We Barely Know Each Other, but I'm Living with a Stone-Faced Mechanic! - Chapter 28

All night, Tao Ying’s mind ran through possibilities of where Qin Zheng might take her.

For some reason, she found herself looking forward to whatever he had planned.

Hopefully it would be something exciting.

Over breakfast, she tested the waters. “Boss Qin, you’re not taking me hiking, are you?”

Qin Zheng had finally worked it out: what she called him depended entirely on her mood.

She simply did not want to exercise. He laughed. “What do you usually do when you go out with your friends?”

“Shop, eat, watch movies, go to the spa…” Tao Ying counted them off one by one.

“If the person doing all that with you were a man, you’d look like a couple. I can’t exactly take you shopping, out to eat, and to a movie.” He glanced at her. “Unless you’re my girlfriend.”

Tao Ying fell silent. “Could you stop joking?”

Qin Zheng passed her a boiled egg. “Eat more. I’m taking you somewhere different today.”

Now she was even more curious.

He was determined to keep her in suspense, and she could not pry an answer out of him. She pointed at herself instead. “What should I wear?”

“Something simple and easy to move in.”

Tao Ying returned to her room and changed into a muted pink T-shirt with loose white wide-leg pants.

Her instincts told her there would be physical activity involved, so she tied half her long hair back.

Qin Zheng knocked on her door. “I’ll bring the car around to the south gate.”

“Okay.”

He had hired two more employees at the shop. Along with Qu Le’s cousin and Xiao Fang, that brought the staff to five.

Other than Xiao Fang, none of them knew Qin Zheng and Tao Ying lived together.

When Tao Ying left, she took the trash down with her.

Her own car was parked at the south gate as well and had gone unused lately.

Worried about keeping Qin Zheng waiting, she jogged the last few steps.

But the moment she passed between two buildings, she stopped.

Qin Zheng was leaning against his vehicle, head slightly bowed over his phone. He held it sideways, probably playing a game.

His black T-shirt was not as loose as the ones he usually wore. This one followed his frame without clinging, tracing the firm, full contours of his chest.

Camouflage cargo pants completed the look in his usual style. The whole outfit was clean and practical, with an unmistakably rugged edge.

Qin Zheng had been killing time with a round of Snake. After running into a wall and dying, he looked up to find Tao Ying staring at something.

He waved. “Ms. Tao.”

She came back to herself and hurried over.

She had actually been mesmerized by a man. She really had been single too long.

Qin Zheng opened the passenger door for her and casually asked, “What were you staring at?”

“Nothing.” A faint blush spread across her cheeks. “Let’s go.”

He got behind the wheel and drove east. Half an hour later, they were well beyond the city center.

As the woods on either side grew denser, Tao Ying looked over. “How much farther?”

“An hour.” Qin Zheng pulled a pair of sunglasses from the glove compartment and put them on.

Tao Ying stared at him. “Is it too late to change my mind?”

He chuckled. “Much too late. You’re already aboard a pirate ship, Ms. Tao.”

After a ninety-minute drive, the SUV finally stopped outside a live-fire shooting club.

There was no flashy sign. The exterior was a restrained, cool gray, understated and solid.

Tao Ying blinked. “You brought me here to shoot?”

“Ever tried it?” Qin Zheng looked as if he had returned to his natural habitat, his smile full of restless, untamed anticipation.

“No.” She shook her head.

He tipped up his chin. “Want to?”

Tao Ying nodded.

“Come on.” Qin Zheng led her inside.

Beyond the entrance lay a broad reception area with a hard, minimalist counter and a safety notice displayed to one side.

Firearm diagrams and range rules covered the walls. Even the air seemed to carry the scent of metal.

Qin Zheng glanced back, motioning for Tao Ying to follow. A young employee behind the counter spotted him and immediately broke into a smile.

“Brother Zheng? It’s been forever.”

Qin Zheng leaned against the counter and tapped it once. “Your boss isn’t here?”

“Nope.” The young man smiled and turned his attention to Tao Ying. “And this is…?”

Qin Zheng gave a low laugh. “Since when do you gossip about me? Get moving. Clear underground Zone C and bring us two G19s and a case of nine-millimeter rounds.”

“You got it.” The receptionist worked at the computer, still sneaking glances at Tao Ying from the corner of his eye. She was stunning.

Qin Zheng cleared his throat.

The young man instantly smiled ingratiatingly. “Zone C is locked down. Teaching her yourself, Brother Zheng?”

“Mm.” After signing the form, Qin Zheng caught Tao Ying by the wrist and led her to the equipment area.

“Stand still. I’m putting hearing protectors and safety glasses on you.”

Tao Ying knew nothing about any of it, so she let the expert arrange everything.

Qin Zheng held both sides of the earmuffs and pressed them gently into place around her ears, checking the seal carefully.

Tao Ying suddenly caught his hand and shook her head. “They’re a little uncomfortable.”

“The range requires them,” he explained.

“Then put the glasses on first.”

“All right.”

Standing this close in silence felt awkward, so Tao Ying asked, “You seem to know the receptionist well. Did you come here often?”

“Yeah. A friend of mine owns the place. I used to come all the time, but I haven’t had the chance since opening the shop.”

Tao Ying did not know why, but Qin Zheng sometimes gave off the air of an outlaw in an old wandering tale, a man with friends in every corner of the country and every possible trade.

“Can a beginner actually hit the target?” she asked.

“Sure. You can get the hang of it your first time.” Qin Zheng adjusted her safety glasses, his fingertip accidentally brushing the rim of her ear. “Better than drinking and hurting yourself.”

“Do you not drink?” Tao Ying guessed. The only alcohol in the house was a bottle of cooking wine in the kitchen.

“I do. I just don’t get drunk.” He checked her gear once more, fitted the earmuffs back over her ears, and tugged her along. “Let’s go.”

They followed a long, narrow passage downward, the air growing cooler with every step. Before long, they reached the enclosed, silent underground range.

The underground range was much quieter. Tao Ying examined the pistol in her hands with open curiosity.

Qin Zheng took it from her. “First, I’ll explain firearm safety and your stance.”

She nodded and listened patiently.

He spoke at an even pace, demonstrating how to load and unload as he explained. Every movement was clean and efficient, without a trace of showmanship.

It was obvious he had done this often. Tao Ying tried it and decided it did not look too difficult.

“Feet farther apart.” Qin Zheng tapped her hand. “You’ve raised your arms too high. Lower them a little.”

She obeyed, then turned her head. “Like this?”

He stepped forward and supported her wrist with his fingertips, adjusting it to the proper angle. “Like that. Focus, then pull the trigger.”

The instant he finished speaking, the pistol fired. The electronic target display marked the shot completely outside the scoring rings.

Tao Ying looked at Qin Zheng and caught the amusement in his eyes.

“You missed the target,” he said, laughing.

Her eyes widened, plainly unconvinced.

She was about to try again when Qin Zheng stepped behind her and supported both her raised hands.

The underground range was cool, and Tao Ying’s arms had gone cold. When Qin Zheng’s warm skin pressed against hers, a shiver ran through her body.

“Don’t shake, Ms. Tao.” His breath was close beside her ear. Tao Ying was suddenly grateful for the hearing protectors.

“Watch.” His breath seemed to kiss the curve of her ear. “Feel it.”