In the afternoon.
Jiang Cong was looking at Chen Er's profile and the phone number she left. Somehow, he dialed it.
After the phone rang three times, it was picked up. Chen Er answered with a lazy "Hello".
Jiang Cong didn't say a word. All he could hear on the receiver was their breathing.
Feeling the silence on the other end of the phone, Chen Er tentatively said, "Jiang Cong?"
Jiang Cong let out a low "Yeah". His magnetic voice reached Chen Er's eardrums. "Are you free this afternoon?"
Chen Er pulled open the curtain and saw that the sky was overcast. It seemed like it was going to rain.
Immediately, she said regretfully, "Well... I'm busy this afternoon. The school is having make - up classes. It's not convenient."
Jiang Cong scoffed at Chen Er's extremely clumsy lie but didn't mention that he saw her with Ji Pei on the street that morning.
"Liar." Jiang Cong put on an aggrieved tone. The invisible tail behind him wagged. "I was told by Chief Wang to take a vacation today. But I just got here and I'm not familiar with the place. I'm so bored."
Chen Er's heart softened subconsciously because of Jiang Cong's tone, but she still resisted stubbornly. "But... it's going to rain soon."
Jiang Cong was like a star in the sky to Chen Er, distant and unreachable.
He was just and upright. Although he was cold and quiet, he was favored and respected by many.
And she...
Bearing such a heavy secret, she was destined to live in endless worry for the rest of her life.
Jiang Cong heard Chen Er's resistance and a rogue and playful smile curled up on his lips. "What should I do? I'm just near your home. If you don't come out, I'll go in."
Hearing Jiang Cong's words, Chen Er's eyes widened suddenly. She swallowed hard, trying to digest the information in his words.
He was near her home?
Chen Er gritted her teeth angrily. "You're abusing your power!"
How did Jiang Cong know her home address?
Of course, it was the address she left when registering her personal information at the police station that day.
She never thought that this guy was so dark - bellied. Under the pretext of looking through the materials, he secretly memorized her phone number and home address.
But Chen Er didn't feel any disgust. Instead, she felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
It was like eating honey, sweetening her heart directly.
"So," Jiang Cong's voice was full of temptation. "Are you coming out?"
Chen Er didn't answer Jiang Cong. She hung up the phone angrily, jumped out of bed, and ran into the bathroom. She checked out the girl in the mirror, whistled like a hooligan, and then bounced out of the house.
Jiang Cong, whose call was hung up, didn't feel any discomfort at being ignored when he heard the busy tone.
She would come out.
Jiang Cong was confident. He leaned on the railing leisurely.
Sure enough.
Five minutes after the phone was hung up, the girl's figure appeared.
Chen Er's angry little face was vivid, like a thorny rose blooming after the rain, dangerous and charming.
Seeing Chen Er's angry and ruffled look, Jiang Cong gently stroked Chen Er's fluffy head like petting a puppy. The corners of his mouth turned up. "You're here."
These simple three words instantly smoothed Chen Er's ruffled feathers.
Chen Er turned her head uneasily, avoiding Jiang Cong's touch. "Let's go! Aren't we going for a walk?"
Jiang Cong nodded non - committedly and walked side by side with Chen Er.
The sky was getting darker and darker. It seemed that a storm was coming.
Before long, fine raindrops began to fall sparsely.
Chen Er felt the wetness on her arm. "It's raining."
Jiang Cong quickly walked into a convenience store and bought an umbrella.
"Why only one?" Chen Er tilted her head and asked, looking at the black umbrella in Jiang Cong's hand.
Jiang Cong opened the umbrella and said matter - of - factly, "Two would be a waste."
Chen Er was speechless.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier.
Small puddles had formed in the low - lying areas on both sides of the street.
The coolness came. The raindrops were blown into the umbrella by the wind.
But there was no trace of rain on Chen Er's body.
She turned her head and saw that more than half of the black umbrella was on her side.
Most of Jiang Cong's shoulder was exposed.
The rain had soaked his white shirt, but it didn't damage Jiang Cong's temperament at all.
He still held the umbrella silently, not caring whether his clothes were soaked.
Chen Er was touched by Jiang Cong's gentlemanly act. Ripples spread in her heart.
The two walked forward quietly. Although they didn't talk to each other, there was no awkwardness at all.
A silent understanding flowed between them.
Jiang Cong suddenly said, "Before, I learned that there was a group of people who fought because of Sheng Qingqiu. But the school didn't give any punishment. Do you know anything about that?"
Chen Er's body stiffened for a moment, but she quickly adjusted herself and said vaguely, "The school just turns a blind eye. If they investigated every single thing, I would have been expelled long ago."
Jiang Cong was obviously not satisfied with Chen Er's answer. He asked further, "Can you tell me the specific situation of that fight?"
Out of the corner of her eye, Chen Er saw Jiang Cong's inquiring look. She knew that if she didn't give a reasonable explanation today, Jiang Cong wouldn't let it go.
But if she told Jiang Cong the truth, it would surely involve that person.
With Jiang Cong's excellent analytical and investigative abilities, he would probably follow the clues.
By then, it would only be a matter of time before he found out that person's involvement.
Once that person was exposed, would it mean that her own secret would also be revealed by that person?
Then how would she and Jiang Cong get along?
After a mental struggle, Chen Er shrugged helplessly and spread out her hands, looking like "I can't do anything about you".
"Okay, I'll tell you." Chen Er half - truthfully described how the incident happened, hiding all the important details.
Finally, she made a conclusion. Afraid that Jiang Cong would suspect her, she repeatedly emphasized, "It was really just a small conflict between boys because they were pursuing Sheng Qingqiu. You know, Sheng Qingqiu is the school beauty. There are so many suitors behind her. Of course, they don't like each other in order to win the beauty's smile."
Maybe Chen Er's attitude was too nonchalant. Jiang Cong, who had just asked out of curiosity, now had new doubts.
If it was really just a small fight as Chen Er said, why did she avoid his question at first?
Although there were no flaws in Chen Er's performance and actions, Jiang Cong keenly sensed that Chen Er was hiding something from him.
The seed of doubt was planted in Jiang Cong's heart and began to take root and grow.