Chapter 055: The Autumn Chill Shatters the King

Huangfu Shang’s culinary skills had been personally taught by the master chef Wang Jingye, and compared to the past, his abilities were now worlds apart. He prepared a simple home-cooked meal: stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork, kung pao chicken, steamed fish, and fish head tofu soup.

Le Yixian nearly finished every last drop of soup.

After they finished eating, Huangfu Shang drove Le Yixian home.

The car moved slowly along the road. Hands gripping the steering wheel, Huangfu Shang would steal glances at the passenger seat now and then, his heart pounding wildly.

Within the small space, the unique fragrance of the one he loved lingered in the air.

Every time their eyes met, gentle and unintentional, his heartbeat would quicken.

“Shang!” Le Yixian called softly.

Huangfu Shang’s heart skipped a beat. “Yes?”

“Focus on driving,” Le Yixian’s voice was gentle as a spring breeze. “Stop looking at me.”

“Oh,” Huangfu Shang’s cheeks flushed faintly.

The car still crawled forward at a snail’s pace. Glancing out the window, Le Yixian saw several students on bicycles laughing as they passed by.

Huangfu Shang: “…”

Le Yixian: “…”

How adorable, she thought, covering her mouth as a melodious laugh slipped through her fingers.

Caught red-handed, Huangfu Shang’s face flushed even deeper, but the car still inched along slowly.

Even the briefest, longest journeys must come to an end.

They stopped outside Le Yixian’s house. Huangfu Shang looked reluctant to part; even though he’d driven so slowly, it still felt as if they’d arrived too soon.

Next time, he thought to himself, I’ll drive even slower.

“I’m going, then,” Le Yixian turned to look at him, seeing the words “I’m not happy” written plainly on her lover’s face. After a moment’s thought, she unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned over, and whispered, “Little cutie.”

Huangfu Shang looked up just as her soft lips pressed to his.

With little experience, Huangfu Shang was soon utterly overwhelmed by Le Yixian’s expert, mischievous technique.

In the narrow space of the car, heat built up and the sound of kisses filled the air.

He didn’t know how much time passed before, breathless, Huangfu Shang felt Le Yixian finally pull away a little.

“How many times has it been, and you still don’t know how to breathe while kissing?” Le Yixian sighed with indulgent affection in her voice. “What if you faint next time we kiss?”

Huangfu Shang stared at her, dazed. The car was dark, with only the streetlights outside filtering through, illuminating her bright eyes. He heard her say, “If you faint from my kiss, I’ll just have to bring you home with me.”

He continued to gaze at her blankly. “…You can bring me home.”

“Really, you’d let me?” Le Yixian raised an eyebrow, leaned close, and whispered into his ear, “Little cutie, do you know what will happen if I take you home?”

“What?” Huangfu Shang asked earnestly, as innocent as a little rabbit.

Le Yixian whispered something in his ear, and the pure-hearted Huangfu Shang’s ears and neck turned bright red. “I… Those things are only allowed after marriage…”

“All right, I’ll stop teasing you,” Le Yixian laughed, seeing his reaction.

She never tired of teasing her sweet little cutie; it always lifted her spirits.

She planted a kiss on his warm, handsome face. “I’m going in. Drive safe on your way home, and let me know when you get back.”

“Okay,” Huangfu Shang nodded, watching her get out of the car.

As he saw her close the door from outside, his happy mood deflated immediately.

Then came a knock at the window, and when he lowered it, he met her smiling eyes. “I’ll be waiting for your call.”

With just those simple words, his heart leapt again.

When he reached home, he didn’t even bother to take off his jacket before video calling her.

She answered quickly, dressed in loose pajamas, her hair damp as if fresh from a shower.

Seeing her, hair down and shrouded in steam, Huangfu Shang’s heart skipped another beat.

They talked for a long time, and finally, reluctant though they were, hung up.

He touched his lips, as if still feeling the lingering softness.

“Sister Xiaoya…” his eyes sparkled.

The house, warmed by memories of his beloved, felt cold and empty once more.

He began to resent that he wasn’t yet twenty-two.

If only he were twenty-two, Sister Xiaoya could marry him.

They could eat together every day, wake up together, fall asleep together.

At the thought of “sleeping together,” Huangfu Shang blushed again.

After a moment’s hesitation, he sat at his desk and began searching on his computer.

The search results came up quickly.

Face red, he read through the descriptions, clicking on links with a conflicted expression, finally gritting his teeth and clicking one.

Not two seconds later, his computer system blocked him: Warning, this site contains a virus and is not recommended.

Staring at the pop-up window, Huangfu Shang: …

Unable to watch the video, he could only read the written descriptions.

After more than half an hour, he closed the page and took a deep breath.

Sister Xiaoya was his—no one else could take her away.

Thinking of what had happened at the hospital that day, Huangfu Shang felt he needed to speed up the process of getting his cousin married to Ouyang Zining.

He picked up his phone and dialed a number. “Hello, Aunt, yes, it’s me, Shang.”

With the acting skills of a film king, Huangfu Shang chatted amiably, steering the conversation through various topics.

When his aunt finally asked if his cousin had his eye on any girls recently, he hesitated. “No… I don’t think so.”

Knowing her nephew’s nature, his aunt sensed there was something going on. “Shang, is there something you’re not telling me? Come on, tell your aunt.”

“Really, there’s nothing,” Huangfu Shang protested, pretending to let something slip. “Cousin told me not to tell you…”

“So there is something!” his aunt’s eyes lit up. “Shang, you know your cousin’s almost thirty, and people his age already have kids running around. I’ve been hoping he’d find a good girl—her family doesn’t matter as long as she has good character and he likes her.”

“Just tell me, so I can stop worrying.”

Feigning hesitation, Huangfu Shang said, “But you can’t tell cousin it was me who told you.”

“Of course, no problem,” his aunt promised.

“All right, I’ll tell you.”

After hanging up, his aunt could no longer contain herself. She shot up from her seat and rushed to her husband’s study. “Huangfu Fugui, I’m going back to China!”

Huangfu Fugui, glasses perched on his nose, looked up from his papers, frowning. “Why do you suddenly want to go back?”

“You have no idea—if I don’t, our future daughter-in-law is going to run off with the baby!” Guo Yunyi declared. “With our son’s stubborn streak, he’ll scare her away for sure. No, I have to go back. Book me a ticket.”