Don’t Move, I’ll Be Right There! - Chapter 2
Gu Chu’s eyes widened as she yelled, “What?! Ginger, when did you leave the [singles] club! Why didn’t you say anything! Just the day before yesterday, a little cover artist asked me if I could introduce you to him to form a CP!”
Jiang Yan stared at Xue Hangyi’s hand that was on the back of hers and was stunned for a moment.
Again Xue Hangyi opened his mouth to explain, “We haven’t been together for long. She is just embarrassed to tell anyone.”
She glanced at him, her eyes full of complicated emotions. However, instead of arguing back, she just lowered her head.
In everyone’s opinion, Jiang Yan’s actions were attributed as shyness. Shi Qiu also seemed relieved. She put her hand on Ling Guang’s arm and beamed. “Seeing such a talented man and a beautiful woman together, you guys really are a perfect match indeed.” 1
Xue Hangyi smiled slightly and shook his head. “No, she’s the brains, while I’ve got the looks. She’s clearly not as good-looking as I am.”
Staring at the two idiotically, Gu Chu cried, “When you guys have kids in the future, just imagine how good-looking they will be!”
Xue Hangyi gently squeezed Jiang Yan’s hand. “Shall we go home and try?”
Jiang Yan raised her head and looked at Xue Hangyi with a flushed face and whispered, “Let’s talk about this later.”
Though Xue Hangyi did her a favour and ended the conversation, his eyes still held tender affection as he gazed at her face.
Gu Chu faintly sighed and gulped down a mouthful of tea before glancing at everyone with a bitter face. “Why do I feel like you all are just here to spread dog food to a single dog like me?”
Shi Qiu chuckled and patted her shoulder. “We’re a lot older than you. There are a lot of little fresh meats for a youngster like you! Don’t worry!”
Jiang Yan smiled, no longer looking at Ling Guang.
The hotel where Shi Qiu and Ling Guang were staying was right next to Gu Chu’s school. Jiang Yan had also booked a room there, but Xue Hangyi insisted on taking her to his place. So after having tea, the group split up and decided to hang out again the following day.
Sitting in Xue Hangyi’s car, Jiang Yan feebly leaned on the seat and lightly said, “Thank you.”
Xue Hangyi glanced at her and asked, “Thank you for what?”
He didn’t know anything about her and Ling Guang, so after thinking about it, she shook her head. “Nothing.”
He stared at her, and then suddenly reached out to stretch the corner of her mouth. “Be happy, don’t always frown. I’ll treat you to a big meal!”
Jiang Yan was surprised. “We just finished eating. You want to eat again?”
He squeezed her face. “Just a moment ago I was so focused on showing our PDA and didn’t eat much. Before that, I was in an all-day meeting. Right now, I am exhausted and hungry.”
She asked, “Are you here on a business trip?”
Xue Hangyi removed his hand from her face and placed it on her shoulder as he smiled lazily. “Yes, sacrificing vacation time to travel, there are not many dedicated bosses like me in the world.” He paused for a moment and continued, “But it’s worth it. I picked up a girlfriend, after all.”
She shoved him aside. “Pei! Who’s your girlfriend? I haven’t settled accounts with you yet for posing as my boyfriend!”
He questioned, “Then who just thanked me?”
Jiang Yan played dumb and asked the driver in front, “Huh? Who said that? Did anyone say that? Uncle Liu, did you hear me say anything?”
Uncle Liu was driving seriously when he was suddenly questioned. It startled him, but he just laughed and said nothing.
Looking at her proud face, Xue Hangyi decided to take a chance and acted pitiful. “For my natural and proficient performance, would you accompany me to dinner?”
In fact, she didn’t have much appetite back when she was watching her favorite person being intimate with others. If she could eat carefreely, then she would become a god. So, she smiled and nodded. “Okay.”
Jiang Yan went to the buffet with Xue Hangyi. Maybe it was because of her bad mood, she ate forty oysters and three chocolate cream cakes alone and asked for two ice creams on their way out.
The buffet was diagonally across from the hotel Xue Hangyi was staying at. On their way back, he looked worriedly at her. “Are you okay?”
She raised the ice cream cone in her hand and shook her head. “No.”
Xue Hangyi went a couple of steps forward, then turned around to stare into her eyes. “Jiang Yan, can you use your work temperament to face this matter?”
She was silent for a while before she looked up at him. “Do you know what’s going on?”
He was taken aback and nearly lost his footing while staring into her eyes. “I don’t know.” He paused and as if to cover it up, explained, “But I can see that you have encountered something serious.”
She looked at him as she ate the cone and finally said, “Mr. Xue, I seem to remember we aren’t that familiar with each other.”
Xue Hangyi was dumbfounded.
Indeed, the two weren’t close. They had met on a blind date and once again at the company’s cooperative mall. They did have a few meals together, but they were only business meals in the company of others. This was the first time the two went out for a private meal together since their blind date.
After a pause, he sighed. “Go back.”
Then, he turned away with her following him. She felt that she might have been overly sensitive and that he was just concerned about her. Though they didn’t know each other well, they met often and had a cooperative relationship at work. After considering for a moment, she realised what she said was a bit hurtful.
Looking at Xue Hangyi’s tall back, she walked closer to him.
“I’m sorry.” With her head down, she tried to keep up with him.
He paused to look at her. “Xiao Yan, can you take a look at me.”
She looked up but immediately saw that his face was tinged with sadness and exhaustion. Her heart tightened, feeling that her words had indeed hurt him. She quickly lowered her head and apologized. “I’m sorry.”
Xue Hangyi sighed helplessly and held her shoulders with both hands. “What I mean is, since that person doesn’t cherish you, can’t you turn your head and look at me? Can’t you think about your… first blind date?” Towards the end, his tone had a hint of joking.
Jiang Yan was surprised. “How did you know?”
He shrugged. “What I want to know, I’ll know immediately. Is there anything that I don’t know about?”
She looked up at him for a while and suddenly asked, “You didn’t come with me on purpose, did you?”
The corners of his mouth slightly rose and he tapped her head. “You are quick-witted!”
Jiang Yan was dumbfounded.
Xue Hangyi was the CEO of a company. Naturally, he had a packed schedule every day. In addition to being busy, he was even busier. But when he was not, his vacation was longer than that of anyone else. As far as she knew, their company’s recent projects were very important. Even on National Day, they were expected to work overtime. He said that he was on a business trip and she believed it, but she never saw his colleagues. Besides the driver, she didn’t even see the assistant who usually followed him. It was too unrealistic.
“What are you staring at? It can’t be that you were moved by me?” His smile could be heard in his voice.
Jiang Yan stared at him with complicated eyes. After a moment of hesitation, she slowly asked, “That… when did you… begin to like me?”
Xue Hangyi thought for a while. “It was probably love at first sight.”
Jiang Yan burst into laughter, “This world that looks at the face!”2
He also smiled. “Then why don’t you look at the face?”
Jiang Yan was anxious, “Don’t talk nonsense, I’m Yan Kong!”3
Xue Hangyi recalled Great God Ling Guang’s appearance from a few hours ago and questioned her statement, “Are you sure?”
She nodded. ” Yes!”
He let out a snort and asked, “Then, between your male god and I, who looks better?”
“You!” She replied without hesitation.
He asked again, “Then do you prefer me or him?”
Jiang Yan fell silent.
Xue Hangyi smiled pretentiously. “See, I told you so!”
The shadows of the two people stretched out into the darkness, and the flashing red traffic light suddenly turned green.
He said in his heart, Xue Hangyi, you truly are hopeless.