Do you mind?

Of course, at present, it seemed his love was unrequited.

Wen Ce had always been very intelligent. His IQ was as high as 158, according to the test he had taken when he first started the job. Uncle Chou had even joked that with a little effort, he might reach 160, just like Einstein.

But geniuses were not all-powerful. For instance, right now, Wen Ce felt that if romance were scored out of a hundred, he probably would not even get thirty.

Seeing him staring at her without saying anything, Luo Lianqing waved a hand in front of his eyes. "Did waiting in this heat fry your brain?"

Wen Ce reached out and caught her waving hand, then quickly let go. "No, but your hand's a little cold. The air conditioning in the office was set too low."

The hand he had held and released curled slightly at Luo Lianqing's side. Wen Ce really was different today, from the way he had just looked at her to those little physical gestures.

It left Luo Lianqing unable to stop her thoughts from wandering.

Wen Ce turned around. "Let's go. Supermarket or market?"

"Market?" Luo Lianqing put her little thoughts aside, somewhat surprised. "There's a market around here?"

Wen Ce thought, I forgot she doesn't know how to cook at all.

"There is. It's not far from the residential complex. It's still early today, so we can have a look around the market." As he spoke, he looked down at Luo Lianqing's shoes, which had a bit of a heel. Though they were not high, having just seen Qin Yanran twist her ankle still made him a little worried. "Do you want to go back and change your shoes?"

Luo Lianqing looked at her shoes and blinked. "Are these unsuitable?"

"Yes. The roads over there aren't as easy to walk on. I'm worried you'll twist your ankle." Wen Ce nodded.

Luo Lianqing immediately thought of Qin Yanran, who had just twisted her ankle, and then of what Wen Ce had said earlier.

She was a sensitive, thoughtful person to begin with, and ordinarily would not ask questions that put people on the spot.

Whether it was because Wen Ce was too gentle today or because it really was weighing too heavily on her mind, Luo Lianqing suddenly looked straight at him and asked, "Aren't you going to check on Qin Yanran?"

By now, they had taken a few steps forward and were no longer beneath the shade of the trees. The sun was rather harsh.

Wen Ce had already noticed that her face was a little red. Her skin is so delicate, he thought. He had accidentally touched her face before; it was soft, smooth, and tender. Just this little bit of sun had turned it red.

He glanced at Luo Lianqing, then looked away. "Do you want me to go?"

Luo Lianqing froze for a moment, not knowing why the question had come back to her. Still, she followed him for a couple of steps. "I was asking you."

"Oh. Then I don't want to go." Wen Ce's tone was very mild. "You heard what I said?"

Luo Lianqing gave a quiet hum of assent. "The part about how miserable it is to like you?"

Wen Ce laughed, and the two walked on, one behind the other.

He turned his head slightly to glance at her lowered little head. "Yes, but there was something else I didn't say, because I didn't think there was any need to tell them."

"If she were someone I liked, I'd lay my heart bare for her and treat her well. I'd give her the best things in the world."

Carried by the hot summer wind, Wen Ce's voice drifted into Luo Lianqing's ears, then seemed to travel straight through them into her heart.

She suddenly raised her head and met his eyes again. This time, she could feel their tenderness even through his glasses. Her soft pink lips moved. She badly wanted to ask, If there's no need to tell them, why are you telling me?

Am I different?

But before she could ask, Wen Ce looked away, leaving her with, "There's no need to tell them, but I don't want a misunderstanding. I just wanted to tell you this."

"Come on. Let's go back and change your shoes."

Luo Lianqing stood where she was, watching his retreating figure. His shoulders were held very straight, without the slouch she saw in other boys, and without their casual ease.

It gave Luo Lianqing the feeling that Wen Ce was carrying a heavy burden, one that forced him to keep his back straight.

Yet she also felt that this thought had come out of nowhere.

"Hmm? Aren't you coming?" The boy ahead stopped and turned back, looking at her in some puzzlement.

Luo Lianqing let out an "Ah." "Coming, but there's no need to go back and change shoes."

Watching her jog over, Wen Ce kept worrying that she would twist her ankle.

His eyelid twitched nonstop.

Fortunately, no such accident happened.

She patted her fairly large bag. "I have flats in my bag."

Wen Ce had not expected that. He glanced at her bag. "Why do you carry two pairs of shoes?"

Luo Lianqing pulled a long face. "I actually always wanted to wear flats, but the teachers in the office said my face looked too young and I didn't have enough presence, so heels would be better. That's why I wear heels whenever there's a meeting."

Then she blinked at Wen Ce. "Don't I have a lot more presence? They also told me not to smile all the time. I have to keep up the appearance of a teacher, or they won't listen to me..."

At this point, her voice was full of distress. "But I really like smiling. I'm used to it..."

"You look lovely when you smile. Smile if you like," Wen Ce suddenly said. He looked around. There was a milk tea shop ahead, with tables and chairs outside. "Want to change your shoes over there? If you don't like wearing them, you don't have to next time."

"I always changed in the office before coming out, but today I was worried you'd be waiting too long." As she spoke, Luo Lianqing passed him and headed toward the milk tea shop.

Since it was still early, there were hardly any people on the road.

It was not lunchtime yet, the students had not come out, and the shop was not open either.

After sitting down, Luo Lianqing took a pair of white canvas shoes out of her bag.

Then Wen Ce watched her pull her small, fair, tender foot out of her high heel.

Unable to control his gaze, he followed the perfect lines upward from her fair, tender foot...

She lifted her foot gently, the lines of her calf muscles tightening a little. She slipped a black sock over that small, fair foot, then slid it into the white shoe.

Her seated position made her movements awkward.

She was also outside, and her skirt was a little short, so she had to make sure she did not expose herself.

Luo Lianqing regretted wearing such tight-fitting clothes today. This was so awkward.

Just then, Wen Ce suddenly crouched down and drew her ankle forward. "I'll tie your shoelaces. Your clothes make it difficult."

A little at a loss, Luo Lianqing let go and sat up straight.

She watched Wen Ce crouch in front of her, his long, beautiful hands settling on the laces and deftly tying a bow.

His hands are so beautiful.

Luo Lianqing thought in a slight daze.

Then she remembered that her other foot was still in a high heel. "Wait a moment..."

Wen Ce gently rested his hand on her left ankle, which was still in a high heel, and looked up at her. "Do you mind? If not, I'll help you change. Your clothes and skirt..."

His gaze swept over the short skirt, which had already ridden above her knees, and darkened slightly.