12: Chapter 12 So who are you interested in?

Xu Wanning pretended not to see him and took out her phone; the wechat post she had made earlier was sitting there quietly, with no comments.

She turned to leave. She had to pretend she didn't know that car was his, or else she would give herself away.

She walked very slowly. After just three steps, Lu Chengyue's voice came from across the way, "Xu, Xu Wanning."

Having been reborn, this was the first time she had heard him call her name. Xu Wanning's heart gave a sharp squeeze. She forced back her tears, turned around, and smiled, "Hmm? Brother Chengyue? Why are you here?"

Lu Chengyue walked over in a few strides and looked down at her slightly, his fingers rubbing against the seams of his trousers, "I was just passing by after buying a gift for Zhiyu."

Xu Wanning acted 'enlightened', "Ah, I see. Then have you finished buying it? Do you need me to help you pick it out?"

"I've finished, and I was just planning on heading back."

He had bought the gift long ago. He didn't know why, after seeing Xu Wanning's wechat post, he had been inexplicably driven to travel so far on his hard-earned day off, just because of her comment about not being able to catch a taxi, "Did you manage to get a taxi? Do you want me to give you a ride?"

Xu Wanning was instantly happy, "Really? That's great! I still haven't been able to get a taxi. I don't know what's going on today; it's so hard to get one. It's so lucky I ran into you."

Lu Chengyue was dazzled by her smiling face. How could someone smile so beautifully?

"Let's, let's go." He turned around, walking a bit stiffly with his arms and legs moving in sync.

Xu Wanning chuckled to herself. She knew Lu Chengyue had fallen for her at first sight and been captivated at the second, he just didn't believe she would like him. In her past life, when she asked him, he wouldn't even admit it. Hmph ╭(╯^╰)╮

Such a good opportunity... "Ah!" She stumbled on purpose and lunged toward Lu Chengyue's back.

Hearing her cry out, Lu Chengyue turned around instinctively, reached out to steady her waist, and pulled her into his arms. The tips of his ears turned bright red instantly.

Xu Wanning leaned against Lu Chengyue's chest, her fingertips gently brushing against his tense chest muscles. Her eyes curved into crescents as she looked up at him with admiration.

"As expected of a Firefighter, you're so strong. Good thing you were here, otherwise I would have fallen and gotten hurt." Her voice was sweet without being cloying, carrying a hint of coquettishness.

Lu Chengyue's hand froze there. The sensation under his arm was too real. Her waist—her waist was so slim, slimmer than his forearm, and he could wrap his entire arm around it.

"I, I, that, I..." He was so nervous he couldn't even form a complete sentence.

"Hmm?" Lu Chengyue didn't think to let her go, and Xu Wanning didn't plan on getting up herself. She would just let him hold her; she liked being held by him.

Lu Chengyue looked down slightly and realized their current position wasn't very appropriate. He hurriedly held her shoulders to create some distance, "Did you, did you sprain your ankle?"

Xu Wanning looked down and moved her foot, "No."

She had originally thought about lying to him and saying she had sprained it, so he would carry her to the car, but she was afraid he would insist on going to the hospital. Now wasn't the time; she would use that excuse next time.

"Then, then let's go." He turned around stiffly. This time, he moved to the side to let Xu Wanning walk in front.

Xu Wanning obediently crossed the road and walked to the passenger side. Just as she was about to reach for the door, Lu Chengyue had already walked over and pulled it open for her.

"Thank you." Xu Wanning got into the car. She sat down first, then moved her long legs in. She had specifically worn black sheer leggings today.

Lu Chengyue's hand gripping the car door tightened unconsciously, and his Adam's apple bobbed. Once she was seated, he closed the door and went around to the driver's seat.

Xu Wanning's eyes darted around. She pulled the seatbelt hard. The seatbelt moved easily when pulled gently, but it would lock if pulled with force.

She blinked at Lu Chengyue with a pitiful look, "Brother Chengyue, the seatbelt..."

Lu Chengyue had just fastened his own seatbelt. Upon hearing her voice and looking over, he happened to meet those innocent, beautiful eyes. His breathing stalled for a second. He unfastened his seatbelt, leaned over, and said, "Let go."

Xu Wanning obediently let go, waiting for him with complete trust.

The moment his ear was close, she blew on it gently, watching his ear turn completely red. Hehehe.

Sensing Xu Wanning's breath, Lu Chengyue's breathing grew heavy. He wasn't sure if she had done it on purpose or by accident. He sped up his movements, fastened her seatbelt, and quickly sat back, "Let's, let's go."

On the way back, Xu Wanning sat obediently, showing no intention of flirting. Playing hard to get—if she was too eager, men wouldn't cherish her.

Her phone chimed. She opened it to find a wechat voice message from Zhou Ke, "Senior, my grandfather said he would like to talk to you. Is that okay?"

Xu Wanning thought for a moment and agreed, "Okay, I'll go to the shop later."

Lu Chengyue's ears were pricked up high. Xu Wanning had played the voice message on speaker, so he had heard it clearly. It was her junior. What kind of relationship did they have? Why did the other person's grandfather want to see her?

Xu Wanning watched his fingers constantly rubbing against the steering wheel. Whenever he was anxious, he would unconsciously rub whatever was at hand; it had been the same in her past life.

She didn't point it out. With a competitor around, he would be more likely to surrender and fall for her.

"Brother Chengyue, tomorrow is Zhiyu's birthday. Did she tell you she wanted to invite you and your comrades to dinner together?"

Lu Chengyue gave a hum, "She did. She said you would be there too."

Xu Wanning's eyes rolled, "Right. I never had a chance to meet them before, so this is a good opportunity. When I went to your Fire Station last time, the brother standing guard at the gate was also very handsome."

Lu Chengyue took a deep breath. There was a pressure building up in his heart that he couldn't release—frustration, pure frustration.

"His name is Jiang Yishen. Do you want me to introduce you?" He glanced at Xu Wanning from the corner of his eye, gritting his teeth slightly.

Xu Wanning waved her hands quickly, "No, no need. I'm not interested in him; it's my roommate who thinks he's nice."

The cold air radiating from Lu Chengyue dissipated instantly, "Then who are you interested in?"

Xu Wanning's eyes shimmered, "Guess?"

Lu Chengyue stopped talking. His heart was pounding wildly. This girl, was she doing it on purpose or unintentionally?

He didn't speak, and Xu Wanning didn't either. Until they reached the school gate, neither of them said anything else.

Xu Wanning got out of the car, "Brother Chengyue, thank you for driving me back. See you tomorrow."

Lu Chengyue nodded, "See you tomorrow."

Xu Wanning turned and walked inside. Only when her figure was out of sight did Lu Chengyue drive away. He cursed himself silently for being spineless, letting a little girl lead his emotions around.

When she arrived at the classroom, she was just in time for class. She hadn't had time to eat at noon, so Xu Wanning clutched her stomach and whined, "I'm hungry."

Wen Shuyang leaned over, "Ningning, you have so much food in your space, just eat secretly."

"Oh, right." She quickly took a piece of bread out of her space and bent down under the desk to eat it.

This class was a lecture hall setting with several classes together. They were sitting in the back, so eating wouldn't be noticed.

"Xu Wanning, is Xu Wanning here?" The teacher's voice rang out.

She had just taken a bite and hadn't even chewed yet when the teacher suddenly called her name, scaring her so much she nearly choked to death.