1novels 039 You can drive this car however you like.
039 You can drive this car however you like.
The summer night breeze dispelled the daytime heat, and the streetlights cast long shadows of the two people.
Having just finished a dinner that had both impacted his taste buds and his spirit, Jiang Di was feeling somewhat unsettled.
She looked down at the ground, but her gaze kept drifting to Wang Zhe's hand hanging by his side. That hand was long and strong, with distinct knuckles; just a short while ago, it was that hand that had torn open a chicken wing and fed her the meat, and then…
Just thinking about that daring scene at the dinner table made Jiang Di's cheeks burn again. Although it was a killer technique taught by Song Zhiyi, she was the one who carried it out! The warm touch still seemed to linger on her tongue.
"Um... Sister Song said..." Jiang Di silently recited the secret taught by Song Zhiyi, "Strike while the iron is hot, and physical contact should be gradual."
She took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and slowly loosened her right hand from the strap of her schoolbag, quietly and little by little moving closer to Wang Zhe's left hand.
First, they tested the waters.
She gently brushed the back of Wang Zhe's hand against the back of her hand.
one more time.
It was a touch warm to the touch, like a feather gently brushing against him.
Wang Zhe kept his eyes straight ahead, seemingly unaware of her actions, and did not move away, letting her continue her little movements.
Seeing that he didn't resist, Jiang Di became bolder. She extended her little finger and tentatively hooked it with Wang Zhe's little finger.
Even with just a finger hooked, the girl's heart was pounding in her throat. To soberly take his hand so readily was truly a challenge for her.
However, just as she was feeling smug and her heart was racing over hooking a finger with hers, Wang Zhe suddenly moved.
He suddenly opened his palm and clenched it in the opposite direction.
What started as a tentative, awkward attempt to hook fingers quickly escalated into a full-blown interlocking of fingers with palms touching.
Wang Zhe's hands were larger than hers, dry and warm, holding her hands firmly in his palms. That close touch sent a shiver down Jiang Di's spine, as if she had been struck by lightning, and her steps faltered.
"W-why all of a sudden..." Jiang Di stammered, wanting to look up at him, but too shy to meet his gaze.
Wang Zhe turned his head, the light from the streetlamp casting shadows on his face, outlining a mocking smile.
"Weren't you quite bold during dinner?" He squeezed Jiang Di's hand, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand. "You even dared to put her fingers in your mouth and not let go, and even used your tongue... Tsk, where did that boldness go? Now you're so shy about holding hands?"
Jiang Di's face flushed instantly, so ashamed she wished she could disappear into the ground.
The girl lowered her head, staring at her toes, and stammered, "My brain suddenly short-circuited for a moment! I didn't mean to, it's just...it's just..."
It was Song Zhiyi, that strategist, who was giving me that glare from the side!
But she simply couldn't bring herself to say the second half of that sentence. It would be so embarrassing if Wang Zhe found out this was a joke they'd conspired to pull.
Wang Zhe saw her looking like she wanted to explain but couldn't find the words, and he knew exactly what was going on.
But of course, he didn't intend to expose him; he just smiled.
"Alright, short circuit. Looks like I'll have to make you short circuit a few more times in the future, it's kind of cute."
As he said this, Wang Zhe took her hand and shook it slightly.
Jiang Di felt a surge of sweetness in her heart, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up wildly.
The two strolled hand in hand along the outskirts of their familiar neighborhood. At that moment, there was no pressure from exams, no nagging from parents, only the warmth of each other's hands, bringing a sense of peace.
However, just as the two turned a street corner, when they were still dozens of meters away from the gate of Jiang Di's residential compound.
Wang Zhe suddenly let go of her hand.
And it wasn't the kind of slow loosening, it was the kind of very decisive shaking off.
Jiang Di's hand suddenly missed its target, hanging in mid-air. She was stunned; the sweetness in her heart hadn't faded, replaced by a sense of bewilderment and grievance.
"What's wrong? Why all of a sudden..."
She looked up in bewilderment, but before she could finish speaking, the sight before her stopped her in her tracks.
Two people were standing under a streetlamp less than ten meters ahead.
The man was wearing a polo shirt, and the woman was carrying shopping bags she had just bought from the supermarket.
Those are her biological parents!
Jiang Peng and his aunt were standing by the roadside chatting, their faces turned to the side towards Wang Zhe and Jiang Di, clearly unaware of the commotion behind them.
"call……"
Jiang Di gasped, instantly understanding why Wang Zhe had shaken off her hand.
What would happen if the two elders saw them walking over hand in hand? Jiang Di didn't know, and dared not think about it.
"You reacted so quickly..." Jiang Di patted his chest with lingering fear and gave Wang Zhe a grateful look.
Wang Zhe calmly straightened his collar and said in a low voice, "Don't panic, just be natural."
The two adjusted their pace, creating a safe social distance, and then pretended to be heading home as they walked past.
"Uncle, Auntie!" Wang Zhe greeted them first, his tone polite and natural.
Jiang Peng turned around, and upon seeing Wang Zhe, his face immediately broke into a wide smile: "Hey! Isn't this my little brother... cough cough, isn't this Xiao Wang!"
He almost brought up the "sworn brothers" thing again, but his wife glared at him fiercely, so he forced himself to change his mind.
"Dad, Mom, what are you doing outside?" Jiang Di quickly joined in, pretending to be a well-behaved daughter.
"I just went to the supermarket and bought some things. I was just talking about going back," the aunt said with a smile to Wang Zhe. "Little Wang, thank you for your hard work today... oh no, thank you for tutoring Xiao Di. I'll have to trouble you to take her back."
"Of course, it's on the way," Wang Zhe said with a smile.
Jiang Peng walked over and patted Wang Zhe on the shoulder: "Xiao Wang, what have you been up to lately? I haven't noticed you've been to the lottery shop much these past few days?"
"I've been busy taking my driver's license test lately," Wang Zhe replied. "I just passed the second part and am now practicing for the third part. I'm aiming to pass it on the first try and get my license as soon as possible."
"Getting a driver's license is great!" Jiang Peng slapped his thigh. "A man has to know how to drive! With a car, it'll be convenient to go anywhere."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Di, who was standing to the side, suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
She blinked, then hooked her arm around Jiang Peng's and said sweetly, "Dad, since you support Wang Zhe getting his driver's license, can he drive your car once he gets it? Let him practice, and maybe take me for a spin too!"
Although the Wuling Hongguang we had at home wasn't a high-end car, it was still an important asset for an average family in those days. Most fathers wouldn't easily lend their car to a novice driver who had just gotten their license.
But who is Jiang Peng?
Those people treat Wang Zhe as both a sworn brother and a god of wealth!
Jiang Peng waved his hand generously: "No problem! Forget about going for a drive, as long as you pass the test and get your license, I'll just throw you the car keys! You can drive wherever you want, go wherever you want!"
Wang Zhe smiled and said, "Then thank you in advance, Brother Jiang."
Jiang Peng: "Don't be so polite, we're like brothers!"
At first, Jiang Di secretly covered her mouth and laughed as she watched her father and boyfriend chatting happily, but when she saw them acting like brothers, the girl could no longer laugh.
Looking at Jiang Di's expression, his mother didn't say anything, but seemed to be deep in thought.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.