"Alright, I understand," Li Bowen agreed without hesitation.
It was indeed a bit worrying for a young woman to be on such a deserted road.
After the call ended, Xia Wantang finally felt relieved.
Li Bowen seemed like a steady person; with him around, there was little to worry about.
"You're busy, I won't disturb you anymore," Xia Wantang turned and left the study.
Ling Yucheng did not ask her to stay, as he still had many things to attend to.
Returning to his desk, he transformed back into the cold and ruthless CEO.
Xia Wantang went back to the living room downstairs and called Wen Xuanyuan again, telling her that Li Bowen would come to help her.
Wen Xuanyuan was silent for a moment on the other end of the line, perhaps thinking about something.
After a long pause, she finally said, "I know."
...
At this time, the sun was at its peak, so strong that it made people feel dizzy. Even the flowers and grass along the roadside were wilting under the heat.
Wen Xuanyuan raised her hand to wipe away sweat, squinting her eyes slightly and tilting her head up. The sun was too glaring to look at directly.
Waves of heat surged, making everything in front of her seem to warp.
She took refuge under the shade of a tree, yet she was still incredibly hot.
Taking a deep breath, Wen Xuanyuan plucked a leaf from the roadside and fanned herself, finally feeling a slight coolness.
Every minute and second felt like torture to her now.
Finally, as she had been eagerly anticipating.
A black SUV appeared in the distance, approaching rapidly.
In a moment, it stopped in front of her.
With a screech of brakes, it was evident the car had been driven very fast.
Wen Xuanyuan's car had broken down twenty minutes after leaving Linglu Mountain.
And it had been less than ten minutes since she called for help. This showed how fast Li Bowen had driven.
Li Bowen rolled down the window, and a wave of heat washed over him. He frowned, looking at Wen Xuanyuan, who was drenched in sweat by the roadside, and said, "Get in quickly."
"Thank you."
Wen Xuanyuan responded and quickly walked to the passenger side, opened the door, and got in.
Her cheeks were flushed, her bangs stuck to her forehead, and her thin dress was slightly damp with sweat, revealing the subtle pink lace pattern underneath.
Her chest rose and fell as she panted heavily, her skirt ending just above her knees.
The black seat created a stark contrast with her fair legs, making them appear even more delicate and white as jade.
Li Bowen's gaze deepened. He cleared his throat and handed her a bottle of mineral water.
Wen Xuanyuan took it, but struggled to open the cap for a long time, perhaps due to her sweaty palms.
Li Bowen took the bottle back, gently unscrewed it, and handed it to her again.
"Thank you."
Wen Xuanyuan's heart beat more erratically, but her throat felt parched.
She tilted her head back and drank deeply.
A drop of water trickled from the corner of her mouth, flowing down her fair, slender neck, right into her collar.
Li Bowen inexplicably swallowed, feeling a dryness in his own throat.
He reached for another bottle of water and took a sip, but it did nothing to quench his thirst.
After drinking the water, Wen Xuanyuan could finally breathe properly. She felt as if she had come back to life.
She leaned back comfortably against the seat and murmured, "You're my savior. I was about to melt from the heat if you hadn't come."
Li Bowen smiled helplessly, turned the air conditioning up slightly, and then turned off the fan blowing directly at Wen Xuanyuan.
This was to prevent her from being hit by a cold draft, as rapid changes in temperature could lead to a cold.
Wen Xuanyuan secretly glanced at him. This thoughtful gesture only added more fuel to her burning heart.
The air conditioning in the car was on, and a cool breeze was blowing, yet Li Bowen inexplicably felt a sense of heat.
He loosened the button at his collar with one hand and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "I'll go take a look at your car."
He then got out of the car, surrounded by the palpable heat of the day.
Li Bowen frowned, his anger rising.
He didn't know much about cars. After a cursory glance, he contacted someone to tow it away for repairs.
After making the call while standing in the shade, he took a deep breath before returning to the car.
Their eyes met, and an inexplicable spark seemed to ignite between them, causing both to blush and look away.
Li Bowen asked, "Shall I give you a ride home?"
"Yes, thank you," Wen Xuanyuan's voice softened considerably.
"I've arranged for someone to tow your car for repairs. I'll let you know when it's fixed."
"Then... then let's exchange contact information!" Wen Xuanyuan blushed inexplicably.
It seemed like her face had been flushing more and more often since yesterday.
Li Bowen tightened his grip on the steering wheel, a hidden joy flashing in his dark eyes.
He suppressed it, restraining himself.
Casually, he took out his phone and handed it to Wen Xuanyuan, saying blandly, "No password."
In the throes of budding love, both of them blushed shyly.
They exchanged WeChat contacts and phone numbers.
Wen Xuanyuan handed his phone back.
Li Bowen looked ahead and took it.
As their fingertips touched, a tingling sensation spread, like an electric shock, and his heart began to race.
Although they were silent, there was no awkwardness between them. A sweet atmosphere permeated the air.
Time seemed to fly by. In the blink of an eye, the car stopped outside her residential complex.
Wen Xuanyuan clutched her phone, looked up at him, and their gazes met, as if something was subtly changing.
Wen Xuanyuan lowered her head shyly, "I'm here. I'll go now."
Li Bowen felt an inexplicable sense of loss.
Watching her open the car door to get out, he was suddenly anxious and grabbed her arm.
Wen Xuanyuan's heart fluttered, her heart pounding rapidly. She looked back, her gaze meeting a pair of eyes as dark as obsidian.
Li Bowen feigned calmness and released her arm, adjusting the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose. He directly asked, "Do you have a boyfriend?"
His demeanor was casual, but the fingertips gripping the steering wheel were slightly white.
To Wen Xuanyuan, his question was like brilliant fireworks exploding in the night sky.
She replied, "No."
"I want to be your boyfriend."
Li Bowen looked at her deeply, his dark eyes filled with sincerity.
"Yes."
Wen Xuanyuan responded quickly, then pushed the door open and ran off.
Li Bowen watched her figure disappear, feeling a sense of peace he couldn't explain.
These unusual feelings were undeniable, and he only experienced them with her.
Only after Wen Xuanyuan was completely out of sight did he drive away.
Wen Xuanyuan ran all the way to her doorstep.
Her face was red, and she was panting. She opened the door and finally slowed down.
Her mother, father, and Wen Yan were sitting in the living room.
They all looked towards the door. Her mother asked with concern, "What's wrong with you? Why are you so hot?"
Wen Xuanyuan felt an inexplicable sense of guilt and couldn't meet their eyes. She offered a perfunctory explanation:
"The sun was too strong, and I ran back. I'm going to my room now." With that, she hurried upstairs.
"This child..." Madam Wen's eyes were full of helplessness, yet also doting.
"How rude, not even greeting your brother," Wen Yan was inexplicably annoyed, though he didn't know why.