I had just put down my phone when I heard that, and I was stunned, my movements freezing.

Add a word?

Boyfriend? He's made it very clear to me that he wants a formal title.

I turned to look at his handsome and charming profile, my heart pounding wildly. I mustered my courage and asked, "So, are you going to walk those hundred steps now?"

His smile deepened, and he glanced back at me. "So, how many steps do you hope I'll walk now?"

My throat was dry. I pursed my lips and swallowed before saying, "Could you stop at ninety-nine steps? The last step... wait until I take it."

After saying that, my heart not only raced, but my whole brain started buzzing.

Su Shenglin was somewhat surprised, just as the car stopped at the traffic light.

He turned around, his face directly facing me, his eyes deep and his smile warm. He looked at me for a while before sighing, "It's really not easy, the little turtle has crawled out of its shell again."

It means that I finally have a little bit of initiative again.

My cheeks instantly turned bright red, and I immediately became angry and embarrassed: "Fine, forget I said anything. You hurry up and drive, I'm hungry!"

After I finished speaking, I turned to look out the car window, completely unable to meet his gaze.

Su Shenglin laughed heartily, "Alright, then I'll stop at ninety-nine steps and wait for you to take that step."

"No, I'm going to take two steps back."

"You won't."

"I can!"

"Then I'll chase you a couple more steps."

I can't continue this conversation, it's so idiotic.

Su Shenglin was still laughing, and then when the traffic jam stopped again, he actually reached out and patted my head, gently comforting me: "Okay, don't be angry. I'll just let you back a few steps."

"..." I stared at him, completely defeated, utterly humiliated.

He must have seen that I had already fallen for him, that I was trapped in his gentle snare and couldn't get out. Even if he said he would back down, it was just a bluff.

Oh, Jiang Wan, Jiang Wan—you are destined for a life of unrequited love.

————

That seafood hot pot restaurant had individual partitions for each table, not completely enclosed, but still relatively private.

I secretly prayed that I wouldn't run into anyone I knew—whether they were from my side or his side.

We ordered our food, and the steaming hot pot broth was brought out, with wisps of steam filling the space between us.

"Eat up, you must be starving by now." I started eating and didn't stand on ceremony with him.

Su Shenglin nodded, but just as he picked up his chopsticks, his phone started playing video.

He took out his phone, looked at it, and laughed, "Muxi sent a video."

My first thought upon hearing this was to crawl through the gap in the table.

What a coincidence! It's rare for her brother and I to have a meal together, and she just happened to run into us. There's bound to be another misunderstanding.

"Brother, I landed safely. I just wanted to let you know so I won't call Mom. I don't want her to nag me about running around everywhere and not coming home."

As soon as the video call connected, Chen Muxi's voice came through, youthful, high-spirited, and full of energy.

I looked at Su Shenglin in surprise. Chen Muxi is back?

"Okay, I got it. But you'll be home after a few days. It's almost New Year's Day, let's celebrate together," Su Shenglin instructed.

"Oh, let's wait and see. It'll be more lively here on New Year's Day. What's the point of going back?"

I understand.

It seems that Chen Muxi has only returned to China, not Jiangcheng, and will stay abroad for a few more days.

"Brother, are you eating out?"

"Um."

"What delicious food should we eat? I've lost weight from being abroad for the past two weeks, so let's go have a big meal later."

I thought Su Shenglin would just answer "eating hot pot" and that would be it, but to my surprise, he turned his phone around and pointed it at the table full of seafood, saying, "Look, seafood hot pot."

Before I could even back away, Chen Muxi screamed from the other end of the phone: "Ah! I saw Jiang Wan! You two are on a date? Hahaha, I caught you red-handed!"

I was both amused and exasperated...

Seeing that I had been exposed, Su Shenglin simply pointed his phone camera at me. I had no choice but to greet the camera: "Hi, Xixi... you're famous all over the world, you know? That street performance, playing the violin and the guzheng, was amazing!"

I immediately tried to find a topic to distract Chen Muxi, but she didn't fall for it at all. She ignored my words and pretended to be angry, saying, "Hmph, you two have really gotten closer while I was abroad! Tell me, how did my brother win you over?"

My face darkened, and I awkwardly explained, "No, it's not what you think. We just had a meal together."

"Tch, I don't believe it!"

"Don't believe me? Ask your brother." I've learned my lesson and thrown out the question.

Chen Muxi immediately exclaimed, "Brother? Is what Jiang Wan said true? Are you two still flirting and playing hard to get?"

Su Shenglin took the phone back, his handsome face smiling, and sighed with feigned sorrow: "Let Jiang Wan's words be the standard, although I don't think so."

What?

My eyes widened in shock, and I scolded angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about! It's just a meal."

But my rebuttal was useless.

Chen Muxi laughed, "Jiang Wan, you're amazing! You could even resist making a move on a man like my brother, and you actually offered yourself up!"

"..." My face turned as red as blood, and I was speechless.

This brother and sister are so unusual, I can't even find the words to describe them.

"Alright, I won't disturb your date anymore, bye." After Chen Muxi said this, I finally relaxed a bit, but then she suddenly blurted out, "Brother, turn the phone around again, I still have something to say to Jiang Wan."

Su Shenglin obediently turned the camera around. I looked up at Chen Muxi on the screen. Before I could say anything, she laughed and joked, "Sister-in-law, I'll come visit you when I get back. Several of my girlfriends want your haute couture designs. They're so beautiful!"

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