"Oh? No, I'm just focusing on driving," Li Ming wiped the sweat from his palms, answering with a composed expression.
"Oh~ I thought Big Brother Li hated me," Wang Keyan tilted her body, scrutinizing Li Ming's face for any telltale signs.
"Hahaha, how could that be? Why would I hate you? That’s nonsense!" Li Ming laughed awkwardly, trying to brush it off.
"Big Brother Li…"
"Did you know… when someone lies and feels guilty, their first reaction is to let out an awkward 'hahaha' laugh?!"
Wang Keyan gave him a resentful look. She wasn’t stupid—why did Big Brother Li always treat her like a child to be fooled?
"Uh… cough! I’m really not lying. Why would I hate you?" Li Ming quickly dropped the forced laughter and put on a serious face.
"Oh~ But you weren’t like this before! Ever since you got out of prison, you’ve seemed… different! Like… a stranger!"
Wang Keyan frowned, continuing to stare at him with that same wounded expression.
"Huh? I’ve always been like this. Then tell me, what was I like before?" Li Ming thought to himself—how was this girl so sharp? Had she really noticed the change already?
Hearing this, Wang Keyan huffed and adjusted her seat back, making room to stretch her legs.
Then, slowly, she kicked off her shoes!
Li Ming noticed her movements and panicked—what was this girl up to now?!
Before he could stop her—
Wang Keyan swiftly peeled off her socks, revealing a pair of slender, fair legs, which she then boldly propped up against the car’s windshield!
"Hey! Keyan! What are you doing?!"
Li Ming couldn’t stay calm anymore and immediately spoke up.
"Big Brother Li, my feet feel stuffy. I just want to air them out a bit. Don’t mind me~ My feet don’t smell!"
Wang Keyan grinned mischievously, secretly pleased at how flustered Li Ming looked.
Seems like she still had some charm—Big Brother Li couldn’t resist sneaking glances.
Still playing it cool, huh? Let’s see how long you can keep that up! Wang Keyan giggled inwardly.
"Cough… How about I turn on the AC for you?"
Li Ming forced himself to look away—if he kept staring, things would get dangerous. This girl was utterly reckless! Sometimes timid as a mouse, other times bold beyond belief—where did she even get the nerve?
"No~ I just want to air them out! Big Brother Li… my feet are so cold. If you won’t let me sun them… then… maybe you could warm them up for me?"
Wang Keyan’s cheeks flushed slightly as she crossed her long legs, inching them even closer to Li Ming.
Now, with Li Ming having to focus on driving, her legs and feet were right in his line of sight—he couldn’t avoid looking even if he tried!
Her toes were delicate and perfectly rounded, the pink nails neatly trimmed, practically glowing under the sunlight.
Her slender ankles looked almost fragile, the skin so fair that faint blue veins peeked through, drawing Li Ming’s gaze like a magnet.
For a moment, he was completely entranced—but he was still driving! He couldn’t afford to lose focus. Damn it, this girl really doesn’t know the effect she has on people!
Li Ming knew he couldn’t keep looking—this was trouble. Gritting his teeth, he bit down hard on his tongue!
Hiss!—
The sharp pain jolted through him, instantly cooling the heat rushing to his head.
Li Ming exhaled slowly before finally speaking up.
"Keyan! Don’t be like this. You’re a grown woman now! You can’t just let anyone warm your feet! People will misunderstand! And men and women shouldn’t be too intimate—you have to protect yourself. Men can be really bad, really perverted. If you’re not careful, some creep might take advantage of you. Your mom would be so worried!"
He pleaded with her earnestly.
The truth was, he didn’t want anything to happen between them. Her mother, Wang Xin, wouldn’t mind him being with any other woman—but her daughter? Absolutely off-limits! If Wang Xin ever found out, the consequences would be unthinkable.
But Wang Keyan didn’t react the way he expected. Instead of stopping, she only grew bolder.
"Big Brother Li! I’m not a kid anymore. Of course I know all that! But… but you’re not a bad guy! I don’t care if people misunderstand… and~ I like it when you look at me… Every time you sneak a glance… it makes me… it makes me feel all tingly… I… I like… when you look at me like that…"
By the time she finished, her face was burning red—but this time, she didn’t hide it. Instead, she stared at Li Ming’s profile with a mix of shyness and determination.
Wang Keyan had laid her feelings bare without hesitation.
But Li Ming—
"Holy— You… this… this… kids these days!" Li Ming’s face suddenly turned even redder than hers, if that was possible.
This is what a 20-year-old girl is like?! The sheer audacity! How can she just say these things out loud?!
He wasn’t that much older than Wang Keyan—had the gap between them really grown that wide in just a few years?
Li Ming wanted to howl at the sky—What the hell did I miss out on?!
His mind was in chaos, his entire worldview shaken. And yet, Wang Keyan was still staring at him expectantly, waiting for an answer!
His brain worked overtime, scrambling for a response that wouldn’t hurt her but could still smooth things over.
"K-Keyan… you’ve really got the wrong idea. I wasn’t… I wasn’t sneaking looks!" Li Ming decided to stick to denial—if he refused to admit it, then it never happened!
"Oh… so you were looking openly then?" Wang Keyan tilted her head, lips quirking in amusement, her eyes practically spelling out "Are you kidding me?"
"Cough cough!… cough!" Li Ming choked on his own saliva, coughing violently.
Seeing his flustered state, Wang Keyan let out a soft, bashful laugh.
She shook her head and spoke in a gentle murmur.
"Big Brother Li… I’m actually a pretty good student. I pick things up quickly, and I’m not clumsy at all. I can draw—I taught myself! I’ve also learned some dancing. And I can cook—my fried rice is really tasty."
"Big Brother Li, the reason I’m telling you all this is because…"
"I want you to know… I understand everything. I’m not a child anymore. I… like… when you look at me… at my… feet…"