"That's not how it is... Let me explain." Su Mo swallowed, her eyes filled with an unknown panic.
Jiang Jianhuan looked at him calmly. After a moment of helplessness, Su Mo calmed down and resignedly lowered his head.
"All right."
"Actually, today is part of a plan."
"I just want to play the piano with you one more time."
Unexpectedly, he was so straightforward in his confession. Jiang Jianhuan looked down at Su Mo's silent gaze, and the car fell silent.
"Oh," she responded softly after a moment.
Su Mo cleared his throat, preparing to say something to ease the atmosphere, but the driver in front glanced at the rearview mirror, his expression becoming serious and cautious. He hesitated and said...
"It looks like there are two cars following us."
"What?" Li Sa immediately rolled down the car window and leaned out to look back.
On the empty road, a gray minivan was following closely a few meters behind. After realizing that they had been noticed, it sped up and overtook the car in front.
"It's true, these paparazzi are really dedicated." Li Sa sat back down and cursed angrily, instructing the driver to speed up and shake them off.
There was a fork in the road ahead. Jiang Jianhuan recognized that the left road led back to her place, but the driver suddenly made a sharp turn and drifted right into a side road.
Before Jiang Jianhuan could even utter a sound, he fell to the side and bumped into Su Mo.
"Ah—" Her forehead bumped right into Su Mo's chin.
"Are you alright?" Jiang Jianhuan looked up, but before she could apologize, Su Mo had already reached out and rubbed her temple, asking in a low voice.
The two were almost nose to nose. In the dimly lit, enclosed car, the close proximity was unsettling. Jiang Jianhuan quickly shook his head and sat up straight.
"fine."
The car was still accelerating, almost testing the limits of running a red light. The surrounding scenery was becoming increasingly desolate. Just as I was feeling apprehensive, the next turn opened up a wide view, and I suddenly entered a bustling street.
This seemed to be a main road with a lot of traffic and commercial streets on both sides. Their inconspicuous car was quickly swallowed up by the traffic. Jiang Jianhuan turned around and looked back, but the gray van was no longer in sight.
"Did we... shake them off?" she asked in surprise and curiosity. The driver, who was busy observing the road conditions ahead and turning the steering wheel, didn't even turn his head. He took a moment to reply.
"It's temporary. These people are very persistent, but thankfully, we'll get to Mr. Su's house once we get around here."
"Hmm?" Jiang Jianhuan glanced at the group of people who had no reaction after listening, and suppressed the question in his heart.
The driver's prediction was accurate. A few minutes later, the car entered the villa area where Su Mo lived. After passing through the gate checkpoint, the unidentified vehicle and its occupants were stopped.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The car was parked in the underground garage. Li Sa was the first to open the car door and get out, followed by Su Mo. He frowned as he looked at Jiang Jianhuan, who was still sitting there without moving.
Why aren't you coming down yet?
"How am I going to get back?" She moved slowly, then suddenly remembered something, her eyes lit up, and she looked at the driver in front of her.
"Uncle, you should be heading back soon, right? Could you take me to the nearest subway station?"
"Oh no, the paparazzi recognize this car. It wouldn't be good if you got photographed." The driver glanced at Su Mo quickly and slammed the car door shut.
"Mr. Su, I'll be going now."
The car in front of her disappeared in the blink of an eye, as if it had never been there a second ago. Jiang Jianhuan turned her gaze to Li Sa.
He was on the phone, his expression serious.
"Okay, I understand. Thank you, Captain Zhang. We absolutely cannot let them in."
Li Sa put away her phone and looked at Su Mo expressionlessly.
"The paparazzi have come and are right outside the neighborhood. They'll probably stay here all night. You shouldn't go out for the next couple of days."
"besides--"
He looked at Jiang Jianhuan.
“Especially you, Ms. Jiang, if you get photographed, there’s no way you can explain it.”
"What should we do then...?" Jiang Jianhuan was already exhausted by the series of events that had happened tonight.
"You can stay here with Su Mo tonight, and we'll see how things go tomorrow," Li Sa instructed solemnly.
Jiang Jianhuan: "......"
She felt like a helpless little bird, being gradually trapped and imprisoned by a hunter.
But ironically, every time, she was left with no way to resist.
Jiang Jianhuan was already very familiar with Su Mo's house, but this time it was a little different from the past.
Following him into the house, Su Mo rummaged through the wooden cabinet in the entryway and found a pair of gray slippers, placing them beside her feet. This was the first time Jiang Jianhuan had ever received such guest-like treatment.
The shoes were a bit too big for her, like Su Mo's size, and they made a slight sound when she walked on the smooth floor.
Su Mo had already opened the refrigerator door and asked her a question.
What would you like to drink?
"Water is fine." After saying that, she added.