As soon as she got off work and swiped her card out of the company gate, she realized the rain outside was falling even harder than yesterday's misty drizzle. Summer was like this—the sporadic showers in the coastal area were annoying.
Qi Sui hugged her backpack, debating whether to charge out directly or wait a little longer until the rain eased. Her home wasn't far from the company; she usually scanned a shared bike on the street and rode for over ten minutes to get there. But now, raindrops the size of beans were firmly blocking her way.
The temperature was stuffy and hot.
She opened her hand, and raindrops slid into her palm. The edges of her jeans were soaked by the splashing water on the ground, sticky and unpleasant.
Someone called out to her from across the street. Qi Sui looked up and saw Guan Guan, smiling like a flower, with a man holding an umbrella to shield her. She was waving at Qi Sui.
"Sui Sui, you're not going home yet?"
Qi Sui raised her voice like Guan Guan and responded, "I'll wait until the rain stops."
The two across the street got into a car. Qi Sui even curled her lips and waved at Guan Guan. Once the car left, her smile immediately fell. She stared worriedly at the gray, overcast sky. The rain kept falling continuously; it wouldn't stop anytime soon.
If it came down to it, she'd just have to brave the rain and go home. At this hour, even getting a taxi was a problem.
"Beep"
A soft, single honk.
Qi Sui looked down. Thunder rumbled overhead. A tall SUV stopped in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing those distant eyes.
The rain was too loud. Qi Sui could only see his lips moving. She hesitated, then leaned closer, pressing herself against the half-open window like a hamster clinging to the edge of glass.
A hint of a smile appeared on the man's lips.
"Get in. I'll give you a ride."
She finally heard LEO's voice.
It was a heavenly blessing.
Qi Sui first patted her damp clothes to make sure she was a bit drier before opening the door and getting in.
The temperature inside the car was perfectly cool and dry. A small dehumidifier sat on the center console, making the environment refreshing and pleasant.
"Thank you so much."
Qi Sui expressed her gratitude. The first rule she learned in the workplace was—
Don't put on airs.
There was no need to be coy in this situation.
"It's nothing."
The man held the steering wheel with one hand, turned his face to look at the rearview mirror, spun the wheel twice to merge into the main road, then straightened up again. The car moved through the heavy traffic.
"Why didn't anyone pick you up?"
The question was vague.
Qi Sui looked at his expression through the rearview mirror. LEO held the wheel with one hand and propped his face with the other. The light inside the car was dim, the boundary of light and shadow falling on his jawline. She could only faintly see his lip line—flat, seemingly without emotion.
Qi Sui could only answer, "He's on a business trip."
"Is that so?" The man hummed lowly. "Next time, remember to check the weather forecast in advance."
The car fell silent.
Qi Sui sniffled, catching a scent of grass and wood. It wasn't the popular perfume on the market, nor the smell of food or medicine. It smelled more like—clothing?
Or the scent of laundry detergent.
It was a surprisingly simple smell, like clothes gently rubbed with soap and dried in the sun. It soothed her fatigue after a long day of work.
The scent contrasted sharply with LEO's image.
When people have nothing to do, they tend to look busy.
Qi Sui was the same.
She began aimlessly observing the car's interior, looking left and right.
The dehumidifier on the center console was a cold black-gray. A bottle of mineral water was clamped in the cup holder. A data cable was connected under the console, probably for charging. Other than that, the car was empty—nothing else.
It seemed he had no extra hobbies. He didn't smoke or drink. The car was an ordinary SUV, not a luxury one. The smell and personality were both flawless.
It reminded her of Qian Jin's car.
Cigarettes, lighters, car fragrance, perfume, hair gel... he piled almost everything into the car.
Qi Sui rarely rode in his car. For one, he didn't pick her up often. For another, the smell in Qian Jin's car was too unpleasant and mixed. She didn't like it; it gave her a headache after a while.
Thinking of this, she unconsciously rubbed her temples.
"Headache?" LEO asked abruptly, then said softly, "Open the glove box in front of you. There's painkillers inside. You can drink the mineral water next to you."
"Mm, okay..."
Her head did hurt a bit.
She opened the glove box. Inside was a neatly stacked pile of medicine. Qi Sui's fingers slid down the boxes and pulled out a pack of ibuprofen from the bottom.
Chlorpheniramine, loratadine, cetirizine hydrochloride... all allergy medications.
"Is your allergy serious?" Qi Sui asked.