Wang Yuyan's mind instantly conjured the sight of Jiang Cheng jogging toward her.
Their eyes met; Wang Yuyan's originally frosty expression melted like spring snow, the corners of her mouth lifting uncontrollably.
Stars seemed to plunge into her gaze, sparkling with a hint of moisture.
The joy and sweetness radiating from within her stood in stark contrast to the indifference she'd shown the stranger who'd tried to chat her up moments earlier.
Had there not been so many onlookers, she would have sprinted over and kissed Jiang Cheng right then.
Unfortunately, she'd always been the reserved type.
Though too shy to throw herself into his arms, her affection was written all over her face.
After a quick blink, Wang Yuyan drew a breath.
Then, in a tone only they could decode—soft and teasing—she said, "Yes, I'd love that. I can't wait; this thing is so heavy my arms are sore from pulling it…"
The dramatic about-face left the suit-clad man beside them slack-jawed.
A surge of anger at being brushed off and treated differently flared inside him.
He looked at the radiant smile Wang Yuyan had instantly given Jiang Cheng, then at the cold rejection he himself had just received.
She'd said no to him, yet said yes to Jiang Cheng?
On what grounds?
Seeing his pick-up attempt fail, the businessman curled his lip and prepared to retreat.
He had already sized Jiang Cheng up when the latter arrived.
Casual clothes with no visible logos, but the cut was excellent, and the Gucci sneakers on his feet were unmistakable.
He'd instantly tagged Jiang Cheng as a Second-generation rich.
In his mind, a professional elite like himself was far more attractive to women than some pampered heir who only knew how to eat, drink, and play.
Right now, he felt Wang Yuyan was simply blind to quality.
But just as he turned to leave, Jiang Cheng's gaze returned to Wang Yuyan's face.
The corner of his mouth curled into a broader, roguish, intimate arc, and—loud enough for several nearby to hear—he said to her:
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng reached out and took her suitcase. "Only pulled it a little while and your arms are sore? Beauty, you're out of shape…"
Wang Yuyan shot him a coquettish glance, eyes shimmering. "It's been ages since I last pulled one—I'm out of practice…"
"Oh, is that so…" Jiang Cheng drawled, his teasing gaze roaming her face. "If I help with your luggage, then tonight you'll have to come home with me…"
The words were blunt and flirtatious, loaded with unmistakable possession and intimacy.
The suit-clad man's eyes bulged.
As one of the veteran cosplay companions around Jiang Cheng, Wang Yuyan knew all too well his love for "new skins."
So today, for this reunion with a "stranger," she had to play the new skin to perfection.
Wang Yuyan let out a soft "ah," a trace of feigned panic and distress flickering across her face.
She half-stepped back. "Th-this… sir, we've only just met—this feels a bit too fast…"
Seeing her reaction, the businessman suddenly felt a jolt of excitement.
"Dude! You look decent—how can you be such a… such a scoundrel? Who talks to a girl like that?"
With their vibe interrupted, Jiang Cheng finally spared him a languid glance.
To Jiang Cheng, buzzing flies like this weren't worth a single extra syllable.
A normal person would have walked away the instant Wang Yuyan rejected him, not lingered asking why.
The casual, almost condescending look in Jiang Cheng's eyes made the businessman deeply uncomfortable.
The glance lasted barely a second and seemed emotionless, yet felt like a bucket of ice water dumped over his head.
There was no aggression in Jiang Cheng's eyes—no anger, no menace—just a calm, indifferent serenity.
But beneath that calm lay a heavy, intangible pressure born from long years at the top.
Such utter disregard was more oppressive than open contempt; the businessman felt his throat tighten, his planned taunts strangled mid-breath.
Why was that gaze so crushing?
He'd never felt this much pressure even when facing his own company's CEO.
He instinctively half-stepped back, as though the look carried physical weight, leaving him short of breath.
His Adam's apple bobbed; he wanted to retreat, an inexplicable cowardice welling up.
Just then he caught Wang Yuyan faintly furrowing her brows.
That tiny shift in expression became a life-saving straw, and he misread it at once—she was frowning.
He'd stood up for her; surely the beauty would be moved?
She must be displeased with such frivolous teasing.
With that thought, the fear Jiang Cheng's gaze had instilled was instantly overwritten by a "hero-saves-damsel" impulse.
His inner simp awakened; he inhaled sharply, forced himself half a step forward, and raised his voice at Jiang Cheng:
"Hey, isn't that out of line? Can't you see the lady's upset?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Wang Yuyan lifted her face.
She was indeed faintly frowning, yet her flowing gaze seemed annoyed—with him.
After frowning at the businessman, she looked toward Jiang Cheng.
In that instant, the irritation in her eyes melted into a soft, almost coaxing shimmer.
She tugged Jiang Cheng's sleeve gently, her voice sweet and sticky, unmistakably placating: "Don't be mad…"
She paused, lashes trembling, cheeks flushed. What she said next struck the businessman like lightning:
"…Since you're pulling my suitcase for me, I'll come home with you."
With that, she stepped forward, slipped her arms around Jiang Cheng's waist, and rested her cheek against his chest.
Jiang Cheng chuckled, slid an arm around her, and pulled her close as naturally as breathing.
Wang Yuyan leaned into him; the earlier aloofness was gone, leaving only a faint, sweet blush on her face.
"Let's go—I'm getting hungry…"
The moment she said it, two young guys eavesdropping nearby couldn't help blurting in unison, "Holy sh—"
"No way! What just happened?! Didn't she say it was too fast?!"
His buddy gaped. "What did this guy even do? Two sentences and she's his?! Is this some new pickup hack?"
After which he whipped out his phone and frantically typed Jiang Cheng's lines into his notes.
The suit-clad man stood petrified, mouth open, unable to utter a sound.
Under a barrage of mocking stares, he turned mechanically and shuffled away… Once outside the airport, Wang Sheng immediately took the suitcase from Jiang Cheng.
Wang Yuyan glanced at the red flag car parked at the curb.
After months abroad surrounded by foreign cars, the sight of a domestic brand felt unexpectedly comforting.
In all the time she'd known Jiang Cheng, he'd driven every luxury marque imaginable.
Though she knew some red-flag models weren't cheap, she was still surprised he'd chosen a domestic car today.