Chapter 6

Xu Ke felt a warmth on her face as she recalled the text message that was the root cause of the trouble

Xu Ke stood on the steps, glaring at his back. What he excelled at was provoking her anger, only to then smile gently and dismiss it as if it were nothing.

The smile suddenly froze

Xu Ke was speechless; there was no need for him to state the frequency so clearly. Fortunately, Lin Ge did not seem displeased at all; on the contrary, he politely invited him: "Mr. Shen, if you have time, please come up and sit for a while."

Shen Mu Li nodded politely, his gaze resting on Xu Ke's face

He seemed completely unaware of the homophones or ambiguities in his words, smiling as he glanced at her phone

He had previously heard Xu Ke mention that her mother had remarried once, so he was not very surprised to hear the term "stepbrother"

Xu Ke felt a stir in her heart, recalling the night she encountered the thief. Indeed, the phone was very important to her. It was truly childish to sulk and hold a grudge against him. She said nothing and turned to walk into the shopping mall

Even in the dim light, Xu Ke could clearly see the look of surprise on Lin Ge's face

Shen Mu seemed to feel nothing, nodded to the two, and said "goodbye".

Xu Ke exclaimed angrily: "Shen Mu!"

Apart from the one side facing the street, the other three sides of the elevator are mirrors, clearly reflecting the shadows of her and him. His gaze is cast upon her from three directions, as if ten ambushes surround her like a besieged city

Cinnabar

How is your boyfriend

Shen Mu smiled and said, "I went up the night before last. I have matters to attend to today, so let's postpone it to another day."

The mentor suddenly had to go to Beijing for two days, so I took the opportunity to return and can spend a day with you

The bittersweet feeling of being with him, the anxiety of gain and loss, the sensation that fluctuated between heaven and hell, was suddenly evoked from my memory by him, flooding my heart with clarity. Those past events, buried for six years, carried a flavor steeped in the passage of time, akin to aged wine

He smiled faintly, lifted his foot, and stepped down the stairs, as if nothing had ever happened

Shen Mu got out of the car and stopped her

Lin Ge naturally held her hands tightly, smiling happily

His words seemed casual, yet they easily led one to think inappropriately. When his gaze swept over, her face instantly flushed, and she lowered her head unnaturally, fearing that he would notice her discomfort

Your phone has been unreachable, and I am a bit anxious, so I came down

Shen Mu showed no intention of yielding, blocking her path. Today, she was wearing flat-heeled boots that only reached his shoulders. That familiar domineering aura inexplicably made her feel tense

Xu Ke got out of the car and said, "Thank you." In that fleeting moment as she turned her head, she was taken aback.

Xu Ke ignored him and walked straight to the bus stop. He was not in a hurry either, driving slowly behind her.

Shen Mu raised an eyebrow with a smile that was not quite a smile and said, "What do you think I am going to do?"

I fear you?" Xu Ke tugged at the corner of her mouth, took a step forward to the car, opened the door, and sat inside.

Xu Ke remained silent, but a thought stirred within him, understanding the implication of his words

Why are you not at home waiting for me

Shen Mu suddenly turned around and smiled: "Are you angry that I didn't kiss you?"

Shen Muxiao smiled without speaking, turned a corner, and parked the car at the entrance of Jinhua Shopping Mall

Accompany me upstairs to buy something

Shen Mu followed her and took the sightseeing elevator

He casually said, "The first time is mine." while holding his phone

As soon as Xu Ke heard this, she immediately opened the car door and got out, saying, "Then I will head home first"

He hung up the phone, his expression gloomy, and said nothing

If you have the opportunity, please treat us to a meal

The time of a few seconds seemed to stretch on. The elevator finally came to a stop on the sixteenth floor

Lin Ge's smile has become somewhat unnatural

"You must buy it now." His voice was firm, leaving no room for doubt

Very good

Xu Ke responded with a faint "mm"

He drove the car, following her closely, and said: "I will take you home"

Shen Mu looked at her with a smile that was not quite a smile and said: "The method of provocation works best on you. At your age, why are you still so impulsive?"

He has been smoke-free for six months, but at this moment, he suddenly has a strong desire to smoke

Lin Ge smiled: "Hello, thank you for bringing Xu Ke back."

Xu Ke felt that if she didn't get on the bus, it would be too pretentious. Countless instances have proven that being angry with him is just being difficult with herself.

"You live in a place where having a mobile phone is essential; what if something happens..." He did not continue his words, paused for a moment, and then softened his tone, "Well then, will it be alright if you pay for it yourself and buy one?"

Shen Mu glanced at her and said seriously: "To make you dislike me."

Shen Mu smiled faintly: "It's alright, I've come here three times in the past two days, so I'm already quite familiar with the route"

Suddenly, the phone rang. Xu Ke looked at the phone number and was surprised to see it was Shen Mu.

Xu Ke felt that this scene was truly melodramatic. In the past, when watching television and encountering such moments, she would definitely change the channel. However, she never expected that today it would happen to her in real life. Yet, when it actually occurred, she surprisingly did not feel shocked. This shows that there is a significant gap between life and art

Her gaze had nowhere to settle, so she turned her body. The elevator ascended slowly, offering a panoramic view of the city's nightscape. The neon lights shimmered, embellishing the night with a dazzling array of colors. A full moon hung in the sky, quietly overlooking the bustling world below, the warmth and coldness of human existence.

Xu Ke replied without a moment's hesitation, "Because you have money"

Xu Ke did not wait for him to start the car, but instead pulled Lin Ge up the stairs

Shen Mu got out of the car, walked behind Xu Ke and stopped, nodding to Lin Ge, "Hello"

He squinted his eyes and looked up at the windowsill on the fifth floor

Her eyes sparkled with joy, and her beautifully painted brows and eyes became even more vivid and beautiful, carrying a charm he had never seen before. It was a gift of time, more captivating after shedding the innocence of youth

Shen Mu sat in the car, watching the layers of lights illuminate. Then, a warm orange glow lit up a window on the fifth floor, and a graceful figure stretched her waist and drew the curtains. Through the veil of night, despite the distance, he seemed to see her with her hair cascading down, a sweet smile gracing her lips

Of course. Xu Ke was both amused and exasperated; he truly did not know what humility was.

The lighting is not very bright, casting a faint and dim orange glow that illuminates Lin Ge's tall figure, with her delicate features appearing as warm and smooth as jade

Xu Ke was taken aback, he was just...

No need, I will buy it myself later

Xu Ke curled her lips slightly and retorted without mercy: "At your age, you are still so pretentious."

Lin Ge looked at Shen Mu's car and kindly said, "There is no way to turn around here. Xiao Ke, why didn't you get out of the car at the intersection?"

He got out of the car, bought a pack of cigarettes at a nearby convenience store, and lit one while leaning against the car window

Xu Ke glared at him, meddling in others' affairs

The flashy Porsche sports car crawled along the road like a snail, while a beautiful woman walked ahead in a huff, causing passersby on the roadside to turn their heads in curiosity

Your phone has died from excessive shock, and I should compensate you for it

A person is standing at the entrance of the corridor

Although his words carried a hint of reproach, the affection in his tone was unmistakable

Shen Mu frowned as she looked at Xu Ke. Her eyes were entirely focused on Lin Ge, not even a fraction of her peripheral vision fell on him. He clenched his fist to cover his lips and coughed softly, as if something was stuck in his throat, feeling quite uncomfortable.

What does he want to do? She glanced sideways and saw that Shen Mu had taken out his phone and dialed her number at some point.

At the entrance of the alley in Huxi, Xu Ke was just about to ask him to stop the car, but Shen Mu, undeterred by the challenge, drove straight into the depths of the alley, arriving in front of the building where Xu Ke lived

Xu Ke glared at him and turned to leave

Xu Ke, upon hearing Shen Mu's greeting, suddenly remembered that there was such a person behind her. She quickly turned around and said: "Lin Ge, this is Shen Mu, my stepbrother"

Xu Ke walked over excitedly, "Lin Ge, why did you suddenly come back"

I thought you didn't dislike me; weren't you concerned about my emotional issues last night?

Xu Ke snorted: "Indeed annoying"

She halted her steps, gazing directly at Shen Mu. A smile played at the corners of his lips, yet Xu Ke found his smile to be quite provocative, his heroic and robust features appearing wild and domineering in the night.

He smiled slightly, his lips brushing past her cheek, "You see, I am no longer calling you Mr. Shen."

Xu Ke felt both shy and angry

Shen Mu looked at her and said slowly: "There are many kinds of emotions. The most intense are love and hate, while the most subdued is indifference. Dislike is also a form of emotion, stronger than indifference. What do you think?"

What is a better way? Better than me?

Xu Ke truly wished to trample Shen Mu underfoot and vigorously rub her shoe sole against him

Only she and he were in the elevator

Why won't you let me see you off, are you afraid of me

Xu Ke realized what had happened, feeling a bit embarrassed as she put away her phone and walked out of the mall

Throughout the journey, the two remained silent, and the car sped along swiftly

"Why is it me who is inviting?" Shen Mu turned around and looked at her with dissatisfaction

On an April night, the air carries a refreshing coolness, and the fireworks flicker at his fingertips, as memories emerge, thread by thread, from the scattered glimmers of light.

Then I must take a look later

Xu Ke selected a white mobile phone at the Nokia counter, removed the SIM card from her old phone that she had used for three years, and inserted it into the new phone. She then turned on the new phone to test its functions.

Xu Ke hurriedly clarified, "Someone wanted to inquire, and I was just helping to ask."

Three characters are displayed on her phone screen

Shen Mu lightly responded with an "oh," saying, "You are quite dedicated as a matchmaker. Is she your boyfriend's sister?"

These two characters are awkward to say and sound quite strange to hear

Suddenly, he extinguished his cigarette and strode towards the staircase.

He smiled before speaking, "Xiao Ke, you have returned."