Chapter Forty

Xin Gan slept fitfully for two or three hours before dawn broke. She hadn’t bathed the night before, only wiped herself down hurriedly, still unsettled and wary of hidden cameras. Thankfully, her clothes carried no noticeable odor, so she simply washed her face and stepped outside.

As she opened the door, she found Cheng Jiu and Xiao Shi waiting at the entrance. Xiao Shi greeted her enthusiastically, “Good morning.”

Xin Gan smiled in return. Cheng Jiu, as always, wore a stoic expression. “Let’s go,” he said.

Her eyes were bloodshot, eyelids heavy. She climbed into the car quietly, gazing at the bustling morning market along the roadside.

The rear window was shattered, but it didn’t hinder Cheng Jiu’s driving. Even if repairs were needed, they’d have to wait until they returned; it couldn’t be fixed now.

Cheng Jiu parked outside a breakfast stall and, opening the car door, said, “Let’s eat before we hit the road.”

Xin Gan followed him out. The morning sun was blinding, forcing her to don a hat.

Xiao Shi noticed and asked, “Miss Xin, did you buy this hat here?”

Cheng Jiu, head down, slurped his noodles, seemingly oblivious.

Xin Gan replied, “Yes.” She didn’t mention that Cheng Jiu had bought it.

Xiao Shi said, “It suits you. Beautiful people look good in anything.”

Cheng Jiu kicked Xiao Shi under the table. “Eat your noodles. You talk too much.”

Xiao Shi pouted, unwilling to let it go. “I was talking to Miss Xin. Why kick me, Brother Jiu?”

Xin Gan smiled softly, serene and gentle. She ate her noodles with elegant precision, but the bowl was too heavy to hold in one hand. Setting her chopsticks aside, she cradled the bowl in both hands and drank the soup.

There were no spoons. Unable to find one, Xin Gan had to lift the bowl to drink.

Xiao Shi immediately dashed off to ask the owner for a spoon, handing it to Xin Gan.

Xin Gan, embarrassed, thanked him.

Xiao Shi replied, “No need to be so formal. We’re family here.”

Xin Gan fell silent, instinctively glancing at Cheng Jiu, who was already watching her. Their eyes met; she quickly looked away, while a faint smile tugged at his lips.

After breakfast, they returned to the car. Xin Gan got in first. Cheng Jiu grabbed Xiao Shi by the collar, pulling him aside. “What were you saying just now?”

Xiao Shi grinned sheepishly. “What did I say, Brother Jiu? Did I say something wrong?”

“What do you think?” Cheng Jiu warned him, “Don’t say nonsense in front of her.”

Xiao Shi was intimidated. His earlier words were just for fun, so he quickly nodded and shut his mouth.

Cheng Jiu added, “You can joke with me all you want in private, but don’t make her the subject.”

Xiao Shi immediately apologized, “Sorry, Brother Jiu. I was wrong. I’ll be careful next time.”

“Enough, get in the car.”

On the way back, Xiao Shi kept quiet, behaving himself. Cheng Jiu was right—among men, crude jokes were nothing, but in front of a woman, there had to be boundaries. Especially since Cheng Jiu’s feelings toward Xin Gan were not ordinary. She wasn’t someone to be made fun of.

Xiao Shi reflected that he’d been living too freely lately, unscolded by Cheng Jiu, which made him bold.

Xin Gan, still exhausted from the sleepless night, dozed in the car. While she slept, Cheng Jiu drove slowly, careful not to disturb her.

When Jiang Tang called, the ringtone startled Xin Gan awake. She rubbed her eyes as Xiao Shi answered the phone.

“Jiang Tang? We’re on the road back with Brother Jiu. We won’t arrive until the day after tomorrow. Is there something you need?”

“I do. Why are you answering? Where’s Cheng Jiu?”

“Brother Jiu is driving. He can’t talk right now.”