"Teacher Shen, thank you. Thank you so much..." Chen Mu broke off when he realized someone else was sitting in the car.
Chu Yilan's dark eyes were unfathomable. He showed no aggression, yet Chen Mu inexplicably felt as though he had been seen through, inside and out.
The man was extraordinarily handsome, his bearing composed yet intimidating. After just two seconds of eye contact, Chen Mu unconsciously straightened his back.
Shen Lian gave Chu Yilan a light nudge with his elbow.
Chu Yilan looked away and turned toward the window without a word.
"That's just how he is. He doesn't mean any harm." Shen Lian continued, "Where do you live?"
Chen Mu hastily said, "You can just drop me off at any intersection. I live quite far from here, so I won't trouble you, Teacher Shen."
Shen Lian said, "It's no trouble."
Chen Mu insisted, "Really, there's no need. You've already helped me twice today, Teacher Shen."
Chen Mu spoke gently and calmly, with genuine humility and a clear sense of boundaries. Hearing his insistence, Shen Lian had the driver stop beside a bus stop.
After getting out, Chen Mu looked back at him with earnest sincerity. "Teacher Shen, if you ever need me for anything, please get in touch."
They hadn't exchanged contact details. Chen Mu had left the choice entirely to Shen Lian. Asking himself might have made his motives seem less than pure, whereas it would be easy for Shen Lian to contact him if he wanted to.
Shen Lian said, "All right. Get home safely."
"I will. Goodbye, Teacher Shen." Chen Mu nodded to Chu Yilan as well. "Goodbye, sir."
As the car drove away, Shen Lian saw in the rearview mirror that Chen Mu had caught the next bus just in time.
Shen Lian said,