Chapter 6

The black Porsche approached slowly, its engine softly humming. Neither of the two girls noticed, continuing their conversation uninterrupted.

“Xuxu, is it true that you want to fall in love?”

“...Yeah,” Xieyi replied sluggishly.

“Do you have someone you like?”

Yang Bingbing immediately turned nosy. “Is it someone from our class? The class president? The academic monitor? Don’t tell me it’s one of those boys who always gossip behind your back!”

At the mention, Xieyi shuddered. “No way!”

“Then who is it?”

“Well... it’s definitely not them.” She wasn’t even sure who it was herself. It was just a casual thought, something said on a whim.

Lin Sheng glanced at Xieyi through the car window. Her smooth ponytail fell halfway over her chest, swaying gently with her movements.

“Xieyi.”

His voice was calm, low, and slightly hoarse.

Startled, Xieyi turned sharply to meet his gaze, caught off guard. “Lin... Brother Lin.”

Yang Bingbing, on the other hand, was thrilled, immediately speaking up as if they were old friends. “So you’re Xuxu’s brother! He’s so handsome!”

Xieyi put a finger to her lips. “Shh~”

Yang Bingbing leaned close and whispered, “His eyes are so dark, like a puppy’s...”

Xieyi broke out in a cold sweat. “Keep your voice down!”

She felt she had spoken too carelessly. Though she didn’t know Lin Sheng well, she could tell he was a refined person—someone not to be disturbed thoughtlessly.

Fortunately, Lin Sheng just smiled at them without much reaction, his demeanor gentle. “Get in the car. I’ll take you home.”

Xieyi finally relaxed. “No need to trouble yourself, Brother Lin. We—”

“Thank you, big brother!” Yang Bingbing interrupted cheerfully, opening the door and climbing in. Xieyi sighed and didn’t stop her, exchanging an embarrassed smile with Lin Sheng before following her into the car.

The two girls sat in the back. Yang Bingbing looked around restlessly, while Xieyi sat properly, clutching her backpack on her lap, eyes steady and focused.

Lin Sheng tilted his head slightly and asked Yang Bingbing, “Where do you live?”

“Dongyuan! Just drop us off near the Telecom Building!”

The interior of the car was neat, dominated by black and gray tones, with a pleasant car fragrance lingering. Yang Bingbing glanced forward and caught sight of Lin Sheng placing a black leather handbag on the passenger seat, alongside a matching suit jacket.

She studied the items briefly, then whispered to Xieyi, pointing ahead, “Is your brother really a doctor? Doesn’t look like one... everything’s designer brand. Doctors can’t afford cars this nice, right?”

Xieyi hissed softly, “Shh, please be quiet.”

She felt embarrassed by her friend’s fangirl behavior and worried that Lin Sheng might think they were foolish.

Yang Bingbing stuck out her tongue and quickly changed the subject to homework. “Xuxu, have you finished your math paper?”

“Yeah.”

“Was it hard? I’m really worried I won’t finish it tonight. I’ve been playing all these days and haven’t even glanced at it.”

Xieyi thought for a moment. “The big problems were definitely tough. I left a lot blank. So, in a way, I haven’t really finished either.”

“Ah? Hei Pi hates it when people leave questions blank. Be careful or he’ll criticize you again!”

Their math teacher was nicknamed Hei Pi because he always wore a black leather jacket.

Xieyi’s anxiety grew, gripping her backpack straps tightly. “But I really can’t solve them.”

Outside, a fine drizzle blurred the windshield, then the wipers cleared it to reveal the cityscape sharply for a fleeting moment.

Lin Sheng drove silently, overhearing the two girls chatting about homework and their teacher, then drifting into a lively discussion about a popular Korean boy band.

He had some connections to the entertainment industry through work, family, or childhood friends who had entered the business. Nothing about it seemed mysterious to him.

He glanced at Xieyi through the rearview mirror.

When the topic turned to idols, the girls’ faces lit up with excitement like birds in a forest.

He chuckled softly. “Do girls these days all like that kind of thing?”

“Who do you think is the most handsome, Xuxu?” he asked.

Xieyi bit her lip, pondering. “I think Adam is okay.”

“Huh?”

The two girls flipped through photos on their phones. “You like this kind? Adam’s too refined. I like Kim Jung Hyun oppa; his dancing is super cool.”

“No, Adam looks cool with glasses and earrings, and he’s highly educated—very intellectual.”

“Too skinny! No muscles, not strong at all.”

“But I think a slimmer look is better. Too muscular looks weird.”

Yang Bingbing smiled, lowering her voice slightly. “I know, I know—you don’t like guys with muscles.”

The car was so quiet that although she spoke softly, Lin Sheng heard clearly.

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze drifting unconsciously to his own forearm, exposed where his shirt sleeve was rolled up.

Ahead, the Telecom Building’s sign appeared, suddenly close. The two girls were engrossed in their heated discussion, oblivious to the car smoothly pulling into the parking lot.

Lin Sheng didn’t interrupt them. Resting one hand on the steering wheel, his craving for a smoke stirred. He instinctively reached for the cigarette pack, then paused, tossing it aside without lighting up.

After a few minutes, Yang Bingbing exclaimed, “Ah, I’m here!”

Xieyi looked up and realized they were in the parking lot. Glancing forward, she saw the tidy back of Lin Sheng’s head. “Brother Lin, are we here?”

Lin Sheng turned back with a faint smile. “Yes.”

Yang Bingbing hurriedly stuffed a pile of things she had just pulled out back into her backpack, somewhat clumsy but saved by Xieyi’s help. She swung the bag and, stepping out, said to the front seat, “Thank you so much, big brother! You’re really nice!”

“You’re welcome.”

Yang Bingbing looked back at Xieyi. “Well, Xuxu, I’m off.”

“Bye. Hurry home and finish your homework. Don’t procrastinate!”

“Bye!”

Xieyi watched as Yang Bingbing safely crossed the street, then lowered her gaze only to meet Lin Sheng’s calm, deep eyes. Her heart skipped, and she smiled politely. “Brother Lin.”

He maintained his gentle smile, nodding toward the passenger seat. “Sit up front.”

“Okay.”

Her soft “okay” sounded gentle, and not just her voice—her whole demeanor was tender and compliant.

Lin Sheng watched as Xieyi got in and closed the door, thinking perhaps her youth made her wary of him.

Xieyi didn’t know exactly how tall Lin Sheng was, only sensing he was slightly taller than the average tall man. Sitting beside him, she felt an inexplicable pressure.

“Heading straight home?” Lin Sheng asked casually.

“Yeah.”

“Working on your math paper?”

“...Yeah.”

Surprised, Xieyi glanced at him. Lin Sheng hadn’t joined their conversation earlier, but he apparently heard everything.

He smiled, casting a sidelong glance. “Buckle up, okay, little sister.”

Xieyi blinked, fastening her seatbelt. The last phrase didn’t quite sound like Lin Sheng’s style, and she didn’t fully catch its meaning.

At that moment, Yang Bingbing sent a WeChat message: [Your brother is way too gentlemanly, waiting for us to finish chatting!]

Xieyi stole a glance at Lin Sheng and replied quietly:

[Brother Lin is really nice.]

Lin Sheng drove steadily.

Inside the car, smooth saxophone music played. Xieyi took a deep breath, catching the faint scent of men’s cologne mingling with the music.

She sneaked a look.

Today, he wore ash-gray dress pants and a casual white shirt, with a matching casual blazer beside him. His gold-rimmed glasses gleamed softly. His hand rested casually on the black steering wheel, the bones and skin pale and clean.

Xieyi’s eyes lingered on the two simple, elegant rings on his fingers.

She thought they were very pretty.

But soon she looked away.

Though attractive, Lin Sheng’s style and age seemed worlds apart from hers—not someone to spark her youthful fantasies.

Clutching her backpack, Xieyi gazed absently out the window at the rushing scenery, occasionally sneaking glances at Lin Sheng’s profile.

The car stopped at a red light.

Just then, another WeChat message popped up from Yang Bingbing. Xieyi casually tapped it open, but the two lines gave her such a fright that her hand trembled, almost dropping the phone.

“Ah,” she murmured.

The man’s arm swung forward, catching the phone firmly in a large hand. “Be careful, don’t drop it.”

Lin Sheng handed the phone back. Xieyi’s anxious eyes shifted from his face to the outstretched hand—clean palm, veins subtly raised on his wrist, strong-looking.

The phone screen lit up in his palm, displaying Yang Bingbing’s message:

[Actually, the person you like is your super handsome Brother Lin!]

[You’re not dating him, are you???]

Xieyi broke out in a cold sweat, hurriedly taking the phone and locking it. “Th-thank you, Brother Lin.”

Lin Sheng didn’t notice and kept driving.

Heart pounding, Xieyi’s first move was to delete the chat history with Yang Bingbing.

With Brother Lin... oh my god.

Just imagining it sent shivers down her spine!

She quickly replied to Yang Bingbing:

[Don’t joke around! Brother Lin is like family to me!]

—

On the way, Lin Sheng chatted with her occasionally. Xieyi no longer felt as nervous or reverent as before; she found him quite easy to get along with.

As for Yang Bingbing’s gossip, she hadn’t entertained such thoughts and didn’t take it seriously.

The car pulled up beneath the apartment building as dusk fell.

Xieyi got out, backpack slung over her shoulders, turning back with a bright smile. “Brother Lin, do you want to come up for a bit?”

She showed him the supermarket bag in her hand. “I brought something for you.”

Lin Sheng paused mid-step, leaning back in his seat, studying Xieyi through the window.

The streetlight rain blurred the scene. The girl’s smile was delicate and pure.

If this were an adult, the invitation to come up would speak volumes.

Then Lin Sheng smiled to himself, thinking how absurd and complicated his fleeting thoughts were—she was just a child.

“Can you cook noodles?” he asked.

“Yeah, yeah.” Xieyi nodded. “Last time I said I’d treat you to a meal, but you paid. I felt a bit embarrassed.”

“I see. You don’t have to be so polite with me, Xieyi.”

“It’s just tea and a little chat. No need to be formal.”

Though she said that, inside she thought: I must be polite, Brother Lin. Sooner or later, I’ll need your help. If we’re not close, you might not even remember who I am then.