Wen Fucheng's approach made Ying Jing's face flush instantly.
Luckily, the night concealed her embarrassment.
She didn't think he had any intention of kissing her in such an ambiguous situation.
Her mind raced for just two or three seconds.
The colorful neon lights quietly slipped into the car, flickering across the girl's face.
The warmth at her fingertips pressed a weight down from her brow.
"Wipe it yourself."
Before the tissue fell from her face, Ying Jing reached out to hold it.
With the tissue covering most of her face and draped over her nose bridge, she met his eyes from afar.
Ying Jing was so immersed in her tension that she didn't notice the fleeting unease in the man's eyes.
She lowered her head to wipe off the sweat from her face.
Wen Fucheng instructed the driver in front to lower the temperature a bit more.
Ying Jing quickly stopped him. "No need, we're almost there. Just leave it as it is, thank you." When eating, she sat beside him and heard him cough several times while picking up food. Though his cough was faint, it didn't escape Ying Jing's eyes, which were always fixed on him.
The green hues under his eyes were somewhat noticeable.
How exhausting it must be!
To be so tired and yet make a special trip from the Imperial City to Hu City just to check on Wen Yue's girlfriend.
She was very envious of Wen Yue.
In her past life, Wen Fucheng's business empire was formidable. Yet because of her, the Wen Family's industries eventually withdrew entirely from Hua Country, focusing on overseas expansion. This gave Lu Zishu an opening, allowing him to almost monopolize seventy percent of the industries in Hua Country in his professional field.
Hopefully, everything can still be salvaged in this lifetime.
He can avoid losing so much because of her.
Ying Jing quietly observed him; he was so alert. She felt it right from when she got in the car, but he never exposed it and even allowed her to stare all she wanted.
This time, he appeared before her in advance.
Would she take a few more glances at him?
The man, always so strategic, for the first time felt unsure about his own looks.
What significance does Lu Zishu hold for Ying Jing? He had already challenged it in his past life and lost miserably. In this life, he can only gradually open her heart and slowly redirect her attention toward himself.
Like boiling a frog in warm water.
The two in the back seat harbored their own thoughts.
When they reached their destination, Ying Jing got out of the car, ready to leave, but suddenly thought of something.
Turning around, she walked to the car. The window that fell after she left did not rise because of her departure. She bent down from the roadside under the cover of night and leaned her head inside the car window, her eyes bright and playful.
With a light smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Wen, for driving me. Are you staying in Hu City recently? I know a particularly famous Hu City cuisine restaurant. If you have time, I'd like to invite you to a meal as a token of gratitude."
In both her lives, Ying Jing had only been proactive this once. Having taken the first step, there would surely be countless times more because he was more important than her pride.
Her small hand clutched at her skirt, sweating no less than before.
Ying Jing was taking a gamble; betting he might agree.
This time, she wouldn't wait for him to fall for her; she'd be proactive.
By rights, Wen Fucheng was so busy that he wouldn't engage with someone young like Ying Jing.
The driver was curious too, looking straight ahead while his ears were attentively perked up.
Then there was a 'click,' and the car door opened. Amid Ying Jing's anticipation, Wen Fucheng got out of the car. He hadn't seemed this tall before, but now standing before her, his presence seemed to take away the air around her.
He quietly watched her without speaking.
Cars weaved in and out beside them, the winds lifting her hair.
In the thin air, she held her breath.
A fair hand holding a phone was extended to her.
"Save the number?"
His private number.
Ying Jing took the phone, slid it open without a preset password, and swiftly stored the number and name inside.
A deep voice came from above her head.
"I'll return to the Imperial City tomorrow."
As he spoke the last word, Ying Jing happened to finish saving the number, meaning they couldn't dine together.
Alright, it's fine; at least they've gotten to know each other early this time, right?
Ying Jing feigned nonchalance.
"That's a bit unfortunate, we'll have to wait for next time then…" Before finishing the sentence, she was interrupted.
He took the phone from her hand.
"So, see you in three days."
Startled, Ying Jing looked up, but the man had already returned to the car. At his signal, the driver started the car, watching it slowly slide away.
Ying Jing's gaze followed the car, but she longed for the person inside it.
[Because I will return to the Imperial City tomorrow.]
[So see you in three days.]
He agreed.
That's what she understood, right? The meaning she comprehended.
Ying Jing skipped along the way to where Uncle Li was already waiting for her.
"Miss, why are you so happy today?"
"Of course I'm happy because today…" shortly, she couldn't smile anymore. Wait, did she forget something important just now?
She stored the number on Wen Fucheng's phone but didn't have his contact information on her phone!
If he was just being polite and never contacted her, wouldn't she be doomed?
Ying Jing sat in the seat, disheartened.
"Uncle Li, am I incompatible with love? Things aren't smooth across both lives."
God, considering my miserable death in the previous life, please don't let Cupid's hand shake when he shoots the arrow, okay!
"Miss, you're so cute and pretty, still so young. Bad encounters are normal; in the future, you'll meet someone you truly like."
Listening to Uncle Li's veiled words, Ying Jing almost heard him say Lu Zishu's name out loud.
"Uncle Li, you're right; I'll meet someone I truly like in the future. But it has nothing to do with Lu Zishu. Don't mention his name in front of me anymore." Staying away from the original book's leads, she would pursue Wen Fucheng and enjoy a sweet love.
Ying Jing fantasized about a beautiful future all the way home.
When she saw another familiar car in the garage.
"Has brother returned?"
"Master returned in the evening, wanted to call you, and on hearing I went to pick you up, he said to find him in the study when you get back."
To the study!
Couldn't escape another lecture.
The Ying Family had two people holding sway over decisions: Ying Zenan and Ying Jing's father.
Compared to her father, Ying Jing feared Ying Zenan more.
Her father was indulgent, but her brother was strict.
But after experiencing everything in her past life, she knew Ying Zenan was just hard on the outside and soft inside. He claimed not to help her, yet ultimately engaged and fought against Lu Zishu, who already had the upper hand, becoming the last straw that broke the Ying Family.
Cold bars awaited him.
For her, her brother gambled his life, and this time she would never repeat the same mistake.
Absolutely not.
Ying Jing feigned self-harm, Ying Zenan inspecting abroad's branches. The Ying Family tightly concealed the news, not sparing any details when he landed and someone reported to him.
Ying Jing stood before the door, taking a deep breath as she pushed it open to enter.
Ying Zenan saw her and lifted his head from a pile of documents.
Slowly closing his notebook, he beckoned the girl at the door.
He smiled knowingly.
"Come over here, brother promises he won't beat you to death."
Ying Jing:...