"Speaking," Sheng Chenjin paused for a moment. He had originally intended to say, "If I had known you were here, I wouldn't have come."
However, he instinctively felt that such words would be too hurtful, and more importantly, not what he truly felt.
Therefore, he abruptly changed his tune and said, "If I had known you were here, I would have called you to come along."
Shi Xinxin nodded politely.
Knowing that it was an assistant who arranged Sheng Chenjin's schedule, and that their meeting this time was purely coincidental, Shi Xinxin didn't press further and entered the filming set.
Just then, a crew member approached Shi Xinxin to explain some shooting precautions, and Shi Xinxin followed them.
Sheng Chenjin had expected Shi Xinxin to pester him with questions. To his surprise, her expression remained as indifferent as ever.
Sheng Chenjin watched Shi Xinxin's retreating figure, feeling a pang of disappointment. However, given their past interactions, he wasn't overly disheartened.
Adjusting his state, he quickly joined the filming.
Throughout the entire shooting process, apart from the necessary physical interactions, Shi Xinxin did not utter a single word to Sheng Chenjin, nor did she even spare him an extra glance.
Shi Xinxin constantly kept in mind what Wen Xiaoxiao had told her: to maintain her composure. Otherwise, all her previous efforts might be in vain.
After the filming concluded, Shi Xinxin bid farewell to the director and prepared to leave.
Since most of the advertisement endorsement shoot required standing, and she had been on her feet all afternoon, wearing high heels, her ankles were already swollen and aching.
As she walked out the door, she couldn't help but crouch down and gently rub her ankle.
If not for the need to maintain her image as a public figure outdoors, Shi Xinxin would have already taken off her shoes by now.
It seemed that being a public figure wasn't an easy task either. Shi Xinxin sighed. Just as she was about to stand up, a voice came from behind her: "What's wrong? Is your foot uncomfortable?"
Sheng Chenjin walked around from behind her, stopping in front of Shi Xinxin. His gaze fell upon her slightly red and swollen ankle.
Standing for an entire afternoon was taxing even for him, let alone for Shi Xinxin, who had to wear high heels.
He pondered for a moment, and regardless of Shi Xinxin's current expression, he said, "My car is just ahead. I'll give you a ride back."
Shi Xinxin gritted her teeth, hesitating.
Wen Xiaoxiao's words still echoed in her mind.
Don't be too proactive, don't get too close to Sheng Chenjin too quickly.
Seeing her hesitation, Sheng Chenjin calmly said, "It's difficult to get a taxi on this route. If you want to go back, you might have to wait here for ten minutes. I'll drive you back." Seeing Shi Xinxin still hesitating, he directly asked, "Am I that fierce, like a big bad wolf, that I'll eat you up?"
As he spoke, his eyebrows subtly raised, a hint of displeasure apparent.
Shi Xinxin quickly shook her head and said, "Of course not."
She actually wanted Sheng Chenjin to give her a ride, but... but what if he misunderstood and thought she was doing it on purpose, or worse, what if he disliked her again...
Shi Xinxin thought for a moment. For as long as she hesitated, Sheng Chenjin watched her. Finally, Shi Xinxin couldn't bear it any longer and nodded, saying, "Alright, then I'll trouble you to give me a ride."
Just this once, getting a little closer to Sheng Chenjin, it shouldn't be a problem, right?
Upon hearing that she had agreed, Sheng Chenjin felt a flicker of joy for some unknown reason. He said, "Wait for me here. I'll go get the car."
Shi Xinxin nodded.
When Sheng Chenjin drove the car over, he got out and opened the passenger door. Shi Xinxin lowered her head and got in.
However, after the car door closed, Shi Xinxin frowned, her expression changing.
She had an exceptionally keen sense of smell and distinctly detected a woman's perfume in the car. It was faint, but she was certain she wasn't mistaken. xxs1
Why was there a woman's scent in Sheng Chenjin's car?
Shi Xinxin dared not delve deeper, but she felt incredibly uncomfortable.
Although she had never heard from external sources that Sheng Chenjin had a girlfriend, if he indeed had one, why was he giving her a ride?
But if he didn't have a girlfriend, why was there a woman's perfume in the car?
It was impossible that Sheng Chenjin would spray perfume on himself, right?
She gritted her teeth, a wave of discomfort suddenly washing over her.
She suddenly felt that she didn't understand him at all.
She didn't even know what kind of person Sheng Chenjin was now.
Shi Xinxin closed her eyes wearily, turning her head away. She suddenly didn't want to face Sheng Chenjin anymore.
She couldn't pinpoint why, but her heart was in turmoil, and she felt a deep unease.
Sheng Chenjin drove, glancing at Shi Xinxin through the rearview mirror. Seeing that she had closed her eyes, he assumed she was tired from a day of filming and gently reclined her seat a little.
"You can sleep for a while," he said awkwardly after a moment of hesitation, as they were the only two in the car; the assistant had already left in a taxi.
Shi Xinxin shook her head and replied, "No need, we'll be there soon."
She felt her entire face was almost covered by the scent of perfume, and she couldn't breathe. She also didn't want to turn her head to look at Sheng Chenjin's face, feeling that the more she looked, the more uncomfortable she would become.
"You can get out at the next intersection."
Hearing Shi Xinxin say they would be there soon, Sheng Chenjin instinctively slowed down. He coughed, and thinking they would part ways so quickly, he felt a slight reluctance. He asked, "Are you hungry? Do you want to grab something to eat?"
He was a bit hungry himself after filming all afternoon.
Shi Xinxin's mind was a mess, and she didn't want to spend too much time with Sheng Chenjin. She directly shook her head and said, "No need to trouble yourself."
Moreover, they were both public figures now. If they went out and were photographed by paparazzi, it would be another troublesome affair.
"Are you really not hungry?" Sheng Chenjin persisted, glancing at Shi Xinxin. He noticed her chin had become much sharper than before and said with a touch of concern, "You seem to have lost weight. You can't skip meals. Let me take you to eat. I know a really good restaurant, and I think you'll like the taste."
If she had heard Sheng Chenjin invite her to dinner before, Shi Xinxin would have certainly cheered with delight. But now, every time she took a deep breath, she could smell the strong perfume in the car.