"You’re quite punctual, if you’re ready, let’s set off."
Su Yumo approached, brushing away her hair tousled by the wind to reveal a serene smile.
"Of course, I have to be on time. If I wasn’t, wouldn’t you flay me for keeping a beauty waiting?"
Ye Xuan teased with a laugh, earning a big eye roll from Su Yumo.
"You planning to drive there as well?"
Glancing at the white Chevrolet behind Su Yumo, Ye Xuan inquired.
"Yeah, what about it?" Su Yumo blinked in confusion.
"Of course there’s an issue. You drive your car, I drive mine, each of us in a separate car—is this flaunting wealth or wasting it?"
Ye Xuan complained, casting a glance at the white Chevrolet: "Besides, didn’t you say we’re going to the countryside? Your car will definitely change color by the time we return."
Su Yumo frowned, thought for a moment, then said, "Then let’s take your car. The rural roads are rough, and your car has better off-road capabilities. Wait for me, I’ll put the car back."
With that, she slid into the Chevrolet and drove it into Century Garden.
Less than ten minutes later, Su Yumo came back, carrying two bags, one large and one small.
"Let me help you with those."
Ye Xuan went over, took the two bags from Su Yumo’s hands, and stowed them in the trunk.
"Thank you." Su Yumo expressed her gratitude.
"Hehe, why be so formal between us?"
Ye Xuan chuckled, closed the trunk lid, clapped his hands, and then asked, "By the way, Yumo, exactly what are we going to do in the countryside?"
"We’re going to visit a couple of elderly folks left behind. When I volunteered back in the day, I took care of the Lis for a while. Now, every summer and winter break, I make time to visit the elderly couple and bring them some things."
Ye Xuan nodded and then joked, "You don’t seem the type—you always look so aloof, but you actually have a caring heart, huh!"
Su Yumo gave Ye Xuan a sidelong glance: "It’s not all about compassion. The two elders are old, and their children are working in the city, not coming home all year round, making their life quite inconvenient. I see them as my own grandparents, so it’s only natural for me to visit."
Ye Xuan laughed, "In that case, why drag me along this time? Do you want to share your charitable spirit with me?"
Su Yumo bit her lower lip, lifted her head, and said, "It’s because of Grandma Li. She hopes I can bring a boyfriend to show them, but the fact is, I don’t have a boyfriend right now, so I had to ask you to pretend for a bit and come meet them with me."
Ye Xuan paused, then laughed, "It seems I’m quite the professional pretend-boyfriend. It looks like you were very satisfied with my service last time since you’ve come back for more?"
Su Yumo knew Ye Xuan was referring to the previous class reunion, where he had pretended to be her boyfriend.
She furrowed her brows slightly, worried: "Stop with the wisecracks. Just make sure you don’t give the game away when the time comes. Grandma Li’s health isn’t good; she has coronary heart disease and cannot be subjected to any stress."
"Don’t worry, I’ve been a professional fake boyfriend for a hundred years, honest to people of all ages—I won’t let the act slip."
Ye Xuan patted his chest, reassuringly promising, thinking to himself, if you don’t believe me, I might just have to take the act to the next level—it couldn’t get any realer!
Su Yumo was rendered speechless, feeling this guy definitely had some ulterior motives.
"Darling, let’s get going then," Ye Xuan said playfully, reaching out to grab Su Yumo’s hand, ready to lead her into the car.
Hearing Ye Xuan’s address, Su Yumo furrowed her brows and said somewhat awkwardly, "Ye Xuan, we’re just pretending to be a couple. You should stop calling me like that. I... I can’t really handle these cheesy words."
Even though her behavior around Ye Xuan had become quite casual, even to the point of wearing pajamas in front of him, the term ’darling’ still repelled her.
Su Yumo was a traditional woman, firmly believing that such words should only be said to someone she truly liked.
Now that Ye Xuan was calling her that, wasn’t he suggesting she was someone he liked?
Ye Xuan said earnestly, "Manager Su, I’m going to have to call you out on this. We’re supposed to be a couple now. Isn’t it normal for a couple to be a little intimate? If we don’t start now, trying to scramble at the last minute will only make it easier to slip up."
Having said this seriously, Ye Xuan continued his gentle persuasion, "We have to practice now. We need to make breakthroughs not only in how we address each other but also in being daring with our actions! For instance, we should have some intimate gestures between us to look more like a couple. Otherwise, do you want us to seem stiff like strangers?"
Upon hearing this, Su Yumo’s beautiful brows slightly crinkled, and after a moment of internal struggle, she said with blushing cheeks, "Then what kind of intimate gestures should we perform to look more like a couple?"
"Heh heh... , we should be leaning together," Ye Xuan chuckled.
With a laugh, Ye Xuan’s right hand slid around Su Yumo’s back, encircling her slender waist, and pulled her into his embrace, pressing her delicate body tightly against his: