Chapter 75
Once in the car, the young man in the driver’s seat fastened his seatbelt and turned to introduce himself to Jiang Mu. “I’m Wen Ke, just call me Xiao Wen.”
Jiang Mu asked curiously, “Are you his colleague?”
Xiao Wen, who had a cheerful personality, replied, “I’m Engineer Jin’s personal assistant and driver.”
Jiang Mu glanced at Jin Chao, feeling like her driver’s license, not even obtained yet, had already been rendered obsolete.
Jiang Mu’s rented apartment was only a ten-minute walk from Jin Chao’s place, but considering the hassle of moving her belongings back and forth, he had called Xiao Wen to drive them directly into the apartment complex and park downstairs.
The decision to move in with Jin Chao had been rather sudden, and Jiang Mu hadn’t packed her things yet. Since it wasn’t appropriate for Xiao Wen to go upstairs to her room, Jin Chao asked him to wait in the car and said they’d call him up once everything was packed.
As soon as they entered the hallway of the building, Jiang Mu couldn’t hold back her questions. “You have a driver now? Why does he call you Engineer Jin? Gu Tao said you weren’t working for any company. What do you do on all those business trips?”
Jin Chao pulled her into the elevator. At this hour of the morning, it was nearly empty, and he wrapped an arm around her waist, lowering his head to gently pinch her cheek. “So many questions.”
Jiang Mu buried her face in his chest. “Of course, I have to ask. I can’t just be with you without knowing what your situation is now, can I?”
A mischievous glint flickered in Jin Chao’s eyes. “When you climbed into my bed yesterday, why didn’t you ask all these questions clearly before muddying through and giving yourself to me?”
Jiang Mu was speechless. Given the situation yesterday, did she even have a chance to ask? He had left her so dazed she could barely think straight.
The elevator doors opened, and Grandpa Zhao, who lived next door to Jiang Mu, happened to be heading out to buy roast duck. Seeing the usually quiet, reserved, and conservative young woman clinging to a man, he was so startled that his dentures nearly popped out. Jiang Mu, equally flustered, quickly let go of Jin Chao and greeted, “Grandpa Zhao, heading out?”
Grandpa Zhao’s narrowed eyes swept over Jin Chao with keen interest. Jiang Mu hurriedly pulled Jin Chao out of the elevator and let out a long sigh of relief once the doors closed. “Good thing we’re moving out soon.”
Jin Chao stood beside her, watching her with an amused smile. Jiang Mu fished her keys out of her bag and unlocked the door, his gaze lingering on the keychain.
As soon as the door opened, they encountered Jiang Mu’s roommate putting on his shoes, ready to head out. The two of them stared at each other in surprise. Jiang Mu was taken aback because she remembered her roommate had chestnut-brown hair just a few days ago, but today it was a trendy caramel-orange. He was dressed in a mustard-yellow casual suit, the pant legs flared slightly at the bottom, giving off a somewhat flamboyant vibe.
Her roommate’s surprise, however, wasn’t because of Jiang Mu but because of Jin Chao behind her. From the moment the door opened, his eyes hadn’t left Jin Chao, giving him an intensely uncomfortable feeling. Still eyeing Jin Chao, the roommate asked Jiang Mu, “You didn’t come home last night, did you?”
Jiang Mu forced an awkward smile. “I’m here to pack. I’m moving out.”
The man nodded with an understanding expression. Since he was in a hurry to meet friends, he only said politely to Jiang Mu that they should have a meal together sometime, then left. Just as he was about to turn toward the elevator, he glanced back at Jin Chao one more time.
Today, Jin Chao was dressed casually in a short jacket paired with straight-cut dark jeans. Just standing there, his tall, well-proportioned frame gave nothing away to outsiders. But Jiang Mu’s male roommate couldn’t stop staring at the distinct curve of Jin Chao’s hips.
Jin Chao turned his head, his cold gaze sweeping across the young man. Though his face showed no expression, the chill in his eyes made the young roommate flinch inwardly. Before he could retract his stare, Jin Chao unceremoniously shut the door, then turned back, his eyes sweeping Jiang Mu with a deeper meaning. “This roommate of yours…”
Jiang Mu walked straight into her room and tossed back casually, “His style is a bit flashy, probably hangs around nightclubs, but he’s actually a good guy. Last time the drain at home clogged, I was about to call the landlord, but he had a friend come over and fix it in no time.”
Jin Chao gave a cool, meaningful chuckle. “And then let that friend spend the night?”
Jiang Mu froze and turned her head. “How do you know that?”
“…Just a guess. For the sake of my personal safety, you’d better move out quickly.”
“???”
The room wasn’t particularly spacious, but compared to Jin Chao’s stark, empty place, Jiang Mu’s bedroom felt far cozier. Illustrated posters on the walls, small potted plants on the windowsill, and colorful sticky notes were scattered here and there. But there were simply too many things, making it inevitably a little cluttered.
Jiang Mu pulled out her suitcase and began transferring all her clothes from the wardrobe onto the bed. In no time, the already cramped room looked as though a storm had passed through it, so much so that even she felt overwhelmed and unsure where to start.
What Jiang Mu dreaded most about moving was always the packing. To her, it felt like a massive undertaking. Once she actually started, it wasn’t that hard, but every time before she began, just looking at the mountain of things gave her a headache.
While she stood with her hands on her hips, still mentally preparing herself, Jin Chao had already dragged a chair over and, with calm efficiency, began sorting the clothes piled high like a mountain. Then he folded and stacked them neatly. To Jiang Mu’s surprise, Jin Chao was incredibly fast at folding clothes. With a quick flick of his wrists, he’d find the diagonal of a garment, give it a shake, and neatly fold it into place.
Sitting on the carpet by the bed, Jiang Mu simply took each piece he had folded and placed them one by one into the suitcase.
She chatted idly as she worked, “I’ve always hated packing. When I was studying in Canberra, I’d go back to Melbourne every month, right? Sometimes I’d end up forgetting one or two things. The worst time was when I’d already boarded the plane and realized I’d left my laptop at my mom’s place. My end-of-semester summaries and reports were all on it. I was so panicked, I didn’t even leave the airport and just repurchased another ticket. By the time I got it, it was already midnight, and I couldn’t get a flight back to Canberra. I’ll never forget that night.”
Jin Chao glanced up. “When was that?”
Jiang Mu’s eyes gradually dropped. It was during the months after she had lost contact with Jin Chao. Even after returning to China, she still couldn’t reach him. Back in Australia, she drifted through each day in a daze, unable to focus on anything.
That time, she left her laptop in Melbourne, and she retrieved it late at night and sat waiting at the airport for a ticket. In the biting three or four degrees cold, she curled up and broke down in helpless sobs, her mind consumed with thoughts of him. Missing him to the point of madness, yet unable to reach him. The despair overwhelmed her completely.
Eventually, an airport staff member noticed how distraught she was and helped her sort out a ticket, allowing her to return to Canberra.
But even now, whenever she recalled that night, her heart would clench with pain.
Noticing her fallen shoulders and silence, Jin Chao took her hand and pulled her onto his right knee. Jiang Mu wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in the crook of his neck. Holding him like this, solid and real, made her feel a little better.
Though she hadn’t mentioned how miserable she’d been afterward, Jin Chao seemed to sense her emotions. His large hand stroked her back gently, again and again, as he asked softly, “Did you cry from the panic?”
Jiang Mu sniffled lightly. “But it had its benefits. After that time, I started being more careful. Every time I pack, I check over and over. People need a lesson or two before they learn.”
Jin Chao’s eyes darkened. He knew all too well that he had stumbled through more lessons than most people ever would, and life was never smooth sailing. But when it was Jiang Mu who had gone through it, hearing her speak of it made his heart ache. His hand stroked her back slowly, as though he could erase the unhappy memory.
But Jiang Mu quickly broke into a smile, lifting her head in his arms, her brows arching playfully. “Why is it that the moment I’m with you, I turn all sentimental?”
Things from so many years ago could still somehow send her spiraling into melancholy out of the blue.
Jin Chao gave her an enigmatic smile, showing he understood. “It’s normal. After all, when you were little, even a scraped knee had to be circled with a ballpoint pen, so I’d notice and fuss over you. How did I cheer you up back then?”
He even seriously mimicked how he used to comfort her as a child, bouncing his leg slightly while chanting, “Mu Mu, be good. You’re the bravest little darling in the Weijia Lane Kindergarten.”
“…”
Jiang Mu shot him a sideways glance, then decisively jumped off his lap, choosing selective amnesia. She tossed all her clothes at him to fold instead.
Along the way, she asked, “When you go on business trips, do you pack your own things too?”
Jin Chao calmly folded the sweater in his hands and replied, “Who else would do it if not me?”
“Does that Xiao Wen usually follow you around?”
Jin Chao explained, “A few years ago, Guangyu introduced me to some work in Changchun. After making a bit of a name there, I went on to the Automotive Engineering Research Institute in Anhui, working with them on engineering design. I also wanted to take on some side projects to earn more, and even opened a coffee shop. So, I’ve always kept the status of a freelancer, cooperating in a consulting role. Some months I go there twice, and during busy periods, I’m there every week. Considering my health, two years ago, they assigned me an assistant, Xiao Wen. He mainly helps me out on business trips.”
This was the first time Jin Chao had seriously told Jiang Mu about his current situation. Though only a few words, they gave her a rough picture of what his work life had been like these past years.
By her calculations, he had entered the industry at seventeen, accumulating over a decade of experience. His undergraduate degree was in Mechanical Design, Manufacturing, and Automation, and he pursued graduate studies in Thermal Energy and Power Engineering. All those years of experience hadn’t gone to waste. Even if he no longer held a steering wheel, he had simply found another way to keep moving forward.
Reaching his thirties, he had managed to start a coffee shop from scratch in Nanjing and settle into a stable life. Life was unpredictable. No one ever knew if yesterday’s hardships might turn into tomorrow’s harvest. It seemed all accumulated experiences were interconnected and mutually reinforcing. At the very least, Jiang Mu found some comfort in knowing that the years she had known him hadn’t entirely held him back and had, in some way, contributed to where he was now.
After a while, Jin Chao’s movements gradually stilled. Jiang Mu looked up to find him holding one of her white lace-edged underwear, seemingly wondering how to fold it. With a little cry, she lunged forward, snatching the item from his hands. “I’ll do this part myself.”
His lashes shadowed his inky eyes; his lips curved in a smile. “I’ll be seeing them sooner or later. Still embarrassed?”
Of course, by seeing, he meant her wearing them. Jiang Mu instantly pictured it, and her cheeks flared as if the room had grown hotter. She fanned her face with her hand. “I’m going to pour some water.”
A moment later, Jiang Mu returned carrying two glasses of water. Jin Chao asked, “Did you pack all your scarves already?”
Handing him a glass, Jiang Mu said, “Yeah.”
Jin Chao took the cup in one hand and held out a long strip of black cloth in the other. “Found another one.”
Jiang Mu glanced at it, then broke into a grin. “That’s not a scarf. It’s a dress.”
Jin Chao lifted the cloth again, inspecting it. It was clearly just a strip of cloth, the same width top to bottom. He raised a brow. “You messing with me? Where are the sleeves?”
Setting down her glass, Jiang Mu took the long strip of black cloth and held it against herself to demonstrate. “It doesn’t need sleeves. It’s a strapless dress and you wear it just like this.”
Leaning back against the chair, Jin Chao took a sip of water. His lips glistened faintly, and his gaze, though restrained, carried a flicker of heat. His voice was light, almost lazy. “I can’t quite picture it. Why not try it on and show me?”
“Huh?” Jiang Mu was taken aback. “Right now?”
Jin Chao nodded as if it were only natural. “Otherwise, how will I know it’s not just a scarf?”
Jiang Mu was speechless. To prove it wasn’t a scarf, she grabbed the black strip and left the room. Watching her retreating back, Jin Chao’s lips curved into a smile.
A few minutes later, Jiang Mu poked her head back in, the rest of her body hidden behind the door. Jin Chao stood by the window with his glass in hand. Hearing the sound, he turned, his eyes lifting toward her. “Come in, let me see.”
Jiang Mu’s cheeks flushed pink. “It’s just… a little embarrassing.”
“Afraid of what? There’s no one else here.”
So Jiang Mu gently pulled the door open and stepped into the room, pressing her back tightly against the doorframe. The moment she revealed herself fully before Jin Chao, his breath caught for an instant.
It was a stretchy, form-fitting black bodycon dress that hugged her curves. Her long hair spilled over her shoulders, leaving her delicate collarbones and slender arms completely bare. he nervously tugged the fabric higher over her chest, but as the top shifted higher, the hem crept shorter, revealing long, smooth legs in a tantalizing way.
Her smoldering figure was on full display, yet her face remained fresh and innocent, creating a striking contrast, a blend of innocence and allure, pure and tempting at once.
Jin Chao’s lips parted slightly as he murmured, “Tell me… on what occasion would you need to wear something like this?”
Jiang Mu awkwardly tugged at the hem again. “Back in university, I went to a classmate’s costume birthday party, so I bought this online. It was a whole cat-girl set, dress, stockings, hair ties, all of it. With the stockings, the bottom half wasn’t quite so revealing. But for some reason, when I tried it on, it felt kind of… risqué. So, I never wore it again.”
When she pulled the skirt down, the motion only tightened the fabric over her chest, making the full curves there faintly visible. Jin Chao’s gaze lingered, sliding slowly across that spot. He didn’t tell her that what she had likely bought wasn’t a costume at all but something more akin to lingerie.
Instead, he simply asked, “So what did you end up wearing that night?”
Jiang Mu, feeling awkward, wrapped her arms across her body. “I ended up buying a Pikachu hoodie instead.”
“…”
Jin Chao lowered his eyes, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Come here, I want to ask you something.”
Jiang Mu walked barefoot through the cluttered room to stand before Jin Chao, her hands still partially shielding herself. Jin Chao took her wrists, gently guiding them to her sides, and pulled her close against his chest. Lowering his head, his voice was husky and thick with unmistakable desire: “Are you still sore there?”
The suddenness of the question sent a flush burning across Jiang Mu’s cheeks. She stammered, her voice barely a whisper, “N-no… I don’t really feel anything anymore…”
Jin Chao’s hands slid to her waist, lifting her as he turned and gently pressed her against the dressing table. In one fluid motion, he reached out and drew the curtains closed. Jiang Mu tensed, her entire body freezing in place. She gestured nervously toward the window. “Xiao Wen is still waiting downstairs…”
Jin Chao’s palm, warm and firm, slid along the smooth skin of her leg. Without breaking his gaze from her, he pulled out his phone and dialed Xiao Wen. His voice was calm but left no room for discussion, “We’ll need a bit more time here. Go rest at the café first.”