40: Chapter 40 Don't do this!

[1:30.] Xu Wanning imitated his style and gave a brief reply.

[Okay.] Since she was brief, he was even briefer. Sigh, anyone who didn't know better would think he wasn't interested in her.

Once the meal was finished, Wen Shuyang no longer had the patience to keep up pretenses with Jiang Lei. "Jiang Lei, you go back first. You have class this afternoon, but we don't have any, so we're going shopping."

Jiang Lei had originally intended to walk around with Wen Shuyang alone, but he was immediately blocked. "Yangyang, we haven't…"

Wen Shuyang rolled her eyes in disgust. Just thinking about having slept with him before made her feel nauseous. "Maybe some other time. My leg hasn't fully healed yet, and you know, I like you the most."

Hearing her say this, Jiang Lei finally felt relieved. What he feared most was Wen Shuyang having a change of heart. If that happened, where else would he find a rich young lady who was naive and had money to burn?

Once Jiang Lei left, Wen Shuyang dry-heaved twice. "Oh my god, I'm not pregnant with his child, am I?"

Xu Wanning pinched her cheek. "It shouldn't be. You didn't get pregnant in your past life, and since I came back, you haven't gone out with him, so it should be fine."

Wen Shuyang felt reassured. "That's true. If I really were pregnant, I'd go get an abortion right now. Come with me to the pharmacy in a bit to buy a test kit; I want to check just to be at ease."

The group retrieved their car. Just as they sat down, Wen Shuyang asked casually, "Where are we going?"

Xu Wanning fastened her seatbelt. "First, come with me to the Fire Station to make my presence known in front of Brother Chengyue. After that, let's go shopping and see what else we haven't stockpiled."

Wen Shuyang sat up excitedly. "No problem, let's go!"

Song Yunqing held onto the back of the front seat. "I have to go help Sister Gu Xi."

Xu Wanning hummed in acknowledgment. "I know, I'll drop you off after we're done at the Fire Station."

Song Yunqing had grown to love the life of helping out at the flower shop; it was more fulfilling than any day she had lived before, especially with Sister Gu Xi's child, Dongdong, whom she adored.

The car drove all the way to the Fire Station. After parking, Xu Wanning and the others went to a nearby bubble tea shop to buy some drinks.

Lu Zhiyu sipped the bubble tea in her hand and looked at Xu Wanning, who was holding two cups. "Why did you buy an extra cup?"

Xu Wanning drank from her own cup. "One is for your brother."

Lu Zhiyu sighed. Last time at Grandpa Zhou's house, he drank it, but at the Fire Station, the chances of her brother drinking it were very low. However, she didn't say anything; if worse came to worst, she would just drink it for him later.

Upon arriving at the Fire Station, they were training on the rope climbing course—four stories high, climbing up by hand and then sliding down.

They couldn't disturb them at a time like this, so Lu Zhiyu pulled her friends to the side to wait. "Let's wait on the sidelines for a while."

When Lu Chengyue climbed to the top, he glanced down and happened to see Xu Wanning. Just from that one look, his hand slipped—it was brief, but he steadied himself immediately.

But the instructor nearby still noticed. "Lu Chengyue, your hand slipped. Watch your safety."

Lu Chengyue quickly steadied his focus. After sliding down, he walked over, sweat dripping down from his temples.

Behind him, the "ghostly wails and wolf howls" of his comrades rang out, but he pretended not to hear them.

Lu Zhiyu and the others quickly moved to the side, leaving only Xu Wanning standing there.

Lu Chengyue's training uniform was soaked through and clinging to his body, clearly outlining his muscle definition.

Broad shoulders and a narrow waist—an inverted triangle physique—it was a body built only through long-term, extreme training.

Xu Wanning handed him the towel with his name on it, then inserted a straw into the bubble tea and held it out, touching his lips. "Do you want a drink?"

Lu Chengyue glanced at it but didn't drink. "I can't drink this."

"Oh, then I'll drink it." She took the bubble tea back and took a sip from the straw.

Lu Chengyue's throat bobbed twice. Just now, the straw had touched—it had touched his lips. His eyes filled with something very complicated.

"Xu Wanning!" His voice was very low, carrying a hint of warning.

"What?" Xu Wanning looked at him blankly. Why was he calling her by her full name, and through gritted teeth, too? She licked her lips.

Lu Chengyue closed his eyes slightly and took a deep breath. "Don't do that!" The warning was laced with a sense of helplessness, as if he couldn't do anything about her.

"Do what?" Xu Wanning pretended not to understand. If I don't do this, how can I reel you in? Just like this, exactly like this.

Lu Chengyue continued to take deep breaths. "Forget it."

"Lu Chengyue!" Xu Wanning also called his name out in full, saying it very slowly, with a lingering, affectionate tone.

Lu Chengyue's knuckles tightened as he held the towel, causing the fabric to emit a faint tearing sound. "You…"

Xu Wanning chuckled to herself. Hehe, confirmed: he definitely falls for this.

"I—I'm going to go change my clothes." Lu Chengyue turned and walked away, almost as if he were fleeing.

Nearby, Lu Zhiyu and the others were already chatting away with the other comrades, and the topic of conversation was Xu Wanning and Lu Chengyue.

Jiang Yishen couldn't help but keep glancing at Xu Wanning. She was so different in front of Old Lu just now; she really likes Old Lu. He—he had no chance. Oh well, he was happier seeing his buddy happy.

After a while, Lu Chengyue came out having changed into a clean training uniform. "Where are you all going later? Do you need me to take you?"

Xu Wanning shook her head. "No need. We're going to drop off Qingqing at the flower shop first, then go shopping in town to see what else we haven't bought. Brother Chengyue, what do you like to eat? I'll stockpile more for you."

Lu Chengyue looked at Xu Wanning with deep eyes. "Candy." He had never told anyone that he liked eating candy.

"Okay." Xu Wanning thought about going to the candy wholesaler later to buy more, especially fruit-flavored ones and corn candy—he loved those.

"Lu Chengyue, training time!" The squad leader called out.

Lu Chengyue acknowledged him and, as he ran over, turned back to urge, "Drive carefully."

Xu Wanning waved her hand and left the Fire Station with her three best friends. She should try to come less often in the future; she couldn't disturb them.

After dropping Song Yunqing off at the flower shop, the three of them arrived at the candy wholesaler.

Wen Shuyang picked up a durian-flavored candy and sniffed it. "Ningning, are you buying candy? I've never seen you eat candy before."

"We didn't stockpile any candy before, so let's get plenty. We can eat it when we have low blood sugar." She started moving them box by box; buying loose ones was too much trouble.

The owner of the wholesale store was grinning from ear to ear; it had been a long time since anyone had bought so much candy at once.

When they were about to check out, Xu Wanning saw rows of freezers nearby filled with popsicles. She had completely forgotten to stockpile popsicles! "Boss, do you have popsicles by the case? Give me twenty cases of each."

The owner smiled even more happily. "Oh my, I'm not sure if we have twenty cases of each. How about this, I'll take you to look."

"Sure." Xu Wanning followed the owner to the cold storage. The temperature inside was very low, and boxes of unopened popsicles were stacked inside.

"I'll take all of these. Pack up the ones in the freezers outside too—I want them all." During high heat, these popsicles could be a lifesaver.

Right, she also needed to stockpile more ice. Ice could save lives when necessary. She should go buy an ice maker and have her parents make plenty of ice at home.

After a busy day, in the evening, Xu Wanning finished showering. Her hair was still wet, and she was in the middle of drying it when her phone rang.

It was a voice call initiated by Lu Chengyue…