Chapter 16

Chapter 16

He Wei was standing closer to the front passenger seat, so from her angle she couldn’t see the man’s face inside at all.

But she was extremely familiar with that voice.

She had even had nightmares because of that voice several times.

The fingers in He Wei’s coat pocket clenched and unclenched.

At this moment, even if the car window was fully rolled down, she could only see the man’s hand resting on the steering wheel—distinct knuckles, prominent wrist bones. Further up, the cuff was neat and clean.

It was a pair of hands even more refined and beautiful than hers.

Seeing that she didn’t respond, Yan Huai repeated once more: “Get in.”

He Wei: “……”

She did not want to get in his car!

But He Wei also couldn’t show such strong resistance. She didn’t even care whether the people in the car could see her, and slightly nodded toward him. “No need, thank you, President Yan.”

Just as she finished speaking, the rear window rolled down immediately after. Cheng Yan leaned his head out. “Weiwei, get in. It’s already so late, it’s not safe for a girl to take a taxi alone.”

At a time like this, Cheng Yan’s one sentence was more useful than ten of Yan Huai’s. The heavy stone in He Wei’s chest suddenly dropped.

It was almost ten at night, and in a relatively remote place like the film studio area, even boys might not be safe, let alone a weak, powerless girl like her.

He Wei didn’t bother refusing anymore. Her gaze flicked between the front and back seats for two seconds, still undecided where to sit, when the front passenger door was already opened by the driver as he leaned slightly forward.

Fine. She had hesitated too long—she no longer had a choice.

He Wei bent down and got into the car, thanking them again while fastening her seatbelt.

Cheng Yan played with his phone for a few seconds in the back seat, then looked up at her. “Has your cold gotten worse?”

“It should be fine. I’ll take a few more pills when I get home.”

Cheng Yan nodded, then glanced at the time again. “It’s almost ten.”

Seeing that Yan Huai still showed no intention of responding, and Cheng Yan talking alone was a bit awkward, she could only nod and softly respond.

Cheng Yan: “Weiwei, do you have something to do tonight?”

He Wei subconsciously glanced at the man beside her and gave another “Mm.”

Cheng Yan then stopped talking.

He wasn’t a gossipy person, especially since the other party was a friend of his younger sister.

The car fell silent for a few minutes.

The black Bentley completely drove out of the film studio area before He Wei finally asked, “Is President Yan going home now?”

Yan Huai’s expression remained faint, calm and unreadable as he gave a simple “Mm.”

He Wei fell silent again for a few seconds.

Because her previous few runs of the “instance” had gone too slowly, and Yan Huai had died before even appearing, her understanding of him was limited to only these two lifetimes.

Not too little, not too much.

Yan Huai was a few years older than Yan Chen. He had just turned twenty-seven this year. He had been in the business world longer than Yan Chen and had developed a certain aura over time—calm and steady, though not yet fully mature or old-fashioned.

This man seemed to carry an innate aura. Just sitting there, without saying a single word, he was more eye-catching than anyone else.

He Wei had only had a few close encounters with him in her previous life, and because she had been too nervous at the time, she had basically forgotten most of it now.

In this life, sitting next to him, she was equally nervous. More precisely, after having experienced the previous life, she was even more nervous.

He Wei spent half a minute forcing herself to overcome this tension, then braced herself and asked again, “Go to the Yan residence, or…?”

Yan Huai finally looked at her.

Only then did He Wei realize her question might sound like she was prying into his private affairs. She coughed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything else…”

“The Yan residence.”

“…Oh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m also going to the Yan residence.”

He Wei curled the corner of her lips. She tried to control her voice so it wouldn’t tremble too much, hoping it would sound more confident. Just as she hesitated whether to say “what a coincidence” to ease the atmosphere, her phone rang. She looked away, checked the caller ID, and answered.

It was Yan Chen calling. As soon as she picked up, a man’s voice came through. “Wei Wei, are you on your way yet?”

He Wei responded with an “Mm,” then glanced out the window. “On my way.”

Yan Huai glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

Yan Chen: “You really don’t need me to come pick you up?”

He Wei: “No need, I’m already in a car.”

Yan Chen: “A taxi? Is it safe?”

He Wei’s voice caught slightly. “It should be pretty safe.”

After a few more words, Yan Chen finally agreed to hang up.

After the call ended, a layer of sweat had formed on He Wei’s hand, her fingers damp and sticky. She put her phone away and looked up again, just in time to hear Yan Huai ask, “That was Yan Chen?”

“Mm.”

“He asked you to go over?”

“…Mm.”

Yan Huai narrowed his eyes slightly and reminded her in a calm voice, “It’s already ten o’clock, He Wei.”

He Wei nodded. “I know.”

Ten o’clock at night wasn’t the same as ten o’clock in the morning. What could he possibly need her to go over for at this time?

By the time she arrived at the Yan residence it would probably already be close to ten-thirty, and then they’d eat dinner—eleven o’clock.

He Wei had been drenched in rain all day. Yan Chen probably wouldn’t let her run around outside again anyway.

And then what?

The two of them spending the night together at home, deepening their feelings?

Yan Huai curled his lips slightly, stepped on the brake, and pulled the car over to the side of the road.

For a few minutes, Cheng Yan in the back seat was almost asleep. The brake wasn’t sudden, so Cheng Yan only swayed slightly and frowned. His eyes were still closed, and he changed his posture to continue pretending to nap.

Yan Huai tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel. “I’ll take you back.”

He Wei frowned. “I’m not going home today.”

Yan Huai said nothing. After a moment of silence, he turned the steering wheel and made a U-turn.

Although He Wei’s sense of direction was poor, she could still tell this wasn’t the right direction.

Her brows furrowed even deeper. She tried to control her voice. “This doesn’t seem like the way to the Yan residence, does it?”

Yan Huai ignored her and continued turning the car on his own.

Only then did He Wei react.

She understood Yan Huai’s personality to some extent—steady, indifferent—and right now, it was probably his possessiveness acting up, not wanting her to go over.

But today was precisely a rare opportunity to increase Yan Chen’s favorability. He Wei’s mind was entirely on that, and before she could stop herself, the words slipped out as she frowned: “Yan Huai—”

“……”

The car suddenly came to a stop.

Cheng Yan in the back seat bumped against the seatback and woke up instantly.

What just happened?

The little white rabbit actually shouted at someone—and it was at the big bad wolf!

Cheng Yan was both shocked and excited, his eyes widening as his gaze flicked between the two of them several times.

Yan Huai turned his head slightly to look at her. “What did you call me?”

He Wei: “……”

It was over.

She had been in cold water for too long today; her brain must have taken in water too, and she had forgotten what she should and shouldn’t say.

What had she just done?!

She actually snapped at Yan Huai!

The more she thought about it, the more nervous she became. After a while, she pressed her lips together. “President Yan…”

Yan Huai frowned. “The previous one.”

“……”

He Wei didn’t dare speak anymore.

Yan Huai stared at her lowered eyelashes for a few seconds, then didn’t force her to repeat it again. Instead, he changed the topic. “You really want to go?”

He Wei twisted her fingers slightly. “I have to go.”

As soon as the words fell, Yan Huai said nothing again.

The car once again fell into silence. About a minute or so later, He Wei’s phone rang again.

Still Yan Chen.

She glanced at it, then hung up.

Yan Huai’s Adam’s apple rolled slightly. “Alright.”

He Wei looked up at him. Her eye shape was beautiful, her curled lashes casting a shadow beneath her eyes.

Yan Huai glanced at her, then withdrew his gaze.

He was irritated and restless, wanting to smoke but unable to.

After all, He Wei was a girl—she probably couldn’t stand the smell of smoke.

If he smoked, he would need to roll down the window, but her cold hadn’t recovered yet.

Yan Huai opened the storage compartment, his fingers lightly brushing over the cigarette box. When he spoke again, his voice was slightly hoarse. “You’re not allowed to sleep with him.”

Cheng Yan: “……”

He Wei: “……”

“Speak.”

“…Oh.”

Only then did Yan Huai snap the storage compartment shut and turn the car back around.

He Wei glanced at the time on her phone—22:17.

She let out a breath.

It would be best if she could break up with Yan Chen today, and then completely distance herself from the Yan family.

At 10:40 p.m., He Wei got out of the car.

Yan Chen was already waiting outside. When he saw He Wei get out of Yan Huai’s car, he immediately frowned and pulled her into a half-embrace by the shoulder. “Wei Wei, why are you coming here with my brother?”

His tone carried a hint of jealousy, like a scorned husband catching his wife in the act.

He Wei found it a little funny. She pressed her lips together and said innocently, “We just happened to be on the same route… President Yan just gave me a ride.”

As she spoke, she pointed toward the back seat. “Cheng Yan-ge is here too.”

The car door opened, and Cheng Yan indeed got out. Only then did Yan Chen believe it. He half-hugged He Wei as he led her inside. “You just finished filming, you must be hungry, right? What do you want to eat?”

He Wei glanced at the favorability bar above his head.

Seventy-seven. She didn’t know if it was because she had been neglecting him these past few days, but it had actually risen by two points instead of dropping.

He Wei held a breath in her chest and curved her lips slightly. “Have you eaten?”

“Not yet,” Yan Chen said, ruffling her hair. “I’ll eat with you.”

“Then what do you want to eat?”

Before Yan Chen could answer, He Wei continued, “I’ll cook for you.”

Cheng Yan: “……”

He should just get back in the car.

It was too cold outside—and someone’s gaze was even colder.

He Wei didn’t bother paying attention to Yan Huai at all. After going inside, she washed her hands and slipped straight into the kitchen.

With Aunt Yun’s help, she quickly stir-fried a few simple dishes and cooked a bowl of longevity noodles.

By the time everything was finished, it was already past 11:30.

The next day was about to arrive.

He Wei was rarely this nervous. Her heart pounded like a drum as she carried the noodles out and placed them in front of Yan Chen. “Happy birthday.”

Yan Chen’s eyes instantly lit up brighter and brighter.

He had originally thought He Wei didn’t remember his birthday.

This bowl of noodles was the biggest surprise of his day—more satisfying and joyful than all the gifts and blessings he had received.

Yan Chen watched as the bright, delicate girl sat opposite him. Her eyes were sparkling and moist as she stared at him without blinking. “Try it?”

A little shy, and also a bit nervous.

Yan Chen cooperated and took a bite.

“This is the first time I’ve cooked noodles for a boy.”

Yan Chen felt delighted inside, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.

At the same time, a “ding” sounded in He Wei’s mind. “Congratulations, Host. The male lead’s favorability has reached eighty.”

He Wei finally let out a breath of relief.

She had already predicted that a young master like Yan Chen, who had not experienced many warm birthdays, might have plenty of friends, but very few who truly cared about him. So He Wei decided to start with the smallest and most ordinary gesture.

A surprise attack, striking when least expected.

And then, as expected, she achieved her goal.

He Wei decided to wait until he finished the noodles before bringing up the serious matter. Her lips curved, and her eyes also curved; her smile was bright and charming. “Yan Chen, I have a gift for you later.”

Yan Huai, who had just come downstairs: “……”

Very good.

Was she planning to give herself to him next?

She really treated his words as if they were nothing.

Heh.

Yan Huai let out a cold laugh.