On this side, Yu Zexiao had also put on the hoodie that Ling Yichuan prepared for him, zipped it up, and donned a mask. With his own clothing and black-framed glasses, and by pulling the cap low over his eyes, no one recognized him.
He and Jian Anning walked towards the small boat. The boatman did cast a strange glance at Yu Zexiao, but since his full disguise was in place, he indeed was not recognized.
Instead, it was Ling Yichuan who looked at him, then at Jian Anning, his eyes roaming with interest over the two of them. Clearly, he found their romance novel and intriguing.
Yu Zexiao was not accustomed to being gawked at like an animal in a zoo. Seeing that look, how could he not know what Ling Yichuan was thinking? His eyebrows furrowed immediately, and he was in a rather bad mood.
"What are you looking at!"
It was also lucky that he was wearing a mask, which slightly altered his voice, so the boatman didn’t notice anything different.
"What, so just because you have a face it’s meant for people to look at, and now you won’t let me see it?" Ling Yichuan was amused, especially since Yu Zexiao, although often haughty, seemed today to contain a hint of embarrassment and shyness within his haughtiness.
"Hmph, can’t be bothered with you." As he spoke, he sat next to Jian Anning, stretched out an arm, and draped it over her shoulders, his tone instantly turned as gentle as a lamb, "Are you still cold?"
Ling Yichuan was almost shocked speechless. He now seriously suspected whether Yu Zexiao had been body-swapped. How could this person, as gentle as a tail-wagging Samoyed, be Yu Xingxing?!
"I’m fine," said Jian Anning, a bit embarrassed.
---------------------------------
When the group got off the boat and it was time to pay the boat fare, Yu Zexiao stood to one side, staring straight at Ling Yichuan with an expression that clearly said: I have no money!
As Ling Yichuan took out money to pay, he grumbled quietly in displeasure, "The world has really changed; even those without money act like they’re the boss, can’t even say anything about it."
Yu Zexiao looked at him expressionlessly and mouthed softly, "High-definition, uncensored photos."
"Go to hell! You don’t even have real high-definition, uncensored photos!" With his personality, having several women was perfectly normal. He also didn’t mind being labeled with a few extra notches of promiscuity. The problem was, that woman belonged to someone else’s family and moreover, was involved in a collaboration with their company.
He didn’t mind being an adulterer, but the woman might not want to be disgraced!
Besides, if his parents found out he had an affair with a married woman, he was likely to get his legs broken by his parents!
Ling Yichuan’s peach blossom eyes flicked up, "Threatening me? You should look at yourself!"
He said this with a suggestive curl of his lips, glancing at Jian Anning beside him in a threatening manner. The message was clear: If you dare to make a fuss, I dare to spill your secrets; let’s see who ends up in trouble!
Unexpectedly, Yu Zexiao laughed, "If you let our secret out, I’d have to thank you."
Ling Yichuan was taken aback, "Could it be that you guys...?"
"Is there something wrong with that?" He didn’t speak but merely reached out, gently entwining his fingers with hers—fingers interlocked.
That expression made it clear—they had decided to be together!