"I remember Miss Ji Nian said last time..."
"Heh, that Dr. Pei, I have something to attend to, I'll go first." Ji Nian didn't even wait for the man to finish before quickly standing up and smiling awkwardly.
Pei Yuchen also stood up at this time, buttoning up his shirt casually.
"Is Dr. Pei... also leaving for some business?" Ji Nian asked.
Pei Yuchen let out a laugh and said, "Miss Ji Nian is so forgetful, didn't I just say in front of Miss Shen that I would send you home?"
"Dr. Pei is too kind, but actually I have other matters to attend to, we're not going the same way, not going the same way." Ji Nian smiled awkwardly.
"Where are you going? I'll drive you," said Pei Yuchen with a slight upturn of his lips, looking very gentlemanly.
Oh brother, please spare me, Ji Nian regretted this to death. How could she have been so stupid? She shouldn't have had any contact with him from the start.
"No need, no need, we're not going the same way, how can I trouble Dr. Pei?" Ji Nian felt like crying but had no tears.
Pei Yuchen found it amusing, the upturned arc of his lips became more pronounced. He couldn't help but want to tease her, saying, "That won't do, I just promised Miss Shen. Besides, it's late at night, it's not safe for you to be alone."
You're the one who's not safe! Ji Nian screamed inwardly, but what could she do? This fellow put on a gentlemanly and refined appearance, but his heart was pitch black. Since he had said this much, how could she refuse? What if he held a grudge?
"Heh heh..." Ji Nian laughed dryly, then with a look of resignation, she said, "Then I'll have to trouble Dr. Pei."
Pei Yuchen smiled and nodded, looking at the petite woman who only reached his shoulder. Her slim figure was further accentuated by the loose black T-shirt she wore. Was she trying to lose more weight even though she was already so skinny? He couldn't help but frown.
After getting into the car, Ji Nian shrank meekly into the passenger seat, trying her best to lower her presence.
Pei Yuchen also got into the car. Seeing the woman sitting motionless, he leaned over towards her.
Ji Nian held her breath. What was he going to do? What was he going to do? As he came closer and closer, she stared at him wide-eyed, not daring to move.
It wasn't until the man gently helped her fasten her seatbelt that Ji Nian came back to her senses, feeling a bit awkward as she said, "Thank you..."
A hint of amusement flashed in Pei Yuchen's eyes as he asked, "What were you thinking about just now that made you space out for so long?"
"Nothing..." Ji Nian replied awkwardly.
Pei Yuchen smiled and nodded. He turned the steering wheel, preparing to leave the parking lot. After reaching the exit and paying the parking fee, he drove onto the street.
The night in Jingdu was beautiful. As soon as darkness fell, the neon lights lit up, their vibrant colors shining brilliantly.
If she wasn't sitting in the villain's car at the moment, Ji Nian could have leisurely enjoyed the prosperity of the big city.
"Miss Ji Nian, don't you want to explain why, on our second meeting, you called me Dr. Pei?" Pei Yuchen stopped at a red light and turned to look at the woman.
Ji Nian's heart skipped a beat. She knew this question was inevitable and couldn't be avoided forever.
Seeing the woman remain silent, a hint of darkness flashed in Pei Yuchen's eyes as he asked, "What's wrong?"
This was the villain... with an extremely high IQ, how should she gloss over this? Ji Nian was so nervous that her hands were trembling slightly.
"The light's green..." she said weakly, pointing at the traffic light ahead.
Pei Yuchen raised an eyebrow. Was she trying to change the subject again with the same old trick? He slowed the car and smiled, "Does Miss Ji Nian not want to say? Or are you thinking of what excuse to use to lie to me again?"
Ji Nian, who was just considering excuses, was startled again. Was this man a devil? How could he so easily guess what she was thinking?
"Dr. Pei, I think you might have misunderstood me..." Ji Nian smiled dryly.
"I'm just very curious," said Pei Yuchen, his face still wearing a gentle smile, but a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes. "Did Miss Ji Nian investigate me?"
"No! No, don't misunderstand!" Ji Nian immediately defended herself. This was going too far.
Pei Yuchen turned towards her, the corners of his lips slightly upturned, his whole demeanor appearing gentle. But if one looked closely, there was a coldness in his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses.
Ji Nian's mind went blank. She was flustered by how this villain kept harping on this point and wouldn't let go. She was really fed up.
"Or perhaps, you wanted to get close to me?" Pei Yuchen's long fingers were still resting on the steering wheel as he smiled gently.
What did he mean? Ji Nian was still pondering the villain's words. Did he think she wanted to find a rich boyfriend? So she investigated him and then tried to get close to him for that reason?
Ji Nian's mind was full of questions. Was he a bit sick or something? Couldn't he see that she would rather avoid him? The corners of her mouth twitched. Now that she thought about it, this excuse did seem quite plausible.
"Heh heh..." Ji Nian laughed dryly without saying a word, letting the villain misunderstand. After all, she couldn't come up with a legitimate excuse to gloss over this right now.
Pei Yuchen didn't speak. He hadn't intentionally looked into this woman's background, but her calling him "Dr. Pei" had piqued his interest in her.
People who lived at the bottom rungs of society would always want to climb up at the slightest opportunity, just like his stepmother.
And this Ji Nian actually had some skills. On the surface, she seemed indifferent, but she had put in quite an effort to investigate his background.
What was even more laughable was that he was actually looking forward to seeing what this woman would do next.
The rest of the ride was silent. When they arrived at Pinlan Residence, Ji Nian got out of the car and politely smiled at the man, "Thank you, Dr. Pei."
Pei Yuchen still had a gentle smile on his face as he nodded in response.
After returning to the villa, Ji Nian recalled the encounter earlier that day. Looking at the empty house, she suddenly felt a bit dazed.
Although luxurious, it was not her own home. Plus, there was the ticking time bomb that was the villain. She felt that it was time for her to move out.
She was still renting a place in the suburbs outside of Jingdu. She had a few thousand yuan on hand, and the 50,000 yuan from the variety show had just been issued. In total, she now had over 50,000 yuan.
Once she received the payment for filming the drama, paying off her debts would only be a matter of time. She could just rent an apartment in the city center, finding an ordinary single's apartment wouldn't be bad.
"Yes, I need to find time to look for a place," Ji Nian nodded to herself as she thought it over. Grabbing her sleepwear, she headed to the bathroom to take a shower.
