Seducing Him - Chapter 6

At dawn, the morning dew was already scorched away by the blazing sun when Ci Yiyang woke up early.

She had hand-washed all the skirts from yesterday and planned to go out today.

Before leaving, she gathered her loose hair into a bun at the back of her head, revealing a clean forehead. She put on a conservative long-sleeved dress she had worn before and asked the housekeeper where Lu Jin was.

When told he was in the small garden, she headed there first.

Although the estate was vast, it felt empty. Unlike when her mother was still alive, when warmth could be found everywhere, now the place always gave her the eerie illusion of stumbling into a vampire castle from a movie.

As was common among the wealthy, Lu Jin had refined hobbies—he loved flowers.

He not only tended to the small garden below the villa but, according to the housekeeper, also managed a large flower field elsewhere on the grounds.

Following a stone path, she soon found him.

Inside a greenhouse, the boy wore a snow-white long-sleeved outfit, holding a watering can with a long spout, carefully tending to the flowers.

Soft sunlight fell on his face, lending him a distant gentleness.

Ci Yiyang didn’t go inside. Instead, she sat beneath the grape arbor outside, tilting her head as she watched his striking profile bathed in radiant light.

Even after rain, the summer heat barely subsided. The sun might not burn quite as fiercely, but the air was still heavy and stifling.

A breeze brushed past, cooling the heat on her face—but not the restless warmth stirring in her chest.

Thankfully, she hadn’t sat long before Lu Jin finished watering the plants and walked over from the far end of the stone path.

“Lu Jin.”

Hearing her voice, he lifted his eyes.

From afar, under the grape arbor, stood the girl in a long-sleeved dress that covered everything except her delicate face and slender hands. She smiled brightly and waved at him.

He came over and sat beside her, leaning lazily against the arbor, eyes drooping with sleepiness. “Sister, why are you here?”

Seeing his weary expression and languid posture, she hesitated, unsure if he would turn her down.

Before she could answer, he cracked his eyes open, glancing sideways at her troubled little face. “Did Sister come to me for something?”

Ci Yiyang said softly, “My roommates know I didn’t go back to Hechuan and that I’m still in Jing City, so they asked me out. But it’s a bit far from here.”

Her university dorm was technically a four-person room, though only three actually lived there. The other two were locals, and hearing she hadn’t gone home, they wanted to meet up.

Normally, Ci Yiyang wasn’t fond of going out—especially in the blistering heat. Without an umbrella, the sun could roast one’s skin painfully.

But she couldn’t resist her roommates’ persistence, so she agreed. Once she agreed, the problem became how to get there.

The estate’s staff had all been replaced, the old driver included, leaving her with no one to take her.

“Lu Jin, can you find someone to drive me to this place?”

She handed him her phone with the navigation open, leaning closer so that their shoulders brushed.

He was hot to the touch.

Ci Yiyang quickly pulled away.

Lu Jin glanced at the address, then said flatly, “The driver’s on leave.”

“Ah… then what do I do?” She frowned, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the scorching sun filtered through the grapevines.

In truth, she had already asked the housekeeper and knew the driver was absent—that was why she came to him.

“How do you usually get out?” she asked, turning toward him.

Lu Jin lounged with one long leg bent, his pale skin almost sickly under the blazing light, faintly flushed at the edges.

“I drive.”

His answer was casual. “If Sister wants to go out, I’ll take you.”

“You’ll… take me?” Ci Yiyang blinked.

Did he even know how to drive?

Though doubtful, she immediately thanked him—as if afraid he might refuse if she hesitated.

“Thank you, I really appreciate it.”

Catching the gratitude in her apricot eyes, Lu Jin stood up. “Wait here. I’ll change.”

He was easily the most particular person she had ever met—changing outfits several times a day, never repeating a set.

Sometimes she even saw the housekeeper hauling away huge bags of his discarded clothes with the trash.

Following him back to the grand hall, she sat idly on the sofa scrolling through her phone while he changed.

He didn’t take long. Soon, he emerged in loose white casuals, his wolf-cut hair falling in lazy arcs, a cap and sunglasses completing the look. It didn’t come off unruly—instead, he seemed like a carefree immortal.

When they descended into the underground garage, she froze at the sight of rows of cars.

Each one was so expensive that scratching it could bankrupt an ordinary family.

She dared not even get too close.

A low-key black car stopped in front of her. Lu Jin stepped out and opened the passenger door for her.

Ci Yiyang slipped inside, noting how comfortable the seat was. She brushed her hand across it, unable to tell what kind of leather it was.

Lu Jin got in beside her, about to start the car, when he suddenly turned and asked, “Sister, are you afraid? I just got my license.”

Her hands clenched the armrest. “Then… just drive slowly.”

He chuckled but said nothing.

His start was smooth—none of the erratic excitement or nervousness of a new driver. He drove as though he had been at it for years.

Gradually, Ci Yiyang relaxed, watching the scenery fly past outside.

There was a direct road out, not the winding path she had taken on arrival, and they exited quickly.

Because the car was so valuable, other drivers kept their distance at red lights, afraid of even brushing against it.

Even normally congested roads seemed to clear for them, the journey smooth and unimpeded.

Soon, the skyline of Jing City’s largest commercial street appeared ahead.

“Which place?” Lu Jin asked, glancing over.

“Just stop somewhere nearby—I’ll walk the rest.”

She didn’t want to be seen.

His car was too conspicuous, and if her roommates—who loved talking about cars—spotted it, she wouldn’t know how to explain.

So, she got off by the roadside.

“When you’re done, send me a message,” he told her.

She nodded. “Alright.”

Watching the car pull away, she followed her navigation on foot.

Her roommates had chosen a café with private booths.

A server led her upstairs, and just as she knocked, the door opened—and she was swept into a hug.

“Yangyang, I missed you so much!”

The stylish girl with curls wore an off-shoulder crop top layered with lace shorts. Red lips puckered as she planted a kiss on Ci Yiyang’s cheek—only to be yanked back by another.

“Xiaoying, enough. People will think you’re sick.”

The one who pulled her back was Chen Yao’an—straight black hair, white blouse, black A-line skirt, exuding cold elegance.

Ming Ying reluctantly released Ci Yiyang, beckoning her over. “Come sit. I ordered your usual—milk, no sugar. It’ll be out soon.”

These two were her university roommates, both native to Jing City, though they studied different majors: Ci Yiyang in Journalism, Ming Ying in Medicine, and Chen Yao’an in Finance.

Seated on the sofa, Ci Yiyang’s white dress pooled gracefully at her feet as she quietly listened to them pick up their earlier conversation.

“That car was a unique Shadow X—only ten in the world. Look at the logo, it’s different from the standard one.”

Ming Ying adored cars, while Chen Yao’an, with her background, was keenly aware of their market value.

“That emblem is blue,” Chen Yao’an argued, shaking her head. “Blue means depreciation. My dad could even buy one—it’s only fifty million.”

“No way. The blue was just reflection—it was green when I saw it with my own eyes!” Ming Ying insisted. “Yangyang said she came from that way. Such a gorgeous car—you must have seen it too.”

She shoved her phone toward Ci Yiyang. “It looked green, didn’t it?”

The photo showed a sleek black sports car. The driver was blurry, but the pale hand resting on the wheel, with its slender knuckles, stood out.

Ci Yiyang froze. That was the very car she had just ridden in. The driver was Lu Jin. She must have been out of frame when the photo was taken.

“Don’t put Yangyang on the spot—she’s not into this stuff,” Chen Yao’an said, exasperated.

“Such a shame,” Ming Ying sighed, lowering her phone and immediately pulling up more car show photos. Her gaze lingered hungrily on the screens.

Their coffees arrived. Taking a sip of hers, Ci Yiyang gently asked, “Didn’t you say you were going to Country T this summer, Xiaoying?”

Ming Ying set her phone down, propping her cheeks with both hands as she beamed. “I knew you’d be in Jing City, so I came back just for you.”

Before the sweetness could settle, Chen Yao’an exposed her mercilessly.

“She only found out you were here a few hours ago. She came back because her advisor suddenly assigned her a research report due before term starts.”

Ming Ying clutched her head dramatically, collapsing into Ci Yiyang’s arms. “Ahhh, it hurts!”

Ci Yiyang, curious, asked, “What kind of report would make you suffer like this?”

Chen Yao’an coughed delicately. “You know she’s in medicine. Sometimes unusual conditions need to be researched, so it’s normal…”

Before she could finish, Ming Ying blurted, “The report is on ‘How long it takes a male subject to reach ejaculation.’ Tell me—how is that a human assignment?!”

Ci Yiyang: speechless.

Chen Yao’an: also speechless.

Then the two “serious ones” burst into helpless laughter, collapsing together on the sofa.

Ming Ying groaned, “You two! At least sympathize with me!”

Chen Yao’an laughed until her eyes watered. “It’s perfect for you! People say you change boyfriends like clothes—your professor must know and tailor-made this for you. Imagine you presenting it at a conference!”

Ming Ying swatted her lightly. “Hey, my image now is man-phobic, thank you very much!”

She had actually rebranded herself to pursue the Finance Department’s campus idol, even studying abroad briefly for a more virtuous image. And yet—this assignment dropped on her like a curse.

Still laughing, Chen Yao’an only egged her on further, so Ming Ying turned her sights on Ci Yiyang, clinging to her for comfort. “Yangyang, look at her! What do you think?”

Ci Yiyang straightened up, still smiling. “It really is inhumane.”

Consoled, Ming Ying finally relaxed a little.

Chen Yao’an then teased, “If the Law Department’s campus idol actually wins Yangyang over, maybe he could help you. He’s not just handsome—his proportions are legendary. But clinging to Yangyang won’t do you any good.”

Ci Yiyang had indeed drawn attention during military training. One photo of her in uniform had gone viral online, praised for her beauty and purity.

Many had flocked to her classes just to see her—some out of curiosity, some hoping to pursue her.

But after the novelty wore off, coupled with her habit of dressing conservatively, the buzz faded. Only the Law Department’s star student persisted in courting her.

Ci Yiyang disliked being linked with Jing Zuoyuan, despite rumors sparked when he once handed her water at a sports meet. To her, they were just acquaintances.

The three girls hadn’t seen each other in a long time, and now, gathered again, their chatter flowed endlessly. She also learned that not only Ming Ying but Chen Yao’an too had been suddenly recalled from abroad for research reports.

Their get-together turned into a venting session about academia.

Time slipped by. Ming Ying was soon pulled away by a call from her ex, and Chen Yao’an also had to leave.

Left alone, Ci Yiyang opened her phone to call Lu Jin—but instead, she tried sending him a message.

Since adding him, they had never exchanged a single text.

Her tentative message went unanswered.

Thinking it was just a secondary account, she deleted it without hesitation.

Carrying her bag, she returned home alone.

The hall was cold and empty—Lu Jin still hadn’t returned.

She went upstairs and changed out of her sweat-dampened dress.

Not long after, there was a knock on her door.

Adjusting her hair before the mirror, she walked over and opened it.

Standing there was the tall boy, black hair, dark eyes, his expression unreadable. He held up his phone to her face.

On the screen: a red exclamation mark. Greyed-out text.