Chapter Thirty-Three: Inquiries

"Oh, you must be Guo Xiangqing. I’m Zhang Ye. I’ve come to see your aunt, Yuan Yuqing." Only then did Zhang Ye remember that Yuan Yuqing had once told him Guo Xiangqing was her niece.

Truth be told, Zhang Ye wasn’t entirely sure of the young woman’s identity. In his previous life, he’d had little contact with Guo Xiangqing—they weren’t in the same class, and after graduating high school, they’d never met again. With more than a decade gone by, even the most vivid memories had faded, so it took him a moment to connect the person before him with the name.

"I know you. You were in Class Three, first year, right? You’re the one who saved my aunt last time?" Guo Xiangqing wasn’t particularly polite, her tone laced with suspicion.

"It was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time," Zhang Ye replied with a smile, his gaze slipping through the door’s crack, peering inside. "She’s not in? If not, I’ll come again another time."

He’d noticed Guo Xiangqing’s attitude toward him was a touch off.

"Who is it, Xiaoqing?" At that moment, Yuan Yuqing’s voice sounded from within.

"A guest," Guo Xiangqing called back, then said to Zhang Ye, "Come in. Whatever you have to say, wait until later—my aunt’s washing her hair." With that, she turned and walked back to the living room, settling herself in front of the television.

Zhang Ye touched his nose, changed into the indoor slippers by the door, and stepped inside.

From outside, the luxury wasn’t obvious, but upon entering, Zhang Ye immediately felt the difference—this was the home of the wealthy. The rooms were spacious and comfortable; the living room alone must have covered over a hundred square meters. A small bar was set up in one corner, displaying a selection of wine and glassware. The leather sofa was the latest trend. Guo Xiangqing sat gracefully on it, her attention seemingly fixed on the television.

Zhang Ye raised an eyebrow, amused. He could tell at a glance—though Guo Xiangqing seemed absorbed in the program, her attention was actually trained on him.

"Her attitude isn’t what I’d call grateful," Zhang Ye mused. He hadn’t thought much of rescuing Yuan Yuqing, but Guo Xiangqing’s demeanor toward him was unmistakably off.

With no one to host him, he made himself comfortable on the sofa, ignoring the television and instead taking in his surroundings. His gaze was calm, without a hint of awkwardness.

Seeing Zhang Ye so at ease, Guo Xiangqing couldn’t suppress her irritation any longer. She shot him a glare and demanded, "Who said you could come to my aunt’s house?" Her look was fierce.

"I told you, I have business here." Though Guo Xiangqing was beautiful—already graceful as a young blossom—she was, to Zhang Ye, still too naive. He wouldn’t be polite simply because she was a beauty.

He wasn’t one to debase himself—if someone clearly disliked him, he wouldn’t waste his breath arguing.

"You—hmpf!" Guo Xiangqing fumed. Usually, whenever she questioned someone, they’d fall over themselves to explain. Yet Zhang Ye ignored her, turning his attention to the TV, where Tom and Jerry were locked in an epic chase, and actually laughed out loud.

After a moment’s internal struggle, Guo Xiangqing couldn’t hold back and asked, "Why did you help my aunt that time?"

Zhang Ye gave her a curious glance. "In situations like that, who has time to think? By your tone, you wish I hadn’t helped?"

"Of course not! I—" Flushed with annoyance at his words, Guo Xiangqing hurried to defend herself. "I was just asking. Stop trying to change the subject."

"Very well, is my answer satisfactory?" Zhang Ye was genuinely puzzled by her attitude. Given her persistence, it must still relate to that incident, which piqued his curiosity.

"No, I’m not satisfied. If you meant to save my aunt, why did you say you didn’t care about her life or death, that it had nothing to do with you? Do you know how worried I was when I heard she’d been taken hostage?" Guo Xiangqing, furious, jabbed a finger at Zhang Ye, as if she wouldn’t relent until he gave her an explanation.

Zhang Ye could only give a wry smile. "Miss, I was trying to distract the perpetrator, to prepare for rescuing your aunt. If I’d gotten too close too soon, he would have been on guard. I had to say those things to cover my approach." He’d thought her hostility stemmed from something serious, but it turned out to be this minor misunderstanding.

"But what if he’d hurt my aunt because of what you said?" Dissatisfied with his response, Guo Xiangqing grabbed a nearby cushion and pummeled Zhang Ye with it, venting her frustration and pent-up anxiety.

A waft of delicate fragrance filled Zhang Ye’s senses—part from the cushion, but more so from Guo Xiangqing herself.

The scent instantly stirred something within him, bringing a trace of embarrassment to his expression. Although his experience kept him from being overly interested in such a young girl, he couldn’t deny she was a rare beauty. Now, with her practically draped over him, who could remain unmoved?

"Miss Guo, that was a contest of nerves and wits. Besides, I knew he wouldn’t dare. Those were just greedy thugs, not killers." Zhang Ye tamped down his wayward thoughts, grasped Guo Xiangqing’s hand, and tried to explain.

"What are you two doing?" A startled voice sounded right beside them.

Both Zhang Ye and Guo Xiangqing looked up, quickly realizing the awkwardness of their positions and stiffening in embarrassment.

At that moment, their pose left much to the imagination—Guo Xiangqing was nearly sprawled atop Zhang Ye, clutching a cotton cushion, her long legs draped over his lap as if she were sitting on him.

"Let go of me!" Guo Xiangqing’s fair cheeks flushed crimson with humiliation and fury.

"What?" Zhang Ye was taken aback. Only then, under her near-murderous glare, did he realize he was still holding her hand. He released it at once, raising his hands in innocence.

But with Zhang Ye’s sudden movement, Guo Xiangqing lost her balance and toppled fully onto him, unable to stop herself. Her chest pressed against his, her softness meeting his firmness, sending a shiver through them both.

"Look at yourself—such mischief in front of a guest," Yuan Yuqing said, as if she hadn’t noticed anything amiss. She walked over, helped her niece up, and smiled warmly at Zhang Ye. "So, our busy man finally has time to visit? Last time, I could hardly stop you from leaving!"

There was a note of gentle reproach in her voice. She’d been so eager to invite him before, but he’d declined outright. Even if she understood he must have had his reasons, being refused was never pleasant.