We agreed not to date, so why are you crying now that I've become the richest man?

Ye Chen leaned back on the leather sofa, crossed his legs, and quietly watched the woman in front of him who was trying to appear calm.

Xia Shiqing, wearing beige pointed high heels, stepped closer.

The pencil skirt clung tightly to her slender figure, and the V-neck knit top sagged slightly as she bent over to put down the coffee.

Under the warm yellow light, large swathes of white were dazzling.

She placed the tray on the coffee table, and the scent of woody rose perfume instantly filled the enclosed VIP room.

In reality, she was far less adept than she appeared.

Facing Ye Chen, a boy a few years younger than herself, Xia Shiqing felt a surge of emotions she had never experienced before.

It's too tiring to work hard alone in Shanghai.

This city is cold and snobbish, and she dreams of finding someone to shelter her from the wind and rain.

The person in front of me is simply the perfect safe haven that you can only dream of.

She didn't want to miss out.

You absolutely can't miss it.

This was the first time she had ever set aside her reserve and taken the initiative.

Because I valued it so much, my fingers trembled slightly as I handed the cup over.

His knuckles were clenched so tightly they turned white.

I was incredibly nervous.

Ye Chen saw through all her little actions but didn't expose them.

He reached out and took the coffee, his fingertips brushing against the back of her hand, intentionally or unintentionally.

Xia Shiqing felt as if she had been electrocuted, and she jerked her hand back, almost knocking the cup over.

Ye Chen picked up the glass, took a sip, and said casually, "It tastes good, not bad at all."

Xia Shiqing secretly breathed a sigh of relief and sat down next to him. The distance between them was now less than a fist's width.

She turned her head to the side, her long hair falling to one side, revealing her snow-white neck.

To ease the awkwardness, she bit her lower lip lightly and quickly started a conversation:

"Thank you for your kindness today. The commission for the two cars is almost as much as my annual base salary. Next time, I have to treat you to dinner. You can't refuse."

Ye Chen put down the cup, leaned back, and created some distance between himself and the cup.

He stared at her flushed ears and said slowly, "Fine, since you insist on spending money, Shiqing, I'll definitely be there whenever you call."

When the name "Shiqing" reached her ears, Xia Shiqing felt a shiver run down her spine.

He not only agreed readily, but even his way of addressing her became so intimate.

She lowered her eyelashes, her heart pounding with barely suppressed joy.

That's the reason we'll have to meet again next time.

The two stayed in the VIP room for another twenty minutes.

Xia Shiqing neatly arranged the thick stack of car purchase contracts, insurance policies, and invoices, put them into a brown paper bag, and handed them to Ye Chen.

"All the formalities are completed. For Shanghai license plates, you now need to go through the auction process, which will take a few days."

Ye Chen took the paper bag, rummaged through it a couple of times, and then tossed it onto the coffee table.

"Leave this van at your shop for now. You can handle all the license plate matters, with the highest priority. Just let me know when it's done so I can pick it up."

Xia Shiqing nodded repeatedly.

It was almost 4 PM when I left the 4S store.

Sunlight refracted through the glass of the high-rise buildings in the commercial street, carrying the lingering heat of the afternoon.

Ye Chen opened the door of the black Mercedes-Benz S600, and Xia Shiqing skillfully got into the passenger seat.

The car door closed, completely shutting out the noise outside.

The only sound in the carriage was the faint whirring of the air conditioning vents.

The Mercedes drove out smoothly and merged into the gradually thickening traffic.

Xia Shiqing turned her head and her gaze fell on Ye Chen's hands holding the steering wheel.

The Vacheron Constantin watch gleamed subtly in the afternoon sunlight.

"Other people compare prices and haggle endlessly before buying a car, but you just glance at it and swipe your card."

"I bought the car for the feeling," Ye Chen said with a soft laugh as he turned his head while waiting at a red light.

"To let a small price difference ruin the fun is putting the cart before the horse. Wouldn't it be more worthwhile to save that time for something more interesting?"

Xia Shiqing's heart skipped a beat. She felt even more that this boy was unfathomable.

She adjusted her posture by turning slightly to the side, her long, fair legs elegantly crossed in the passenger seat, and the hem of her skirt rose slightly.

"Riding in your car today, the roads that are usually quite difficult to travel seemed to pass in the blink of an eye."

"Looks like this car was a good buy." Ye Chen looked ahead. "At least the passenger seat experience didn't disappoint you. Of course, it could also be because there's a beautiful woman sitting next to you, even traffic lights are accommodating."

Xia Shiqing was caught off guard by this sentence, and her breathing became erratic.

Her slender fingers unconsciously tightened their grip on the seatbelt, and it took her a while to find her voice, which softened slightly:

"Are you always this good at sweet-talking people? Besides attending classes and making money, what other pastimes do you have?"

"It's a bit boring to pass the time, so I'm just making a small investment." Ye Chen tapped the steering wheel with his long fingers. "After all, I can't just spend money without earning it; I also have to maintain the car."

Xia Shiqing chuckled: "You call casually taking away two Mercedes a 'small investment'? With your financial strength, buying a luxury house in Shanghai wouldn't be a problem."

"A luxury mansion..." Ye Chen deliberately dragged out the last syllable, neither admitting nor denying it.

With a turn of the steering wheel, the car came to a smooth stop in front of Xia Shiqing's apartment building.

He shifted into Park, turned around, and looked at her with a half-smile: "If I ever actually buy it, I'll invite you to visit first. We're here."

Xia Shiqing's eyes brightened, and she bit her lower lip lightly: "You said it yourself, I've got it in mind, no cheating allowed."

She agreed verbally, but didn't act immediately.

He glanced at the increasingly long shadows of the trees outside the window, then slowly reached for the seatbelt buckle.

Click.

The seatbelt popped open.

She didn't get up immediately; instead, she turned slightly to the side, clutching the strap of her small handbag with both hands.

Her eyelashes fluttered twice, and she looked at Ye Chen, who was so close to her, with a mixture of shyness and anticipation.

"Thank you for bringing me back today." Her voice was very soft, with obvious nervousness.

"Would you like to... come upstairs for a cup of tea? And then have dinner together later, as a way of thanking you for keeping me company today."

This was the boldest invitation she could make.

Ye Chen looked into her expectant eyes, a smile spreading across his own, but he didn't continue the conversation in the romantic atmosphere.

"I won't drink the tea." He said gently, with a hint of helplessness, but with an undeniable air of authority.

"School officially starts tomorrow, so I need to go to the company to check things out; there's a ton of stuff waiting for me."

After a pause, he added, "You must be tired after a long day. Go upstairs and rest. We can eat another day."

It was concise and to the point, and the reasons were given in a good way.

Xia Shiqing stood frozen in the passenger seat.

All the prepared ideas in my head were stuck in my throat, unable to come out or come down.

To cover her embarrassment, she hurriedly grabbed her bag, turned around, and pushed open the car door.

Click.

A slightly dry breeze blew in from outside, dissipating the burning sensation on my face.

She got out of the car, closed the door, and stood outside the window, trying to force a natural smile.

"Then drive carefully and be safe. Don't overwork yourself at the company." There was still a hint of unease in his voice.

Ye Chen smiled and nodded.

With a tap of the accelerator, the black Mercedes merged into the traffic and disappeared around the street corner.

Xia Shiqing stood still.

The sun hadn't set yet, but the cool air coming from the car, mixed with the embarrassment of being rejected, made the wind blowing on my bare legs feel strangely chilly.

Watching the red taillights gradually disappear into the distance, she was not angry at all.

The disappointment of wanting something but not getting it was stirred up in my heart.

It even transformed into a deeper kind of throbbing.

This kind of seemingly gentle but completely uncontrollable man is truly deadly.

……