CHAPTER 381: CHAPTER 381: SOUP

"Miss An!" Assistant Lin had a look of apology on his face and nodded.

"Assistant Lin." An Yin saw the guilt on his face and couldn’t help but take a few more glances at him.

Little did she know, Assistant Lin was uneasy because of the earlier interruption. He initially planned to welcome Miss An as usual, but Mr. Bao dismissed the idea with a simple, "There are many people outside; no need to step out of the car."

So when he saw Miss An wandering around like a headless fly, looking for Mr. Bao’s car, he felt as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

However, this left him feeling deeply guilty.

Miss An is so delicate and weak; she deserves to be served wholeheartedly! Assistant Lin contemplated.

Inside the car.

As the door closed, despite the warmth inside, An Yin suddenly shivered.

An Yin tilted her head toward the man’s direction, noticing his sharp eyes gleaming below his thick, ink-like eyebrows, as if they were a deep, cold pool radiating a frosty chill.

Did someone annoy him?

An Yin timidly called out, "Bao, Bao Shaojin."

The young girl’s voice, like ringing chimes, sounded gentle and crisp, stirring the man’s nearly erupting heart.

"Hmph..."

The man let out a cold scoff through his nose.

An Yin glanced at the man’s arrogant, aloof profile and felt more certain of his bad mood. She immediately sat obediently, legs together, not daring to speak again.

The young girl sat softly beside the man, looking petite and delicate compared to the man’s powerful build.

"Drive," Bao Shaojin said in a deep voice.

"Yes, sir." Receiving the command, Assistant Lin naturally complied.

An Yin, seeing the car about to start, became anxious, "Where are we going?"

The young girl’s panicked look reflected in the man’s eyes, whose indifferent pupils regarded her like a lamb to the slaughter, cold and unfeeling.

"Cried?" Bao Shaojin observed the young girl’s reddened eyes.

The man’s words had nothing to do with the question she had just asked.

An Yin pondered for a moment, recalling the scene at the school gate where parents sent their children off, and lowered her head gloomily, answering softly, "Yes."

"Bullied?" As he spoke, a hint of a harsh expression appeared on the man’s face, though he quickly suppressed it.

The thought of bullying her seemed as easy as squashing an ant, Bao Shaojin reflected.

"Of course not," An Yin quickly denied.

Seeing her earnest face, Bao Shaojin concluded she wouldn’t dare lie, "Why cry?"

An Yin’s hands kept fidgeting with her fingertips, remaining silent. Anything about her father was a thorn in her heart, reopening old wounds with every mention.

Observing her melancholic demeanor, Bao Shaojin suddenly recalled that Bao Cheng’s engagement party was in three days, possibly linked to her mood.

His face gradually darkened.

Is this girl still intent on pursuing a lost cause? Will she persist until Bao Cheng’s marriage, only to end up as his mistress?

The silence inside the car was suffocating.

Assistant Lin, accustomed to Bao Shaojin’s moods after long working together, lowered his breath.

Once emotions settled, An Yin turned subtly, stealing a glance at the man’s unwavering posture, her heart again out of control, "Bao Shaojin, my mom’s follow-up last time, thank you."

After returning home, An Ying texted An Yin.

Bao Shaojin not only drove An Ying to the hospital but also took her back home after the check-up.

Zhang Yi remained to care for An Ying. Perhaps to soothe her daughter’s heart, An Ying accepted Zhang Yi’s kindness.

"No need to thank me," the man said, his voice carrying a faint pride.

An Yin momentarily didn’t know what to discuss with him.

Suddenly, a thought struck her, "Did you change cars?"

If the young girl hadn’t mentioned it, one could see the man subtly shift, unable to sit upright in this small sedan.

Assistant Lin noted his unspoken reaction, a flicker of excitement crossing his face, "Mr. Bao said his previous car was too conspicuous. He instructed me to choose a regular car, making future pickups easier."

Assistant Lin, not usually verbose, blurted out Bao Shaojin’s intentions to ensure his efforts weren’t in vain, oblivious to the increasingly tense atmosphere inside the car.

Convenient for future pickups?

An Yin sat dazed, blushing, unable to process Assistant Lin’s words fully.

"Watch the road."

Bao Shaojin’s eyes darkened.

Assistant Lin immediately fell silent.

An Yin quickly turned her head toward the window, her thoughts drifting far away until she noticed the car approaching a tall building.

An Yin’s eyes focused on the entrance, where large, bold letters jumped out at her.

"Jiangjin Garden."

She used to pass these towering buildings often when taking the bus from T University to the city center.

"Jiangjin Garden" gained fame for offering every household a view of the clear, transparent lake from their balcony. The lakeside night view was considered spectacular, attracting numerous tourists.

In an instant, the car entered the underground parking.

Once parked, An Yin realized she had been too curious and hadn’t asked the crucial question.

"What are we doing here?"

Before her words finished, the car door beside her was opened by Assistant Lin.

In contrast, Bao Shaojin seemed eager to get out of the car, exerting too much force when pushing the door, resulting in a loud bang.

"Bang..."

Assistant Lin and An Yin looked at him simultaneously.

In the next moment, An Yin heard the man’s clear voice.

"Get a bigger car." As he spoke, Bao Shaojin’s tightly furrowed brows never relaxed, showing his extreme dissatisfaction with this car.

"Understood." Assistant Lin complied.

Indeed, the ordinary car Mr. Bao mentioned differed from what ordinary meant to him. Assistant Lin felt heartbroken from the blow.

It seemed this car shouldn’t appear before Mr. Bao anymore.

Assistant Lin stood in place, watching Mr. Bao and Miss An head toward the private elevator. As the elevator doors closed, he took out his phone, reported a car model, exchanged a few words, then hung up.

Assistant Lin got into the car, looking at the simply structured dashboard, feeling complicated. Having been accustomed to luxury cars, the sudden switch to a standard model felt lacking.

Ah! Sure enough, spoiled by Mr. Bao! Assistant Lin sighed deeply.