The recent physical contact was just that—physical.
He only heard two sentences of her thoughts.
If he ate that Cheese Puff, it might sustain him for a while.
Staring at the half-eaten puff, Bo Jiangxin suddenly realized something.
Wait, what was he thinking?
He was crazy.
He had germophobia.
How could he even consider eating someone else’s half-eaten food?
Even though it was just a thought, not acted upon, he felt embarrassed by this dark idea.
He lowered his head in frustration, rubbing his forehead repeatedly with his fingertips.
He shouldn’t have called that night, nor asked Grandfather how to hear another person’s thoughts again.
Knowing made you think—and sometimes it’s better not to know.
She was thoughtful, knowing he was picky about cleanliness and didn’t like sharing food.
So she bought two portions—one for herself, one for him.
…Now, she was the clean and good girl, and he was the one acting dirty.
Xiang Di got in line again to buy a Cheese Puff for Wang Sicheng.
At checkout, the clerk looked at her with pity.
Unable to watch such a pretty girl fall for a stingy guy, apparently from a well-off family, the clerk felt she was making life hard for herself.
A man could be not handsome, but not stingy, the clerk kindly advised: “Miss, I really can’t stand it. At least let your boyfriend pay once. You even have to pay for cake yourself? No matter how handsome, no one wants that.”
Xiang Di suddenly widened her eyes.
The clerk thought she had realized something, but Xiang Di whispered excitedly, “Boyfriend? Do we really look that compatible?”
The clerk was stunned.
Xiang Di’s face brightened; she looked down at her outfit.
“No way! I worked so hard today to look so compatible with Bo Jiangxin—handsome boy, pretty girl—people even think we’re a couple.
Going home now would be such a waste.
I have to stroll around the street a bit, maybe get mistaken for a couple by a few more people!”
All kinds of little schemes popped up in her mind.
She smiled at the clerk and said thanks, then happily returned to her stingy “boyfriend” under the clerk’s twitching gaze.
The clerk shook their head in despair.
Love really blinds people.
Oh well, respect their fate and wish them well.
Xiang Di had planned to finish her Cheese Puff before leaving, but Bo Jiangxin seemed done and had already put away his portion.
He told her, “You should put yours away too. Eat it slowly at home.”
“Okay.”
Xiang Di didn’t want to eat at home—Xiang Sheng would definitely snatch it away.
But since Bo Jiangxin didn’t want to eat anymore, she obediently put away the puff.
Leaving the Bakery, Bo Jiangxin headed straight to where the electric scooters were parked.
Go for it, Xiang Di! After today, who knows when you’ll see him in casual clothes again!
Seeing Bo Jiangxin already sitting on the scooter and starting it up, Xiang Di hesitated for a long time.
This time, her courage finally overcame her fear.
“Um! Bo Jiangxin…”
Bo Jiangxin: “What else?”
“I suddenly remembered I want to go to a nearby bookstore to buy a book,” Xiang Di said.
“Can you take me there on the way?”
Using the excuse of buying a book sounded formal enough.
Plus, it made her look cultured and book-loving.
And as the school’s top student, Bo Jiangxin probably wouldn’t refuse a request from a girl who loved reading, right?
Sure enough, Bo Jiangxin asked, “Where’s the bookstore?”
Xiang Di pointed in a direction. “Oh, just over there, not far, very close.”
Bo Jiangxin said nothing and took out a Helmet from the back seat, handing it to her.
“Put it on.”
Xiang Di knew this meant he agreed, but she asked, “If I wear this, what about you?”
Bo Jiangxin: “I don’t like wearing this thing.
I carry it around, just to deal with traffic cops now and then.”
Xiang Di’s eyes widened. “That’s not okay! What if something happens?”
Bo Jiangxin: “If something happens, you’re responsible. You wanted to buy a book.”
“Get on.”
Xiang Di thought: Why is he shifting responsibility? If anything happened, the driver should be responsible, not the passenger.
But if it was responsibility toward him, then she was willing!
With a bit of scheming, Xiang Di finally got on Bo Jiangxin’s electric scooter.
Sitting down, she put the Cheese Puff on her lap, holding it in one hand, while her other hand gripped the scooter’s back handle.
She didn’t touch him at all.
She had found every excuse to get him to take her to the bookstore, and he just allowed her to hug him.
Bo Jiangxin was speechless, really not sure what she was still afraid of.
All thoughts were bold, but actions timid as an ant.
Bo Jiangxin said, “Hold tight. Let’s go.”
Xiang Di responded firmly, “Holding tight! Let’s go!”
The bookstore was about two kilometers away.
Since it was a Weekend, not only were the motor vehicle lanes full of cars, but the non-motor lanes were packed too.
On the wide and well-maintained non-motor lane ahead, an old man rode a vintage bicycle at a leisurely pace.
Just as they were about to almost bump into the old man’s rear, Bo Jiangxin suddenly swerved.
Xiang Di, sitting behind, knew nothing except that the scooter suddenly turned, and she almost fell off.
Startled, she cried out and immediately hugged Bo Jiangxin’s waist.
Still shaken, she asked, “What happened?”
Bo Jiangxin said, “There’s a stone up ahead.”
Xiang Di immediately cursed, “Who puts a stone on the road? That’s so inconsiderate!”
Bo Jiangxin said calmly, “You should hold on to me. It’s steadier that way.”
Xiang Di thought that made sense—better to be safe than pretentious.
Besides, she had always wanted to hug Bo Jiangxin’s “public dog waist,” just never had the courage.
So, thanks to whoever threw that stone—it was rude, but at least it gave her the chance, heh heh.
Feeling his arms circle around her waist, though sitting upright, Bo Jiangxin suddenly asked, “Is there a shortcut near the bookstore?”
Xiang Di blinked. “You want to take a shortcut?”
“Yes.”
There was one, of course—the city’s signature was a complicated road system full of streets and alleys.
Xiang Di was a bit reluctant to tell him, because telling him meant they’d get to the bookstore faster.
But if she didn’t tell him, she worried he’d use navigation, and she’d have no excuse then.
So, she reluctantly said, “There’s a small alley over there, a bit closer.”
A few minutes later, Bo Jiangxin entered the alley.
Xiang Di quickly regretted telling him about the shortcut—not because it saved time, but because… it was so bumpy!
The alley was short, but the drawbacks were obvious: it was complex, full of corners, and the road was uneven.
Xiang Di endured silently, afraid to complain about the bumps lest Bo Jiangxin get upset and ask her to get off.
He was kind enough to take her to the bookstore without charging, so she dared not cause trouble.
Bouncing along, Xiang Di sat sideways on the scooter, shaking uncontrollably.
Her body couldn’t stay still, and every so often she bumped into Bo Jiangxin.
She’d straighten up, only to hit him again the next moment.
Her fragmented thoughts passed into Bo Jiangxin’s mind:
【Ouch, bumpy, it’s killing me…】
【Who on earth fixed this road…】
After muttering “bumpy” a thousand times, Bo Jiangxin suddenly asked, “Is the road very bumpy?”
Xiang Di: “Not bumpy, not bumpy!”
Her true thought: 【It’s so bumpy my butt’s about to split into four!】
Bo Jiangxin asked again, “Uncomfortable?”
Xiang Di: “Not uncomfortable, not uncomfortable!”
Bo Jiangxin: “Want to get off and rest?”
Xiang Di: “No need, I’m fine!”
Her real thought: 【Finally on my husband’s back seat. Today, even if I die here, my butt will stick to it!】
Yes!
【There’s a poem that goes: Life is precious, but the butt is pricier; for the husband’s sake, both can be sacrificed.】
【Poor butt, just think of this as your husband spanking you—it’s romantic, don’t feel pain, feel pleasure instead.】
【Mmm, so good… uh, my butt’s blooming.】
Ah, she really was something.
Bo Jiangxin bit his lip to keep from laughing.
The electric scooter turned into a narrow alley full of old courtyards, mostly inhabited by elderly locals.
The weather was nice—cold but sunny—and many elders had dragged out stools to chat and bask in the sun outside their gates.
Suddenly, an electric scooter passed by the elders.
On it were two young kids: the girl in back, face scrunched in discomfort beneath her helmet; the boy in front smiling.
The road was uneven, and the boy sped up and slowed down, weaving in curves instead of riding straight.
The girl’s body was forced to bump lightly into his back repeatedly.
The boy occasionally asked if she was uncomfortable.
The girl immediately said no, but her face showed pain.
The boy’s handsome, cold eyes sparkled with a mischievous smile at the corner of his mouth.
He said “hmph” and kept driving.
One girl foolishly sacrificed her butt for love, while the boy thoroughly enjoyed it.
Though old, the elders weren’t blind.
“Tsk tsk, so shameless, that handsome young man.”
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