CHAPTER 374: CHAPTER 374 IF SOMEONE DECEIVED YOU

The man suddenly brought up the topic, hitting a sore spot in An Yin’s heart.

Rushing out without wearing underwear had already become a black mark in her history.

"I know." An Yin parted her lips, her voice extremely soft, like the hum of a mosquito, weak and small.

On the way back, they walked the same path. Under the pitch-dark eaves, the man’s steps were light.

They were close, their breaths mingling, their nostrils could only catch each other’s scent.

An Yin’s breathing became erratic; her feelings grew increasingly complex when she was with him.

To her, the man was no longer just a simple friend. Her heart harbored some indescribable thoughts.

The most confusing thing for her was the pretend couple relationship between her and Bao Cheng, which she hadn’t clarified with the man.

In the quiet, late night, she clung tightly to the firm chest, feeling inexplicably stable. She took a deep breath, summoned all her courage, and with a trembling, tender voice, she tentatively asked, "Bao Shaojin, if someone lied to you, what would you do?"

After asking, she intently raised her head, staring with high tension at the man’s sharp features, trying to discern his emotional response.

To her disappointment, the man’s expression betrayed nothing.

The man’s cool voice broke the stillness of the night, "It depends on who it is."

His words were ambiguous, and An Yin bit her lip, "What if it was me who lied to you?"

Bao Shaojin stopped in his tracks, looking down at her from above. The young girl blinked her eyes rapidly, her long lashes fluttering. It was evident that she was scared.

Bao Shaojin’s expression was icy to the extreme; he murmured thoughtfully, "I might just give you a beating."

An Yin shrank back a bit, snuggling in his embrace without saying a word.

Bao Shaojin noticed the visible speed at which the little girl became docile and found himself a bit unaccustomed to it. He raised an eyebrow and sternly asked, "Are you hiding something from me?"

The man’s voice, slightly deep, resonated, and she reacted instinctively, shaking her head vigorously, denying repeatedly, "No, no, absolutely not."

She definitely didn’t want to get hit in this pitch-black area, so she couldn’t confess yet. When the time came, she’d let Bao Cheng explain on his own.

She definitely didn’t want to get hit by the man!

An Yin’s mind started to drift more and more.

The man resumed walking, and at some point, the fine rain in the sky had stopped, with a damp scent lingering in the air.

Leaving the narrow alley, the two arrived at the building where An Yin lived. The sudden brightness after the darkness made An Yin quite uncomfortable.

Bao Shaojin noticed her bury her head in his chest, a gentle expression appearing on his face.

In the light, the man’s shadow stretched long, accentuating his tall and lean figure. His jet-black eyes were shrouded in shadows, making it hard to see clearly.

The man walked straight towards the entrance of the corridor.

An Yin suddenly lifted her head, looking at the crowded corridor, straightening her back, "I can walk by myself, there’s no water in the staircase, I won’t get my shoes wet."

The man’s steps showed no sign of stopping as he kept climbing on his own.

"Bao Shaojin, I can walk by myself." An Yin saw that he was unmoved and continued on his path stubbornly, pouting in dissatisfaction.

The young girl, wrapped in the man’s coat, had a beautiful curve to her figure, exuding a sense of restrained allure that could drive anyone wild.

Before long, the man reached the steps of the sixth floor, nodding towards the shabby door, and gracefully set the young girl down.

Simultaneously, the sensor light above them flicked on.

The man was tall and sturdy, the white light falling over his head, making the contours of his face appear even more three-dimensional and solemn.

An Yin stood in front of the man, looking up at his stern, expressionless countenance, a ripple of emotion flitting across her brows and eyes, "Goodbye."

Bao Shaojin stood motionless, the emotion in his eyes very mild, "Go on in."

An Yin turned, instinctively reaching to dig for her keys, only to realize she was still wearing the man’s coat. Embarrassed, she began to unbutton the coat, but as her hand touched the button, something occurred to her, and her action froze abruptly.

Oh my God!

She hadn’t only left without her underwear, but also without her keys!

How could she be so stupid?

Ugh... An Yin wanted to cry but had no tears.

The young girl stood still, unmoving, and how could the man not notice.

"Didn’t bring your keys?"

When he spoke, his tone was not high, carrying a sense of tranquility and distance.

"Mm." An Yin lowered her head, lost.

In the narrow doorway, the night was vast and silent, even the slightest sound could echo throughout the corridor.

"Didn’t bring your phone either?"

An Yin lowered her head even further, "Mm."

The man’s phone was in the car, not brought up with him. He pulled at the corners of his mouth, "I’ll go back to the car and call Aunt Zhang."

"All right," An Yin responded with frustration, but there was nothing else she could do.

The man lifted his foot and was about to leave when the door made a slight sound, and then, someone pushed it open from inside.

They both simultaneously turned toward the door.

Standing at the entrance where shoes were placed was An Ying, in an awkward posture. One hand braced against the wall, the other wrapped in a cast, standing on one foot with the other slightly lifted. Yet, her eyes, as clear as autumn water, were like stars in the sky, distant and mysterious.

An Ying had an enviable face, breathtakingly beautiful. From the first time Bao Shaojin saw her, a feeling had subtly arisen: no wonder the young girl’s appearance was so striking.

The woman before him had a faint, elusive smile on her lips. Bao Shaojin, being seasoned in the business world, could see the hint of melancholy on her face, as if an unerasable trace of sorrow lay in her eyes.

"Aunt An." Bao Shaojin looked at her calmly and greeted.

An Ying, draped in a thick off-white nightgown, dropped her gaze on the man not far away. Despite her sudden opening of the door, not a trace of panic appeared on the man’s face, suggesting a remarkable mental fortitude.

The man had a high bridge nose and deep-set eyes, directly meeting An Ying’s gaze.

"Mr. Bao showing up here in the middle of the night, what’s the reason?"

After speaking, An Ying’s gaze drifted over her daughter, noting that at some point her daughter had shrunk back behind the man. She seemed to swallow a stone, feeling stifled.

Ungrateful girl, not even married yet, but already so partial to a man? An Ying mused inwardly.

"I came to see An Yin."

It was as if he were talking about the most ordinary thing.

However, upon hearing his words, An Ying was a bit displeased. New Year’s Eve was a time for family reunions, yet he wasn’t staying home with his family; what was he doing here? An Ying’s face showed a complex and subtle expression.

"Even so, there’s no need to choose the dead of night," An Ying, after a moment of contemplation, continued, "Our neighborhood is simple and honest. If the neighbors saw you together at this hour, who knows what kind of gossip they might spread."