Chapter 21 [VIP]
Amidst the usual indifferent and calm male voice, Han Shu felt only shame.
That afternoon, Wen Zhiyu may not have meant any harm; he merely asked a casual question, but it struck a nerve. The anger and resentment she had harbored towards Xu Ying erupted at that moment. In a sense, she had taken her anger out on him.
His emotions were so stable, his apology so sincere, and the blessing he offered was the life she had always longed for but never had.
Han Shu gripped the lever tightly without saying a word, his fingertips turning bluish-white from the excessive force.
Even someone as naive as Wen Zhiyu understood the meaning behind her silence. He didn't ask any more questions, but sighed softly, "The suitcase won't fit on the motorcycle, let's take a taxi at the village entrance."
Han Shu, feeling embarrassed, kept his head down and asked in a muffled voice, "Where to?"
Wen Zhiyu sighed helplessly, "Where else can we go?"
"...Isn't it supposed to be no more than seven days?"
"Hmm." Wen Zhiyu tied the cardboard box back to the back of the motorcycle. "Today is the first day."
The man took the suitcase from her and carried it easily.
Let's go.
Today is the first day.
Let's go.
Han Shu's heart skipped a beat, like the brief pain of pricking his finger to test his blood sugar, which quickly subsided. But the feeling of that moment lingered in his heart.
The nights at the beach are both quiet and noisy.
Wen Zhiyu slowed down and walked ahead, while Han Shu followed slowly behind.
They walked through the ebb and flow of the summer tides, passed by the sound of waves, and weaved through the crowds. Their shadows were long and short. Sometimes Han Shu would step on Wen Zhiyu's "head," and sometimes Han Shu's "head" would bump into Wen Zhiyu's shoulder or back. They would briefly touch and then move away, only to touch again after a brief separation.
At the village entrance, a row of taxis were neatly parked along the roadside, waiting for tourists returning to the city.
Wen Zhiyu walked to the nearest car and knocked on the window, "Yaju Villa District."
"Okay!" The driver got out of the car, put the luggage in the trunk, and said, "Get in."
Wen Zhiyu opened the back door and turned his head to the person who was still dawdling, "Get in the car."
Han Shu took small, quick steps and stopped as they passed each other. Wen Zhiyu was tall, and if she didn't look up, her gaze would only reach his shoulders. So she stared at the collar of his shirt and murmured, "Thank you."
Wen Zhiyu didn't respond. After the other person got into the car and closed the door, he said through the half-open car window, "I'm going to ride my bike. See you at my doorstep."
Before Han Shu could even finish speaking, he had already turned around and strode several meters away.
The driver fastened his seatbelt, stepped on the gas, and the taxi slowly moved forward, avoiding the flow of people.
Only after that straight and striking figure slowly disappeared behind him did Han Shu turn his gaze away and continue browsing unread WeChat messages.
In the family group chat, Xu Ying didn't reply to anything, only her father replied with "Okay, thank you, daughter".
On Ling Lin's side, multiple messages flooded the screen again.
[Linbao: How is it? Did Auntie contact you?]
[Linbao: You should have a good talk with your aunt.]
[Linbao: Have you booked a place to stay?]
...
Han Shu returned the call immediately.
"What's the situation now? Are you with your aunt and uncle? Are they trying to force you to come back?"
Ling Lin's penetrating voice pierced the receiver. Han Shu took out his earphones, put them on, and then recounted what had happened in detail.
"After the five-day, four-night cruise is over, we'll buy them return tickets."
"You don't plan to meet?"
"If they see him, they'll definitely be dragged away immediately."
“...That’s true. It’s too difficult to persuade Auntie with her personality.” Ling Lin sighed and lamented, “A cruise ship costing 18,000 yuan and a hotel costing 3,000 to 4,000 yuan, she’s reluctant to spend money on herself, but she spends so much on her parents.”
Han Shu's lips curled up slightly, but the smile quickly faded due to exhaustion. "Yes, a huge hemorrhage... I can't rent a place, and I don't know if I can hire a volunteer. Tonight, I'm relying entirely on kind people to take me in."
Ling Lin hesitated, "A kind person? What kind of kind person?"
"boom--"
The familiar roar of the engine.
Han Shu was about to turn around when a dark shadow caught up. The motorcycle and the taxi were side by side, about two meters apart. As the windshields reflected the red light and the car's taillights, both vehicles slowed down and stopped at the zebra crossing.
The man braced himself on one leg, his black helmet turned to the left. Through the car window and visor, Han Shu could see herself looking at him, and sensed that he was looking at her too.
A strange current ran through her fingertips. She looked at Wen Zhiyu, who was dressed in black and would have blended into the night if it weren't for the motorcycle's lights. Her red lips moved slightly.
Wenzhiyu.
"Wenzhiyu".
Under the full-coverage helmet, Wen Zhiyu nodded slightly.
After the countdown, green light replaced red light in his eyes. The man pointed ahead, gently twisted the accelerator, and sped forward like an arrow, leaving Han Shu with a clean afterimage.
Ling Lin screamed, "Wen Zhiyu? Your landlord? No? He's really that kind? He probably has other motives!"
Han Shu lowered his eyelids and pointed, "Yes, he's that kind. That's great, I don't know how to face him."
"What happened? In just a few days, the opinion of him has completely changed?"
"because……"
Han Shu scratched his head.
Because I always felt that... Seemingly caring for her while she was sick, I was actually afraid that if she died, the villa would become a haunted house. Seemingly neutering the cat, it was actually to persuade her to agree.
But when she opened the box and saw the stack of skateboards...
Discuss both actions and intentions.
Regardless of the reason, he was the one who took care of her all night, he was the one who offered to get her spayed and neutered to find a cat, and now he is the one who is providing her with a place to stay.
“According to what you said before, he was an unreasonable person. How could someone like that come up with the idea of giving you skateboards, and even buy one of each…” Ling Lin clicked her tongue, “It seems that this handsome guy is actually a bitter gourd with a candy-like heart.”
Bitter melon? Han Shu burst out laughing at her description.
"So what's the plan now? Stay for another seven days?"
"I don't know, my brain is too tired to think about anything. I'll think about it tomorrow."
"If you need money, just tell me, don't hesitate."
Han Shu felt a warmth in her heart, "I understand!"
After hanging up the phone, the motorcycle happened to stop in front of the Nanwan Police Station, where Wen Zhiyu was standing by the roadside waiting. He wasn't wearing a helmet, and there were no other vehicles around, so it seemed he had already parked his motorcycle back.
The driver had just opened the trunk and hadn't even gotten out of the car when he unloaded the luggage.
"Received payment via WeChat, 39.5 yuan."
"Thank you, Master."
Take care.
Han Shu closed the car door, turned around, and met the man's slightly hesitant gaze. "What's wrong?"
Wen Zhiyu, holding the suitcase, noticed that she was in much better condition than before, and then spoke cautiously, "You still need to answer questions to offset the room fee."
Han Shu immediately understood, "Of course."
Wen Zhiyu was relieved and nodded, "Let's go back."
Wen Zhiyu was in front again, with Han Shu behind. This time, however, he followed much closer, only about half a body length behind.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye for a while, then called out softly, "Wen Zhiyu."
"Mm," Wen Zhiyu replied.
"I had a fight with my family this afternoon, and I was in a bad mood, which is why I snapped at you," Han Shu said after sniffling. "I'm sorry."
"Mm," Wen Zhiyu replied.
What does "hmm" mean? She'd mustered all that courage to say it! Han Shu quickly caught up, peering at his expression. "What does 'hmm' mean?"
"Hmm means 'hmm'."
"..." Han Shu pursed his lips at him, speechless, and said, "Speak like a human being."
Wen Zhiyu glanced at her and saw her expression, which had been quiet for half a day, become lively again. A smile slipped across his lips without leaving a trace. "It means I forgive you."
Han Shu scratched his head, relieved, and suddenly laughed, his mood lightening as well. She walked side by side with him, her hands behind her back. Passing a stream of water formed by falling air conditioner units, she playfully skipped across it and continued walking side by side.
Wen Zhiyu pressed the password to unlock the door, but after opening it, he paused and turned around instead of going in.
Han Shu nearly crashed into it, barely managing to stop the car. "What happened?"
The porch was dimly lit, and several mosquitoes were drawn to the light. Wen Zhiyu ignored them, squinting at her, "And what about you?"
Han Shu asked, puzzled, "What about me?"
Wen Zhiyu asked, "Have you forgiven me?"
He asked the question with great seriousness and a very earnest expression.
Han Shu noticed that her cheeks and neck were burning, and her fingertips were curling up uncontrollably. After a long while, she nodded and whispered, "I forgive you."
Wen Zhiyu was satisfied and carried the suitcase inside.
Han Shu watched his retreating figure, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. The two of them were like kindergarten children having a tiff, saying "I forgive you" as if they were holding hands back then, as a sign that they had made up.
Upon checking into the guesthouse again, Han Shu didn't need Wen Zhiyu to say anything more; she found slippers, changed into them, and dragged her suitcase to her room.
Pushing open the door, Han Shu called out "Goodnight" to the stairs.
Wen Zhiyu, who had just reached the area between the first and second floors, paused and replied, "Good night."
Exhausted, Han Shu took a shower, collapsed onto his familiar bed, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Directly above, in the study, Wen Zhiyu was putting on his glasses and about to start working when he suddenly remembered something, took out his phone from his pocket, and called Qin Jianling back.
Then came the barrage of questions: "Where's the car? Have you picked it up yet?"
Wen Zhiyu took off his glasses again and scratched his brow with the temple of his glasses. "Not yet. I have something to do today, maybe tomorrow."
Qin Jianling asked curiously, "Something's up? What is it?"
"It's a long story," Wen Zhiyu coughed lightly. "In short, the guesthouse now has another guest."
"Oh, how was it? Did you answer the question? You said you had something to do, you didn't call the police again, did you?"
"...No, the guest is the same one as before."
Qin Jianling fell into a long silence.
Wen Zhiyu waited for a long time but heard no sound. He glanced at the screen; the second hand was still ticking. "Did you hear that?"
"I heard you," Qin Jianling said dryly, "but... I don't know if I should ask that question."
Wen Zhiyu had a gut feeling that this person was starting to make up nonsense in his mind again, such as suspecting that he had ulterior motives towards married women and was willing to be a mistress for love, so he immediately said: "Ask."
Ask quickly.
Give him a chance to prove his innocence.
Having received permission, Qin Jianling took a deep breath. "The rule that the stay at our guesthouse cannot exceed seven days was set by you. I'd like to ask Teacher Wen, does this seven days refer to a total limit of seven days, or a single stay of seven days? Is it possible for seven days to cover seven days?"
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