"Mosquitoes," Han Haoxuan said with a slight smile, his voice gentle, like a lullaby played on a piano, making people feel drowsy.
The gentle breeze from Han Haoxuan's clapping hands did not cool Ruolin's burning heart; instead, it made her ears feel hot and a blush rise to her face. Han Haoxuan suddenly leaned in so close to her, their breaths almost touching, his deep eyes gazing directly at Ruolin with tender affection.
At this moment, in this empty space, Ruolin felt as if only the two of them remained in the world. A gentle breeze caressed her face, but it couldn't dispel the blush on her cheeks, nor could it dispel the heat in her heart. Her heart began to race with anxiety, and her palms unconsciously became sweaty and sticky.
Before Ruolin could react, that handsome face descended upon her, his scent so familiar, reminding her of that scene in the bar. But in an instant, all her thoughts froze. Soft lips gently touched hers, and a uniquely masculine scent enveloped her.
Han Haoxuan gently embraced Ruolin, placing his hand on her back. Through the thin fabric of her clothes, Ruolin could feel the heat of his palm, which gradually warmed her back until it spread throughout her entire body. Her body trembled violently, and her heart pounded wildly.
Ruolin had never experienced such passion before and felt that it was all just her illusion. She opened her eyes, yet she could clearly see this gentle man. His eyes were slightly closed, and he looked very focused and serious. The moonlight shone on his face, making the lines of his face appear even softer.
Han Haoxuan's movements were extremely gentle, as if he were touching the most precious treasure. He lingered on Ruolin's soft lips, trying to explore further, but felt a pair of hands resisting him from his chest. Han Haoxuan opened his eyes, looking at Ruolin's stubborn gaze, before reluctantly pulling away from that warmth. His eyes were deep, like a still lake, filled with tenderness.
Ruolin's frantic heart couldn't find peace. She lowered her head, refusing to look at Han Haoxuan. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. An overwhelming sense of guilt welled up within her. She didn't understand why she hadn't refused that kiss, but it wasn't simply out of curiosity. Just as Han Haoxuan tried to recapture the warmth of her lips, a shadow flashed through her mind, and she snapped back to reality, forcefully pushing him away.
Han Haoxuan wasn't Ruolin's boyfriend, yet he stole her first kiss. In that instant, he conquered her heart.
Ruolin's hands were clenched tightly, her palms sweating profusely. She bit her lower lip, her rosy lips gradually turning white, leaving a row of faint teeth marks. She shifted her gaze to the wide river, and after a long while, her heart slowly calmed down.
"You're really amazing." After a while, Ruolin broke the awkward atmosphere with a slight smile. She turned her head and saw Han Haoxuan's surprised look. Afraid that he would misunderstand, she hurriedly explained, "You're really good at swatting mosquitoes. You can almost kill three with one hand."
"Oh..." Han Haoxuan smiled as if he suddenly understood, his expression slightly unnatural. It wasn't that he hadn't kissed his ex-girlfriends before, but this kiss felt very subtle and sweet, even surprising and delightful for a moment. However, he didn't understand why she had suddenly pushed him away, and therefore felt somewhat annoyed.
The two gazed at the river before them, occasionally looking up at the starry sky, but said nothing more.
The two sat there for a while, and Ruolin suggested going back. Han Haoxuan tidied up the tablecloth that was spread on the ground and then drove her back.
The car was air-conditioned and unusually quiet, with only the hissing sound of the air conditioner audible. The two remained mostly silent, each lost in their own thoughts.
After entering the city, Ruolin wanted to ask Han Haoxuan to stop at an intersection. It was so late, and the buses had long since stopped running, so stopping there would make it easier to hail a taxi. However, Han Haoxuan didn't stop and directly asked for her address. Seeing his somewhat serious expression, Ruolin had no choice. Thinking that taking a taxi would cost a lot of money, she decided to give up and told him her address.
Han Haoxuan parked his car in front of an ordinary residential complex.
After Ruolin thanked him, she hurriedly tried to open the car door, but Han Haoxuan had already gotten out of the car first and opened the door for her. He was extremely gentlemanly, with a gentle smile, like the shimmering sunshine in spring.
"So you live here." Han Haoxuan remembered that he had taken Ruolin home once a long time ago, but at that time, her identity was "fake Xinyu". In order to make the performance more realistic, she asked him to take her to Xinyu's house.
"Yes, I suppose Young Master Han is used to living in villas and has never been to a place like this before?"
"You misunderstood, that's not what I meant. I was thinking that now that I know where you live, it will be easier to visit you in the future."
"No need."
"Let me take you inside."
"No need, it's already very late, and I'm tired. I want to rest early." Ruolin felt that Han Haoxuan's actions today had gone too far, and she didn't want to give him any more time alone with her.
Han Haoxuan didn't insist, but simply said, "Then I won't disturb your rest any longer. I'll visit you another day."
“I’m a drifter, I don’t have a fixed place to live, and I might move any day. You don’t need to come, and there’s no need for you to come. It’s best…” Ruolin paused for a moment, then continued, “It’s best if we don’t see each other again.”
"Is it because of Xinyu?" Han Haoxuan asked. The kiss tonight clearly showed that she also had feelings for him. Her avoidance of him was obviously not because she didn't like him or didn't understand him, but for another reason.
"..." Ruolin remained silent.
“If you refuse to meet me because of her, then I will never contact her again. There is really nothing between us. I just… just tried to date her to forget you, but I found that I can’t do it at all…” A trace of sadness appeared in Han Haoxuan’s eyes.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're saying. I should go back now." Ruolin quickly stopped Han Haoxuan from continuing.
After saying this, Ruolin turned to leave, but Han Haoxuan stopped her.
He was so strong that he easily pulled her in front of him.
He placed his hands on her shoulders, looking down at her intently: "Don't you really understand what I'm saying? Stop pretending, okay?"
"Please don't touch me, okay?" Ruolin tried her best to shake him off, but he held her so tightly that it felt like he was going to crush her bones.
"If you don't care about me at all, why didn't you refuse when I kissed you just now? Hmm?" Han Haoxuan's dark eyes blended into the surrounding night, making him appear even more deep and melancholic.
"I'll say it again, please take your hand away!" Ruolin said, pretending to be very calm.
Han Haoxuan sighed deeply and finally let go of his hand.
She wanted to leave, so he had no choice but to let her go.
Why is it that he can never hold onto the people he likes? Anxi left him so calmly, and Ruolin, who had just kissed him passionately, can now leave peacefully as well.
If only he could be this calm.
Ruolin didn't even say goodbye to him; she turned and walked into the residential area, disappearing into the busy night.
Han Haoxuan could only silently watch her back. Although she was cold and cruel to him, his gaze remained fixed on Ruolin without wavering, and a trace of lingering affection still lingered in his eyes.
Han Haoxuan didn't drive away until that hurried figure turned into the residential area.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
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Mu Jingyan was worried that Ruolin hadn't come home yet so late, so he went to check at the entrance of the community. Unexpectedly, he saw a man driving a luxury car to take her home.
Based on his intuition, this man must have an unusual relationship with Ruolin.
They talked for a while, but it was hard to hear what they were saying. It was probably sweet talk, right? Just as Ruolin turned to leave, the man unexpectedly grabbed her, and then it seemed like they had some kind of argument.
At that moment, Mu Jingyan had a real urge to step forward and pull that man away. How could that girl, whom he cherished like a crystal, be dragged to his feet like a chick by an eagle? That man looked so well-dressed, did he even know what it meant to cherish a beautiful woman?
Mu Jingyan clenched his fists and frowned slightly.
But thinking about it carefully, is it necessary for him to interfere when the young couple is arguing?
So Mu Jingyan could only sigh inwardly, turn his face away, and prepare to walk back.
"Amu." A moment later, a clear voice rang out from behind Mu Jingyan.
Hearing her call him "Amu," Mu Jingyan felt a warmth in his heart. He stopped, turned slightly to the side, and looked at her, pretending to have bumped into her by chance: "You're back."
"Mmm," Ruolin replied softly, then asked, "You're back so late too?"
"Yes, something came up at work today, and I've been working overtime until now," Mu Jingyan lied deliberately. Actually, he had planned to go out to dinner with Ruolin tonight, but her phone was switched off, and she didn't answer when he went to her house. Out of concern, he waited for Ruolin near her apartment complex after dinner. Who knew he'd see her escorting her home like that? It seems he was worrying unnecessarily.
"You're working so hard, you should ask your boss for a raise!" Ruolin said with a smile.
"Capitalists are masters of exploitation, so they won't easily give raises." Mu Jingyan smiled, then changed the subject, "By the way, why are you so late?"
"Oh, it's the child's birthday at the family I'm tutoring today. Her parents invited me to stay for dinner, so I came back late." Ruolin was never good at lying, and her face turned red as soon as the words left her mouth. Luckily, it was nighttime, and he couldn't see her expression, she secretly rejoiced.
"Oh..." Since she didn't want to tell the truth, Mu Jingyan didn't want to expose her either, even though he was somewhat curious about that man, and undeniably, there was also a hint of jealousy. He thought he had the advantage of proximity, but who would have thought someone else would beat him to it? He felt a little frustrated.
Back home, Ruolin went to the bathroom to wash her face. Looking at herself in the mirror, she looked tired, but her face was still delicate and charming. Damp droplets clung to her bangs, strands sticking to her forehead. She gently brushed her bangs to one side, as if trying to see her reflection clearly. Staring at herself in the mirror for a while, she finally touched her rosy lips with her fingertip, as if the warmth of that moment still lingered there. Her expression was inscrutable.
She dismissed that kiss as a mere illusion born of the darkness of night, a mistaken kiss unrelated to love.
Despite these thoughts, Ruolin still felt a strong sense of guilt. She didn't know if this counted as stealing someone else's love, and her heart was in turmoil, like a tangled mess that she couldn't untangle. She thought that if she hadn't gone on that blind date in place of Xinyu, things might not have become so complicated.
She scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on her face. The water droplets immediately covered her face, sparkling like dewdrops on lotus leaves. However, her expression remained somewhat gloomy.
Although Ruolin was somewhat resistant to Han Haoxuan, he still thoroughly enjoyed the night. After all, it was the first time he had taken a girl to his kingdom. He had previously mentioned taking Anxi there, but Anxi always dismissed it with a nonchalant attitude, saying, "I don't want to go to such a remote place!"
When he was with Anxi, Anxi always had a superior attitude, letting him have his way in everything, but he never felt tired and still enjoyed it. Perhaps, this is what love is? Immersed in the world of love, one forgets who one is and only sees the loved one as a queen.
However, Anxi also liked to stick close to him. When she didn't have classes, she would always sneak into his classroom and sit next to him. Sometimes she would pretend to listen attentively, and other times she would cause trouble, pinching his nose, tugging at his ears...
Even now, the memory of Anxi remains so vivid.
Her smile is always so sweet and beautiful.
Actually, Ruolin looks a lot like Anxi when she smiles, her eyes curving into a bridge. However, she rarely smiles; she looks at him coldly and rarely shows any tenderness.
He truly didn't know what her heart was made of; was it an unmelting block of ice?
The next day, since everyone was off work, Han Jianrong invited some friends to play golf. Xu Ling suggested that Han Haoxuan bring Xinyu along. Han Haoxuan couldn't refuse his parents' wishes; frankly, he had no reason to. If Ruolin agreed to date him, he could bring her home and tell his parents she was the one he truly liked. But right now, Ruolin was consistently cold towards him, making it no different for him to date any other girl.
Although this is somewhat unfair to Xinyu, how can there be any fairness in the world of relationships?
When Anxi said goodbye, even though he was extremely reluctant, Anxi still left without looking back.
He's trying hard to pursue Ruolin, but she ignores him. If he doesn't take the initiative to contact her, she won't even call to say hello.
Is this fair to Han Haoxuan?
In the world of love, whoever falls in love, and whoever falls deeper into it, will face unfair treatment.
No matter what, life must go on.
Even if he couldn't be with the girl he loved, he had to consider his parents' thoughts and think about the future of the Han family. He could just find any woman and live an ordinary life.
However, if such a woman is like Xinyu, who is knowledgeable and reasonable yet lively, and with whom you share common interests, she would also be a good choice.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
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After arriving at the golf course, Han Jianrong first introduced his future daughter-in-law, Xinyu, to his friends. Everyone praised Xinyu for her dignified and beautiful appearance, and Han Jianrong and his wife beamed with satisfaction.
Although Xinyu had been to such upscale venues before, she was not an expert in golf. She knew how to grip the club, but how to accurately hit the ball into the hole was a problem.
Han Haoxuan watched as Xinyu gripped the club with practiced ease, but when she swung, the ball always veered off course. Several times, the ball even circled the edge of the hole but just wouldn't go in. Xinyu felt a little frustrated. She straightened up, placed the club at her side, and looked at Han Haoxuan with a hint of pleading in her eyes.
Han Haoxuan didn't rush to help her, and stood there for a moment, stunned. At this moment, Xu Ling nudged Han Haoxuan and whispered, "What are you standing there for? Go and teach her." Han Haoxuan then turned to look at Xu Ling, smiled knowingly, and walked towards Xinyu.
Han Haoxuan told Xinyu some key points to pay attention to when swinging the ball and asked her to try them out. Sure enough, with Han Haoxuan's guidance, Xinyu finally scored a goal.
"Wow, that's amazing! I actually scored!" Xinyu exclaimed excitedly, then hugged Han Haoxuan's arm and said, "The method you taught me is so effective! Please bring me here more often!"
Han Haoxuan didn't answer, only giving a noncommittal smile. Please forgive his selfishness; he didn't want to make any promises to her yet.
Xinyu suddenly felt a little embarrassed and slightly uncomfortable, and let go of his arms.
"Brother Jianrong, your family has really found a daughter-in-law who is both beautiful and intelligent," Han Jianrong's friend Lao Zhang couldn't help but praise when Xinyu made another beautiful shot.
“Your wife told me she comes from a scholarly family, and it’s true. She’s clearly a cultured and refined person.” Mrs. Zhang continued, paused, sighed deeply, lowered her eyes, looked up at Mr. and Mrs. Han Jianrong, and said, “Do you know my daughter-in-law…”
"What's wrong?" Xu Ling asked in surprise. "Didn't the two of them just get married a while ago?"
"Before the wedding, my son didn't tell me the truth. My daughter-in-law wasn't from a prestigious family at all. In fact, she came from a single-parent family, her family was dirt poor, and she had a younger brother and sister who were all her burdens. They always asked her for help." Mrs. Zhang shook her head helplessly and continued, "They say you shouldn't wash your dirty linen in public, but this time my family has really made a big fool of itself."
"Then why didn't you investigate properly before taking on such a daughter-in-law? They're not a good match." Xu Ling also felt sorry for Madam Zhang.
“That’s true, but we didn’t think much of it at the time. Who knew our son, whom we always trusted, would lie to us? Now, we’ve had a lot of conflicts because of the family, and our son has become concerned about his image in front of others. He loses face whenever his friends mention his wife. We’re the same; we’ve really lost face,” Mrs. Zhang complained. Then, she looked at Xinyu with an expression of great envy and said to Xu Ling, “Your family really found the right person.”
"Yes, my son is so lucky." Xu Ling patted Han Haoxuan on the shoulder and smiled.
Han Haoxuan's gaze was somewhat unfocused, as if he were lost in his own thoughts, and his expression was not good. Xu Ling gently patted him, and he couldn't help but tremble slightly. He turned to look at Xin Yu, who had a bright smile on her face, and his heart suddenly became heavy, his eyes as deep as a still pool.