Song Baiyan sat in the car, his eyes gazing at the receding figure in the side mirror, before he unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car.
Tang Li walked about ten meters away when she accidentally kicked a brick.
It didn’t make her fall, but it made her stop abruptly.
Then, her shoulder was grabbed, and her body turned slightly.
Looking at the man’s shirt close at hand and the slightly raised cuff of his suit, Tang Li’s swirling emotions had yet to settle down. Like a child wandering alone late at night, her expression was tinged with confusion and helplessness, yet there was also a hint of childish stubbornness.
"It’s almost midnight, you don’t want a ride, planning to walk back to school ?"
There seemed to be a faint sigh in Song Baiyan’s words.
As if she was just a rebellious younger relative.
This realization made Tang Li unwilling to accept his affection: "I can walk back."
At worst, she could walk all night back to school.
"Fengyun Mountain is located in the suburbs, and the deep night might not be safe." Song Baiyan seemed to know her thoughts, and his next words were more like reassurance: "As a girl traveling alone, you should know how to protect yourself."
After speaking, Song Baiyan withdrew his hand from her shoulder: "If there’s anything you need me for, we can talk on the way."
"...Are you going to marry Miss Bao?"
Tang Li suddenly spoke up, causing Song Baiyan to stop in his tracks and look at her again, as if throwing caution to the wind, she asked again: "Fu Si told me that they all hope you end up with Miss Bao... Are you going to marry her?"
She could relive her life; perhaps the events of her past life might change mysteriously.
The color in Song Baiyan’s eyes was intense, a deep and serene gaze that made her no longer want to beat around the bush: "Since it’s all arranged, why not find someone you really like?"
Knowing her own rashness, Tang Li no longer met his gaze, simply whispering: "I mean, if you like Miss Bao, it’s suitable for you two to be together, but if not... a forced marriage won’t bring happiness, it’s better to find someone you truly love."
Song Baiyan chuckled at her words: "Staying up all night, running to the middle of nowhere, just to remind me that a forced fruit is not sweet?"
Tang Li remained silent.
...because I don’t like you being with her.
She answered in her heart.
Then, she heard Song Baiyan say: "Tonight is just a normal family dinner, nothing else, as for that Miss Bao, she’s just a guest of the Fu Family."
Though his explanation sounded ordinary, Tang Li tightened the straps of her shoulder bag slightly.
Suddenly, raindrops fell on her face.
Song Baiyan said again, "I’ll take you back to school first."
"No need." Tang Li once again refused: "I have an umbrella in my bag. This is a mountain road and it’s raining now, which worsens night driving visibility. I can make my way down the mountain and try to flag down a car."
"Don’t trust my driving skills?"
Song Baiyan asked her.
Hugging her shoulder bag, the rain got heavier.
Pulling open the car door, and seeing she didn’t follow, Song Baiyan spoke jokingly: "Are you that afraid I’ll make you crash down the mountain tonight?"
"..." Tang Li’s face grew warm.
At that moment, someone came out with an umbrella from the iron gate.
Ji Ming saw Tang Li standing by the roadside, startled for a moment, wondering how she appeared outside the villa and clearly not brought by the Finance Minister. Thinking this, he turned his head to look at the Finance Minister.
Song Baiyan had already said, "Afraid of poor visibility, then let’s wait for the rain to stop before going back."