The car door had trapped Ke Teng's leg, and Jian Fei, afraid of injuring him further, instantly released the force on her hand.
Ke Teng seized the opportunity, pulled the door open, squeezed inside, nudged her further in, and then closed the door.
"Alright, let's go."
She hadn't expected him to squeeze into her taxi.
Jian Fei was speechless for a moment, then asked him, "Go where? Where are you going?"
Ke Teng lost his pitiful demeanor, instead showing off smugly, "Wherever you go, I go."
"I'm going home. Are you going to follow me home too?"
"What's wrong with that? You lived at my place for so long, can't I stay at yours for a couple of days?"
"Besides, you know I have no home to go back to."
Having no home to return to wasn't his fault, so why should he impose on her?
Just as Jian Fei was about to voice her protest, Ke Teng's gaze fell upon the food in her hands.
He reached into the family bucket, grabbed a chicken drumstick, and took a crunchy bite.
So fragrant!
"I'm starving. I haven't eaten properly all day."
"Are you going to eat it or not? If not, give it to me. And that cola, I'm so thirsty, give it to me."
Trying to act shamelessly towards her?
Jian Fei wasn't someone who could be easily imposed upon.
Seeing him like a hungry ghost, asking for food and drink, with nowhere to go this late, she figured he hadn't managed to contact his friends.
She secretly formed a plan.
"Haven't eaten all day? Didn't you look for your friends?"
Ke Teng finished the chicken drumstick in a few bites and then reached inside for some popcorn chicken.
"Since I said I'd be self-reliant, I definitely won't look for them. But you're different, I never said I wouldn't look for you. Moreover, you delivered yourself right to my doorstep."
Jian Fei silently rolled her eyes at him in her mind.
"Don't rush, no one's going to snatch you away. Since you're so hungry, I'll treat you to something."
She gave him a restaurant address.
It was a hot pot restaurant not too far from her place.
Since someone was treating, it would be foolish not to eat. The taxi quickly took them to their destination.
It was as if he hadn't eaten all day, but rather all year.
Ke Teng was so hungry now he could eat a whole cow.
The aroma from what he normally considered a cheap, run-down establishment now smelled like paradise.
After they were seated, Ke Teng unceremoniously ordered a large spread of dishes.
Jian Fei calculated the prices, feeling her heart bleed, and sat opposite him, watching him quietly.
Soon, the soup base arrived, and Ke Teng began to put dishes into it.
He ate and drank by himself, feasting heartily.
Jian Fei sat and watched him for over ten minutes, then suddenly received a phone call.
She answered the call and left her seat.
By the time Ke Teng had eaten his fill, he waited at the spot for over ten minutes, but she still hadn't returned.
The side dishes were all gone, and the soup base was still bubbling away. A waiter came over and asked if he wanted more soup.
Ke Teng refilled it twice, but Jian Fei still hadn't come back.
By the time all the other customers in the restaurant had left, and only he remained.
Even if Ke Teng were dumber, he would know that Jian Fei, the heartless one, had abandoned him and left alone.
Knowing he had not a penny on him, she had still abandoned him and left alone.
If Ke Teng were a naive fool, unaware of the implications of leaving himself with no way out, thinking about what would happen next due to the bill would make one's scalp tingle with embarrassment.
However, he walked with an air of nonchalance, showing no fear at all.
Because he was prepared, Jian Fei would definitely return.
Indeed, as he expected.
After he had refilled the soup twice, and all the waiters in the room, whether near or far, standing or sitting, were secretly observing him.
Jian Fei returned.
Compared to his leisurely contentment, Jian Fei was much more furious.
She strode over to him, sat down indignantly, and extended her hand.
"Did you take my keys? When did you touch my bag?"
Ke Teng glanced at her and slowly took out a set of keys from under the table, dangling them in his palm.
"Are you talking about this?"
Shameless!
Such a grown man, the young master of the illustrious Ke family, actually stole things from a woman's bag!
Ke Teng seemed to possess mind-reading abilities.
"I knew you weren't that kind-hearted. You invited me to dinner with ulterior motives, didn't you?"
"Stop giving me that look. We're both equally despicable, calling it six of one, half a dozen of the other."
"If you want your keys back, you'll have to pay the bill."
It was so late, and if she didn't get her house keys back, she would have nowhere to stay tonight. Moreover, she would have to get new keys made tomorrow.
Although Jian Fei was unwilling, she still paid the bill for him.
As they walked out, Ke Teng followed closely behind her.
Jian Fei was extremely impatient.
"Since you declared to your father that you wanted to forge your own path, you need to learn to be independent. What is this following me around?"
"Can't be helped, it was all your brilliant idea. I'm too poor to even afford a meal, how can I talk about starting a business?"
"...You're not actually thinking of asking me for money, are you?"
"That's not it. Judging by your usual attire, you don't seem like a wealthy person."
Ke Teng truly didn't see her as a woman, showing no regard for her pride.
"Let's get something to eat and get a good night's sleep first. We'll talk tomorrow when I'm refreshed. I won't cling to you."
"Could it be that there's a man at your place, making it inconvenient for me to go?"
Who knew if what he said was true or false. Jian Fei sneered.
"Yes, there's a man at my place, and it's inconvenient for you to come."
Ke Teng brought his face closer, looking at her at close range, their lips almost touching.
Jian Fei's heart pounded wildly, ready to question him about what he was doing.
Ke Teng suddenly smirked.
"Whether it's convenient for you or not, I'm going even if I have to kick your husband out. Or, you give me money so I can stay in a hotel. You're the one who got me into this mess, you need to take responsibility for me."
The apartment Jian Fei rented was in an old neighborhood. There was no elevator, and the room was on the fifth floor.
They walked up and opened the door to a small apartment of just over 30 square meters.
She first showed him the kitchen, then the bathroom, and finally the bedroom.
Jian Fei said, "The whole place combined isn't as big as a single bathroom in your house. Why bother leaving a good life to squeeze onto my floor?"
"Young Master Ke, if all else fails, why don't you apologize to your father..."
Although her place was small, it had a girl's unique fragrance.
And all the furniture was in beige tones, making it look quite cozy.
Ke Teng refused to leave. "A sparrow may be small, but it has all its vital organs."
"Don't worry, I can endure hardships."
Jian Fei: "...I only have one bed..."
"I have many beds at my place. Didn't you stay in my room every day? Just like before, I'll sleep on the bed, you sleep on the floor."
Ke Teng interrupted her.
"I won't stay at your place for too long, just half a month."
"What?"
"Didn't you say it would take a month for me to fully recover? There's half a month left. After half a month, whether my business succeeds or not, don't worry, I won't linger a second longer."
Having said that, he lowered his head and sniffed his clothes, smelling of hot pot broth.
"Do you want to take a shower first? If not, I'll go."
Fine.
After all, they had spent plenty of time alone together at his place before, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about. If he wanted to stay, let him.
Jian Fei sighed inwardly, "Go ahead, go ahead."