Chapter 2
We reached the parking lot.
I was about to get into the front passenger seat.
The handsome guy caught my backpack, bundled me into the back, and squeezed in beside me.
Then he proceeded to lecture me. “Do you have no sense of danger? That guy looks shady.”
He kept his voice low.
Finally, someone who understood.
I held out a hand. “He Cheng.”
He took it. “Lu Liubai.”
We smiled at each other, our hands clasped tight.
Dad glanced into the rearview mirror and promptly launched into a violent coughing fit.
I pouted. “Dad, if you’ve got a cold, get it treated!”
Lu Liubai raised an eyebrow. “We have to keep saying it?”
I had no answer.
Dad glared at me.
Then he asked Lu Liubai, “Where are you getting off, handsome?”
The word came so naturally to him.
“Dad, I’m going to…”
He lived in our apartment complex.
At least it was on our way.
For a while, the car fell silent.
The handsome guy closed his eyes, pretending to nap. His profile was lethally good-looking.
I opened my camera, planning to send a picture to my best friend.
Who knew the goddamn flash was still on?
I must have practically blinded him.
But the way his eyes narrowed gave him the air of an indignant beauty.
China really did produce some exquisite specimens.
He raised an eyebrow. “He Cheng?”
I gave two dry little laughs and leaned between the front seats with my phone to show Dad.
“Dad, look how handsome you are in this picture.”
Subtle. Very subtle.
Dad wasn’t buying it.
“Heh. It’s all right, I suppose.”
My dad was spectacularly vain.
But then he changed tack. “Sweetheart, handsome as your dad may be, you can’t go around sneaking photos of good-looking men. Think of the family reputation.”
Dad had spent his whole life maintaining his dignity. The only time he’d ever abandoned it was when he’d fought tooth and nail to win Mom.
Having practically volunteered to be roasted, I slunk back into the rear seat with an awkward smile.
I messaged my best friend on WeChat.
She called immediately.
I answered.
Unfortunately, the sound carried.
Her excited, nervous voice filled the car.
“He Cheng! Where did you find that gorgeous guy? Add him on WeChat! Add him!”
My toes curled so hard with embarrassment I could have carved an entire enchanted castle into the floor.
I was so mortified my eyes watered.
Still, I remembered to pretend I couldn’t hear. “What? The signal’s bad.”
Lu Liubai heard that.
He braced one long arm beside me and murmured against my ear, “Oh, she said you should add me on WeChat.”
The words had barely left his mouth.
A friend-request QR code appeared in front of me.
I turned my head.
Lu Liubai tilted his head at me.
Holy crap.
If! This! Wasn’t! Flirting! What! Was!