Chapter 6 （ The Man with a Dangerous Face）
1504 Words
Su Wan had just finished changing when her phone rang.
Lin Fei.
The moment she answered—
“AAAAAH—!”
Su Wan yanked the phone half a foot away and waited for the screaming to stop before lifting it back to her ear. She slipped out of the bedroom and shut the door softly.
“…You saw him?”
Lin Fei’s voice was shaking.
“I SAW HIM. My soul nearly left my body. You owe me emotional-damage compensation.”
“You insisted on looking.”
“I’m serious. I’m worried about you now. That man doesn’t look like he’s here for a date—he looks like he’s here to abduct someone.”
Su Wan’s heart softened.
“He’s actually very polite,” she said instinctively. “He just… looks—”
“If he looked like that and wasn’t polite, you’d still agree to meet him again?”
Su Wan sighed.
After a pause, Lin Fei lowered her voice.
“…By the way. There are still twenty minutes before eleven. He’s been parked for a while. If he came this early, that means he’s just as curious about you as I am about him.”
Su Wan glanced at the clock on the wall.
Tick.
Tick.
Each second tapped against her ribs.
She hadn’t even seen him yet, and her nerves were already fraying.
“I’m going out in a bit,” she whispered. “Can you… stay nearby for a few minutes?”
“Nope,” Lin Fei rejected instantly. “What if he gets out to stretch and sees me? Next thing I know, I’m buried in the suburbs.”
“Stop joking.”
That felt unfair to Lu Feng.
“Oh? You’re already defending him? I’ve known you ten years.”
“You’re impossible.”
“Alright, serious question.” Lin Fei sobered. “Has he contacted you yet?”
Su Wan checked.
No new messages.
“…If he waits until exactly eleven,” Lin Fei murmured, “then that man is actually a gentleman.”
Su Wan hesitated.
“Do you want to come inside? I told my grandma I was shopping with you.”
“No thanks. I need to steady my nerves. You, on the other hand—prepare yourself for kidnapping.”
She hung up laughing.
Su Wan sat on the edge of the bed and opened Lu Feng’s chat window.
He hadn’t moved.
So she didn’t dare either.
Would leaving early make her look eager?
She went to the mirror.
Last time she’d worn light makeup.
Today—nothing.
If she looked plain, maybe his interest would cool down.
Jeans.
Red padded jacket.
Ordinary.
Safe.
The seconds dragged.
At 11:00 on the dot, her phone buzzed.
Lu Feng: I’ve arrived.
Su Wan: Coming now.
In the living room, her grandmother glanced up from the TV.
“Didn’t you usually dress up for shopping? Why so casual today?”
Su Wan spun once. “This jacket is trendy.”
“Everyone outside is wearing spring clothes.”
“I get cold.”
Outside the east gate, Lu Feng leaned back in his seat after sending the message.
He watched the entrance.
Girls passed—some carefully made-up, others barefaced.
Then—
Red jacket.
Ponytail.
Hesitant steps.
Walking toward him.
A faint smile touched his narrow eyes.
Last time, she’d looked crisp and professional.
Today she looked… younger.
Almost like a freshman.
He didn’t step out—only pushed open the passenger door.
A soft voice slipped in with the chilly air.
“Sorry—did I keep you waiting?”
“Not long.” He glanced at her. “The heater’s on. Want the window open?”
She shook her head.
“Keep it warm.”
She took off her jacket.
He accepted it naturally and tossed it into the back seat.
Su Wan bent to fasten her seatbelt.
The strap tightened—
She stiffened.
Lu Feng was already facing forward, hands on the wheel.
“I didn’t get out,” he explained calmly. “There might be people you know around. I didn’t want them to misunderstand.”
She understood immediately.
That face… walking toward her could easily look like trouble.
How many suspicious stares must he have endured to develop such careful habits?
She didn’t dare look at him for long.
But the thoughtfulness softened something inside her.
She turned slightly and smiled.
“It’s okay. People misunderstand at first. You can just explain.”
Lu Feng looked over.
“If you don’t mind… I can wait outside next time?”
Su Wan froze.
Next time again?
She’d walked right into that.
“…Sure.”
The Jeep rolled forward.
She leaned back stiffly, biting her lip.
Disaster.
Why did the rhythm keep shifting the moment he appeared?
Her phone vibrated.
Lin Fei: In the car?
Su Wan sent a crying emoji.
Lin Fei: What happened??
She summarized.
Lin Fei: You’re doomed. That man digs pits without moving a muscle and waits for you to fall in.
Su Wan: I didn’t expect that.
Lin Fei: You’re too soft.
Su Wan: He’s polite. I can’t ignore him.
Lin Fei: Exactly. You melt when people are nice.
She stole a glance at Lu Feng’s hands.
Sleeves rolled up.
Strong forearms—almost as thick as her ankles.
Polite, yes.
But that build—
Too intimidating.
“I saw you texting,” he said mildly. “Your friend? Or something from work? My aunt said your ward is busy.”
“My friend,” Su Wan replied. “She wanted dinner. I told her I was occupied.”
“If you’re uncomfortable alone, you can invite her,” Lu Feng said. “I don’t mind.”
“…I’ll ask.”
She actually did.
Lin Fei: I’ve been good to you. Do not drag me into hell.
Su Wan put the phone away.
“She said no trouble.”
“High-school friend?”
“Yes.”
Conversation drifted.
Before she realized it, she’d listed her elementary school, middle school, high school—and recent updates about three college roommates.
They’d even attended the same high school.
Five years apart.
By the time she enrolled, he’d already left for university in the capital.
His voice matched his presence—low, heavy.
Yet his wording was restrained.
Gentle.
If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine someone scholarly.
“Head Nurse Wang said no one dared sit with you in school,” she asked softly. “Is that true?”
“Yes. From middle school onward, I always had my own desk.”
She pictured it.
Crowded classroom.
Sunlit windows.
A tall boy alone by the corner.
“What about university?”
“I rented off-campus. Ate alone. Professors rarely called on me.”
“…Didn’t you try making friends?”
Adults were supposed to be braver.
He shook his head.
“I got used to it. And I work better alone.”
Unexpectedly, she related.
She’d been quiet too.
Library over malls.
Solitude wasn’t pleasant.
But it was efficient.
The black Jeep slid into an underground garage.
Lu Feng handed her jacket back and slipped into a dark casual coat.
With his height and aura, he looked ready to commit a felony no matter what he wore.
They walked side by side.
Su Wan kept her hands in her pockets.
If I don’t look up… I don’t have to see his face.
A couple stepped out of a nearby car.
The girl glanced over—
Then recoiled.
She grabbed her boyfriend and hurried away.
Su Wan felt a strange twist in her chest.
Was that… discrimination?
Just because he looked fierce?
No wonder he’d grown up alone.
She’d been scared at first too.
He’d probably noticed—that was why he’d messaged her she could leave first last time.
Lu Feng was used to those looks.
What he wasn’t sure about… was whether the small nurse beside him felt pressured walking at his side.
Girls on blind dates usually kept three feet away.
As they passed the couple—
Su Wan drifted closer.
The gap shrank.
Her sleeve brushed his arm.
Lu Feng looked down.
Her cheeks were red.
Long lashes fluttered.
Pretending nothing had happened.
Elevators waited ahead, crowded.
“Weekends are busy,” he said. “We might have to wait for a table.”
“I’m okay,” she replied quickly.
“We’ll take a number first. Walk around.”
She nodded.
Inside the lobby, her embarrassment faded beneath the noise.
One elevator arrived—packed instantly.
Lu Feng stepped forward.
Faces changed.
Doors closed.
Someone sighed dramatically.
She almost laughed.
The next car arrived.
No one rushed past him.
He gestured for her to enter first, pressed 4, and stood beside her.
In crowds, she liked corners.
She worried they’d be forced together.
Instead—
People cleared space.
A vacuum.
In the mirrored doors, she saw his reflection.
Towering.
Sharp eyes—
Looking at her.
Her heart skipped.
She dropped her gaze.
- Writer
