Luo Jia found a hotel nearby on her phone, with decent reviews. She showed the screen to Zhan Jingrui.
"How about this one? It looks nice and the price is reasonable. The best part is it's close to our dorm, less than a kilometer away."
"Tiancheng Hotel, please take us here."
Just by the name, she knew it wouldn't be a good place, and being in such a bad location near their dorm only confirmed it wouldn't be a good place.
As expected, a few minutes later, Zhan Jingrui glanced at the roadside and quickly dismissed the place.
It was just a small hotel converted from a private house, incredibly ordinary, with no exterior decoration whatsoever, except for four fiery red characters on the wall: Tiancheng Hotel.
The exterior alone suggested questionable hygiene conditions. Zhan Jingrui drove straight past.
"Hey, hey, we're here! This is the place I was talking about. Stop, stop!"
Seeing that he had no intention of stopping, Luo Jia frantically patted the seat.
Zhan Jingrui thought for a moment, then drove the car back towards the hotel.
By then, the rain had lessened slightly, but it still fell persistently onto their faces.
The car stopped at the hotel entrance. Luo Jia pushed the door open and called out to He Yao.
"I'll grab one suitcase, you grab one for me. Hurry, hurry, the rain is so heavy, my clothes will be soaked soon."
With that, she tugged at the suitcase on the seat and got out.
He Yao's phone was broken and she had no money, so she had to stay with Luo Jia that night.
Hearing this, she prepared to go to the trunk to get the other suitcase. Just as her hand reached the handle, Zhan Jingrui opened it before her.
"Don't bother, I'll get it for her."
He opened the trunk, pulled out the suitcase, and pushed it to the hotel entrance, all in one smooth motion.
He Yao had only taken two steps when Zhan Jingrui turned back from the entrance, grabbed her hand, and pulled her back.
Before He Yao could even ask him what he was doing, he opened the car door and pushed her into the passenger seat.
By the time Luo Jia had brought the suitcase inside and came out to get the other one, Zhan Jingrui had already driven the car back onto the main road.
He Yao and Luo Jia made eye contact across the distance between the cars. Luo Jia was alone and furious.
"Why didn't you get out? Where are you going? He Yao, what's wrong with you? If you weren't coming in, you could have told me! Hey, where are you guys going!"
Similarly, He Yao in the car was asking Zhan Jingrui the same question.
"What are you doing? Where are you taking me?"
Zhan Jingrui drove forward, saying expressionlessly,
"Your roommate, she's so annoying, such a chatterbox. Isn't it tiresome to live with her?"
How interesting. If he found her tiresome, why not just not live with her? Did he think He Yao was some kind of pampered lady?
He Yao didn't engage with his remark and repeated, "So, where are you taking me?"
"You don't have a place to stay, do you? I'll find you a place to stay."
"My phone is broken, I can't pay."
"I didn't say you had to pay."
That was an interesting statement. If he didn't want her to pay, did he intend to pay himself?
Just because she visited his company today, he was worried about work-related injuries and was actually going to take responsibility?
He Yao wasn't even his employee. If he wanted to use their past relationship to do something, he should just say so. Did he need to beat around the bush and find excuses?
He Yao wasn't afraid of men having intentions towards her; she was afraid of them having intentions but not daring to admit it.
Their hypocrisy was disgusting.
"What are you doing, Zhan Jingrui? If I recall correctly, Chu Xi just called you ten minutes ago. She's your girlfriend now, isn't she?"
"Helping your ex-girlfriend behind your girlfriend's back. Aren't you afraid she'll get angry if she finds out?"
That provocative and casual tone successfully reminded Zhan Jingrui of the He Yao of the past.
She was still the same, relying on her youth and beauty, her many suitors, and her heartlessness.
His kindness, his lingering feelings, his inability to refuse – it was all the same as back then. In her eyes, he was clearly a sucker, a joke, a trophy for her to boast about!
She didn't deserve him to treat her this way. Why was he making this mistake again?
She was right; his girlfriend was Chu Xi.
Chu Xi, who was better than her in every way. Forgetting such a good girlfriend and getting entangled with someone so heartless, wasn't he sick?
Zhan Jingrui felt a pang of pain, and his tone turned cold.
"We only dated for three or four months. You don't even count as my ex-girlfriend."
"I told you, if something happens to you and I'm the last person to see you alive, I'll have to be summoned and cooperate with the investigation."
"I'm very busy and don't have time to deal with that, nor do I want to end up in the news or go to some unlucky place because of you. I'm simply resolving a problem for myself, so don't overthink it."
Very good.
His explanation was crystal clear.
He kept his public and private life separate. He had always distinguished them clearly. You're just a toad, He Yao, trying to eat swan meat!
He Yao's heart ached at his words, but she had to forcefully maintain her dignity.
"Since you put it that way, I feel relieved. I just hate those who pester others after breaking up."
"No need to go any further. Just nearby is fine. Find me any hotel. I don't have high demands. Find one quickly and leave. I'm very tired and don't want to be stuck in your car anymore."
Zhan Jingrui's hands trembled with anger.
He was like a dog biting Lu Dongbin, unappreciative of kindness. That's what people like He Yao were like!
He could see the sign of a chain hotel in the distance and he accelerated the car towards it.
"You can get out now."
This time, He Yao clung to her seat, unwilling to leave.
"Aren't you getting out? Since you brought me here for official reasons, you have to pay for the room, right?"
Besides, I already told you my phone is broken and I have no money. Don't you understand what that means?
Zhan Jingrui didn't mind paying for her; he just really didn't want to leave the car.
He felt too dirty and probably smelled foul.
Walking into the lobby in such a state would require too much courage for him.
But he didn't have any cash on him.
The two confronted each other in the car for a few seconds. Zhan Jingrui gritted his teeth and got out of the car.
He Yao followed him. Looking quite disheveled, they walked, one step at a time, towards the luxurious hotel reception.
Fortunately, the front desk staff were very professional and greeted them with a polite smile.
"Hello, are you here to check in?"
"That's right. Give me a king-sized bed room."
A man and a woman coming to book a king-sized bed room – anyone could guess what that meant. The receptionist continued to smile.
"Certainly, sir. We have special offer king rooms, boutique king rooms, deluxe king rooms, and standard king rooms. Which would you prefer?"
In Zhan Jingrui's dictionary, there was no concept of special offers or getting a bargain. He directly asked for the most expensive one.
"Deluxe king room. Alright. The price is one thousand three hundred and eighty-eight per night. Are you sure?"
"Sure."
"Alright, sir. Please show me your identification, and I'll process it for you now."
Zhan Jingrui had the habit of carrying his wallet. He took it out from his chest and pushed his ID card over.
The receptionist took it and politely looked at He Yao.