Belated Romance (Mu Tongrui)

With her face stuck to the man’s broad back, Jiahe shook her head.

It was not some harassment at the workplace.

The rotation of her head against his body put Xinghe’s mind at ease.

He curtly questioned, “Why are you holding me then?”

Jiahe looked up to the sky and drew a deep breath before mustering the courage to say, “You drove

from the city all the way here on New Year’s Eve. Was it so you could share a few words and leave?

That’s a waste of your gasoline…”

Waste of gasoline?

The comment tickled XInghe’s funny bones. What was going on in that mind of hers?

Was the subject of the matter about gasoline or him?

Still, he could not bear to pull away from her when her lean arms were wrapped around his waist.

Faced with his silence, Jiahe said, “You caught me off guard when you asked if I wanted to be with you.

I… I need time to think about it.”

Xinghe pursed his lips and let go of her hand before entering the car.

Jiahe stood in a daze outside the car. As the car window rolled down, Xinghe stared solemnly at her

and said, “You better give it a proper thought, and the clock starts now. Consider if I am someone you

want to date.”

She nodded absent-mindedly, and Xinghe reversed out of the narrow road. Noticing that the girl stood

frozen there, he drove over and cried, “Jiahe.”

“Huh?”

“I’m telling you right now that I never wanted to be your life coach. You either have me in or out of your

life. Get it?”

Jiahe was tempted to snap back that he was already participating in her life as a life coach.

Still, judging by the unfriendly and grimacing look on Xinghe’s face, now was not the time or place to

make the comment.

Besides, she was not silly. Jiahe did not consider Xinghe as a man to go out with before. Now that

Xinghe made clear that he wanted something more, of course she was going to weigh her options

about crossing the line of friendship.

“Got it,” Jiahe replied.

Xinghe frowned, finding her answer less than enthusiastic. “I didn’t hear you.”

Jiahe shouted at the top of her lungs, “Got it!”

She should not tone down a little because it occurred to her that her parents might have heard her

upstairs. Jiahe put her hand over her mouth.

Feeling slightly better, Xinghe curled his lips. “I got to go.”

The black Audi cruised out of the neighborhood as Jiahe waved him away from her spot. She mumbled

to herself, “Be safe on the road.”

From the rear-view mirror, Xinghe could see the girl watching him leave, and his frown turned into a

smile.

Suddenly, Xinghe slammed on the coat as the coat-heavy figure in the back sprinted ahead.

Out of breath from running, Jiahe panted wisps of steam. Xinghe rolled down the car window and

looked at Jiahe as the latter leaned against the door and popped her head through the window. She

said, “I forgot to tell you… Um… Happy New Year.”

Jiahe thought to herself. He traveled from afar to my place. The least I can do is wish him a happy new

year.

It then hit Xinghe the reason for his presence at Qinghe tonight.

He blinked and smiled through his eyes. “Happy New Year. I didn’t send the same message to

everybody.”

Jiahe had never seen such a sly, gentle… and adorable side to Xinghe.

She was spellbound.

Although the black Audi was long gone, Jiahe’s feet seemed to be rooted to the ground as she was lost

in the sensation of her tingling body.

Jiahe clutched her chest. “Oh… My heart…”

Was it even a question to think about? Jiahe nearly said yes.

Hugging her down jacket close to her, Jiahe made her way back. Her cold fingers grazed her puckered

lips, still tingling from his touch.

Her heart was pounding in her chest.

Once she got back home, her parents asked where she had been, and she had no idea what excuse

she came up with. Jiahe had a few bites of dumplings, brushed her teeth, and went into her bedroom.

Lying in her warm bed, Jiahe held her phone and wondered whether she should give Xinghe her

answer.

Dating Xinghe… did not seem like a bad idea.

Although Xinghe could improve his mood swings, he was a dreamboat. Jiahe had to admit that she

was a sucker for hunks.

Not only was she fine with the heartthrob kissing and holding her without her consent, but the flirting

also gave her butterflies in the stomach.

Jiahe could have kneed the person in the groin if he were ugly and only slightly attractive.

That was right. Jiahe was a shallow woman.

Jiahe covered her burning cheeks and snuck under the sheets to whine, “I’m such a loser… He got me

under his spell…”

The only thing on her mind now was to retaliate…

Her phone sounded a notification of a message.

“I’m staying at the Halves Hotel in Qinghe. See me at ten tomorrow morning with your answer.”

Jiahe’s heart skipped a beat.

So Xinghe had not returned to North City?

Oh, it was unsafe to drive late into the night.

Jiahe’s heart started to race at the thought that he was in a hotel in Qinghe.

She lay in bed, dwelling on the urge to reply to him right away. However, would Xinghe think she was

eager if she replied too quickly? Maybe Xinghe would think she was an easy catch.

Shirley mentioned that it was best to play to get with men. The trick was to be coy so as to get the man.

Girls who were too forward would come across as cheap.

Although Jiahe had a boyfriend before, she was still new in the game of love. She struggled with her

thoughts for a bit and painfully watched the minutes go by before grabbing her phone to text back,

“Goodnight.”

Xinghe had gotten out of the shower when he picked up his phone and saw the message. He curled his

lips.

Oh, someone’s teasing me.

She’s probably lying in bed and having trouble sleeping now.

Xinghe was right on the money about Jiahe losing sleep. She held her phone and stared at her last

message to him, wondering why the man did not respond.

He popped the question about being something more tonight. Should he not be the one feeling the

heat?

Xinghe should be chatting with her to win her favor right now, so she would be more likely to say yes

tomorrow.

Anyway, he was the one who started it. Why did she get the feeling that he had it in the bag while she,

the one being pursued, was too excited to sleep? She did not want the conversation to end.

Jiahe, where’s your pride? Show some self-restraint!

She had taken a more proactive role in her last relationship, and it was the reason why Chi Jun

dumped her.

This time, Jiahe was mindful to strike the right balance.