Professor Xie, isn't this a case of forcing customers to buy products that don't match the

When Shang Song came out of the reading room, he was still feeling dizzy.

He watched Xie Jing's car disappear into the driveway, and then, as if realizing what had happened, he rushed towards the dormitory.

As soon as the dorm room door opened, he started yelling, "I'm no longer single!!!"

The eldest brother was startled. Shang Song rushed over, grabbed him, and started shaking him: "Boss, he said we're dating!"

Boss: "..."

Shang Song climbed onto Lao Er's bed again, stood on the iron ladder, pulled back Lao Er's blanket, and pulled off Lao Er's earphones: "He said he doesn't have any students, he doesn't accept students, he came because I was there, he said we're dating, like boyfriend and girlfriend!"

The second brother rolled his eyes, then gave a thumbs up: "Okay, awesome."

The third brother had just come out of the bathroom when Shang Song rushed over and grabbed him, startling him so much that he screamed, "Third brother! I'm no longer single! Professor Xie said we're dating!"

The third brother struggled to peek out from Shang Song's arm: "Really? That Professor Xie?"

"It's absolutely true! He said it himself!" Shang Song let go of him, spun around in place, and then slumped into his chair, tilting his head back, staring at the ceiling, his mouth stretched to his ears.

The eldest brother leaned against his desk, looked at him, and shook his head with a smile: "Look at you, so smug."

Shang Song didn't argue, he just sat in the chair and grinned foolishly.

During those days, he found everyone pleasing to the eye and laughed foolishly at everything he did.

Even the cafeteria lady couldn't help but ask him, "What are you grinning about, kid?"

But after a few days, as the excitement gradually subsided, Shang Song belatedly realized a very serious problem—between him and Xie Jing, it seemed... nothing had changed.

Every Thursday afternoon, he still goes to the reading room on time.

Xie Jing gave him lessons and answered his questions.

He asked Xie Jing on WeChat what he had eaten that day, and Xie Jing replied, "I ate rice."

He shared some interesting anecdotes from his life, and Hsieh Ching replied, "Mm."

The only difference is that he knows he's not "taking a class" now, but "on a date".

The problem is, this doesn't look like a date at all.

Time flew by, and July arrived.

S City has entered the rainy season, with one torrential rain after another.

That Thursday, Shang Song went to the reading room as usual. The weather was fine when he left, but by the time the meeting ended, it was pouring rain outside.

Shang Song stood under the porch, looking at the rain-soaked sky, a sense of excited anticipation rising in his heart.

Xie Jing sat in the car, also watching the rain.

But what he was looking at wasn't the rain, but the corners that ordinary people wouldn't notice through the rain curtain.

In his earpiece, Lin Zhou's voice mingled with the sound of rain:

"Master, the rain is too heavy and visibility is poor across the entire line. Sniping positions are no longer effective."

"The section of road from the current location to the student dormitory area is densely packed with buildings on both sides and has too many high-altitude obstructions, making it impossible to complete the full-line clearance and safety assessment in a short period of time."

We do not recommend that you change your planned route at the last minute.

"If you need, we can arrange for an undercover officer to take Mr. Shang back to his dormitory under the pretense of being on his way."

"Vehicles can be dispatched from outside, so their identities should not be exposed."

Xie Jing remained silent for two seconds.

Then he said, "No need."

He took the umbrella that was embedded in the car door, rolled down the window, and handed it to Shang Song.

It was an ordinary-looking umbrella, but it was very heavy.

It is bulletproof and also has a positioning chip.

Lin Zhou's voice came through the earpiece again:

"Location signal has been received, and Mr. Shang's location trajectory will be synchronized to the terminal."

He could certainly arrange for staff to deliver Shang Song.

but.

He fears.

If Shang Song gets into that car, he might ask some questions that Shang Song can't answer.

"Professor Xie, is the person who gave me this gift related to you?"

"There are so many strange buttons in that car, what are they for?"

One lie requires countless lies to cover it up.

He wasn't sure if he could weave every lie flawlessly in front of Shang Song's beautiful eyes.

He was even more afraid.

Shang Song can glimpse a corner of his real world from some details, such as the interior configuration of the cars, the security traces that are inadvertently revealed, and things that ordinary people would never encounter in their lives.

Realizing the magnitude of the gap between them, Shang Song will then wisely choose to end things.

Even if Shang Song doesn't choose to end it...

Perhaps they will also put away those unrestrained smiles and those off-the-cuff murmurs, becoming cautious and restrained...

Just like everyone else treated him.

Xie Jing followed the lead car through the rain.

In his ears, he could hear Lin Zhou's occasional reports.

But he could no longer hear clearly.

In his mind.

It was Shang Song sitting in the reading room, tilting his head and asking him those strange and unusual questions.

It's those cafeteria pictures and cat videos on WeChat.

He didn't know when he started looking forward to Thursdays.

I don't know when it started, but every day after finishing my tasks, I would unconsciously open that chat window to see if the little orange cat avatar had sent any new messages.

He looked forward to seeing those trivial, meaningless shares.

Although he never knew how to reply.

I haven't learned how to reply better yet.

But he was attached to these things.

I crave that vibrant, stable companionship.

I am drawn to the existence of such a person in this world. I don't know who he is, what he possesses, or what he bears. I simply approach him bravely because of who he is.

He didn't want to lose these.

He cannot lose these.

"Master," Lin Zhou's voice came through the earpiece, "Mr. Shang's location signal has entered the dormitory area, the coordinates have been locked, the signal is stable, and he has arrived safely."

Xie Jing: "Mm."

He responded with a sound of agreement and didn't say anything more.

The car continued forward, leaving the main road at the intersection and turning onto the mountain road leading to Xishan.

Back in Xishan, he took a shower and changed his clothes. Lin Zhou then compiled the day's data and presented it to him.

He didn't immediately deal with the documents, but instead spoke: "Lin Zhou."

Lin Zhou: "Please speak, Patriarch."

Xie Jing: "If I want Shang Song to visit Xishan, what should I do without scaring him?"

Lin Zhou thought about it carefully for a while, then showed a somewhat troubled expression. "Patriarch, this... is difficult."

Xie Jing looked at him, gesturing for him to continue.

Lin Zhou: "The security level of Xishan itself dictates that every checkpoint from the foot of the mountain to the main building cannot be removed, and the surveillance and guard points along the way cannot be turned off."

"Even if we clear out all the visible armed personnel in advance, the hidden security personnel, access control systems, infrared sensors, biometric locks, and so on still exist."

"Mr. Shang will definitely notice something once he sets foot in Xishan, unless..."

Xie Jing: "Unless what?"

"We might be able to set up a fairly ordinary residence in the city, disguise it slightly, and use it as a regular meeting place for you and Mr. Shang. Security will be moved underground. In this way, Mr. Shang should not suspect anything in the short term."

After listening, Xie Jing simply shook his head. "If he finds out the truth later, he'll think I've been lying to him all along."

Lin Zhou suggested again, "Patriarch, perhaps Cloud Peak could be a compromise."

Xie Jing looked up at him. "Won't that scare him?"

Lin Zhou thought for a moment and answered seriously, "It should be better than Xishan."