The surroundings also quieted down.
Jing Mian inexplicably felt an indescribable low pressure behind him, even a chill, but he didn’t know where it came from.
Chen Ke was the first to notice something was wrong. The moment he saw Brother Ren, his expression froze.
Above the neat bow tie, his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
Chen Ke swallowed and said slowly, “Brother Ren…”
Jing Mian’s hand holding the tie paused.
Even the tips of his hair and his back stiffened.
Following the direction Chen Ke was looking at in fear, he turned his head.
—Ren Xingwan was standing not far away, his dark coat accentuating his tall and slender figure. His nose was high and well-defined, his eyelashes long and curled, and his light-colored eyes were hidden in the fragmented shadows.
Mr. Ren had always been good-looking, not needing any labels or adhering to any persona, and he was still as dazzling as the sun, even unifying the aesthetics of various fanbases.
But at this moment, the man’s face was deep and handsome, his thin lips pursed slightly, and his slightly cold gaze was like solidified frost. His powerful and aggressive aura was chilling.
Jing Mian’s heart skipped a beat.
Enveloped by the gaze fixed on him, even without knowing the reason, he could keenly perceive the low pressure after the sudden drop in temperature.
Chen Ke closed his eyes.
He wanted to lie flat on the spot.
Is the unluckiest thing in the world running into your boss at his doorstep?
No.
It’s being caught by your boss who just came home while you’re practicing tying a tie for your boss’s wife at his doorstep.
Let’s not talk about the year-end bonus for now.
Can he even keep this job?
Chen Ke took a step back, quickly putting a safe distance between himself and Jing Mian.
He swallowed, gave a dry laugh, and said, “Brother Ren, what a coincidence! I’ve already safely escorted Sister-in-law home, so I’ll head back with Lao Yu.”
As he spoke, Chen Ke tried to minimize his presence and quickly retreated from the scene.
However, before Chen Ke could quietly brush past the man, Mr. Ren suddenly spoke, “Wait a moment.”
Chen Ke was sweating.
Ren Xingwan said, “Leave the tie.”
Chen Ke: “…”
Brother Ren doesn’t usually seem like someone with such a strong possessive desire.
His wife ties a tie for a man other than himself, and that tie has to be singled out and destroyed.
Chen Ke didn’t even blink, immediately yanking off the tie and untying it in a couple of moves.
His movements were smooth and fluid, leaving the evidence and running away.
Jing Mian: “…”
The pressure was directly on his side now.
The young man’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Although he didn’t move from the spot, he felt Mr. Ren’s aura was different from usual.
It was like… he was angry.
Although he didn’t know the reason, the inexplicable sense of oppression reached a small peak as Mr. Ren walked towards him.
Barely suppressing the urge to run away, Jing Mian lowered his eyes unconsciously. Although he didn’t move, he felt Mr. Ren, who had already approached and stopped, cast a deep gaze on him from the corner of his eye.
“Tying a tie is something that usually happens between intimate people, right?”
Mr. Ren suddenly spoke.
Jing Mian’s ears tingled slightly, and he nodded, “Yes.”
“If I understand correctly, this situation is equivalent to only being done for a lover.”
Jing Mian was embarrassed, “Um… yes.”
Ren Xingwan paused for two seconds, his voice sinking, “Then why were you tying a tie for Chen Ke?”
Jing Mian’s breath hitched slightly.
Could Mr. Ren be… jealous?
As soon as the thought arose, Jing Mian immediately dismissed it. Because it seemed that a similar situation had occurred before they lived together, at the school anniversary of that public welfare activity. At that time, Mr. Ren couldn’t possibly have any emotional basis with him, but he still had the same reaction.
So he thought that Mr. Ren probably just simply felt that his actions were inappropriate.
Jing Mian’s voice was a little hoarse, “That… it was just practice.”
Mr. Ren said, “Why didn’t you ask me?”
Jing Mian took a light breath, a little speechless.
Of course, he could ask Mr. Ren.
But the reason Jing Mian wanted to practice tying a tie was to prevent Ren Xingwan from seeing his slightly clumsy practice process, so that the next day, before the man went out, he could seemingly ‘learn without a teacher’ and tie a perfect tie.
To salvage this morning’s mistake.
But Jing Mian obviously didn’t know how to say this answer.
His breath hitched slightly, and he bit the bullet and explained, “Because Mr. Ren looks very busy.”
“Tying a tie is just a small matter, you don’t need to take the time to practice these with me.”
Under the man’s slightly heavy gaze, Jing Mian silently corrected, “…you.”
Ren Xingwan was silent for a moment, and asked, “I’m very busy?”
Jing Mian’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and he hummed, “…You said so, very busy.”
Mr. Ren frowned slightly. After a few seconds of silence, the man’s voice suddenly sounded, but it seemed a little quieter, “Not that busy.”
“I have time to do these little things with you.”
Jing Mian was stunned.
His heart inexplicably started to beat faster.
The most deadly thing is intangible flirting. Perhaps it was just a casual remark for Ren Xingwan, but the man could accurately hit that spot every time, stirring up ripples and making people unable to help but be distracted.
Mr. Ren is too good at it.
Jing Mian’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and he said softly, “Then I’ll only ask Mr. Ren in the future.”
The cool air touched his exposed skin, but Jing Mian felt the other person’s gaze was a little hot.
Mr. Ren said, “I have time now.”
Jing Mian: “…”
The young man asked, “Here?”
Ren Xingwan hummed.
Jing Mian swallowed and reached out to untie the man’s tie.
The distance between the two was very close, and even the mist from Jing Mian’s lips would fall on Ren Xingwan’s neck. At the same time, he could also feel the man’s slightly heavy breathing.
Jing Mian followed his memory, his fingertips holding the tie, his eyelashes slightly lowered. The steps weren’t too complicated, folding, wrapping, pulling down, his thumb pushing up the knot, but his movements were much more cautious.
Although it wasn’t smooth and fluid, it was gentle and slow, making people unable to help but slow their heartbeats.
After completing this series of actions, Jing Mian lowered his eyes and found that there was no excess fabric this time. The tie was solemn and new, and the knot above was flat and regular, making people feel comfortable just looking at it, simply curing obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Just as Jing Mian was secretly delighted, he heard Mr. Ren’s voice, a little deep, almost close to his ear:
“Isn’t it tied very well?”
Jing Mian was stunned.
“…”
Caught off guard, his earlobe went numb from the sound.
It was as if sparks were crawling all the way along his spine to the back of his neck.
Jing Mian released the edge of the tie. When he raised his eyes, his gaze happened to meet the other’s, and he couldn’t speak for a moment.
Because he suddenly realized that the distance between the two was too close.
Compared to the distance when he was tying a tie for Assistant Xiao Chen just now, the distance between him and Mr. Ren instantly seemed very ambiguous. Although they were both acting professionally, the atmosphere was quietly changing.
The subtle nuances that couldn’t be ignored were gradually rising.
Jing Mian’s gaze drifted, passing over the other’s lips and Adam’s apple. Mr. Ren was good-looking everywhere, accompanied by a familiar and pleasant scent, and he suddenly felt a little at a loss.
This atmosphere… was he going to be kissed?
Jing Mian became nervous.
He had no experience in this area, so he didn’t know if he was overthinking it.
Unsure if it was just his imagination, he subconsciously took a step back, but unexpectedly, the man put his arm around his waist.
Jing Mian felt his heart jump heavily.
The strength wasn’t tight, but it was just right to imprison him, leaving him nowhere to retreat.
He was really going to kiss him.
Realizing this fact, the memory from last time suddenly flooded his mind, along with the tactile sensation.
Jing Mian’s lips were dry, and even his throat felt tight.
Especially when he saw Mr. Ren leaning closer in the original position, it reached a peak.
However, not far away, the sound of footsteps suddenly stopping could be heard.
Immediately afterwards, there was the sound of green onions falling to the ground.
“?”
Jing Mian was shocked.
When he turned his head, he saw a strange aunt standing there in a daze.
The woman was carrying things in both hands, and green onions were showing from one of the bags. Because the onion leaves were too long, or because she braked suddenly, they fell to the ground.
After their eyes met,
Jing Mian immediately distanced himself from the man.
But inevitably, he was embarrassed to the point of wanting to bury his head in the ground.
Jing Mian was a little puzzled, because Mr. Ren’s residence wasn’t in a busy area of this neighborhood. It was relatively remote and quiet. Unless someone deliberately came in this direction, it would be difficult to see the scene outside the villa.
And this aunt was holding vegetables in her hand, probably coming from the market, so she was likely a resident of Maple Leaf.
Could she be a neighbor who knew Mr. Ren?
Jing Mian was surprised.
Mr. Ren didn’t seem like someone who would become familiar with his neighbors.
Just as Jing Mian was about to greet the woman in a local custom, he suddenly heard Mr. Ren’s calm voice, “Auntie.”
Jing Mian: “??”
So Mr. Ren knew her?
Jing Mian suddenly felt a little gratified. Besides the few people he knew, Mr. Ren actually had a neighbor he was familiar with through his own efforts.
Like a glacier that never melts, he wasn’t as cold and lonely as he had imagined.
Jing Mian was proud that his old gong had made a friend.
Jing Mian bowed slightly and greeted the woman, “Hello, Auntie, I’m a resident of Mr. Ren’s house…”
As the young man spoke, he suddenly felt a light pinch on his lower back.
Jing Mian was stunned.
It was Mr. Ren.
His cheeks immediately burned. Jing Mian paused and changed his words, “…Mr. Ren’s lover, um, hello, Auntie.”
That large hand moved from his waist to his right shoulder.
Mr. Ren said, “This is Aunt Yu. Yang Fan helped hire her as a nanny to clean our house and cook. She’s been working for a year and is a very good person.”
Jing Mian suddenly understood.
So she was the nanny.
Aunt Yu was only stunned for a few seconds. After she came to her senses, she immediately showed a gentle smile, looking very kind, “I thought I had gone to the wrong place, but when I saw Xiao Ren, I figured I hadn’t gone wrong. How did a pretty little doll appear?”
Jing Mian recalled what had just happened, and his face burned.
If Aunt Yu hadn’t suddenly appeared, he and Mr. Ren would have really kissed.
It had only been a few days since last time, and they almost misfired again.
Jing Mian was a little relieved. After all, the first kiss happened to be on Mr. Ren’s birthday. At that time, both the reason and the atmosphere were very legitimate.
But this time, they obviously had no reason to kiss.
Jing Mian trotted over, bent down, picked up the green onions, put them back in the aunt’s bag, and took both bags from her.
Aunt Yu quickly said, “No need, no need… Oh my, let me carry them. No need to be polite with Aunt Yu… They’re not heavy, this child is really likable.”
Ren Xingwan silently took the bags from Jing Mian’s hand.
The three of them returned to the residence together.
Aunt Yu washed her hands first after entering the door. As if she remembered something, she casually asked, “When did Xiao Ren and MianMian meet? How long have you been married?”
Jing Mian was stunned and silent for a moment.
He answered one by one:
“Half a month, seven days.”
The sound of water rushing was loud, and Aunt Yu’s expression froze.