Fortunately, the road was long enough to give her ample time to calm the heat on her face.
Her originally cold palms, through a thin shirt, slowly absorbed a warmth that didn't belong to her.
It's warm, but it makes you afraid to indulge in it.
The lights reflected through the gate were a bit brighter, illuminating people's hearts more clearly.
The threshold seemed like a clear boundary. Su Er lowered her hand the moment she stepped over it, took a step behind him, and fell behind him.
This is a very simple principle; helping her to get to this point was out of kindness.
Any more than that, and you're crossing the line.
Feeling the force suddenly loosen on his arm, Jiang Siyan just smiled nonchalantly, as if he knew everything.
That fleeting glance left a lasting impression on Su Er.
For a long time afterward, she was inexplicably fixated on finding a trace of emotion in Jiang Siyan's face, which was devoid of worldly desires.
She got what she wanted on the day they separated; it was a kind of helplessness born only for her.
Jiang Siyan bid farewell to Zhang Xuchuan in a low voice, "I'm sorry to have bothered you tonight, Uncle Zhang."
Zhang Xuchuan waved his hands repeatedly, "What are you saying? I'm happy you came, and besides, there's such a lovely girl here who can speak a few words of our hometown dialect with me, which has relieved a lot of my boredom."
When Su Er heard herself mentioned, she looked up and smiled slightly: "I'm glad you don't mind."
The driver parked the car at the bottom of the steps, and the waiter immediately came forward, opened the car door, and held up an umbrella to shield this short stretch of road from the wind and rain.
Jiang Siyan raised his chin, gesturing for her to get in the car first.
Su Er nodded slightly, leaned over and sat down, and the car door closed behind her.
As soon as she got in the car, she took her coat off her shoulders, shook it twice, folded it neatly, and placed it on her lap—a series of smooth and effortless movements.
After doing all that, she turned her head to look at Jiang Siyan outside the car window, her gaze involuntarily falling on his right arm.
The shirt, ironed perfectly flat, had a few wrinkles in one spot, which were particularly noticeable, like evidence of her panicked state in those few seconds.
The blush that had finally subsided seemed to be making a comeback.
The car door opened again, and the parting pleasantries were coming to an end: "Please get in, don't get wet in the rain."
Before Jiang Siyan turned around, she quickly looked away, and in the gap between the opening and closing of the car door, she glanced at him and said goodbye to Uncle Zhang outside the window.
The figure holding the umbrella gradually blurred in the rearview mirror until it became a small, indistinct dot.
Su Er held the stiff suit fabric in her hand, glanced at the person beside her, and handed over the coat at a suitable moment, "Sir, thank you for your coat."
Jiang Siyan glanced at it, didn't take it, and patted the chair next to him, "Put it here."
Su Er finally managed to return this hot potato, letting out a barely perceptible long sigh of relief.
With an extra person in the car, Su Er was afraid that Jiang Siyan would say something suggestive.
Her posture was much more proper than when she arrived, with her hands on her knees; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she had drawn a circle around herself and was confined to her own space.
The rain outside the window intensified, and the road down the mountain was uneven. The wheels rolled over a low-lying puddle, and the splashing water projected the dim light into her eyes, making them appear as if they were shining with gold.
Su Er's previously drowsy mind suddenly cleared up in an instant; there was something she had forgotten!
She pressed her lips together to suppress the gasp that almost escaped her lips, and turned to look at Jiang Siyan.
He had already closed his eyes, his head was leaning back in the leather seat, his legs were naturally crossed, and his breathing was steady. It was unclear whether he was asleep or not.
It's even harder to bring it up now.
Su Er slumped her shoulders with a hint of melancholy, glancing at him casually every now and then, trying to catch a moment when he opened his eyes so she could naturally bring up the topic.
Such intense attention was hard to miss. As Su Er looked at him for what seemed like the umpteenth time, Jiang Siyan slightly lifted his eyelids and saw her eyes, which seemed to hold back words, filled with a pool of spring water.
The annoyance of being woken up was extinguished by those wet eyes. He sat up straight, a weak smile on his lips, his voice a little hoarse, and asked her, "What's wrong?"
Su Er cleared her throat and said awkwardly, "Um... I haven't paid yet."
She promised to treat us to dinner, but she didn't pay, so what kind of treat is that?
Jiang Siyan was taken aback. He clenched his fist and covered his lips to try to hide his laughter. After a few seconds, the laughter finally spilled out of his throat uncontrollably.
Well, the girl usually appears very shrewd and clear-headed, but when she gets serious, she has a touch of naive foolishness.
Su Er was confused by his laughter and frowned, asking, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Siyan said slowly and deliberately, "I didn't pay either."
Su Er's brows furrowed even more.
He leaned forward slightly and teased her with interest: "So we're eating a free meal, we need to hurry, or Uncle Zhang will call the police to arrest you."
The driver ran over a branch lying across the middle of the road, making a very soft "crack" sound, as if accompanying Su Er's speechlessness at this moment.
He really treats her like a child.
Su Er clenched her fist on her knees, suppressing the urge to slap him, and replied irritably, "You ate the food too, and you led me away. If you're going to be caught, you'll be caught too."
Jiang Siyan laughed: "Oh, so you don't treat me with the respect due to an elder anymore?"
A warm, alluring breath sprayed onto her cheeks. Su Er wanted to back away, but her neck stiffened uncontrollably in place.
Their eyes met, and her heart began to race uncontrollably. She seemed to be drowning in those surging eyes, listening to his soft laughter in her ear.
He said, "Er'er, we're all in this together now."
The car swayed slightly; the driver had pressed the brake pedal rather hard.
The girl's face, which had been radiant with spring-like beauty, seemed to be startled awake as well. She turned her head away from his breath, and her voice suddenly became stern, "How much is the food? I'll transfer it to you."
Before he could say more than a few words, the girl retreated into the square she had drawn herself, like a turtle hiding its head in the sand, as if afraid that if she took one more step, she would be crossing a dangerous line.
This ability to extricate herself in time is truly rare. If she were to use this skill to teach courses, she could probably make a fortune.
Jiang Siyan leaned back in his chair and said casually, "It won't make a difference if we have to eat one more meal."
The car continued driving, but the air inside was even quieter than before, so quiet that you could hear her every disordered breath.
Su Er looked at the man who had stirred up her emotions through the reflection in the car window. His profile was bathed in an orange-yellow halo, his lines were straight and smooth, and even with his eyes closed, he was as noble and indifferent as ever, giving people a feeling of coldness that kept people at a distance.
How can we not be vigilant?
The turmoil he stirred up—her calm was feigned, but his was not.
It was supposed to be a scene between two actors, but it seemed like only she was really into her role.
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