The new car requires a pre-order for import.
After completing the procedures, Su Yue still didn't let go of the arm he had held onto the entire time.
"Director Chen, you're spending so much money on me again, how can I thank you?"
"Letting go of my arm would be enough."
"...Then I won't thank you."
General Manager Ling followed them, listening to their inexplicable conversation, unsure of what their relationship was.
But he knew he felt like a shining piece of unwanted decoration right now.
"Officer Chen, take care. We'll call you when the car arrives," General Manager Ling sighed internally, having finally escorted them to the car.
"Just call her," the man gestured towards the girl beside him.
General Manager Ling was about to agree when he saw reporter Su smile sweetly at him, "Just call Director Chen."
General Manager Ling: ...
He really wanted to tell these two to stop fooling around.
He looked back at Director Chen, noticing his stern expression but no objection. He understood what he needed to do.
***
In the car.
"Where are we going to play?" Su Yue saw him about to input their home address into the car's navigation and immediately took his hand to stop him.
"I don't have time," he replied with a voice devoid of emotion, easily pulling his hand away from hers.
"Really no time?" she asked doubtfully.
"Mhm."
The car fell silent.
Su Yue sighed softly, unsure how to respond, and leaned back against the seat, watching the scenery outside.
She suddenly found herself confused about what Chen Ziming was thinking.
He seemed to like being appeased by her.
Yet, he always maintained a cold demeanor and rejected every opportunity she created.
"Aren't you going to the ministry tomorrow?" a low voice drifted from the driver's seat. "The director of the Propaganda Bureau is holding a meeting with all of us this afternoon, wanting to see my work group's records?"
After speaking, he rummaged through the storage compartment, pulled out his work phone, and tossed it onto her lap.
Su Yue stared at the phone, stunned.
As she slowly picked it up, intending to give it back and say she didn't need it, she heard him recite the password.
Her birthday.
Ever since they started living together, his phone password had always been her birthday.
"You don't have to..."
"Work in the ministry is far more complex than at a police station. Being busy is the norm," he interrupted, his gaze incidentally glancing at her.
"Oh..." she lowered her eyes, looking at the phone in her hands.
In just this short time, messages were continuously popping up.
Another brief silence fell.
Chen Ziming felt a bit agitated. When the traffic light turned red, he took out a cigarette from the door pocket of the driver's seat.
However, as he held the cigarette, about to put it in his mouth, he suddenly realized something.
He turned his head slightly and, as expected, saw the girl's slightly surprised expression.
For some reason.
He had intended to brazenly smoke it in front of her.
But in the end, he tossed the cigarette back.
"Have you started smoking again?" she asked, sounding quite worried.
Chen Ziming: ...
"Su Yue, you're talking to a police officer and using a term like 'relapse.' Are you brainless?"
Su Yue then realized the description was inappropriate.
"Why did you start smoking again? Was it because I left without telling you?" she pressed.
Chen Ziming was speechless again.
She was truly audacious.
"Do you think you're quite pleased with yourself?" As the light turned green and the car continued to move, the man's absentminded voice answered her question.
This time, it was Su Yue's turn to be speechless.
She had only known he liked to retort, but when he retorted to her, it was mostly in the nature of flirting.
Now, being directly retorted by him, encountering it and being met with countless retorts, she was truly helpless.
"Then can you please not smoke? I'm back now. If you want to smoke, you can come to my place and..."
"Come to my place to light it for me?"
Su Yue: ...
She decided to throw all pretense of dignity away, "Light it, straddle me, you like it when I straddle you, double the pleasure, double the thrill."
This finally amused Director Chen, causing the corners of his mouth to lift, and he let out a soft laugh.
But he was about to suppress it.
"You're smiling, aren't you? So you like it this way." Her dark, bright eyes darted around, and she tilted her head to look at him, smiling with genuine enthusiasm:
"Then how about I call you every night to coax you? Don't forget, I was a member of the national college debate competition's runner-up team. I'm the best at talking."
The man let out a soft snort, even if it was dismissive, he was still retorting to her, "Shouldn't the champion be the best at talking?"
Su Yue: orz
Fine, she would never be able to win an argument against him.
Just as she was getting frustrated, a nonchalant voice floated from the driver's seat again:
"You can."