Crush Me If You Dare

Chapter 5: The Silent Drive

Emma Quinn eventually settled into the seat behind the driver's side. Henry Parker reminded her to fasten her seatbelt as the car slowly pulled out of the neighborhood.

The two of them, both strangers to each other, didn’t have much to say. The atmosphere in the car felt a little tense.

Henry Parker broke the silence, asking, “What kind of music would you like to listen to?”

“Piano music, anything works,” Emma Quinn replied, pausing for a moment before adding, “Thank you.”

The rest of the ride was filled only with the soft, flowing sounds of the piano, with no other conversation. The road conditions weren’t great, and Henry Parker remained focused on the road ahead.

Emma Quinn was sitting quite close to him, the faint scent of his cologne lingering in the air around her. She found herself staring at his long fingers, watching them on the steering wheel for a while.

“Can you play the piano?” she suddenly asked, surprising herself with her own question. She realized afterward that she hadn’t even addressed him by name.

Henry Parker glanced at her through the rearview mirror before quickly returning his gaze to the road. “I’ve played before, but not very well. I haven’t played in years.” He then asked, “Do you play?”

Emma Quinn nodded. “Mm.”

The car passed an intersection, the road slick with snow, and Henry Parker kept his attention on driving. The car fell back into a comfortable silence.

Emma Quinn didn’t try to engage him further. She took out a piece of scrap paper, opened an app on her phone, and began working on the problem Ethan Blake had sent her.

Once she was absorbed in the task, she lost track of time and even forgot where she was or who was beside her.

She had a bad habit—she hated being interrupted when working on problems, no matter who it was.

Before starting any work or study, she would put up a sign: Do Not Disturb—Only for Important Matters.

Ethan Blake didn’t know about this particular quirk of hers. One time, when she was deeply focused on a problem, he ignored the sign and dragged her out for hotpot. Needless to say, she didn’t take it well and ended up giving him a piece of her mind.

Ethan Blake was left feeling utterly wronged. Later, Fang Muhe, seeing his distress, comforted him: “Imagine being interrupted in the middle of something important. Wouldn’t you want to lash out?”

Ethan Blake had protested, “But she was just solving a problem, not something like that!”

Fang Muhe had shrugged and replied, “Same concept.”

Ethan Blake was speechless.

Fang Muhe had a rather unpopular philosophy: When you put your passion into anything, there's no such thing as failure. He further elaborated, On the other hand, who would tolerate being interrupted at a critical moment?

Though the words were rough, they held truth.

Since then, Ethan Blake had never dared to disturb Emma Quinn when she was deep into her work.

After a while, they reached a residential area. Henry Parker stopped the car and checked the rearview mirror, noticing that Emma Quinn was still engrossed in her work, her brow furrowed. She didn’t even realize they had stopped.

After a brief moment of thought, Henry Parker gently pressed the gas pedal, and the car moved forward again.

The roads were crowded, and there had been several minor accidents along the way. He decided not to drive out and simply circled around the neighborhood.

Henry Parker’s phone buzzed, but he didn’t answer. He muted it and tossed the phone aside.

Over half an hour passed. Emma Quinn had gone through several sheets of scrap paper, her notes filled with dense calculations, but she still hadn’t found a solution.

With a sigh, she closed the app, stuffed her phone and papers back into her bag, and looked up. “We’re here already?”

Henry Parker nodded. “Yes, my house is just ahead.”

When they reached the villa, Henry Parker had expected Grandpa Han to be home, thinking he could accompany Emma Quinn while he took care of some business. But to his surprise, Grandpa Han had left, and only the elderly man was home.

Grandpa Han had earlier asked Emma Quinn’s grandfather about her favorite fruits, and he’d already had the maid prepare them for her.

After exchanging greetings, Grandpa Han patted the seat next to him, inviting Emma Quinn to sit, then asked Henry Parker, “Was the road congested?”

It was only a 30-minute drive, yet over an hour had passed.

Henry Parker simply replied, “Mm,” without elaborating further.

Emma Quinn and Grandpa Han shared a mutual interest and quickly struck up a conversation, so the atmosphere didn’t feel awkward.

Henry Parker glanced at Emma Quinn and thought to himself that she probably just had a naturally aloof demeanor. But now, seeing her talk so freely with Grandpa Han, he realized it was more about who she was with.

“Grandpa, you and Emma Quinn start playing chess. I need to take care of something in my study,” Henry Parker said.

Grandpa Han frowned a bit. “Is it really necessary to handle it now?”

Henry Parker responded, “It’s just a quick phone call. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

Grandpa Han waved him off, signaling him to go ahead, and resumed chatting with Emma Quinn.

Henry Parker headed upstairs to return the phone call from earlier. The person on the other end picked up almost immediately. It was Qiu Lan.

“What’s keeping you so busy that you couldn’t answer your phone?” she asked, a little annoyed.

“I was at home,” Henry Parker replied briefly.

“Oh,” Qiu Lan responded, then asked, “When do you think you’ll head back to the office? I’m still waiting for you in the guest room.”

Henry Parker glanced at his watch. It was already 4:30 PM. “I’m not going today.”

Qiu Lan hesitated. “But it’s only 4:30. Isn’t that when you start your workday?”

After a moment of surprise, she quickly added, “Is Grandpa Han not feeling well? If so, I’ll come by and check on him. I also wanted to discuss a few things with you.”

Henry Parker reassured her, “Grandpa’s fine, and we have guests at the house.”

He knew she had picked up on his subtle refusal. “Alright then, I won’t bother you. Let’s talk tomorrow,” she said before hanging up.

Before ending the call, she confirmed, “Are you definitely coming to the office tomorrow? Or will I have to make another trip for nothing?”

Henry Parker replied, “I have other plans tomorrow. Let’s meet the day after.”

He lit a cigarette, then headed downstairs. By the time he arrived, Grandpa Han and Emma Quinn were already in the middle of a game of chess. He sat next to Emma Quinn, though he wasn’t very skilled at the game himself.

After one round, Emma Quinn found herself losing, though she had improved.

She looked at Henry Parker from the corner of her eye. “You should go ahead and handle your business. You don’t need to stay here with me.”

His presence beside her made her feel a little pressured.

Henry Parker replied, “There’s nothing urgent today.”

Grandpa Han chimed in, “It’s rare for you to have a break. Even machines need rest after constant work.”

With that, he began to pack up the chessboard, preparing for the next game.

Henry Parker suddenly remembered, “What was the problem you were working on in the car?”

Emma Quinn was momentarily taken aback. She hadn’t expected him to notice. “It’s a rather... complicated math problem.”

Henry Parker nodded. “Have you solved it?”

Emma Quinn shook her head. “I’ve been at it for days, but still nothing.”

Grandpa Han looked at her thoughtfully. “Why don’t you ask Henry Parker for help? He’s always been good at math.”

“Really?” Emma Quinn smiled lightly. “That sounds perfect.”

Henry Parker extended his hand. “I’ll take a look, but no promises.”

She handed him the phone, showing him the problem Ethan Blake had sent her, along with the notes on her solution process.

As she passed him the paper, their fingers brushed briefly. His fingers were warm, and for a moment, Emma Quinn felt a strange warmth lingering on her fingertips even after his hand had withdrawn.

Henry Parker took the paper and glanced at her with a sidelong glance. She was dressed so lightly in the cold, even her fingers were freezing.

Over two hours passed quickly, and Emma Quinn lost nearly every round of chess, though her skills had definitely improved.

Grandpa Han seemed a little tired. “You and Henry Parker should go out and have some fun. I need to rest after dinner.”

Emma Quinn insisted, “Grandpa, we’ll stay and have dinner with you.”

Grandpa Han waved his hand. “No need. My diet’s too bland for you two. You wouldn’t enjoy it. Normally, Henry Parker doesn’t even eat at home.”

Emma Quinn looked at Henry Parker, silently asking him what he thought.

After over two hours of working together, Henry Parker had almost finished going through the problem. He circled the areas where Emma Quinn’s reasoning seemed to be off, and said, “Time’s running out, but I’ve only gotten this far. You can try following this line of thought and see if you can reach an answer when you get back.”

He handed her the paper with all the notes he had made.

Emma Quinn thanked him and said, “Grandpa’s getting a little tired.”

Henry Parker made sure to leave some instructions with the housekeeper and doctor before they both headed out.

Once in the car, Henry Parker asked, “What would you like to eat?”

Emma Quinn, aware that Henry Parker had spent most of the afternoon with her and was likely behind on other matters, replied, “You don’t have to. Just take me home. I still need to work on the problem.”

Her bluntness was only reserved for the people closest to her. To those who didn’t know her well, Emma Quinn came across as a considerate and understanding person, the kind of girl raised in a big family.

Fang Muhe often teased her, calling her "the best actress."

Henry Parker glanced at her and said, “You don’t need to worry about dieting. You should eat a little more.”

Emma Quinn quickly responded with a half-truth, “I’m not dieting, I’m waiting for my roommate to come back. We’re having late-night snacks.”

“Roommate?”

“My best friend. She’s staying with me.”

Henry Parker nodded, not pressing the issue. “When you have some free time, let me treat you to a meal. You’ve spent the whole afternoon with me, and it must have been boring hanging out with an old man.”

Emma Quinn smiled politely, “It wasn’t boring at all. Grandpa’s skills at chess are impressive, and I’m learning for free, so I’m the one who’s getting the better deal.”

Henry Parker nodded again. “Well, whenever you’re free, just come over and play.”

Emma Quinn, caught off guard by his directness, didn’t know how to respond.

Henry Parker didn’t think much of his words as he turned back to face the road, starting the engine and driving out of the driveway.

By the time Emma Quinn got home, Yan Yan still hadn’t returned, probably still working late.

She didn’t even think about dinner and went straight to the study to immerse herself in the problem again.

Her concentration was so intense that it wasn’t until the phone rang that she snapped out of it. It was Fang Muhe calling.

“Where are you?”

Emma Quinn rubbed her temples, glancing at the time—it was close to midnight. Fang Muhe had probably already met up with Ethan Blake, but she still hadn’t solved the problem and didn’t feel like meeting him.

She quickly came up with an excuse, “At my grandpa’s place.”

Fang Muhe, relieved to hear she was with Grandpa Quinn, decided not to press further.

Grandpa Quinn and Granny Qin were both strict with her, especially Granny Qin, who would never allow Emma Quinn to stay out late, particularly at entertainment venues.

“Alright then, we’ll plan for Christmas. I’ll bring you and Ethan Blake out to play then.”

Emma Quinn responded, though she was curious, “Aren’t you seeing anyone for Christmas?”

Fang Muhe laughed, teasing her, “I have too many women asking me out. Can’t choose, so I decided to reject them all.”

Emma Quinn shot back with a smirk, “Mrs. Moore, you’re not faithful in your relationships. There’s always a price to pay for that.”

Fang Muhe snickered, “What price? Not getting the girl you want?” By his age, he had long since grown disillusioned with love.

Emma Quinn: “Not in the emotional sense.”

Fang Muhe raised an eyebrow, “Then what kind of price are we talking about?”

“Business-wise, one day Henry Parker will surpass you in every way, especially in terms of wealth.” She’d only spent an afternoon with him, but she’d already felt his powerful presence and calm demeanor.

Fang Muhe wasn’t lacking in these qualities, so in business, they were well-matched. But Emma Quinn sensed that Henry Parker had something about him that Fang Muhe didn’t.

What exactly it was, she couldn’t put into words yet.

Fang Muhe had been lazily leaning back in his car seat when her comment hit him like a blow. He straightened up, clearly frustrated. “You’ve only met Henry Parker once, and now you’re already taking his side? Emma Quinn, where’s your loyalty?”

Emma Quinn laughed, “My heart’s always been with you, as for the loyalty... I wouldn’t bet on it.”

Fang Muhe couldn’t be bothered to argue with someone so young, but he gave her a serious piece of advice: “Don’t get too close to Henry Parker. He won’t fulfill your idea of a romantic relationship. Besides, there are plenty of women better than you chasing him. A man with such a deep mind, you won’t be able to handle him when you’re still so young.”

Emma Quinn was silent. She had been talking about business, but now he was bringing up relationships.

She didn’t have the time to keep discussing it and said, “We’ll talk later. I’m really tired.”

Before she could hang up, Ethan Blake’s voice came through the phone, his annoying tone unmistakable. “The genius girl, did you finish the problem? If not, don’t cry, I won’t laugh at you.”

Emma Quinn replied without missing a beat, “Done. I’m at my apartment, I’ll send it to you first thing tomorrow morning.” She lied through her teeth, without even a hint of hesitation.

Ethan Blake was caught off guard, “Really?”

Emma Quinn scoffed, “Do you think the title ‘math genius’ is just for show?”

And with that, she hung up the phone.

She went to the kitchen and made herself a strong cup of coffee. Tonight, she was determined to stay up and solve that problem.

Three hours later, at around 3:15 a.m., Emma Quinn finally cracked the answer.

She closed her laptop, feeling utterly drained but elated, slumping into her chair. The rush of accomplishment was even more thrilling than a successful confession.

But even after a few minutes, she couldn’t calm down. Perhaps it was the exhaustion getting to her, but Emma Quinn suddenly thought she was still in her New York apartment. She even briefly did the time conversion in her head and realized it was afternoon in Beijing.

Without thinking, she grabbed her phone and dialed Henry Parker’s number.

Henry Parker had been working nonstop to catch up on the work that had been delayed earlier in the day. He didn’t finish until 2 a.m. and had just fallen asleep when the phone rang.

Groggily, he reached for it and saw that it was Emma Quinn calling. His sleepiness faded as he answered, “Hello, Emma.”

Emma Quinn asked, “Am I disturbing you?”

Henry Parker paused, momentarily confused, but then his concern kicked in. “What’s going on?”

Emma Quinn replied, “I solved the problem.”

Henry Parker let out a sigh of relief and chuckled lightly, “That was fast.”

Emma Quinn smiled, “I followed the approach you suggested. Thank you.”

Henry Parker didn’t feel the least bit tired anymore. He grabbed a cigarette and a lighter and went out to the balcony. The cool air hit him in the neck, instantly waking him up.

He casually asked, “Was this homework for your class?”

Emma Quinn: “No.” She was doing it partly to save face for Ethan Blake, but mainly for herself.

After a brief pause, she added, “Well, solving this will help me in my job, so I got really into it and worked on it for several days.”

Henry Parker: “That’s a solid reason to dig deep into it.”

He lit another cigarette and listened carefully as Emma Quinn shared her entire thought process with him.

Henry Parker didn’t interrupt, offering suggestions every now and then.

By the time he finished one cigarette, he lit another.

It was 3:30 a.m. when Emma Quinn finally finished explaining everything. Even though he was exhausted, Henry Parker patiently listened, his attention unwavering.