We Barely Know Each Other, but I'm Living with a Stone-Faced Mechanic! - Chapter 23

Tao Ying switched off the lights, took her bag, and left the office for the elevator.

Rain hammered the ground, raising a wet veil of mist.

She drew her coat tighter and rose onto her toes, craning her neck. Not a single figure appeared on the camphor-lined road leading toward the art building.

Qin Zheng wasn’t here yet.

Tao Ying pressed her lips together and began pacing. Every time she returned to the starting point, she looked outside.

It was an old habit from waiting for people. As a child, the person she had most often waited for before and after school was her father.

After three circuits, a tall, powerfully built figure appeared through the curtain of rain.

The downpour soaked his trouser hems before the drops even seemed to hit the ground.

Qin Zheng showed no disarray. He strode steadily through the water, and only when he drew near did Tao Ying notice that his clothes were damp too.

He saw her, quickened his pace, and bounded up the steps.

“Why are you leaving so late?” Every other time Qin Zheng had seen her at the gates, the sun had still been high. This was the first time she had worked so late.

“I was helping students revise competition entries.” Tao Ying accepted the umbrella he held out. “I thought the rain might stop if I waited. Instead, it only got worse.”

“You go first. I’ll follow. Watch the steps.”

Tao Ying opened her folding umbrella. It was a full size smaller than Qin Zheng’s long-handled one.

Gripping it tightly, she stepped into the rain.

Her shoes and trousers would certainly get wet, but there was no avoiding it.

The lights stretched their shadows into two wet lines across the pavement, where they merged as one.

Roads were harder to navigate in heavy rain, with visibility reduced. Outside the gates, cars streamed past.

Qin Zheng stepped closer, and the edges of their umbrellas touched.

Tao Ying glanced sideways. “What is it?”

“Nothing. The light is about to turn red. Wait.”

She stopped.

After several dozen seconds, they crossed in one determined push and made it home.

Tao Ying now used the university’s east gate. Even if colleagues or students saw her, they would assume she had moved into the residential area behind campus. No one knew she shared an apartment with Qin Zheng.

“Hurry. You’re soaked.” Following her up the stairs, Qin Zheng urged, “I don’t know how you managed to hold that umbrella.”

“The rain was too heavy. Holding it sideways, upright, or upside down wouldn’t have helped,” she retorted. “Besides, your clothes are wet too.”

Qin Zheng laughed. “You did well today. You came back twice and still failed to take the most useful thing.”

Tao Ying paused. “The thermos and flash drive were equally important.”

He gave a scoffing laugh. “I don’t believe the university has no disposable cups, and I don’t believe you can’t teach without a flash drive.”

Tao Ying had no answer.

Did he know her that well?

“Give me the umbrella.” Qin Zheng extended a hand. “Go shower. I’ll make ginger soup.”

Tao Ying handed it over, but remained inside the entryway, glancing at him as if she wanted to speak.

Qin Zheng placed the umbrellas in the stand. “What?”

She gave a dry laugh. “We can skip the ginger soup. Is there anything to eat?”

“You haven’t had dinner?” His brows pulled together.

“It was raining, so I couldn’t be bothered going to the cafeteria.” She offered the excuse with perfect confidence.

Qin Zheng was speechless.

“Go shower before you catch a cold. I’ll make noodles.” What else could he do?

“Thank you.” Tao Ying looked somewhat embarrassed.

After showering, she dried her hair until it was half damp, cleaned the bathroom, and went to the dining area.

“Come over. I made mushroom noodle soup. I simmered fresh ginger in the broth to drive out the chill from the rain.”

“Thank you.” Tao Ying paused, not expecting him to put in this much thought.

Qin Zheng sat opposite and handed her chopsticks. “Try it. It’s my first time making this. I found a recipe on the tablet.”

Fortunately, the refrigerator was well stocked.

Tao Ying tasted it. The noodles were soft without turning mushy, and the clear broth was fresh with a gently sweet finish.

The bowl looked plain but tasted wonderfully savory.

“Delicious,” she said, as always.

Watching her lowered head, Qin Zheng smiled. “You used to hate the idea of sharing a home. You didn’t suddenly change your mind because you wanted my cooking, did you?”

The guess struck home. Tao Ying choked on a mouthful of soup. “Cough—”

“Slow down.” Qin Zheng quickly passed her a tissue. “I didn’t say anything terrible.”

She wiped her mouth and simply admitted it. “That was part of the reason.”

“So if I were a bad cook, you wouldn’t live with me?” He laughed in exasperation. “Is that what you’re saying?”

“Who knows?” Tao Ying muttered.

Remembering her asking Zhou Tao whether he could cook, Qin Zheng leaned forward with his elbows on the table.

“Forgive me for asking, Ms. Tao, but what are your standards for a partner? Is cooking one of them?”

She looked up. “Boss Qin, since we met, I think the phrase you’ve used most is ‘forgive me for asking.’”

“Have I?” Qin Zheng hadn’t noticed.

Tao Ying smiled without warmth. “First you asked my age, then my salary, and now my standards for a partner. What next? Are you planning to introduce someone to me?”

“I do have someone in mind. I’m only afraid you wouldn’t want him.”

Qin Zheng leaned back again, his lips curved ambiguously. The meaning in his gaze was impossible to read.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Tao Ying avoided his eyes. “I’m only an ordinary person too.”

Qin Zheng leaned forward again, his gaze locking on her. “Have you ever dated anyone?”

Tao Ying’s thoughts drifted. At university, there had been someone she liked. But… even she didn’t know whether it counted.

In the end, she shook her head. “No.”

“Hard to believe, when you’re this beautiful.”

Tao Ying smiled. “Being liked for your face can’t last, can it? No matter what it is, people eventually grow tired of it.”

“You don’t believe in love at first sight?” Qin Zheng probed carefully.

Tao Ying finished her last bite of noodles. “I’ve read about it in books. I’ve never seen it in real life.”

“It’s not that you’ve never seen it.”

She raised her eyes into his deep gaze. Qin Zheng’s brows drew faintly as he completed the thought. “You simply haven’t encountered it yet.”

Tao Ying lifted one eyelid. “Have you?”

Qin Zheng only smiled and changed the subject. “It’s late. Sleep early. I’ll make little wontons with seaweed and egg-drop broth tomorrow morning.”

Tao Ying gave a soft scoff and wished him good night.

The rest of the week passed without incident.

She was moving on Friday. After class, Tao Ying packed her things and prepared to leave campus.

Qu Le stopped her at the door. Tao Ying turned, waiting.

“Do you have Boss Qin’s WeChat?” Qu Le wore an embarrassed smile.

“His work account. Why?”

“I want to ask whether his shop is still hiring.”

“It is,” Tao Ying answered without thinking.

“How do you know?”

“Uh… I saw a hiring notice when I passed by. Why are you asking?”

“One of my cousins trained in auto repair and hasn’t found work. Boss Qin’s shop seems to be doing well, so I thought he could try.”

Tao Ying had no authority over Qin Zheng’s business. She forwarded the account.

Across the road, Qin Zheng had already prepared the pickup.

The university gates were crowded on Friday, so he drove to the south gate to wait.

Tao Ying hurried all the way and was still panting when she climbed in.

Qin Zheng looked back. “Was a dog chasing you? Why were you running?”

“…I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”

“Waiting a little wouldn’t hurt me.” His mouth curved. “Let’s go move your things.”