Sweetie, don't look at him, kiss me.

After hanging up Bai Cheng's call, Lin Qingmian took a deep breath, then tidied her backpack and followed the crowd of students going to evening self-study as she walked out of the campus.

While waiting for Bai Cheng by the roadside, she received a call from Ji Xingqing.

"I'm sorry, Mianmian. I told you last night to calm down, but I just couldn't stop worrying about you..."

The woman's voice on the other end of the phone carried a mix of heartache and guilt: "I just overheard my mother talking and found out that your mother went to the school to beat you because your grandmother suspected you of drugging your uncle..."

She paused for a moment before lowering her voice, "I know it definitely wasn't you. You only like that bastard Ji Xingye, how could you possibly drug my uncle?"

"Besides, I saw that bottle of red wine that day. It was already opened before you got it. Maybe it belonged to a staff member at that Imperial Cuisine restaurant. Someone might have ulterior motives..."

Ji Xingqing became more and more agitated as she spoke: "Mianmian, I'm so sorry about this. If I hadn't insisted on having dinner with us, you wouldn't have been wrongly accused..."

"I'll go to the Imperial Kitchen right now to investigate the truth and give you justice!"

Standing in the evening breeze, Lin Qingmian listened to the girl's excited voice on the other end of the phone and felt a warmth in her heart: "Xingqing, forget it."

"This matter is over, I don't want to bring it up again, and you shouldn't pursue it further."

"How can that be?"

Ji Xingqing pouted: "Don't forget, you were framed for drugging my uncle!"

"If they investigate my uncle... you'll be in big trouble!"

At this point, she could almost picture Lin Qingmian being tortured by Ji Linzhou, her body covered in wounds, crying out to heaven and earth in vain.

Ji Xingqing shuddered: "Mianmian, don't worry about it, leave this to me."

"I will definitely investigate this thoroughly and get to the bottom of it!"

After saying that, she hung up the phone immediately.

Lin Qingmian frowned, and was about to call Ji Xingqing back when a car horn sounded not far away.

She snapped out of her daze and instinctively looked in the direction of the sound.

Under the dim light of the streetlights, the familiar Cayenne was parked less than ten meters away from her.

The woman hesitated for a moment, put away her phone, and got into the car.

She thought that Bai Cheng and the bodyguard she had asked for would be there to pick her up.

But when she opened the car door and felt the coldness emanating from inside, she realized that Ji Linzhou was sitting in the back seat.

Although this car was one of Ji Linzhou's more low-key vehicles, it still attracted the attention of many students when parked on a university campus.

Feeling those gazes, Lin Qingmian frowned, afraid of becoming the focus of the campus forum again. Even though she was unwilling, she still lifted her leg and sat down.

As she closed the car door, the chilly air inside made her shiver involuntarily.

The woman crossed her arms, pressing her body as close to the car door as possible to get away from Ji Linzhou's coldness: "Why are you here?"

"no?"

The man stared blankly ahead, his attitude distant, as if he couldn't even be bothered to glance at her.

Lin Qingmian choked for a moment, then looked out the car window with pouting lips.

She didn't understand. If this man was still bothered by what happened last night and was giving her the cold shoulder, then why did he come with Bai Cheng?

Was it to upset her, or to make himself miserable?

Soon, the car started and sped away from the school.

The only sound inside the car was Bai Cheng driving.

"Who have you messed with?"

About ten minutes later, a deep, cold voice sounded in my ear: "You specifically asked Bai Cheng to bring a bodyguard with good driving skills because you discovered you were being followed?"

Lin Qingmian paused, somewhat surprised: "How did you know...?"

It took her almost a whole day, and only after Yao Yingyu reminded her, that she realized those people had actually been following her.

But Ji Linzhou figured it out in just ten minutes?

"Every year, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who want to track me down and kidnap me."

Perhaps sensing the shock in her eyes, the man said indifferently, "If I were as oblivious as you, the Ji Group would have gone bankrupt long ago to redeem me."

The man glanced at Lin Qingmian, a hint of helplessness in his eyes: "Troublesome."

After saying that, he reached out and pulled Lin Qingmian into his arms, holding her tightly.

The sudden hug startled Lin Qingmian for a moment, and she instinctively tried to resist: "What are you doing, you..."

Ji Linzhou ignored her struggles.

He tightened his grip on her arm and glanced at Bai Cheng in the driver's seat through the rearview mirror: "Shake him off."

"yes!"

Bai Cheng responded and then gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Accelerate, turn, make a U-turn.

Everything happened too fast, too hastily.

Lin Qingmian stopped moving.

Because she knew very well that if Ji Linzhou hadn't been holding her, she would have already fallen and staggered due to inertia, and might even have vomited.

Ji Linzhou hugged her because he was afraid she would get hurt.

The car was still traveling at high speed, constantly turning corners.

Lin Qingmian nestled quietly in Ji Linzhou's arms, her nose and mouth filled with his unique, crisp scent, like that of cedar trees—it smelled wonderful.

With her ear pressed against his chest, she could clearly hear the beating of his heart.

One after another.

For some reason, feeling his heartbeat and breathing, smelling his scent, made her feel inexplicably at ease.

The heart that had been hanging in suspense all day because of being followed finally felt relieved.

She felt an unprecedented sense of security and peace.

After an unknown amount of time, the car slowed down.

After calmly observing the situation in the rearview mirror for a long time, Bai Cheng finally breathed a slight sigh of relief: "We've completely shaken them off."

Hearing him say that, Lin Qingmian suddenly realized what was happening and quickly broke free from Ji Linzhou's embrace.

Instinctively, she looked in the direction of the rearview mirror.

Indeed, those black Land Rovers from before are no longer visible in the back.

It took me twenty minutes to shake it off.

Ji Linzhou slowly glanced down at the expensive steel watch on his wrist: "The other party is very professional."

Bai Cheng nodded quickly: "Yes, they are professionals."

As he spoke, he glanced at Lin Qingmian in the back seat through the rearview mirror: "Madam, who exactly have you offended?"

Lin Qingmian paused for a moment, then lowered her head: "I don't know."

At this moment, the car stopped.

Ji Linzhou unbuckled his seatbelt: "Get out of the car."

After getting off the car, Lin Qingmian realized that Bai Cheng had actually taken them to the entrance of the Imperial Cuisine Restaurant.

She frowned, puzzled. "Weren't you supposed to go home to get some documents?"

"No rush."

Ji Linzhou slowly adjusted his cufflinks and strode towards the entrance of the Imperial Kitchen: "Let's eat first."

Lin Qingmian paused for a moment before following after him.

Bai Cheng's car was driving too fast. Although Lin Qingmian didn't react much while in the car, her legs started to feel unsteady after she got out and took a few steps.

When she reached the entrance of the Imperial Cuisine Restaurant, she lost her footing and almost fell to the ground.

Fortunately, Ji Linzhou, who was walking in front, reacted quickly and helped her up.

The man's large hand supported her waist, his body pressed against hers, and his strong masculine scent enveloped her.

Lin Qingmian felt a moment of dizziness: "Thank you."

She pursed her lips, just about to break free from his embrace, when a familiar, shocked female voice rang in her ears—

"Mianmian!? Uncle!? What...what are you doing?"