Chapter 7

◎“Can I be a good person one more time?”◎

"You need it now?" Cheng Jiamo's voice dropped two octaves in surprise. "What do you need right now?"

Her eyes were wide open, her clear black and white pupils were bright and moist, but her expression showed obvious panic.

Because she was afraid that He Qingzhao would make difficult requests that she couldn't fulfill.

She was able to study and support herself through student loans, poverty grants, scholarships, and part-time jobs during her spare time.

For her, treating He Qingzhao to dinner and giving him a lucky knot with a gold bead pendant was already a huge expense that would break her bones.

If it goes beyond that range, given her current situation, she simply cannot do it.

He Qingzhao could see right through her bright, watery eyes and understand her thoughts perfectly.

He sighed inwardly. This girl was too innocent, as innocent as a pool of clear water, which made him feel guilty.

But he didn't want to stop; in fact, he wanted to deepen this sin.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Cheng Jiamo tentatively asked, "Why don't you tell me what you need right now, and I'll see if I can do it? If I can't do it right now, I'll repay you when I'm able to in the future."

Looking at her devout eyes, He Qingzhao smiled helplessly, raised his hand and ruffled her head, messing up her smooth, black hair.

"I'm very hungry right now, and I need you to treat me to a meal."

Cheng Jiamo was stunned, her eyes widening even further.

She never expected that the refined and elegant He Qingzhao would have such a childish and wicked side.

Even after getting into the car, she still stared at He Qingzhao with her big, watery peach blossom eyes, her gaze shifting and sparkling.

He Qingzhao felt a tickle in his throat from her gaze, his Adam's apple bobbing rapidly. He narrowed his eyes and said in a low, slightly hoarse voice, "Don't stare at me like that."

Cheng Jiamo's cheeks flushed instantly, and she hurriedly turned her head away in embarrassment, looking awkwardly outside.

She thought He Qingzhao thought she was impolite, but little did she know that it was because He Qingzhao was completely unable to resist her seductive and coquettish appearance.

She has a pair of charming and alluring peach blossom eyes, eyes that are naturally captivating.

If she deliberately makes any flirtatious or seductive gestures, it might actually ruin the effect.

But she did nothing; she just stared at He Qingzhao with her big, watery eyes, her gaze hazy.

She herself had no idea how much of an impact her innocent yet alluring demeanor had on He Qingzhao.

He Qingzhao had seen many beautiful women, and without exception, all of them had beautiful eyes, but none of them could arouse his physical attraction. Cheng Jiamo was the first.

Perhaps she just happened to fit his aesthetic preferences, or perhaps her eyes were too pure, so pure that he wanted to do evil and see tears of emotion flow from them.

Cheng Jiamo didn't hear any sound for a long time, and seeing that the car was still not moving, she couldn't resist her curiosity and cautiously turned around, only to be met with He Qingzhao's abyss-like gaze.

She couldn't understand his gaze, only that it was deep and heavy, like a deep pool, so deep it was almost frightening.

Meeting his gaze, she felt inexplicably nervous. She pursed her lips and asked softly, "Weren't you hungry?"

He Qingzhao withdrew his gaze, his eyes completely devoid of emotion.

"Let's go." He started the car and drove away.

Cheng Jiamo didn't think much of it and looked down at her phone: "The restaurant is..."

Before she could finish speaking, He Qingzhao asked, "Can you come with me to a party first?"

"Huh?" Cheng Jiamo was stunned. "Attend...attend the party?"

She wanted to say, "If you're really busy, then let's skip the meal today," but she couldn't bring herself to say it. She was the one who said she would treat them to a meal, and now she was saying she wouldn't eat? What kind of behavior would that be?

He Qingzhao glanced at her and said in a deep voice with a smile, "It's not an important party, I can just go and make a call."

Cheng Jiamo smiled at him and said gently, "Mr. He, you are such a kind person."

He Qingzhao was suddenly given a "good person" card, and she smiled happily, "How did I become such a good person?"

Looking at his handsome profile, Cheng Jiamo said earnestly, "Putting aside the two times you helped me, just take this meal as an example. You're so busy, yet you're still willing to eat with me. What else could you be but a good person?"

He Qingzhao smiled gently and said, "In your eyes, is the threshold for being a good person so low?"

Cheng Jiamo retorted loudly, "No! It's because you're really nice! You're so busy, you could have just not accepted my invitation and let me owe you the favor, making me suffer day and night because of the debt you owe me. But you agreed even though you were very busy, just to make me feel better."

He Qingzhao: "..."

He really wanted to say that he wasn't as good as she described at all, and that he had never been a good person. The reason he agreed to have dinner with her was because he had needs from her, in a physiological sense.

But when he met her clear and sincere eyes, he couldn't bring himself to deny it, unwilling to shatter her perfect fantasy about him.

"Hmm." He responded in a low, hoarse voice, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Cheng Jiamo watched as his prominent Adam's apple rolled down his thick neck, looking incredibly alluring and sexy.

She stared blankly for a moment, her body involuntarily leaning forward, her lips almost touching his neck, until she heard He Qingzhao's deep laughter, then she suddenly came back to her senses, and hurriedly turned her head away in embarrassment.

Ugh! How embarrassing!

What is she doing?! Is she crazy?!

How embarrassing! She was so embarrassed she wanted to jump out of the car and crawl into a hole in the ground!

After that, she dared not look at He Qingzhao again, and to avoid making eye contact with him, she kept turning her face away and looking out the window.

While waiting at a red light, He Qingzhao glanced at her and only saw the little girl's chubby profile.

The nineteen-year-old girl, still somewhat childish with a touch of baby fat on her face, was somewhere between mature and naive, like a delicate flower bud about to bloom, making one's heart itch.

When the light turned green, he started the car, his hands on the steering wheel tightening subtly, as if he were holding not the steering wheel, but any part of the little girl's body.

His throat was itchy and tight. He loosened his tie with two long fingers and unbuttoned the two buttons below his neck, revealing the area below his collarbone.

Even so, He Qingzhao still felt extremely agitated, as if a ball of fire was burning in his chest, making it almost impossible for him to maintain his gentlemanly demeanor.

Cheng Jiamo kept turning her head until her neck ached. Just as she was about to turn back, she heard He Qingzhao ask, "What's your major?"

Actually, he didn't need to ask to know. When he asked Assistant Wang to investigate Li Zhuyue, Assistant Wang had already conducted a background check on Cheng Jiamo. Not to mention the university and major she was currently attending, he even knew exactly how many times she had received the "Three Good Student" award in elementary school.

He asked the question purely out of boredom, to distract himself.

Because of her nervousness, Cheng Jiamo didn't think much of it and obediently replied, "Chinese Language and Literature."

He Qingzhao then asked, "What are your plans after graduation?"

Cheng Jiamo replied obediently, "Before graduation, I want to take the civil service exam. If I fail, I'll find a job that I can handle after graduation."

He Qingzhao suggested in a gentle voice, "You have a gentle and quiet nature, so you could work in the field of literature and history research."

Cheng Jiamo scratched her head: "But those require further studies, like postgraduate or doctoral entrance exams."

He Qingzhao asked with a smile, "Afraid you won't pass the exam?"

"No." Cheng Jiamo bit her lip awkwardly. "I want to start working as soon as possible."

She struggled to even get into university, let alone pursue a master's or doctoral degree.

As soon as she graduated from university, she had to start earning money to pay off her student loans and support herself.

The car stopped outside a towering skyscraper. He Qingzhao unbuckled his seatbelt and looked at her with deep eyes.

"Can I be a good person one more time?"

Cheng Jiamo stared at him blankly, her heart pounding.

"What, what do you mean?"

He Qingzhao reached out and gently stroked her fair and delicate face with the back of his hand, his knuckles brushing against her red lips.

I want to support your education.

Cheng Jiamo, as if startled, hurriedly waved her hands: "No, no, no, that won't do. Mr. He, I can't accept you..."

"Don't be afraid." He Qingzhao took her hand, his voice low and gentle, "Just think of it as me doing charity."

Cheng Jiamo was so moved she wanted to cry; her nose tingled and her eyes filled with tears.

"But, but if that's the case, I really won't be able to repay your kindness."

He Qingzhao gently stroked the corner of her eye with his thumb, looking at her with a gentle smile: "You don't need to pay me back."

Cheng Jiamo shook her head vigorously: "That won't do, I'll feel uneasy if I do that."

He Qingzhao narrowed his long, narrow eyes slightly and smiled like a fox: "Don't be afraid, I will make you accept it with a clear conscience."

[Author's Note]

The cunning man plots his every move...

There will be another chapter this afternoon.