At the word "wife," Chen Qingqing's face — faintly pink only a moment before — went the color of a ripe red apple.

She stopped, waited for Xu Ye to catch up, and immediately pointed a finger at him, as though warning him not to say things like that. Then she noticed how many people nearby were looking at her, grabbed his hand and hurried off at a run.

Only once they were in the car did Chen Qingqing start punishing him. She raised both small fists and pounded his arm a dozen times or more, and finished with a small fierce warning. "If you ever shout that again, I am absolutely going to pretend I don't know you!"

Xu Ye gave a little laugh and was soon driving toward the hotel.

Because Chen Qingqing had class that afternoon, Xu Ye had booked the room earlier in the day — the same place as always. He had stayed so often that even the hotel's front desk knew him now, and when he checked in that afternoon the girl there had teased him. "No girlfriend with you today, handsome?"

Xu Ye laughed straight back. "Do me a favor, would you, beautiful?"

"What favor?"

"Next time we come, if my girlfriend asks for two rooms, tell her the others are all booked and there's only a double left."

The girl at the desk laughed at once. "You're so bad~"

So when Xu Ye brought Chen Qingqing into the hotel lobby that evening, the girl at the desk immediately threw him a look loaded with meaning.

Xu Ye pretended not to see it and took Chen Qingqing's hand into the elevator.

The enclosed space left Chen Qingqing feeling inexplicably hot. She glanced at Xu Ye, found he was standing too close, and pushed him away.

"What are you pushing me for?"

"You're too close. It's hot."

Xu Ye rolled his eyes and leaned back against the side of the elevator, grinning. "I booked a twin room. How about you don't go back to the dorm tonight?"

"Absolutely not."

Chen Qingqing pouted and stated…