Chapter 3

The girl immediately leaned over to rummage through Professor Su's pockets, "No! I left my wallet in the dormitory when I came out, I just need to borrow ten yuan, it's urgent!"

His smile melted away the frost that had just covered his face, bringing warmth to the corners of his eyes and brows, transforming the icy world into a scene of spring in full bloom

Although Mingming is only a few years older than her, he excels in many aspects compared to her

Now that I think about it, is it fate? Perhaps it is a case of having the connection but lacking the opportunity

When Shen Yanlei came out of the office building, he saw a girl squatting in front of the lawn, feeding a very small dog with a sausage, while murmuring something to herself. He suddenly decided to take a longer route to pass by there and listen to what she was saying.

Su Qi looked up at her, and for some reason, those words just slipped out: "I like you like this"

After this topic concluded, silence once again enveloped the car

Su Qi was entangled for half a day, planning to chat a bit to lighten the atmosphere. It was originally her fault; Su Qi had always been an obedient child. Her parents often educated her that couples should be humble and accommodating towards each other, respecting and valuing one another, so that their marriage could last. Cold wars were the most undesirable. However, after thinking for a long time, she couldn't find a topic. Discussing school matters would surely not interest him. Asking about his work was also beyond her understanding. Talking about entertainment gossip would definitely earn her his disdain. After pondering for a long time, a flash of inspiration struck her, and with an excited expression, she asked, "Are there any well-conditions single gentlemen in your company?"

Chen Sijia immediately responded, "His name is... um, what is his name again? Let me think..."

Su Qi felt extremely unbalanced; being one's own boss is indeed advantageous

At the age of seventeen or eighteen, when the heart begins to stir with youthful emotions, it seemed that on that afternoon, Su Qi saw a seed breaking through the soil in his heart

Ye Zinan replied nonchalantly while reversing the car, "Hmm, I didn't have much to do in the afternoon, so I took a nap."

Su Qi murmured softly, "It's not me, it's Chen Sijia... she..." As she spoke, Su Qi deflated, swallowing the words she had intended to say.

Professor Su watched her figure receding and smiled helplessly at him, saying, "I apologize, this girl is always so fiery and never seems to grow up."

Just as they approached a red light, the car came to a steady stop. Ye Zinan turned her head and smiled as she gently patted Su Qi's head, saying, "I was just thinking about something else; I wasn't angry with you."

The past is vividly present in my mind; the sweet memories of yesteryears now bring only waves of chill to my heart. If it were not for Ye Zinan still holding her hand and leading her forward, she would surely turn around and leave.

Without saying much else, I must say that I admire Su Qi for this point. Looking at the long line of cars ahead, which hasn't moved for quite a while, if she were the driver, she would have been furious long ago. It is certain that she would not be able to remain as calm as he is.

It was only after getting into the car that Su Qi realized that Ye Zi Nan was dressed in casual attire, and the air inside the car carried the familiar scent of shower gel. She remembered that when he left in the morning, he was clearly wearing formal attire, stating that he had a meeting today

Do you know what his name is

As soon as the words left her mouth, Su Qi realized that her statement was indeed too abrupt. The car suddenly made a noticeable curve before continuing to drive straight, and Ye Zinan glanced at her without saying a word

Professor Su, who originally had a serious expression, wore an unmistakably indulgent smile as he said, "What’s the matter? Have you run out of living expenses again this month?"

Chen Sijia scratched her head and thought for a long time, "I really can't remember." After saying this, she grabbed a girl next to her and pointed at the figure on the court, asking, "Hey, classmate, what is his name?"

Su Qi, with a surge of determination, articulated the words he had carefully prepared, and then quietly awaited Ye Zinan's response

As he approached, he slowed his pace and heard the girl say while stroking the puppy's head, "I want to take you home, but you know, pets are not allowed in the dormitory, and Professor Zhang is allergic to your fur. By the way, Professor Zhang is my mom. Although you are very pitiful, I have to consider her too. If I offend her, I will lose my living allowance and won't be able to go home for a free meal, then I would be even more pitiful than you..."

Su Qi nodded slightly and was about to ask him what the matter was when he shouted towards the field, "Yan Lei, this is Su Qi. I didn't get it wrong, did I? She's very beautiful, isn't she?"

Su Qi was confused; was he really daydreaming just now

That girl, too, has a carefree personality. "Oh, him? You don't even know him? It's Shen Yanlei from the Finance Department!"

Then, the sounds of good-natured teasing and whistling rose and fell in succession, and that evening, a particular post on the school forum became extremely popular

Shen Yanlei? Su Qi silently repeated the name in her mind when suddenly a boy leaned over, his eyes shining with excitement, and asked, "You are Su Qi, right?"

Professor Su took out his wallet and handed her a 50 bill, and she grabbed the money and dashed out like the wind

Su Qi turned her head to look at the scenery for a long time, finally mustering the courage to turn back. "I have no other intentions, I didn't want you to pick me up at the school gate because I was afraid of being seen by others. It's not that you are unpresentable; I just worry that others will keep asking questions and create unnecessary trouble for us. You know how famous you are. I think life is good and peaceful now, and I don't want some irrelevant people to disturb us. If you think this is not good, then next time, just pick me up at the school gate." If you think this is not good, then next time, just pick me up at the school gate.

Shen Yanlei, however, did not see any dissatisfaction on his face; he smiled and said, "Very cute"

Su Qi was frozen in place, recalling a person from her memory who used to affectionately smile at her while tousling her long hair

After finishing work, Suqi exited through the back gate of the school. After walking past two traffic lights, she finally saw Ye Zinan's car in front of a café. From a distance, she noticed him holding a cigarette between his fingers, with wisps of white smoke trailing out.

It was the peak time for classes to end and work to finish, and the roads were crowded with many people. Su Qi struggled to walk to the car and saw Ye Zi Nan staring blankly at the pedestrians on the road, not even noticing her approach to the car.

Chen Sijia's face lit up with understanding, and she turned to Su Qi to repeat, "Yes, yes, yes, it's Shen Yanlei. I got so excited that I forgot."

Have you returned home

Of course I understand

Su Qi tilted his head and looked at him; that face was indeed quite attractive. With sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, under the sunlight, his wheat-colored skin glistened with transparent beads of sweat. He moved swiftly to fend off his opponent's attacks or executed a fierce layup, his gaze resolute and his lips tightly pressed together. At the moment the basketball swished through the net, he smiled like a big child.

Shen Yanlei had never told Su Qi that, in fact, he had seen her before that.

At that time, Su Qi and Tu Shu had just stepped through the gates of A University. Since both of Su Qi's parents were professors at A University, she had grown up in this campus and felt no sense of novelty. That day, her roommate Chen Sijia forcibly dragged her to watch the Freshman Cup basketball game. The basketball court was surrounded by layers of spectators, and the cheers rose and fell, creating a lively atmosphere. The summer sun was blinding and scorching. Su Qi squeezed to the front with Chen Sijia and immediately spotted a boy jumping to take a shot. Amidst the ebb and flow of people, the ball went into the hoop, followed by a wave of cheers.

Shen Yanlei stifled a laugh as he walked past her, and it was not until he had gone quite a distance that he burst into laughter, finding the girl truly amusing. He himself did not understand what was happening; at that moment, he had an overwhelming desire to pat her head, just as she had done with that little dog. Consequently, for a long time afterward, he continued to do just that.

Ye Zinan responded calmly this time, "There are a few young men in the company who are quite good. Take a look and arrange a time for them to meet."

Chen Sijia was still chattering away, and in Su Qi's eyes, she was just a lovesick girl. Su Qi could only trust ten percent of her evaluations regarding handsome men, but this time, Su Qi felt that she was not exaggerating at all

Every time Su Qi frowned and protested to him, he would merely smile, put his hands down, and continue next time

At the moment when Su Qihong was blushing and at a loss, Shen Yanlei suddenly flashed her a bright smile

As Su Qi was about to call him, she suddenly saw him turn his face towards her and smile, completely devoid of the dazed contemplation.

Su Qi was also unsure of what was happening to her; it wasn't as if she had never seen handsome boys before, so why had she fallen for him? After she got together with Shen Yanlei, she once asked him, and Shen Yanlei, with a proud expression, held her face and replied, "We are destined for each other."

The atmosphere from the phone call in the afternoon seems to have lingered until now, the car is unusually quiet, and Ye Zinan drives with a blank expression, as if he possesses immense patience; even though the traffic ahead is a complete mess, there is not a trace of impatience on his face

As Su Qi followed Ye Zi Nan into the private room, amidst a crowd of well-dressed men and women, she immediately spotted that man, just as she had a few years ago on the basketball court

Handsome men and beautiful women are naturally the center of attention, especially when they come together. The once lively basketball court suddenly fell silent, with everyone looking this way

Chen Sijia, with a face full of excitement, pulled Su Qi and said, "Hey, look over there! I heard he entered the school with us, a talented individual from the Business School! He is handsome and has a great personality, and his smile is simply captivating. I heard he caused quite a stir on the first day of school."

Ye Zinan suddenly spoke up, "What kind of person does Chen Sijia like?"

Su Qi subconsciously glanced at the field. She was already standing near the front, and it was halftime. Shen Yanlei was standing with his teammates, drinking water and discussing the upcoming tactics. When he heard his roommate call him, he looked over and then locked eyes with a pair of clear and lively eyes. At that moment, he felt that even the bright sun above had lost its color.

She pretended to be disdainful and asked, "As if you know him so well."

Not long after entering university, the dormitory professor called him, the class monitor, to the office to arrange some work. Shortly after they began talking, a sweet-looking girl burst in, her eyes shining as she stared at the professor, "Dad, do you have any money? I need it urgently!"