Yan ran down the stairs and she was out of breath by the time she arrived at the ground floor, hence, before approaching Han Qing, she found a place to calm herself down. After almost half a minute, she finally felt calmer and her breathing had slowed down before she made her way to Han Qing with small steps.
Han Qing’s car was parked on the ground floor and he turned off the car engine after waiting for quite some time. He still sat at the driver’s seat and the car window was half-lowered. Due to the dim streetlamps, it cast a shadow across the ground and his handsome face was half-covered in the dark.
Yan took in the scene from afar. Han Qing had a controlled and steady temperament, which somehow put people at ease. Yan used to think that in the past, but now… she felt that the man in front of her was a heartless person. No, he has a heart, but he only shows that side of himself to his younger sister. It’s impossible for others to be on the receiving end of that part of him.
Yan made her way to Han Qing while she struggled with herself internally. On the other hand, Han Qing turned and focused on her when he heard some footsteps approaching.
Meeting his gaze sent a chill down her spine yet she had no choice but to approach him anyway. “P-President Han…”
Han Qing scowled while emitting an aura of disdain.
Yan flinched involuntarily. Han Qing must be upset because Little Bean didn’t come downstairs with me. I truly would have liked to take Little Bean down with me, but he’s adamant with his decision. It feels like I’ve become a rather shameless person not to bring Little Bean down. “Well, Little Bean is reluctant to come down… n-no matter how much I-I persuaded him.” The corners of Yan’s lips twitched and she finally suggested, “Why don’t I try convincing him again tomorrow to head home?”
Han Qing did not answer her. Instead, he stared at her unblinkingly. As his eyes were black and bottomless, it was impossible for Yan to guess what was in his mind. After a while, Han Qing pressed his lips together before asking, “Will he be at your shop during the day?”
Yan nodded blankly.
“Got it.”
After that, Han Qing prepared to leave, but her phone rang at that moment. Hence, she took her phone out to check who it was and was slightly confused when she saw that the caller was Xiao Su. She wanted to answer the call, but Han Qing was still here. Yan quickly glanced at him and noticed that he didn’t seem ready to leave anytime soon.
Xiao Su is in the hospital now. Could it be an emergency since he’s calling me now?
In the end, Yan answered the phone call anyway. “Hello?” She sounded tentative, which was most probably due to Han Qing’s presence.
“Are you home?” Xiao Su’s voice greeted from the other end of the line.
Yan nodded reflexively. “Mm-hmm, I have arrived.”
“How are you planning to come to the hospital later?” Xiao Su asked Yan directly.
Yan paused for a while before answering him, “I will most probably grab a cab.” After all, I haven’t bought a car and the only option to go to the hospital is by grabbing a cab since it’s already late at night. Besides, it’s convenient to get a cab these days anyway.
“You’re a woman. So, it is not safe to grab a cab at night. Send me your address and I will pick you up.”
Yan was at a loss for words. The surroundings were quiet since it was nighttime. Despite the phone call not being on loudspeaker mode, Han Qing heard Xiao Su’s voice loud and clear, which caused his gaze to immediately turn icy-cold.
Yan’s lips twitched awkwardly. “Well, I don’t think that is necessary since you are now at the hospital. It would be troublesome to drive back and forth. I will grab a cab there.”
“It will be quick. Just send over your address.”
After hanging up on the call, Yan noticed that Han Qing had yet to leave. I’m guessing he is still hung up on the incident regarding Little Bean, but he told me that he got it just now. That is why I thought he’d drive off straight away. I didn’t expect him to still stick around. She had no idea what was his mind, but she no longer wanted to prolong the conversation. Thus, she turned around to leave immediately.
Nevertheless, Han Qing broke the silence unexpectedly, “Are you going back to the hospital to accompany Muzi?”
Yan stopped dead in her tracks when she heard that, but she later nodded in response.
“Hop in,” Han Qing instructed.
Yan was stunned to silence because she thought that she heard him wrongly. Did he ask me to hop into the car? Is he offering to send me back? “Sorry?” she asked in confusion.
Han Qing answered with a blank expression, “Did you not say that you wanted to go to the hospital? I am dropping by the hospital to sort out some matters, so it will be on the way.”
Alright, since it’s on the way. Yan thought to herself, Figures. Otherwise, why would Han Qing specifically send me all the way back to the hospital? He wants nothing more than to be as far from me as possible. In the end, she entered the car and later phoned Luo Huimei, requesting Luo Huimei to put Little Bean to bed and that she herself would return from the hospital the next day. Luo Huimei agreed to it, but she asked before hanging up, “Are you in Little Bean’s uncle’s car now?”
Yan stole a glance at Han Qing, who was driving the car in front. Then, she covered the phone and her mouth while mumbling in acknowledgment to prevent Han Qing from hearing her. Nevertheless, she soon realized that it was all in vain because the car was quiet, so Luo Huimei’s voice rang clear within the confined space.
After that, Yan figured a way, which was to lower the window swiftly. Gusts of ruthless cold air billowed into the car and Yan’s long black hair was suddenly blown into a mess. Due to the cold from the wind, Yan felt as if her face was slashed by knives.
“Damn it, Yan!” Luo Huimei shouted. “What are you doing? Why is the sound of the wind so loud?”
Yan took the chance and answered, “Mom, it is inconvenient to speak now. I will talk to you tomorrow. Goodbye!” Yan hung up on the phone swiftly after finishing her words and she kept her phone in her bag. She did not dare to wind up the window since she had just lowered it a moment ago, so gusts of chilly wind continued to billow in.
Han Qing asked with a scowl, “Are you not cold?”
Yan shivered in silence. How is it possibly not cold? I’m freezing to death here. However, she had no choice but to shake her head. “I am feeling a bit warm.”
Han Qing was rendered speechless by her reaction while checking on her through the rearview mirror. He suddenly recalled what had previously happened when they were abroad. It had been freezing outside, but Yan was inadequately dressed. After that, she had followed him out into the cold weather and almost froze to death. In the end, she even ran a temperature.
Initially, Han Qing never wanted to expose Yan since she had acted stubbornly. However, he considered the possibility that she might fall under the weather and he vividly remembered how much she suffered when she was ill. Hence, he closed the window once he recalled how things would end.
Originally, Yan was ready to brace herself even if it meant freezing in the cold. In fact, she was ready to endure the cold for another three minutes before she closed the window. After that, there was a possibility of her feigning ignorance that she felt much better after enjoying the breeze. I didn’t expect Han Qing to close the window. She asked adamantly in order to keep up with her act, “Why did you close the window? I haven’t had enough of the breeze.”
Han Qing was at a loss for words at her reaction. It looks like she’d rather keep up appearances at her own cost.
Coincidentally, the traffic lights turned red in front. Thus, he stopped the car before turning around to face her. “I’m feeling cold.”
Yan did not have a comeback for that. Alright, this reason is good enough for me. Otherwise, I wasn’t sure if I should lower the window again. Nevertheless, since that’s his explanation, I should just go along with it. “I’m so sorry. I did not think about how you might feel. In that case, I would not lower the window again.”
“Okay.”
Yan was unsure whether it was her mind playing tricks on her or not, but she felt that their tensed relationship relaxed significantly after that. She lowered her eyes and felt a bittersweet sensation in her heart. Han Qing isn’t as guarded as he was before whenever he interacts with me now. Is it because I’ve finally let go and stopped pestering him?
