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On the way home, the two of them were unusually quiet.
Just like last time, the streets were nearly empty late at night. The evening breeze rustled the leaves, creating a soothing sound.
Since both of them had consumed alcohol, He Jingxiu directly called a taxi to send her home.
The driver, perhaps unable to bear the silence any longer, broke the awkwardness by striking up a casual conversation with them.
The topics were trivial—mostly musings about how everyone working late into the night was doing it for the sake of life, and if it weren’t for survival, who would willingly endure such hardships?
Bo Ying listened quietly, occasionally chiming in with a few words, but for the most part, it was He Jingxiu who engaged in conversation with the driver.
Bo Ying noticed that despite being the president of a large corporation, He Jingxiu could effortlessly dissolve any sense of distance when he wanted to.
He always knew how to adjust his demeanor to communicate appropriately with people from different walks of life and backgrounds. Most importantly, the content of his conversations never made anyone feel awkward or uncomfortable.
The ride from He Jingxiu’s apartment to Bo Ying’s place was short—a mere ten minutes or so in the dead of night.
When they arrived, Bo Ying didn’t let He Jingxiu accompany her inside. Hailing another taxi late at night wasn’t convenient, and she was worried that after this ride, He Jingxiu might have to wait on the roadside for half an hour for another cab.
He Jingxiu looked at her. “Are you sure?”
“Mm.” Bo Ying met his gaze and spoke softly. “We’re already at my neighborhood gate—you should feel reassured now, right?”
She turned his earlier words back on him.
He Jingxiu glanced at her, his voice low. “Send me a message once you’re inside.”
Bo Ying stifled a laugh, her lips curving slightly. “As President He commands.”
“…”
After watching Bo Ying disappear into the compound, He Jingxiu signaled the driver to leave.
Without Bo Ying, the driver became chattier.
“Young man, you just dropped off your girlfriend, huh?” The driver chuckled. “Your girlfriend is very pretty.”
He Jingxiu raised an eyebrow, smiling faintly. “She is indeed beautiful.”
He had always known Bo Ying was beautiful from the very beginning.
Seeing that He Jingxiu was willing to talk, the driver pressed further. “So, are you two just starting to date?”
“…”
He Jingxiu paused briefly. “No.”
The driver was taken aback, surprised. “Not dating? You both seemed quite reserved—I assumed you were newly in love.”
He Jingxiu hummed softly, his tone even. “She’s not my girlfriend yet.”
At this, the driver suddenly understood.
He glanced back at He Jingxiu, somewhat astonished. After all, the two of them looked incredibly well-suited for each other.
“I can tell that girl really likes you. Why aren’t you two together yet?” He joked, “Did you not put in enough effort, young man?”
He Jingxiu froze, mulling over the word “like” for a long while before responding with a smile. “Yeah, it’s my fault.”
The driver nodded, encouraging him. “Then try harder. Use your sincerity to win her over.”
He Jingxiu curved his lips. “Alright, thank you.”
Bo Ying had no idea about this exchange between He Jingxiu and the driver after she had left.
The next day was work, and after taking a shower at home and seeing He Jingxiu’s message confirming he had arrived safely, Bo Ying fell asleep.
Monday at work, she appeared particularly listless.
Her colleagues around her were equally lethargic.
To perk themselves up, Pei Yunmeng and Bo Ying huddled together, chatting idly.
Pei Yunmeng had been dying to ask about why Bo Ying hadn’t gone to Zhenyue that night, but felt that WeChat wasn’t the right platform for it. She waited until they were at work to “investigate.”
With a mischievous grin, Pei Yunmeng whispered to Bo Ying, “How long did the handsome guy sleep in the car?”
Afraid of being overheard, they used “handsome guy” as a code name for He Jingxiu.
Bo Ying: “About half an hour.”
“He slept for that long?” Pei Yunmeng was surprised, her eyes wide. “My brother once told me that the handsome guy is very particular about where he sleeps—he can’t fall asleep unless he’s in his own space.”
“…”
Bo Ying: “Then your brother doesn’t know him well.” Twirling her pen, she muttered, “He used to fall asleep on buses.”
“How does he not know him well?” Pei Yunmeng missed the latter part of what Bo Ying said and replied lightly, “They’ve been close friends since childhood.”
Bo Ying fell silent, choosing not to share the memory that came to mind.
She remembered the most ambiguous period of her high school days with He Jingxiu. Dating was forbidden during high school, but she liked He Jingxiu so much that she promised him she’d be the first in line to start a relationship with him once she graduated.
At first, He Jingxiu naturally ignored her request, but after being persistently pestered by her, he eventually acquiesced to her antics.
At that time, Bo Ying was in her second year of high school, and He Jingxiu was in his third.
Senior year was academically demanding. Although He Jingxiu didn’t need to burn the midnight oil like other students, he still spent more time studying than usual.
Their evening self-study sessions ended at nine, but he typically left at ten. On weekends, he mostly stayed in the library.
In order to spend more time with him, Bo Ying naturally followed suit and frequented the library as well.
She vividly remembered one instance when they were studying in the library. But Bo Ying wasn’t someone who could focus on studying for long periods. After a short while, she’d want to play, and her mind was hard to settle.
It was a rainy day, and they had secured seats by the window early on.
The raindrops tapped rhythmically against the transparent glass, sliding down like broken strands of pearls. Bo Ying leaned against the innermost part of the seat. After reading for a bit, she began to observe the rain.
She was always chatty in front of He Jingxiu, eager to share anything interesting or amusing she noticed.
Unfortunately, He Jingxiu was an unenthusiastic person who often ignored her.
Watching the rain blur the glass, Bo Ying started doodling with her fingers.
After writing a couple of words, she’d call out to He Jingxiu childishly, asking him to look. At first, He Jingxiu would humor her, but after repeated interruptions, he tuned her out entirely, focusing solely on his studies.
Realizing she was being boring, Bo Ying gradually quieted down.
After a while, He Jingxiu suddenly called her name. “Bo Ying.”
“What?”
Bo Ying turned to look at him, her expression weary. “Are you done? Do you want to leave?”
He Jingxiu shook his head slightly and asked, “What did you just say?”
Bo Ying pursed her lips, sulking. “Nothing.”
Clearly dissatisfied with her answer, He Jingxiu stared intently at Bo Ying, silently urging her to repeat herself.
Unable to withstand his gaze, Bo Ying finally murmured, “I want to take the bus to buy some food.”
He Jingxiu paused, seemingly a bit surprised. “Can’t we just take a taxi?”
“No.” Bo Ying, secretly harboring ulterior motives, naturally rejected the suggestion. “I specifically want to take the bus. It’s especially comfortable sitting in the back row of the bus on a rainy day.”
In truth, the previous night, she had watched a romantic drama under her blanket where the male and female leads sat on the bus during the rain. They tugged at each other’s clothes and secretly kissed in the back.
Bo Ying didn’t dare dream of kissing—something minors shouldn’t do—but she wanted to hold hands with He Jingxiu.
She had held his hand just a few days ago and loved the feeling of security it gave her.
He Jingxiu, utterly helpless against her persistence, reluctantly agreed despite his apparent reluctance.
Neither of them had anticipated the rain when they left home, so neither brought an umbrella.
When buying an umbrella, Bo Ying insisted on purchasing only one.
After buying the umbrella, they headed to the bus stop.
When the bus Bo Ying wanted to board arrived, they made their way straight to the back row.
It was the middle of the afternoon, and there were few passengers on the bus.
Bo Ying sat by the window, with He Jingxiu beside her. It was winter, and both were wearing thick down jackets, making it impossible to feel each other’s body heat even through physical contact.
Seeing that her plan wasn’t working, Bo Ying complained about being hot and promptly took off her down jacket.
He Jingxiu’s eyelids twitched slightly as he uncertainly asked, “Are you really hot?”
“Yes.” Bo Ying’s teeth were chattering from the cold, but she persisted, “Aren’t you hot too?”
He Jingxiu, like an ascetic monk impervious to worldly pleasures, nodded. “No, I’m not hot.”
He was actually quite cold.
Bo Ying was rendered speechless by his response and shoved her jacket at him. “Then you wear more.”
He Jingxiu stared at the white down jacket thrust toward him, momentarily at a loss for words.
Bo Ying grumbled twice and turned to look out the window, muttering, “Such a lack of romance.”
This guy was impossible to tease.
Still oblivious, He Jingxiu turned to her and advised, “Bo Ying, put your clothes back on, or you’ll catch a cold.”
“…”
Bo Ying was almost driven to exasperation.
She gritted her teeth, glaring at the person beside her. “He Jingxiu, has anyone ever told you how hopelessly straightforward you are?”
He Jingxiu looked at her blankly.
Even more frustrated, Bo Ying snatched her jacket back, muttering, “Forget it, you’re destined to grow old alone.”
He Jingxiu: “….”
The interior of the bus was silent except for the announcements of upcoming stops.
After retrieving her jacket, Bo Ying simply draped it over herself without bothering to put it back on.
Suddenly, a couple boarded the bus and sat in front of them.
As soon as they got on, the girl complained about being cold, and the boy immediately took off his jacket and handed it to her.
The girl accepted it and draped it over both of them, cuddling closely.
Out of the corner of her eye, Bo Ying saw them lock lips tenderly after covering themselves with the jacket. Then the girl rested her head on the boy’s arm for warmth, and they intertwined their hands, sharing a pair of earphones to listen to music—it was incredibly romantic.
At that moment, Bo Ying realized she had made a mistake. She shouldn’t have claimed she was hot; she should have said she was cold instead.
She had clearly used the wrong “tactic,” which explained why He Jingxiu hadn’t caught on.
While regretting her approach, her hand was suddenly grasped by someone.
Her body stiffened, and she turned to look at the person beside her in disbelief. “You—”
Before she could finish, He Jingxiu squeezed her hand gently, his demeanor calm and composed. “Bo Ying, your hands are ice-cold. Hurry up and put your jacket back on.”
“…………”
Dead silence.
Bo Ying remained silent for three seconds before reluctantly putting her jacket back on.
As soon as she did, He Jingxiu’s oversized down jacket fell onto her.
Bo Ying stared at him blankly.
He Jingxiu glanced at her, moving slightly closer. His warm breath brushed against her ear, sending tingles down her spine.
His voice carried a hint of laughter, teasing and playful, as he whispered in her ear, “Bo Ying, watch fewer of those idol dramas. You’re completely missing the essence.”
She was learning the opposite of what was portrayed in TV dramas, making it impossible for anyone to understand her intentions.
Bo Ying choked, ready to flare up, but He Jingxiu suddenly leaned on her shoulder.
Naturally, he tugged at the jacket covering her and closed his eyes. “Let me rest for a bit. Wake me up when we arrive.”
His hair was short, and as he leaned in, it tickled the delicate skin of her neck, causing a slight itch.
Bo Ying nervously took deep breaths, licking her lips several times. Her eyes fluttered rapidly, and her heart pounded like a drum.
After a while, feeling He Jingxiu’s steady breathing, she softly responded, “Okay.”
As she spoke, Bo Ying leaned toward him, bringing their bodies closer together.
The moment she did, He Jingxiu’s hand moved.
Under the thick layers of clothing, their hands awkwardly intertwined tightly.
“Bo Ying.”
Pei Yunmeng called her several times. “What are you thinking about? You look lovesick.”
Bo Ying snapped out of her reverie, instinctively touching the corner of her lips. “Nothing.”
She cleared her throat and turned to look out the window. “When do you think it will rain again?”
“…”
Pei Yunmeng was momentarily speechless, letting out an “Ouch.” “It just stopped raining a few days ago. Please don’t let it rain again—it causes terrible traffic jams.”
Whenever it rained, Pei Yunmeng had to leave half an hour earlier to get to work.
Bo Ying hesitated, feeling a bit embarrassed as she touched the tip of her nose. “Oh!”
But she secretly loved the rain.
Thinking of this, Bo Ying took out her phone and shared a song on her social media.
【”A Secret That Can’t Be Told” — Jay Chou】
After sharing, she turned to Pei Yunmeng. “Did you guys have fun that day?”
“It was alright for us,” Pei Yunmeng said. “But everyone was quite disappointed that you and President He didn’t come.”
Hearing this, Bo Ying smiled. “Disappointed about what?”
Her lips curved slightly. “I don’t even know those people.”
“They were disappointed they didn’t get to see you,” Pei Yunmeng whispered. “You have no idea how curious everyone was about you.”
Bo Ying raised an eyebrow. “Curious about what?”
Pei Yunmeng shot her a glare. “Don’t act dumb. Of course, they were curious about the mysterious person who could easily sway President He’s decisions.”
Bo Ying was at a loss for words.
She fell silent for a moment, about to ask Pei Yunmeng about the situation between Tan Rui and He Jingxiu, when her phone vibrated.
Bo Ying glanced down—it was a message from a certain straightforward man.
He Jingxiu: [Are we taking the bus to pick up the car tonight?]
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