Chapter 42
Lin Jianzhi woke up at noon.
The first thing she did was look towards the sofa, but Zhu Liheng was already gone. The folded blanket was left on the sofa.
She patted her slightly flushed cheeks and reached for her phone, but couldn't find it.
After looking around, she discovered her phone was on the table across the room, plugged in and charging.
Lin Jianzhi couldn't quite remember how she had fallen asleep last night.
Did she plug in her phone to charge herself?
She scratched her head in confusion and got up to wash up.
Two minutes later.
Click!
The room door opened.
"Ah!" Lin Jianzhi let out a shriek.
Zhu Liheng was startled by the scream and rushed in, "What's wrong?"
Lin Jianzhi's face turned bright red. She didn't know what to do and leaned back against the sink.
She didn't expect Zhu Liheng to come back at this time when she was washing up still in her pajamas.
Those pajamas...
She had bought them online, red-faced as she added them to her cart.
Zhu Liheng instantly understood what was going on. He hadn't meant to look, but his eyes instinctively glanced downward.
And he saw.
Under the bright lights of the bathroom, the girl's skin glowed white. The amethyst necklace she wore hung in a precarious spot.
Her back was also visible in the mirror above the sink.
Zhu Liheng took a deep breath and turned to leave the room.
"Get changed and call me when you're done," he said.
Lin Jianzhi didn't even know how red her face had become. What kind of development was this?
She had planned to show him last night but didn't get the chance.
Today she hadn't thought much about it and ended up giving him a full view instead.
Mainly because she wasn't prepared...
She quickly changed into her regular clothes and opened the door to call Zhu Liheng back in.
The first thing Zhu Liheng said upon entering was, "I still have experiments to do this afternoon."
It took Lin Jianzhi a moment to react. She looked up, "Oh? I know."
Zhu Liheng moved in close, a suppressed emotion in his eyes, "How am I supposed to concentrate after what I just saw?"
Lin Jianzhi's face flushed red again!
Zhu Liheng looked her up and down once more, then took a deep breath, "Let's eat first. I'll have Old Chen drive you to the scenic spots this afternoon."
Then he handed her tickets to the attractions.
He was busy during the day, so he could only let her go play by herself.
Lunch was rather plain, but Lin Jianzhi didn't find it boring at all.
She kept her eyes fixed on Zhu Liheng's white shirt, staring at his buttons.
Zhu Liheng had to look away several times. If this kept up, he wouldn't be going to the lab either.
Lin Jianzhi, restrain yourself a little!
In the afternoon, driver Old Chen escorted her and even took on bodyguard duties.
Lin Jianzhi had guessed right that Old Chen was no ordinary man.
Tall and sturdy, wearing a suit and sunglasses, with a stern expression. When he stood next to her, no one dared approach within a five meter radius.
There were quite a lot of people at the attractions, and yet around her it was like a vacuum zone, spacious wherever she went.
Even the very nondescript car Old Chen drove could drive right into many places.
The security guards at the entrances would stand at attention and salute when they saw this car!
In the afternoon, Zhu Liheng took a break to check Weibo.
Sure enough, the user he had secretly followed posted again!
[@ZhuJianZhiHe: Does it look good?]
Zhu Liheng took a deep breath and turned his phone face down on the table.
He started pondering.
Lin Jianzhi.
You're the real hunter here.
...
Lin Jianzhi was in a great mood all afternoon as she toured the sights and saw the scenery.
On the drive back, she asked a question that had been on her mind, "Uncle Chen, is Zhu Liheng very busy usually?"
Old Chen glanced at the rearview mirror and grinned, "Little Master Zhu is one of Professor Xiong's successors, so he's naturally very busy."
Lin Jianzhi lowered her head and asked again, "How is Professor Xiong's health?"
The question came a bit out of the blue, but she had seen Professor Xiong's Weibo, as well as hints on other people's Weibo.
Old Chen frowned and shook his head, "To be honest, not very good."
Lin Jianzhi's heart sank. She felt sad, even though she had never met the eccentric professor in person. She quite liked him based on his lively personality.
Old Chen looked at her again in the rearview mirror and said, "Don't overthink it, young Miss Lin. Things will work out."
Lin Jianzhi: "Okay, I understand."
It was time for her to leave. She couldn't keep staying in Yingling, disturbing Zhu Liheng, and affecting his work.
Dinner.
Zhu Liheng arrived right on time as usual to accompany her for the meal.
He had booked a buffet restaurant.
Lin Jianzhi felt like a pet fish being fed. She didn't need to think at all following Zhu Liheng, who arranged everything perfectly, time and location.
"We'll go see the musical fountain after eating, right? It starts at 8, just below this mall." He asked.
Lin Jianzhi forced a smile and nodded, "Okay."
Zhu Liheng noticed her lack of enthusiasm.
The musical fountain was in a large open area, surrounded by people who had come to watch the timed show. Under the play of lights, the fountain would jet high and cascade down with the music, spraying water.
Cheers and laughter rang out everywhere, with children running around playing.
Lin Jianzhi's gloom disappeared as she watched the beautiful fountain, mesmerized.
The lighting created a magical scene, each color perfectly coordinated.
There was also a fine mist that fell on her face and arms together with the lights, creating an unreal sight.
The girl in a dress stood amidst the fountain, her clothes slightly damp.
Before her was Zhu Liheng, holding her hand as they weaved through the fountain.
Both their clothes were wet in places from the water, with the lights constantly sweeping over them, blurred.
When Lin Jianzhi looked up, she saw Zhu Liheng looking at her.
His handsome features were intoxicating.
Then she saw him spread his arms to pull her into an embrace.
Right at that moment.
A huge surge of water sprayed high around them, several meters into the air.
"Zhu Liheng, I like you," the girl's voice was drowned out by the water.
She thought he hadn't heard.
But Zhu Liheng's voice whispered by her ear, "I like you too."
Lin Jianzhi's hands suddenly clutched tightly at Zhu Liheng's clothes, crumpling them.
In the embrace, she heard Zhu Liheng inhale deeply, as if enduring something.
Just as he was about to let her go, Lin Jianzhi suddenly leaned hard into him, her arms wrapping tightly around his back.
It was as if that bump collided with Zhu Liheng's heart.
Lin Jianzhi tiptoed, hooking Zhu Liheng's neck, and clumsily kissed him.
At that, he was completely sunk.
At nine, the fountain show ended.
The two sat in the back of the car on the ride back to the hotel.
Lin Jianzhi kept her head lowered, twisting her skirt in her hands, face flushed.
Zhu Liheng stared straight ahead without a word.
Driver Old Chen glanced at the rearview mirror several times. He felt something was off about the atmosphere in the car.
What did you two see at the fountain that's got you acting like this?