Chapter 117: Kicking Someone When They Are Down

The car engine roared to life, its headlights piercing the darkness. Zeng Xiaofan kept his left hand on the steering wheel while his right hand grasped Li Bixian’s. Their fingers were tightly intertwined, a firm hold of large hand over small.

Li Bixian let out a playful, coy laugh. "What are you doing?"

"Holding on so tight... it's hot, my palms are sweating."

Despite her words, she made no effort to pull her hand away. She let him hold it firmly, even increasing the pressure of her own grip. The evening breeze drifted through the car window, teasing strands of her hair. A faint smile graced both their faces as the music from the car stereo flowed out like a gentle stream:

"You ask me how deep my love is?"
"How much I love you?"
"Think about it~"
"Ask yourself~"
"The moon represents my heart..."

As he listened, Zeng Xiaofan couldn't help but hum along softly.

Li Bixian shook her head with a smile. "To think you're still a young man, how can you like such old songs? Really..."

Though she teased him, she leaned her head gently against his shoulder. With a look of sweet contentment, she listened to him sing, occasionally stealing glances at his well-defined Adam’s apple. Her legs pressed together involuntarily.

In that moment, a wave of sweetness filled their hearts. As she looked out at the winding country path, Li Bixian wished this journey could last forever and never come to an end.

But all good things must come to an end; the car eventually reached the junction near Li Bixian’s home. In the distance, they could see her family’s big yellow dog already standing at the gate, its tail wagging furiously.

Zeng Xiaofan made to keep driving, but Li Bixian bit her lip and said, "Stop the car!"

"Huh?"

"We aren't there yet, the road ahead is still driveable!"

"I’ll just take you to your doorstep," Zeng Xiaofan said with a smile.

Li Bixian’s delicate brows furrowed as she scolded, "I told you to stop, so stop! Why are you spouting so much nonsense?"

"Oh, alright then..." Zeng Xiaofan muttered, pulling the car over at the fork in the road.

Li Bixian then chided, "If you drove any further, wouldn't my parents come out?"

"Silly..." Zeng Xiaofan shrugged slightly. "If they come out, so what? I'm not afraid of them."

Li Bixian rolled her eyes at him in exasperation. "You big blockhead... such a little fool! Turn around!"

"Huh?" Zeng Xiaofan turned his head in confusion.

The moment he did, he saw Li Bixian closing her eyes and leaning in. Her red lips parted slightly, pressing against his, while her arms wrapped around his neck. Zeng Xiaofan gulped, and the two shared a gentle, lingering embrace in the car.

After a long while, Li Bixian pushed him away and hopped out to run toward her house. Left dizzy by her tender kiss, Zeng Xiaofan watched her shy, retreating figure, finally realizing why she had insisted on stopping at the junction.

On the way back, his heart was filled with sweetness.

Finally, the Tyrannosaurus pickup truck slowly pulled into Bai Qingyao’s courtyard. Although Zeng Xiaofan now had the means to build a villa and live in luxury, he had grown accustomed to the home of Auntie Yao, where he had been staying. In his heart, her house had become his second home.

Though they shared no blood relation, he had long ago come to view her family as his own. Recently, due to Uncle Changgui’s strong insistence and a variety of circumstances, he and Auntie Yao had become intimate. Yet, this new bond hadn't made things awkward; instead, it had only drawn them closer.

Just as the car came to a stop, he heard cries for help from the yard!

"Help!!! Xiaofan!! Come quickly!!! Help!!!"

Hearing Bai Qingyao’s frantic screams, Zeng Xiaofan panicked and leaped from the car, sprinting toward the sound.

The night was pitch black, and the yard was shrouded in shadows. Dimly, he made out two snow-white legs dangling from the well. The pleas for help were coming from inside. Startled, he rushed over and grabbed her legs, which were suspended in mid-air, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Phew! You scared me to death..."

"Auntie Yao, what happened? How did you fall in? Why did you open the well cover?"

As he muttered, he looked down and his handsome face instantly flushed crimson. Inside the rim of the well, Bai Qingyao was hanging upside down. Her dress was sliding down, threatening a wardrobe malfunction. In a split second, Zeng Xiaofan blew a sharp breath of air, causing the fabric to flutter back up. With one hand holding the dress and the other gripping her legs, he managed to pull her up without any further exposure.

Bai Qingyao seemed to sense his tension, and amidst her embarrassment, she frowned and