His attention was entirely on her phone call, and that was why he had driven past the subway station.
There was a lack of expression on Song Qingchun's face. Su Zhinian did not know whether she bought his lie or not. After a pause, he added, "Are you going home?
"In any case, we're already not far away from your home, how about I just drive you home?"
Indeed, he's right. We're close to home already. If I insist on taking the subway, it'll only appear too obvious and awkward… Song Qingchun smiled distantly and politely replied, "Thank you."
Su Zhinian did not respond but pull back his gaze to focus on his driving. However, he found it difficult to concentrate. The girl finally acted in the manner he had hoped for, only smiling politely when she received his help; she treated him with respect from a distance, and the trace of attachment and emotions between them was nowhere to be seen.
Along the way back to the Song family's home, there was zero conversation between Song Qingchun and Su Zhinian.
Song Qingchun had Su Zhinian drop her at the gate to her residential area. Su Zhinian did not reject. He stepped on the brake and stopped at the gate. Before Song Qingchun got out of the car, she glanced at the towel in her hand. She thought about returning it to him, but the awareness of his obsession with cleanliness stopped her from doing so. She believed he would only throw it away if she returned it, so she dropped the towel in her bag instead. After thanking him for one more time, she pushed on the car door.
The door was locked, and Song Qingchun could not open it. She turned to look at Su Zhinian sitting in front and called out to remind him, "The car door is locked."
Su Zhinian stared dumbly at the flurry of snow outside the windshield and did not respond to her call. Song Qingchun waited for a while before calling him again. Seeing as the man still had not reacted to her prompt, she reached out to pat on the back of his car seat.
Su Zhinian turned around to look at her with confusion in his eyes.
Song Qingchun repeated, "The car door is locked."
"Oh…" Su Zhinian answered, and after a moment's hesitation like he was gauging her words, he gave another "oh" before unlocking the door.
Song Qingchun did not comment on his weird behavior but turned back around to push the door open. As she prepared to get out, Su Zhinian suddenly called her, "Qingchun."
Song Qingchun's fingers trembled before she looked over her shoulder at him. She was silent.
Su Zhinian stared at the rows of houses before him like he was at a loss. The car was sitting idle when he accidentally stepped on the gas pedal, and it lurched forward. He quickly stepped on the brake to stop the car. After taking a breath, he said, "…Congratulations on your wedding."
Song Qingchun was not expecting this comment from him. Her expression was one of shock before her lips slowly curved into a smile, and she replied naturally, "Thank you for your blessing."
Su Zhinian lowered his head and nodded slightly.
Song Qingchun turned away from the man and got out of his car. As she stood on the ground, he suddenly called her name again.
"Qingchun."
Su Zhinian turned his head away from Song Qingchun because he felt his eyes getting warm.
"…take good care of yourself."
Is he bidding me farewell because he's leaving tomorrow? Song Qingchun felt like her brain was reflecting the weather outside, roaring with wind and snow.