Meilin sat quietly in the back seat of the sleek black van, her heart fluttering in anticipation. She had given her driver the address earlier, and now they were on the way to Jiang Xun’s house.

Meilin had never gone to a guy's house before and this was the first time violating that rule. She felt both fear and anticipation. As if he could sense her thoughts, her phone suddenly lit up with his name.

“Hey,” he greeted gently.

“H–Hey… good day,” she replied, her voice a bit unsure, fingers nervously toying with the hem of her skirt.

“How are you, bae? Done with school already?”

She nodded instinctively, even though he couldn’t see her. “I’m on my way now.”

“Okay, dear. I’m waiting. Stay safe, okay?”

“Sure. Bye.”

She ended the call and let out a breath, brushing her fingers through her hair. The city passed by in a blur—towering buildings, winding roads, trees waving in the breeze. But her mind lingered on Li Nian’s words.

You don’t really know anything about Jiang Xun…

It was true. They’d only started dating about three weeks ago. He was charming, confident, and so easy to talk to. Meilin didn’t have much experience with love or relationships. Her mother had always been too busy to teach her these things,too busy to even be there.

So when someone finally gave her attention, she embraced it.

But still… there was something about Jiang Xun she hadn’t yet figured out.

The car pulled up in front of a pristine white two-story building. It shimmered in the afternoon sun like something out of a real estate ad,so majestic and modern.

Meilin stepped out with her bag and turned to her driver. “You can head back, Uncle Qiao. I’ll be fine.”

He nodded. “Alright, Miss Meilin. Call me if you need anything.”

She adjusted her skirt and walked up to the gate, knocking lightly. A few seconds later, the huge door creaked open,not by a house assistant, but by a group of three boys who looked about Jiang Xun’s age. They were laughing among themselves, the faint smell of cigarettes clinging to their clothes.

As soon as they spotted her, their conversation halted. Their gazes slid over her from head to toe, lingering far too long on her figure. One of them smirked, elbowing the other.

“Well, well… no wonder Xun’s been busy,” one muttered under his breath, loud enough for her to hear.

Meilin froze, clutching her bag tighter. Their eyes were shameless, bold, and crawling across her skin in a way that made her stomach twist.

Another boy chuckled. “He’s got good taste, I’ll give him that.”

Her cheeks burned hot with discomfort, but she forced herself to straighten her back and say nothing. This was Jiang Xun’s home, his friends. She didn’t want to cause trouble or embarrass him.

They finally stepped aside, still smirking, as if in on some private joke she wasn’t sure of. As they walked off, one of them glanced back at her with a knowing grin that sent a chill down her spine.

She exhaled shakily, willing her nerves to settle. Don’t overthink it, Meilin, she told herself. They’re just immature boys. Trust Jiang Xun.

Pushing the uneasy feeling aside, she walked through the gate and headed to the inner gate. She could see some flower hedges, a little parking lot and huge sit-out,most likely for visitors and little parties.She adjusted her skirt and knocked on the second gate. A few seconds later, a young house assistant opened up.

“Hi. I’m here to see Jiang Xun.”

“Oh, Miss Lin Meilin? He’s been waiting for you. Please come in.”

Meilin stepped into the large compound, her eyes scanning the surroundings. She loved the minimalist style,it was a modern building- not too grand, just simple.

She made her way to the main door and knocked lightly. Almost immediately, the door swung open, revealing Jiang Xun dressed casually in a white long sleeve shirt, light blue jeans, and a black jacket.

“Hey,” he greeted with a warm smile.

“Hey,” she replied, returning the smile.

“You’re here already. Please come in.”

She stepped into the luxurious living room and dropped her school bag on the couch.

“So, how was school today?” he asked, settling beside her and casually throwing his arm around her shoulder.

“Same as always.”

He chuckled. “That sounds boring. But thanks for coming.”

She gave a small smile and looked around.“Yeah. Are your parents around?”

“Nope. They’ve already left for work.”

“Really? Where do they work?"

Jiang Xun sighed. “That’s not important. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be right back.”

“Oh,okay” she adjusted her skirt again.

“Are you fine?” Jiang Xun noticed she didn't seem fine and turned her cheeks to look at him.

Meilin wasn't sure if it was necessary but she didn't know how to ignore something that upset her.

“Well…were those your friends earlier?”

Jiang Xun wondered why she asked out of the blue. “Yesss, why?”

Then she told me what transpired and how she felt about it. After hearing about it,Jiang Xun just laughed it off, telling her to ignore them. Meilin felt somehow offended.

“That's all you're going to say?” She looked at him in surprise. Meilin didn't have any experience but she felt like he should be more offended on her behalf because of the disgusting manner she was ogled or at least try to caution his friends but he just shrugged it off like it was nothing.

“What else should I say? They are always like that. Should I caution them?” Jiang Xun looked at her in curious amusement.

That line ‘always like that’ rang in her mind and she didn't answer his question, just stared at him blankly.

Seeing that she wasn't saying anything,he rubbed her cheek. “Just ignore them,it's not big of an issue,okay?”