CHAPTER 19: CHAPTER 19: ZANE THORNE: A CUTE LITTLE PIG?

Hearing this, the man raised an eyebrow, turned his head, and glanced at Natalie Vaughn with a faint gaze. His expression remained indifferent, but the veins on the back of the hand gripping the steering wheel became more pronounced.

Zane Thorne didn’t think Natalie Vaughn really wanted to go home with him. On the contrary, this young girl hadn’t even considered going to his home as an option. He knew very well that Natalie was just joking.

Probably because teasing him made her happy.

Thinking of this, Zane let out a low chuckle.

"Have you thought it through?"

He then took out a cigarette and held it in his mouth, not lighting it, and turned on the indicator as they approached the intersection.

Natalie was a little taken aback; she had thought Zane would ignore her unreasonable provocation as he did during the day. But now... it didn’t quite seem that way.

"..."

Natalie bit her lip. With her personality, she wouldn’t deny her words now; wouldn’t that be admitting she was backing down?

She frowned in annoyance. What was up with Zane today? She’d teased him several times without getting a response, yet he took it seriously this time.

The man caught a glimpse of Natalie’s hesitation through the corner of his eye and, for once, felt genuinely amused.

Zane was not one to procrastinate. He turned directly at the intersection.

This road didn’t lead to the Vaughn Family’s, Astra University’s, or Phoebe Quinn’s place. Natalie just had those three choices. By taking this turn, was Zane really planning to take her home?

Not to mention she didn’t want to go back with him. If her family found out, she would surely get a scolding.

Natalie’s mind spun as she thought about what to say that wouldn’t make her appear cowardly in front of Zane yet would get him to turn around.

But after thinking for a while, she still couldn’t find the right words. Natalie thought she should pay more attention to which properties James Vaughn had bought for her.

The car was moving quickly, and as they neared the next intersection, Natalie took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"I don’t want to go anymore. Turn around. I want to stay at Yana’s place."

Zane’s eyes flashed with amusement. He turned to look at Natalie, his gaze unexpectedly serious.

"Really not coming home with me?"

Meeting the man’s deep, dark eyes for the first time, Natalie looked away, her face flushed, still finding excuses for herself.

"Um, I suddenly don’t feel like it. Maybe next time."

There was a deeper smile in Zane’s eyes. This stubborn girl was giving herself an out while refusing to lower her proud head, which was both amusing and exasperating.

And rather cute.

Seeing the faint fatigue on Natalie’s face, Zane didn’t continue teasing her. He turned the car around and headed for the address Natalie had given.

After a day full of activities and a fight in the evening, plus her injuries, Natalie indeed felt quite exhausted.

The rain had turned to a fine drizzle, like a gentle whisper urging one to dream sweetly as night deepens.

Natalie rested her head against the window and fell asleep just like that.

Zane, casually glancing at the passenger seat, paused when he saw the sleeping Natalie, then shook his head lightly and slowed down the car.

Half an hour later, the car parked in front of Phoebe Quinn’s apartment building. Zane didn’t have Phoebe’s contact number, and Natalie was fast asleep.

The man propped his head with one hand, lazily gazing at the young girl beside him.

She looked just as obedient as when in front of elders.

Zane thought, Natalie really was blessed with beautiful eyes. Awake, those eyes were dark and bright, like reflecting water, with affectionate corners that turned into crescent moons when she smiled. Asleep, her long lashes swept over her fair, delicate skin like little brushes.

Natalie’s face was small, but her cheeks were slightly plump. Looking at her this way, it really was hard to tell her real age.

Recalling the incident in the hospital when he was mistaken by the doctor and Natalie cheekily called him "uncle," he indeed felt a bit irritable. Zane was already 29, not a young man anymore, and naturally understood the source of this irritation.

Thinking of this, Zane couldn’t help but pull out a cigarette, but seeing Natalie beside him, he ultimately decided not to light it.

As long as Natalie slept, Zane waited in the car until Phoebe’s call came, waking Natalie up.

She looked around blankly, meeting Zane’s gaze, and answered the call in confusion.

"Nina, haven’t you arrived yet?"

Before falling asleep, Natalie had sent Phoebe a message, informing her that Zane was driving her over. Phoebe had been waiting at home, calculating the time, and by now they should have arrived, so she couldn’t help but call Natalie.

This voice brought Natalie back to her senses.

She finally realized where she was.

"I’m already downstairs."

"Great, I’ll come down to meet you. Wait for me, okay?"

Hearing Phoebe’s excited voice, Natalie knew exactly who it was for.

Ending the call, Natalie felt a bit embarrassed for once.

"I accidentally fell asleep."

Zane nodded slightly.

"You could’ve woken me up."

She had checked the time earlier and realized they had been here for a while. A bit surprised and pleasantly so, she looked at Zane with some expectation.

Then the man merely glanced at her casually and said one sentence.

"You slept like a little pig."

Natalie: ....

She had held onto fantasies, but maybe Zane should speak less.

Natalie couldn’t hold it in.

"You could say I slept adorably."

How could one describe a beauty with the term ’little pig’? Even if used, it lacked any adjective, truly incomprehensible!

Zane chuckled, his gaze falling on Natalie’s face, which had turned rosy after her nap.

"A cute little pig?"

Natalie: ....

Forget it, forget it. She’d just focus on the word ’cute.’

By then, Phoebe had already come down.

Wearing high heels, wrapped in a stylish jacket, with neat hair and rosy lips.

Natalie raised an eyebrow, her mouth twitching slightly. In the middle of the night, to meet her idol, she really made an effort.

Phoebe cheerfully bent over to greet Zane, completely ignoring Natalie.

Zane had met Phoebe during the competition, and he knew she was a fan of his, so he nodded and exchanged greetings with her before passing on the doctor’s instructions.

Only then did Phoebe notice Natalie’s injury.

"Nina, how did you end up like this?"

Natalie waved it off casually.

"Just a minor injury."

It was quite late, and Zane should head back.

Natalie hesitated for a moment, then looked at the man in the car.

"Thank you for bringing me back."

She paused for a moment and added.

"Drive safe."

Zane stared at Natalie for a long moment, then nodded.

As the car drove off, Natalie finally looked away, while Phoebe stood by, seemingly in thought.

"Are you two official now?"

Natalie curved her lips into a slight smile and winked at Phoebe.

"Want his WeChat?"