Approaching so closely, it was obvious he had ill intentions. He quickened his pace and called out, "Baobao."
Wen Xuanyuan thought she was hearing things. She turned to ask Qiao Xinyue, "Did I just hear Li Bowen calling me?"
Qiao Xinyue shrugged and replied, "You miss him so much that you're hallucinating!"
"Baobao!"
This time, Li Bowen came closer, his voice clearer.
Even Zhou Tian turned his head.
A joy surged within Wen Xuanyuan. She turned back and indeed saw the familiar face. She blinked, confirming she wasn't mistaken.
Happiness washed over her. She let out a happy shout, then released the hand she was holding and ran towards him.
"Li Bowen, you're back."
Seeing the girl rushing towards him, Li Bowen instinctively opened his arms.
The girl leaped onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck and skillfully hooking her legs around his waist.
Li Bowen held her up, and they gazed at each other. Their breaths mingled, close enough to feel on their faces, the familiar scent filling them both.
Li Bowen stared into her sparkling eyes, his gaze darkening. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he couldn't resist pecking her red lips.
They kissed passionately, completely oblivious to the crowds passing by.
Zhou Tian's face turned ashen, his eyes blazing as if he could spit fire.
But he knew she had already said she had a boyfriend. So it was true, and he had been deluding himself.
He turned and left silently, unable to resist glancing back at the kissing couple, his eyes filled with profound sadness.
"Stop looking. No matter how much you look, they won't be yours."
Qiao Xinyue left with him, a fond smile on her face, completely sated by the public display of affection and feeling incredibly envious.
Zhou Tian forced a smile and said, "Then, shall I escort you home?"
Qiao Xinyue naturally declined, but Zhou Tian insisted it wouldn't be gentlemanly to let a girl go home alone.
She had no choice but to accept, reasoning that there would be no future interactions anyway.
As he kissed her, Li Bowen glanced at Zhou Tian's retreating back, a hint of a smile in his eyes.
After a long while, they finally broke apart. Wen Xuanyuan's face was flushed. Being in public, she felt a bit shy. She pulled Li Bowen away quickly.
Once they were in the car, she finally breathed a sigh of relief but still covered her face, too embarrassed to look at him.
For some reason, she felt a little shy seeing Li Bowen this time.
Was this the feeling of reunited lovers?
Li Bowen looked at her bashful expression, his eyes burning with desire. But he could only look now and not touch, a sensation that tormented him.
He wished time would speed up, so that after Wen Xuanyuan graduated from college, he could truly have her.
It wasn't just women who needed security; men did too. The thought of the man who had been eyeing her greedily earlier made him feel uneasy.
He didn't start the car immediately. Instead, he turned to the person in the passenger seat and asked with a hint of grievance, "Was the man next to you earlier chasing you?"
Wen Xuanyuan turned to look at him, blinking. "How did you know?"
"I could tell," Li Bowen said, looking at her with a pout. He coaxed her, "They all have ulterior motives. You can't let them get close to you next time, understand?"
Wen Xuanyuan smiled, her bright eyes full of mischief.
"Are you jealous?"
Li Bowen met her gaze directly. "Yes, I'm afraid Baobao won't want me anymore."
"Oh, how could that be?" Wen Xuanyuan looked at his pitiful expression, her heart melting.
Li Bowen, with his strong possessiveness, declared, "Then you're not allowed to let any other guys get close to you from now on!"
"Got it," Wen Xuanyuan said, sounding a little helpless. "I've clearly told that Zhou Tian several times that I have a boyfriend, but he just didn't believe me."
Hearing her say this, Li Bowen felt much better, but he also started to scheme.
To prevent his wife from being snatched away, he decided he would visit her school often, so everyone would know she was taken.
He changed the subject. "What do you want to eat tonight? Let's go for a late-night snack."
Wen Xuanyuan blurted out, "The street behind the school, the paradise of food!"
Li Bowen nodded. "Okay, I'll listen to you. Oh, right, call your parents and let them know."
"Mhm."
Wen Xuanyuan sent them a message, telling them she would be back late after having a late-night snack with Li Bowen, assuring them not to worry.
Her parents naturally didn't object, only asking her to be home before ten o'clock.
They got out of the car and walked to the street behind the school.
The street was bustling with activity. Food stalls lined both sides of the road, with students from Nan Jia University and nearby residents coming and going.
Many couples walked hand in hand, showing great affection.
Li Bowen had hardly ever been to such places, but for him, it was a novel experience.
Wen Xuanyuan pulled him along, and they first stopped at a stinky tofu stall.
The owner was an elderly woman. Her food cart was spotlessly clean, and a peculiar, pungent odor wafted from it.
Li Bowen frowned, finding the smell overwhelming.
"Grandma, one order of stinky tofu."
The old woman skillfully fried cubes of tofu and asked as she worked, "Spicy?"
"Yes, mild spicy is fine."
Li Bowen stood beside her, his brow furrowed.
He wondered how anyone could eat something so smelly.
Wen Xuanyuan, oblivious to his expression, said excitedly, "Grandma's chili is especially hot. Her mild spicy is equivalent to other people's extra spicy. I don't even dare to try her extra spicy."
Li Bowen hesitated, but seeing Wen Xuanyuan's enthusiastic look, he didn't say anything to dampen her spirits.
From her demeanor, she must have eaten here many times.
Soon, the stinky tofu was ready.
It cost five yuan for seven pieces of stinky tofu in a small paper box.
Li Bowen scanned the QR code and paid. Wen Xuanyuan eagerly picked up a skewer and popped a piece into her mouth.
The skin was crispy, and with the first bite, spicy sauce exploded, mixed with some pickled vegetables inside.
It smelled bad but tasted incredibly fragrant.
Wen Xuanyuan closed her eyes in enjoyment and immediately put another piece into her mouth. Stinky tofu was best eaten hot.
Her cheeks puffed out, but she still remembered to offer some to Li Bowen.
Li Bowen looked at the dark, chili-covered food with no appetite.
Wen Xuanyuan really wanted him to try it, believing that once he tasted this delicacy, he would fall in love with it.
"Try it, please. It's really delicious, really."
Hearing her somewhat pleading voice, Li Bowen couldn't resist.
His features contorted uncontrollably, but he obediently took a small bite.
Spicy! Spicy! Spicy!
That was the only sensation he registered.
His face immediately turned red, but he dared not admit it.
Actually, apart from the spiciness, it tasted quite good, with a crispy bite.
And this was just mild spicy; he couldn't even imagine extra spicy.
Wen Xuanyuan looked at him expectantly.
Li Bowen, with a straight face, said, "Delicious."