Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Bewildered_1
The man’s scent seemed to circle in the air around her. She felt warmth spread across her shoulders as Qiao Xiaren slightly raised her head to see him drape his military coat around her. The thin smoke rising from his cigar intermingled with his unique masculine fragrance.
“It’s late. Let’s take my car,” he suggested.
“Alright.” Qiao Xiaren’s smile was faint, as if nothing had happened. She couldn’t put to words the feeling that welled up inside of her, the warmth she felt on this particular night, brought about by this man’s unexpected gesture.
No matter how many years passed, she would always remember that there was a man who descended upon her like a celestial being.
He didn’t ask anything, and she didn’t say anything. She just closed her eyes in the seat, seemingly exhausted.
“Why don’t you call me?”
Si Limo’s sudden comment broke the silence in the car. Qiao Xiaren carefully opened her eyes, her mood brightening noticeably.
“I don’t have your number,” she responded.
“Why didn’t you save it?” Si Limo frowned slightly, appearing frustrated, yet his facial expression didn’t change significantly. “From now on, feel free to call me whenever. If you have problems, you can directly ask me for help.”
With one hand on the steering wheel, he smoothly extracted her phone from her hands, entering a series of numbers. His fingers, bone distinct, were warm and dry against Xiaren’s delicate, icy digits, stirring something within her.
Qiao Xiaren, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, looked questioningly towards the man driving. Si Limo met her gaze, a touch of chaos in his eyes, before he quickly composed himself. “In the Capital, I’m among the few who you know. Of course, you can call me. When you left Shanshui Town, did you start treating me as a stranger?”
Thinking about this made Si Limo feel frustrated inside.
“You saved Zhilan. No matter what, the Si family is forever indebted to you.”
He didn’t know what his feeling towards Qiao Xiaren was at the moment. Perhaps it was just affection, but surprisingly, he didn’t feel the slightest repulsion, only a peculiar sensation.
He was certainly a stubborn man.
Side-glancing, Qiao Xiaren broke into a soft smile. Si Limo really cared for his sister. Because she’d saved Si Zhilan earlier, Si Limo had restlessly been keeping an eye on her all the while. Qiao Xiaren believed that if she asked him for anything, Si Limo would surely help her out.
Xiaren silently sighed. It was no wonder Qiao Anchu was able to live such a charmed life in her past. With such a strong backing, there was no need to get entangled in showbiz, nor deal with wealthy, fat-faced, lecherous investors.
Si Limo drove Qiao Xiaren directly to the small rented apartment. It surprised Xiaren that he actually knew where she lived, but the surprise quickly faded and she didn’t find it strange at all.
Even if she didn’t need him, it wasn’t remotely possible for Si Limo to ignore her. After all, he’d keep an eye on her all the time. It was a trait ingrained in the DNA of a soldier – a deep-seated sense of loyalty and unwavering devotion.
“Then, I’ll head back now.”
Qiao Xiaren stepped out of the car, waving goodbye to Si Limo. She pushed back the loose strands of hair on her forehead, her jade-like arm emitting an icy shimmer in the shadows.
Si Limo watched her serene brilliant smile, his expression unchanging, though the tip of his ears reddened in the darkness.
Watching Qiao Xiaren enter the building, Si Limo leant back in the car seat, closed his eyes and greedily savored the lingering scent she’d left behind.
His hand rested on the steering wheel, showing no intention of driving away. When a light turned on in one of the upper floors, Si Limo opened his deep, richly colored eyes but remained still.
He saw the curtain flutter slightly before Xiaren emerged onto the balcony in her lounge wear. She remained, gazing up at the sky, unaware of his presence down below.
What was she looking at? Si Limo raised his head instinctively, riveted by the scattered stars in the deep blue sky. He had never realized how beautiful the stars could be.
That night, bewitched, he stayed in the car parked downstairs, sleeping peacefully for the first time till the break of dawn. Rubbing the bridge of his nose to dispel the fatigue from the night, he finally drove away as he saw the early risers from the building beginning their day.
Si Limo felt as if he was going mad. He couldn’t control these extreme actions. He wondered, would she think he was some sort of pervert?