Living With a Temperamental Adonis: 99 Proclamations of Love

”Su Zhinian, I have a favor to ask…”

…

When Song Qingchun exited the door, she could see Su Zhinian’s car parked not far away.

She walked over to it and knocked on his window. However, the window remained shut.

Su Zhinian’s car windows were so tinted that Song Qingchun had to practically stick her face onto the glass before she could see Su Zhinian sitting in the driver’s seat, enraptured by something on his phone with his head lowered.

However, she was unable to make out the content that had captured his attention. His usually placid face was suffused with a warm glow like he was remembering something new and happy from his past.

Song Qingchun knocked on the window again, and when she saw Su Zhinian still gave zero response, she pulled on the car door. The door was locked, so Song Qingchun had no choice but to give Su Zhinian a call.

Song Qingchun could hear the sound of music drifting out of the window. It wasn’t particularly clear, but she could filter out a few words. ”The person hiding in my memories… if we meet again in the crowd…”

Su Zhinian didn’t answer his phone but turned to look out the window. Then, he raised his hand to unlock the door.

Song Qingchun pulled the door open, and she hear Su Zhinian’s ringtone more clearly. ”The person hiding in my memories; Thank you for completing my youth; Thank you for your once sincerity; Thank you for teaching me how to love…”

Song Qingchun found both the song lyric and melody exceptionally touching. She glanced subconsciously toward Su Zhinian’s phone, but before her eyes could land on his phone display, the call was cut off, and the screen returned to the home page. Then, she looked on as he pocketed his phone with a face devoid of emotion.

As Song Qingchun pulled on her seatbelt, she asked, ”How did you manage to come so fast? Were you around the area when I called?”

”Yes,” Su Zhinian answered as he started the engine.

Su Zhinian’s company and home were on the western side of town, and Song Qingchun’s house was on the southern side. Most of Su Zhinian’s area of activity limited itself to the western side of town. She was about to ask why he was around her house when she saw the stack of documents and laptop lying on the backseat through the rear-view mirror. Therefore, her question changed. ”Did you have a business meeting somewhere nearby?”

Who would schedule a business meeting during Chinese New Year? The only reason I’m here is for you. Su Zhinian answered with a half-hearted ”hmm” after a pause.

”But isn’t it the New Year holiday? Why do you keep yourself so busy?” Song Qingchun stopped because she realized Su Zhinian wasn’t looking particularly hale.

It had only been five days since they had parted during the afternoon of Lunar New Year’s Eve, but he looked thinner and so much more tired than before. His face was pale in a sickly kind of way.

Song Qingchun frowned and asked, ”…You’re sick?”

Su Zhinian was rattled because he didn’t expect her to see through him so easily. He was unresponsive for a long time before nodding slightly. ”Hmm.”

After a while, he added, ”Just a minor fever.”

”It’s bad to get fever during the winter. Did you go to the hospital? Get a shot? Have you taken your medicine?”

Song Qingchun’s series of concern-filled questions surprised Su Zhinian. After a delayed moment, he glanced at her through the rear-view mirror.