A Man's Arm Strength Really Was Impressive

No matter how shocked Zhong Sirui was, Wen Chengze did not spare him another glance.

Then, under Zhong Sirui's longing gaze, Zhong Mohan calmly took Wen Chengze away.

Watching his cousin's car drive off, Zhong Sirui was practically ready to bite a handkerchief. He was the actual family member, wasn't he?

Meanwhile, the atmosphere between Zhong Mohan and Wen Chengze in the car was far from harmonious.

Although Zhong Mohan was driving, his gaze kept drifting toward Wen Chengze.

Perhaps because he was tired, the young man leaned against the seat with his eyes closed. His long, curled lashes trembled faintly, and warm sunlight fell across his cheek. He looked like an angel who had wandered into the mortal world—fragile and beautiful.

He gave people the feeling that he would never stop for anyone.

Zhong Mohan held back and held back, but he still spoke. "Xiao Ze."

Wen Chengze slowly opened his eyes and turned to look at the man driving. "What is it?"

That low voice sent a tingling sensation through Zhong Mohan's heart. This seemed to be the first time Wen Chengze had spoken to him so gently.

Suppressing the flutter in his heart, Zhong Mohan asked, "What do you want for dinner?"

Wen Chengze raised an eyebrow. Were dates in their circle all this artsy? Before getting down to business, did they even ask their bed partners what they wanted to eat?

But considering Zhong Mohan's personality, Wen Chengze was not too surprised.

Though this man had a somewhat twisted sense of humor, he was still gentle and gentlemanly most of the time.

Wen Chengze thought for a moment. "Shrimp."

"Okay."

Wen Chengze had thought Zhong Mohan would order takeout, but instead, Zhong Mohan drove the car to a supermarket.

In the underground parking garage, Wen Chengze looked at Zhong Mohan in confusion. "What are we doing here?"

Zhong Mohan unfastened his seat belt. "I haven't been staying here recently. The housekeeper usually only cleans, so we need to buy some ingredients first. Otherwise, there won't be anything to eat when we get back."

"You're going to cook yourself?" Wen Chengze was genuinely surprised this time.

Zhong Mohan wore a black sweater today, paired with a long trench coat. A silver necklace rested around his neck, making him look elegant and refined. His slender fingers gripping the steering wheel were sexy to the bone.

Yet someone like this was actually saying he would cook. The contrast was impossible not to find surprising.

"What are you spacing out for? Worried I'll be recognized?"

Wen Chengze had not thought of that until Zhong Mohan mentioned it. Now that he had, Wen Chengze suddenly realized the problem.

He silently withdrew the hand he had been about to use to unfasten his seat belt. Going grocery shopping with Zhong Mohan was already challenging enough. Asking him to face the possibility of being surrounded by Zhong Mohan's fans while grocery shopping? Heh, no way. Absolutely not.

Zhong Mohan could go by himself!

Seeing Wen Chengze's obvious intention to stay in the car, Zhong Mohan shook his head helplessly.

"Stop messing around. Come with me. I definitely won't let anyone crowd around you. In real life, there aren't that many people who recognize celebrities, and I don't have many fans. Most are movie fans. I usually don't get recognized when I go out."

"Really?" Wen Chengze looked at Zhong Mohan suspiciously.

Zhong Mohan had put on a mask and a cap. Looking at him like this, he was merely a slightly taller-than-average ordinary man with a bit more presence.

Seeing that Wen Chengze had been somewhat persuaded, Zhong Mohan did not give him the chance to back out. He reached over and directly unfastened his seat belt.

A trace of helplessness flashed through Wen Chengze's eyes as he obediently opened the door and got out.

As he walked side by side with Zhong Mohan toward the supermarket, Wen Chengze could not quite make sense of his own thoughts. He knew Zhong Mohan's intentions were impure, yet he had still come out with him. Before getting to the point, they had even done all these strange things.

He barely felt like himself anymore.

"You've been absentminded since earlier. Didn't you want to come out shopping?"

Wen Chengze gave a light cough. "No. I just find it strange that someone like you would come grocery shopping."

Zhong Mohan smiled. "I'm human too. I need to live my life too. For me, going to the supermarket and cooking for myself are among the few ways I can relax."

Zhong Mohan pushed a cart, and the two of them entered the supermarket together.

Hearing Zhong Mohan's words, Wen Chengze glanced at him. At that moment, he seemed to understand what Zhong Mohan meant.

Zhong Mohan had been born in Rome, but he also bore a heavy burden, especially with a family like his. Otherwise, he would not have entered the entertainment industry in his teens just to numb others to his presence.

He was a favored son of heaven shrouded in glory, but only he knew how blinding that glory could be.

Wen Chengze thought of himself. In some ways, he and Zhong Mohan were quite alike, except he was far luckier than Zhong Mohan.

Zhong Mohan glanced sideways at Wen Chengze. What he had said earlier had only been casual conversation. He had long grown used to that kind of life and no longer cared about it, but his words seemed to have softened Wen Chengze's heart.

Because he could clearly feel that Wen Chengze's entire demeanor had become much gentler.

Playing the victim actually worked on Wen Chengze? Zhong Mohan felt as though he had discovered a new continent.

Feeling warm fingers hook around his own, Wen Chengze frowned and looked at Zhong Mohan.

The latter's eyes held a trace of grievance. "There are too many people. I'm afraid I'll get lost."

Wen Chengze: ...

There really were quite a few people in the supermarket, but get lost? Heh. If two grown men with normal intelligence got lost in a supermarket, it would be embarrassing enough to make the social news.

Yet Wen Chengze did not shake Zhong Mohan's hand away. With so many people around, he actually felt a little uneasy. He needed to hold onto something to keep himself from feeling so anxious.

Looking at their clasped hands, Zhong Mohan confirmed it again. Wen Chengze was soft-hearted. A little self-pity and a slightly aggrieved act were enough to make Wen Chengze stop resisting.

Wen Chengze rarely went grocery shopping himself, so he followed Zhong Mohan the entire way.

"Which of these two do you like?" This was already the third time Wen Chengze had heard Zhong Mohan ask that question.

The first time, he had held up two bags of chips and asked. Wen Chengze chose one, but Zhong Mohan tossed both into the cart. The second time, it had been two kinds of drinks, with the same result. This time, it was two rows of yogurt.

"I'm guessing you'll buy both no matter which one I choose."

Zhong Mohan nodded as though it were only natural. "I'm asking to see whether you like this kind of thing. If you don't like either, there's no need to buy them. But if you like one, that means you don't dislike this sort of thing, so I need to let you try every kind and pick your favorite. Then when I buy snacks in the future, I'll know what to get."

Wen Chengze did not ask Zhong Mohan why he needed to prepare snacks Wen Chengze liked. He had the feeling that asking would lead to something serious.

Wen Chengze wore a pure white down jacket as he watched Zhong Mohan place all those rows of yogurt into the cart.

He glanced at the cart. They had not bought many actual groceries, but snacks already filled half of it.

The two continued shopping. Wen Chengze did not know whether it was just his imagination, but he kept feeling that someone was watching them.

Wen Chengze squeezed Zhong Mohan's hand.

Zhong Mohan immediately lowered his head. "What's wrong?"

"Why do I feel like someone has been watching us? Did they recognize you?" Wen Chengze was always sensitive to other people's gazes. He had discreetly looked around earlier. Though he had not clearly seen anyone looking at them, he was certain someone was.

Zhong Mohan held Wen Chengze's hand with one hand and pushed the cart with the other. Hearing Wen Chengze's words, he curled his lips into a faint smile. "Someone is indeed watching us, but it isn't because I was recognized. It's because..."

He stopped halfway through his sentence just as Wen Chengze waited for him to continue.

Seeing Wen Chengze tilt his head up at him in confusion, his eyes clear, his lips a pale pink and soft with moisture, Zhong Mohan's Adam's apple bobbed.

Before Wen Chengze could react, he stretched out his long arm and pulled him into his embrace.

Wen Chengze was startled by Zhong Mohan's actions, but he could also feel that Zhong Mohan's hand at his waist was only hovering there and had not truly touched him.

"Don't move. Look to the left."

Before he had time to struggle, Wen Chengze followed Zhong Mohan's words and looked toward the rear left.

Two girls stood there, their eyes shining as they covered their mouths with one hand and stared at them. Their faces were clearly filled with excitement.

Wen Chengze frowned. "Why are they so excited?"

"They're probably enjoying the sweet moments."

Those words truly fell into Wen Chengze's blind spot. He had not seen any candy in their hands.

Rarely seeing such an adorable expression on Wen Chengze's face, Zhong Mohan chuckled softly. "It's fine. They don't mean any harm."

"Oh. Let go of me first. Let's keep shopping. I'm hungry." The last sentence was Wen Chengze's excuse. He simply felt that being so close to Zhong Mohan was making that strange feeling rise within him again.

Seeing Wen Chengze's discomfort, Zhong Mohan did not make things difficult for him. He released Wen Chengze but continued holding his hand, quickening the pace of their shopping.

The cart was piled full, filling four entire shopping bags.

Wen Chengze had wanted to help Zhong Mohan, but the man refused. "This is barely anything. I could carry you with one arm. You don't need to help. Just watch where you're going."

The man's arm strength really was impressive. Heat rushed to Wen Chengze's ears, and he gave a soft huff before following Zhong Mohan back to the car.

This apartment was different from the place Wen Chengze had visited before. This one was on the top floor in the city center, the kind of place where every inch of land was worth a fortune.

"Can you really cook?" Watching Zhong Mohan put everything away in the refrigerator bit by bit before taking the ingredients into the kitchen, Wen Chengze asked sincerely.

"You'll find out soon. If you're bored, go watch TV. You can have a little ice cream from the fridge, but not too much."

Zhong Mohan went on and on with his reminders. Wen Chengze leaned against the kitchen doorway, and that strange feeling became even more pronounced.

A few seconds later, Wen Chengze said seriously, "If you want to sleep with me, you really don't need to go through so much trouble."