wen Siyuan was startled.

This man bore an uncanny resemblance to the photo of Jiang Xu he had seen on his sister’s computer months ago.

And perhaps even better-looking than the photo.

The two men locked eyes—black meeting deep brown, sparks flying between them. The little girl standing between them was thoroughly ignored.

After about ten seconds, Wen Siyuan extended his hand first, his tone polite but distant: “Wen Siyuan.”

Jiang Xu shook his hand: “Jiang Xu.”

Wen Siyuan: “My sister has caused you trouble.”

Jiang Xu: “Not at all.”

Wen Siyuan: “It’s quite a distance from City A to City B.”

Jiang Xu: “Not really.”

Wen Siyuan: “Teacher Jiang must be very busy.” (Translation: Don’t overstay your welcome.)

Jiang Xu: “No, the production is on break.”

Throughout the entire exchange, the two men’s hands remained tightly clasped, neither willing to let go.

Wen Siyu: “….”

The little girl rolled her eyes and called out to her brother.

Wen Siyuan smiled faintly, slowly releasing his grip, though his gaze remained fixed on Jiang Xu’s face: “Is Mr. Jiang’s family also in City B?”

Compared to his smiling facade, Jiang Xu’s expression was bland and uninviting: “My family is in City A. This is my first time here.”

Wen Siyuan feigned surprise: “Then will Mr. Jiang be returning tonight?”

“….”

Wen Siyu rolled her eyes again.

She couldn’t bear to listen anymore.

Calculating that if Jiang Xu returned now, he’d arrive home close to midnight, she imagined him standing alone in a dark, empty house, lost in thought. Feeling a pang of sympathy, she bit her lip, took a deep breath, and blurted out: “If Teacher Jiang doesn’t mind, please stay over tonight and leave tomorrow. It’s already past 9 PM, and driving at night isn’t very safe.”

Once she finished speaking, she mentally applauded herself.

—What a great line! So smooth! So brave! She had managed to invite her idol to spend the night at her house!

Completely oblivious to her brother’s forced smile cracking apart, Jiang Xu also seemed taken aback by her words. After a brief pause, he quickly recovered and spoke before Wen Siyuan could interject, offering the first genuine smile of the evening: “Then I’ll impose.”

“….”

Wen Siyuan’s voice came out strained through gritted teeth: “…Not at all.”