Pei Jiangmu looked at her, his bright and beautiful eyes filled with sincere gratitude.
He no longer declined but leaned forward slightly. His voice carried the earnestness unique to a college - aged young man, with a touch of clarity that rose slightly due to excitement.
"Sister, you're so kind," he said earnestly, each word seemingly coming from the bottom of his heart. "Really, I didn't expect that you'd not only give me a job opportunity but also take such good care of me. You're really super nice, sister. You're so beautiful and kind. You're just... just as kind - hearted as a Bodhisattva!"
"I'll surely work harder in the future and never let you down, sister! I'll never betray your trust and care!" His praise was straightforward and enthusiastic, marked by the young man's unadulterated honesty and a bit of clumsiness.
When the words "kind - hearted as a Bodhisattva" came out of his mouth, combined with his handsome yet somewhat innocent and serious face, there was no trace of sleaziness. Instead, it seemed incredibly sincere and endearing.
Meng Ruozhao couldn't help but burst out laughing, and her cheeks flushed slightly. "Alright, alright, stop your sweet - talking and eat quickly!" She pretended to glare at him in annoyance and then lowered her head to hide her blushing ears.
The last bit of doubt in her heart vanished completely, replaced by a sense of fulfillment from doing a good deed and a warm feeling of being sincerely thanked.
She didn't notice that while she was eating with her head down, Pei Jiangmu quickly glanced up and exchanged a fleeting, tacit look with Sister Lan, who had been standing quietly not far away with an overly respectful posture.
There was no embarrassment or gratitude in that look, only a calm sense of control and confirmation. Sister Lan immediately lowered her eyes and resumed her gentle demeanor as the landlady. However, her slightly tensed back and overly proper standing posture revealed an indescribable, extraordinary respect in the somewhat empty and quiet store.
The plane trees outside the window remained as they were, and the sunlight was just right. Meng Ruozhao enjoyed the delicious food with peace of mind, feeling a bit of comfort for having helped the "troubled" younger brother.
Pei Jiangmu, sitting across from her, had a faint smile on his lips that only he could understand. He ate the "heart - warming" lunch that he had personally arranged for her at a leisurely pace.
Meng Ruozhao didn't know that while she pitied Pei Jiangmu, he pitied her even more. The girl he had taken good care of had endured such a life in the Du family for half a year.
If he hadn't been in a long - term rescue and coma after the car accident, diverting everyone's attention, Du Feng would never have had the chance to take Meng Ruozhao away.
But now, he couldn't just take her away directly. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to explain why she had the car accident, nor why she, as Du Feng's daughter, had been raised by others.
Moreover, the psychiatrist had also advised him to give Meng Ruozhao some space. Otherwise, even if he managed to get her back, she would surely leave. In fact, the psychiatrist didn't even recommend that he approach her under a false identity, as deception would only bring more harm, and given Meng Ruozhao's personality, she would never forgive him.
But he couldn't wait. He couldn't bear her being away from him. He couldn't even accept the fact that she had a fiancé and was about to get married.
Haicheng was neither too big nor too small. If she was publicly introduced by the Yan family, sooner or later, someone from her past would recognize her. Instead of letting others expose the lies in her current life, it was better for him to do it. At least, he would do it in a gentler way. And as long as he was by her side, he would never let her get hurt.
Meng Ruozhao knew nothing about Pei Jiangmu's secrets and the elaborate web he had woven to trap her. Her stomach and heart were soothed by this meal that perfectly suited her taste.
After the meal, they returned to the apartment and carried their luggage upstairs. Meng Ruozhao had only lived in the Du family for half a year, and her luggage only filled a 24 - inch suitcase and a backpack.
"Is this all your stuff, sister? Should we go buy some daily necessities later?" Pei Jiangmu asked as he helped her carry the suitcase in. Although he had already asked Qi Yu to prepare everything in the apartment quite comprehensively, there were still many things that were difficult to prepare in advance.
Since Meng Ruozhao had only brought clothes and really needed to buy daily necessities, she agreed. "Okay, we'll go in the evening."
As she said this, she opened the suitcase and planned to put the clothes into the closet first. Come to think of it, this house was really nice. It was spotlessly clean everywhere. She was really lucky to be able to move in with just her bags.
She was lost in thought when, carelessly, a plastic bag, like the key to Pandora's box, fell at Pei Jiangmu's feet again. This time, the bag even came open, and most of the underwear inside fell out.
For a moment, Meng Ruozhao really wanted to open her head and see what was inside. Why hadn't she just thrown that annoying underwear into the trash can when she was in the Du family? Or at least stuffed it back into the closet? Why did she have to put it in the suitcase? And why was she so absent - minded that she completely forgot about it?
Most importantly, would Pei Jiangmu misunderstand? Thinking this way, she subconsciously looked up at him.
She saw Pei Jiangmu's clear pupils suddenly contract, and then quickly be covered with a proper amount of panic. "Ah! S - sorry, sister!" He was like a startled fawn, babbling apologies while clumsily bending down to pick up the things. But his fingertips "accidentally" paused when they touched the thin fabric, and his slightly cool fingertips gently brushed against the lace edge.
The tips of his ears instantly turned crimson, and even his neck blushed shyly. "I... I didn't mean to look," he stammered, holding the underwear by the tip of his finger and handing it over. But his eyes quickly dropped as if he had been burned, and his long eyelashes fluttered with an innocent look.
Meng Ruozhao's cheeks burned. She snatched the underwear and quickly stuffed it under the pillow behind her. "It's okay... I just didn't pack it properly." Her heart was pounding, and she didn't dare to look into the man's overly clean eyes.
"I'll help you organize the closet, sister!" Pei Jiangmu volunteered and picked up a stack of clothes and walked towards the bedroom. The moment he turned around, the shy curve of his lips deepened almost imperceptibly, turning into a cold look of satisfaction.
Her panic and shyness were like the perfect catalyst, igniting his hunger that had been dormant for half a year.
A few minutes later. "Sister, do these clothes need to be ironed? They're all wrinkled," Pei Jiangmu's voice came from behind. Meng Ruozhao turned around and saw him holding two cheongsams separately. The muscles in his arms were tense due to the effort.
Meng Ruozhao knew she should be looking at the cheongsams, not the man. But she couldn't help it, and her gaze fell on him.
He was wearing a simple white T - shirt today, and the collar was slightly open, revealing his collarbone. The air - conditioner in the house had just been turned on, and the temperature hadn't dropped yet. He had been walking around and even helped her move the sofa. Now, the hair on his forehead was already damp with sweat.
The sweat ran down his neck and disappeared into the collar of his T - shirt. Seeing her looking at him, Pei Jiangmu casually wiped his forehead with his sleeve. The bottom of his T - shirt lifted with the movement, revealing a lean waistline and faintly visible abs.