Chapter 20 Cigarettes

Night fell.

The city remains bright and glorious, with the CBD lights reaching into the sky as bright as day, and the wide fourteen lanes bustling with traffic, the headlights forming a continuous line.

Cheng Hexi sat in the passenger seat of the Maybach, with the window half-lowered, and the night breeze brushed against the hair on the side of her face.

Leaning back in her seat, Cheng Hexi casually remarked to the driver, "I've never seen you drive this car before."

“Hmm,” You Yue said casually, gripping the steering wheel, “I don’t like it.”

"Too low-key?" she replied.

You Yue chuckled briefly, a slight upturn at the corner of her mouth, wondering what kind of image she had in her heart.

Cheng Hexi's gaze lingered from the corner of his slightly upturned lips to the man's smoothly sculpted forearm. She recalled his smile last night as he held a cigarette in his mouth and realized that he seemed to be in a good mood lately.

This model of Maybach is almost entirely a luxury business car designed for office use. It features a spacious and comfortable interior with a retractable partition between the front and rear seats, ensuring maximum privacy.

She had never ridden in one before, but now it seems those advantages are truly well-deserved.

But it's definitely not the kind of car that Yu Yue would like.

In Cheng Hexi's view, this person's preferences were very obvious.

He likes things that are beautiful and flamboyant.

The car drove onto the overpass.

You Yue drives very steadily on ordinary days, without any of the sharpness he displays when racing. The car has a faint scent of ebony and sandalwood, and its exterior and interior furnishings are very understated.

She casually complimented the aromatherapy scent, saying it smelled really good.

Looking at the road conditions, You Yue said, "I still have some at home. I'll ask Aunt Yao to find some for you when we get back."

Hearing him say that, Cheng Hexi nodded: "Okay."

He seems to be someone who easily accepts new identities.

That response was so natural that they really looked like a newlywed couple deeply in love.

The car was quiet, with no music or radio, but the atmosphere wasn't stagnant.

Cheng Hexi sat comfortably in the passenger seat, looking at her phone.

She hadn't sat in someone else's passenger seat for many years, yet she felt completely at ease. The night breeze brushed against her cheek, and she felt even more relaxed than when she was drinking at the club.

Last night, when she asked him to pick her up, she didn't feel it as deeply as she does now. At that time, she only felt that You Yue was trustworthy, but she didn't know that her subconscious had already trusted him so much.

After regaining her senses, Cheng Hexi suddenly remembered something and asked the person next to her, "What does Yu'an study?"

You Yue didn't know why she asked this, but she still answered the question seriously: "She is studying astronomy now, and I think she majored in astrophysics as an undergraduate."

Cheng Hexi responded with an "Oh".

She only knew that Chi Yu'an was studying at Oxford before, and only now did she learn about her major.

After answering, You Yue casually asked, "Why did you suddenly bring up Chi Yu'an?"

When did they become so close?

They've been married for so long, and Cheng Hexi hasn't asked him a single question.

"She said she and her friends planned a starry sky exhibition, and I'd like to go see it." Cheng Hexi checked her schedule and asked, "Are you free next Sunday?"

That's what they said, but in reality, Chi Yu'an only invited her.

Chi Yu'an said he would give Cheng Hexi two tickets and invite her to attend. He also said she could bring her cousin, and if she didn't want to bring You Yue, she could bring her own friends.

Cheng Hexi found it quite interesting.

So they found out that the two of them were in an arranged marriage?

She naturally wouldn't ask these questions in front of Chi Yu'an, and gratefully said that she would definitely be there.

Before traveling, I had heard Ying Zeqing talk about the Starry Sky Exhibition, but I didn't remember the date.

He said, "I'm free."

Cheng Hexi was not surprised by the answer, nor did she show any joy. She tossed her phone aside, leaned back in her seat, and looked out the window.

The streetlights cast their glow across the wide driveway, like flowing honey.

While waiting at a red light, You Yue leaned back in his chair, casually twirling his ring with his slender fingers, and turned to ask about business: "When are you leaving for the New York Economic Forum next week?"

“Let’s do it a day earlier,” Cheng Hexi said after a moment’s thought. “We’re still applying for the flight route.”

When the green light came on, You Yue started the car and grunted in response.

Cheng Hexi asked, "And you?"

“I’m flying from Silicon Valley,” he said, remembering the reporting process: “I’m leaving a couple of days early because I have some work to do there.”

The journey was not short.

Halfway there, the car turned into another lane. Seeing her relaxed expression, You Yue turned the steering wheel and asked after a moment, "Why are you riding in my car?"

He still asked the question.

Upon hearing this, she tilted her head and replied without much thought, "I can't drive because I've been drinking. The driver was given the day off for the Dragon Boat Festival."

But this was clearly not what You Yue wanted to hear.

When they first got their marriage certificate, she would never sit in the passenger seat, much less lean back in her seat like that.

You Yue bluntly stated, "You're not as wary of me anymore, are you?"

Cheng Hexi was slightly taken aback by the man's directness. Then, thinking about his personality, she realized it was very similar to You Yue's style.

“That’s one way to look at it,” she smiled. “We’re a legally married couple, we can’t be without trust at all.”

-

Drive-in theaters are inexpensive and offer plenty of private space, making them more relaxing and enjoyable than watching a movie in a theater.

The last drive-in movie theater she visited was the one in Brooklyn that she mentioned in the interview; she hasn't had the time or inclination for it since returning to China.

A movie is about two hours long, and if you come right after it starts, you can watch four movies in a row.

Cheng Hexi glanced down at the watch on her left wrist; it was just past 9:30.

You Yue was lazily adjusting the car radio.

The timing was perfect; they arrived just in time for the end of the movie.

When I bought the tickets, I selected Channel A. In a few minutes, they will be showing a British romance film from the late 20th century.

The other three radio stations featured two suspense films and one biographical film. Yu Yue only told her to choose, and after comparing them, she chose this one.

Suspense films excite her and make it difficult for her to sleep at night, while she isn't very interested in biographical films.

"Have you seen the movie I chose?"

Cheng Hexi leaned back in her seat, unbuckled her seatbelt, and asked the person in the driver's seat.

At this moment, the end credits were already rolling on the distant screen.

The current movie has finished showing.

You Yue said, "No."

Then he asked, "A romance film?"

He remembered the movie because it was very famous.

Cheng Hexi hummed in agreement.

She had seen this one before.

Three or four years have passed since she watched the movie. She only remembers the outline of the plot. At the time, she felt that the movie was nothing special except for the four-season long take, and it was just average.

I wonder if I'll have any new feelings about watching it this time.

The car's air conditioning was at the perfect temperature, and the screen gradually cut to the interior furnishings.

She glanced at You Yue.

The man had just adjusted his seat and was now looking intently at the screen.

He always maintains a gentlemanly demeanor in situations like these.

When the progress bar reached the halfway point, the male protagonist walked through that long street, and the film showed that stunning long take of the four seasons.

You Yue's mother was a well-known director in the industry. She didn't make many films, but they were all highly praised. That's why 100 square meters of space on the fourth floor of the villa was specially set aside as a private cinema.

He couldn't say he particularly liked movies, but he had seen a lot.

After that long take, time flows through the film, and You Yue's gaze shifts from the screen to the person beside him.

The background is a dark night with the faint glow of the screen, and from his perspective, it shows her superior and perfect profile.

Her gaze was fixed intently on the screen, oblivious to everything.

Before this, they would occasionally discuss the plot, but afterwards, the two remained silent for the rest of the time.

Cheng Hexi's attention was entirely focused on the movie; she didn't look away from the screen even as the credits rolled.

-

It was past eleven o'clock when I drove away from the drive-in theater, and the streetlights seemed brighter than when night had just fallen.

I was stuck at the intersection by a red light as soon as I stepped out.

You Yue looked at the red numbers flashing on the traffic lights and rolled down half of the car window.

Tomorrow, Cheng Hexi will revert to being "President Cheng" and play the role of a loving couple in public. But in reality, their relationship is already such that they can go to the movies together privately.

Previously, You Yue had never thought about these things.

He touched the cigarette pack and took out a cigarette.

The cigarette was between his lips, and he had already struck a lighter, but then he suddenly realized he wasn't alone. With a "snap," he slammed the lighter cap back on.

Cheng Hexi turned her head when she heard the sound and saw the man with his eyes downcast stubbing his cigarette into the clean ashtray inside the car, and casually tossing the cigarette pack onto the center console.

Seeing this series of actions, she smiled genuinely and asked, "Why did you stop smoking?"

To be honest, she didn't quite understand why You Yue smoked in his car last night and didn't come home.

"Aren't you here?"

Few people get to sit in his passenger seat, and the person sitting in his passenger seat today doesn't even smoke.

He lit a cigarette out of habit, and now he's going to break that habit.

“You hate the smell of smoke,” You Yue said again.

His tone was calm, but very firm.

“…Yes.” She asked curiously, “You know?”

You Yue had never smoked in front of her, and Cheng Hexi didn't even know when she had shown her dislike for him.

He turned his head to look into Cheng Hexi's eyes and curved his lips into a smile.

"Last time I waited for you to go to Grandma's, I smoked a cigarette downstairs, and you frowned when you came close to me."

Upon hearing this, she recalled for a moment: "I don't remember at all."

She was completely unaware of her action, and she couldn't understand how a pampered young master like You Yue could pay attention to such a small detail.

No wonder she went upstairs to change her clothes that day.

"What does smoke taste like?" Cheng Hexi suddenly asked.

You Yue glanced at her sideways, but didn't say anything for a moment.

In the dim night, his eyes were unfathomable.

Cheng Hexi didn't want his answer. Wearing her wedding ring, she reached out and took the cigarette pack he had just put down, then took out a cigarette with her slender fingers.

She held the cigarette to her lips.

You Yue smiled lightly, didn't stop her, and even took a lighter to light it, covering it with his hand.

Cheng Hexi leaned closer, her long eyelashes drooping and fluttering.

The hissing sound was very soft as a cigarette was lit, casting a faint crimson glow in the dimly lit car.

Through the dim firelight, she raised her eyes, and their gazes met for a fleeting moment.

Aside from that soft laugh, You Yue didn't say anything, but kept looking at her.

Previously, Mr. You had never lit a cigarette for anyone, and he did a very good job the first time.

After lighting the cigarette, Cheng Hexi looked away, leaned back in her seat, and tried to exhale a smoke ring.

She wasn't choked, but she still frowned slightly.

He removed the cigarette from his lips, his gaze lingering on her eyes. He asked, "What do you think it tastes like?"

As he said this, he moved the ashtray closer to her.

Cheng Hexi took another drag, then extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray and looked back at him.

The tiny flame inside the car disappeared, and the faint smell of tobacco quickly drifted out of the car window.

It was as if nothing had happened.

He found her a box of mints in the drawer.

"It doesn't taste like much..."

Cheng Hexi put a mint in her mouth and smiled, "I won't try it next time."

You Yue looked away from her lips.

The light turned green, he started the car, but there was no response.

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Author's Note: I was really touched to see some lovely readers asking for extra chapters in the comments. Although I can't do that right now, I will definitely try my best to write more chapters in my spare time!

Thank you everyone for your comments, love you all! [pat on the head]