Chapter 7: Take Me With You

“Mm, I recently switched to a new diffuser,” he said calmly, finding an excuse with practiced ease.

And as for carrying her…

For childhood sweethearts who had grown up together, it should have been a simple request.

But he harbored soft, intricate feelings he could never confess.

With his mind already unsettled, her words slipped into his ears and stirred a fresh wave of tension.

“Can’t you walk?”

It wasn’t that serious.

The sharp pain had passed, leaving only a faint lingering ache.

Yet Wen Qi kept her brows knitted, looking as though she could barely endure it.

“Mm. I can’t.”

She was clearly insisting that he carry her.

For a moment, they were at a stalemate.

“Ah,” Wen Qi sighed deliberately, sounding wounded, “then forget-”

Before she could finish, Wei Qingxuan had already crouched down in front of her with familiar ease, just as he had so many times before when she acted spoiled and demanded a piggyback.

He had never been able to refuse her.

Wen Qi climbed onto his back without hesitation.

Even the faint breeze stirred by her fingertips made his entire body tingle.

The subtle scent of gardenia and citrus from her wrapped around him again, making his steps stiff.

His Adam’s apple rolled.

“You shouldn’t let me carry you.”

The burning thoughts that had kept him tossing and turning last night surged up again.

Wei Qingxuan clenched his hands into fists, keeping them rigidly proper, not daring to brush against her more than necessary, yet that only made her weight press more clearly along his spine.

Her humming paused.

Wen Qi didn’t understand the deeper meaning behind his words.

She only frowned at how it sounded.

“What do you mean? You don’t even want to carry me?”

She moved her leg as if to kick him, but missed.

Instead, every muscle in Wei Qingxuan’s body tightened instantly, as if struck by electricity.

“It’s not that I don’t want to. Don’t move.”

“Then you-”

Sensing his stiffness and the slight disorder in his otherwise steady steps, Wen Qi’s irritation vanished.

She teased instead,

“Then just admit you’re shy.”

He stumbled half a step.

“I’m not shy.”

His pitch rose abruptly, as though eager to cover something up, though the lack of conviction was obvious.

After saying that, he seemed even more bashful.

Wen Qi’s shoulders trembled with laughter.

If only she could see his expression right now, she would memorize it carefully.

But that didn’t stop her teasing.

She leaned closer.

“Wei Qingxuan, after hearing that kissing scene last night, did you go home and secretly watch something? That’s why you’re feeling guilty now, right? You’ve carried me before. You weren’t like this.”

In that instant, his heart pounded so wildly he could barely speak.

His neck flushed crimson.

He hadn’t watched anything.

He had only… done something.

“Don’t-don’t talk nonsense.”

He instinctively tightened his arms around her legs, then immediately loosened them, afraid the intimate motion would reveal too much.

He could only pray the road would end quickly, that Wen Qi wouldn’t press further.

She really didn’t.

Instead, thinking of Zhang Weigang’s invitation, she asked,

“When someone new joins here, does everyone usually get together?”

“Mm.”

It was a habit Lin Sen had left behind.

He had genuinely wanted to help Wei Qingxuan manage the billiards hall, and he himself enjoyed socializing with young people.

Over time, the tradition formed.

“Oh. Then I misunderstood Zhang Weigang. I thought he was asking me out.”

“He was asking you out.”

The sudden reply piqued Wen Qi’s interest.

Just calling Lan Yan “brother” had thrown Wei Qingxuan into visible disarray, yet Zhang Weigang blatantly wanted to date her and he seemed unmoved.

“So what? You’re not afraid I’ll get tricked this time?”

“He doesn’t have bad intentions. Once you reject him, he won’t bother you again.”

Wei Qingxuan’s tone had already returned to its usual composure.

But that assured way of speaking, like he understood her completely, sparked a rebellious streak in Wen Qi.

“How do you know I’ll reject him? What if I say yes?”

“You won’t.”

After a brief hesitation, he gave the most direct reason.

“He doesn’t meet your standards in looks.”

Wen Qi stared blankly for a moment before laughing.

“Does Zhang Weigang know you’re saying that? And I’m not that obsessed with looks.”

She lay against his back, fingers gripping and releasing his shirt, then lightly blew a breath against him.

Wei Qingxuan’s heart rose and fell with the motion.

Her eyes, long and slightly upturned, curved into crescents with mischief.

Seeing his growing fluster, she didn’t restrain herself.

Instead, she pressed her chin heavily onto his shoulder, like a cat discovering a new toy, determined to provoke an even stronger reaction.

Wei Qingxuan indulged her silently.

Until he heard her say,

“He doesn’t have bad intentions? Fine then. I added his WeChat. He asked me to go fishing this weekend. Boss, can I take a day off? I’ll accept his invitation in a bit… He’s actually pretty good-looking too.”

Wei Qingxuan’s breathing tightened.

The sense of safety he had relied on, that Wen Qi wouldn’t agree, that he didn’t need to guard against anything, shattered instantly.

“Qiqi!”

His tone sharpened with urgency.

She only ever heard that nickname when he was truly anxious.

Now it carried a trace of helplessness.

“What? Didn’t you say he’s a good person?”

Wen Qi bristled at having her thoughts seen through and reminded him pointedly.

“Uncle Wen asked me to look after you.”

Ever since Wen Zhi Shen had gone abroad and entrusted Wei Qingxuan with her care, he had transformed from childhood friend into a walking guardian.

‘The solution steps for the last two math problems are on a sticky note. You’re not allowed to copy them, figure it out yourself first.’

‘It’s getting colder today. Change your short sleeves to long sleeves.’

‘I handed in your leave slip. The medicine is at your door.’

‘You’re not allowed to accept that boy’s love letter today, or I’ll tell Aunt Li and Uncle Wen.’

****

Openly and covertly, Wei Qingxuan had extinguished quite a few of her budding romances.

“I don’t need you to manage me.”

Wen Qi poked his back.

“I’m an adult. It won’t matter who you tell this time.”

“Wen Qi, reject him.”

His gaze flickered.

He knew she was provoking him deliberately, yet he couldn’t tell whether there was a sliver of sincerity beneath it.

“Or take me with you.”

Wen Qi’s voice stretched lazily.

“How would that work? What if we want to fall in love and be romantic? It wouldn’t be appropriate with you there, would it?”