The man watched as his niece, supported by his sister-in-law, walked farther away, then turned to get into the car.
It wasn't until he was inside that he noticed the girl had somehow taken the seat beside him, the front passenger seat.
She had her eyes closed, as though she were asleep. Her long lashes fluttered like delicate fans, giving the impression that she was only pretending to nap, not truly asleep.
The man understood the girl had likely felt unwell from the alcohol, so he refrained from saying anything, silently starting the engine and pulling out.
The entire drive, his heart seemed to beat faster with every passing moment, a tension building in him. Perhaps he was nervous himself. He cautiously turned on the music, lowering the volume, trying to calm his nerves.
A twenty-minute journey stretched into an hour before he finally arrived at the girl's apartment building.
He waited until he saw that she had fallen soundly asleep before deciding not to continue circling the neighborhood. Instead, he parked directly at the entrance.
He didn't wake her, instead quietly watching her as she slept, illuminated only by the dim light from the street lamps outside.
The air inside the car was thick with the girl's sweet fragrance, and he leaned in ever so slightly, breathing her scent in more deeply.
Just as he was getting closer, the girl stirred, and in an instant, the man jerked back, his head hitting the rear window with a sharp thud.
"Uncle, are we home? Wow, that was fast... I'm so tired. I don't want to go upstairs..." Her voice was soft and sweet, the words dripping with a honeyed, almost irresistible warmth.
"Mm... We've arrived."
His voice was low, husky, and tinged with a trace of nervousness.
"Uncle~" Her voice, now a tender whisper, was practically dripping with sweetness.
"What's wrong, Ruirui?"
His heart raced wildly. The girl, tipsy from the alcohol, was not the same as the cheerful young woman he was used to. She exuded a captivating, almost hypnotic charm, one that made him want to draw nearer, closer still, yet he feared he might tarnish her perfection by doing so.
He was just a rough man, much older than her by over a decade. How could he ever deserve a girl as delicate as a blooming flower?
So even though he loved her, even though his heart ached with deep affection, he dared not show it. He was determined not to make her dislike him, not even a little.
Whenever he picked up his niece, he would carefully shave, change into fresh clothes, and sometimes even spray a bit of cologne to mask the scent of sweat on his skin. If time allowed, he'd even take a shower before coming. He was terrified that she might despise him.
"Uncle, I lost my shoe."
Lin Ruirui lifted her leg, raising her milk-white foot and placing it in front of him.
Her foot was so close that the man froze, stunned. For a fleeting moment, he almost felt the urge to reverently kiss her foot, but before he could act, she quickly withdrew her foot.
"Uncle~ I lost my shoe. How am I supposed to get upstairs?"
Lin Ruirui didn't say anything. When her best friend had said goodbye earlier, she had deliberately gotten out of the car and sat in the front, leaving one shoe behind outside to make it look more convincing.
"I'll check if it's in the back," the man said, about to get out of the car.
But the girl, swift and determined, grabbed his collar. "Uncle~ I'm so tired. Could you carry me upstairs instead?"
The moment she spoke, it was as if fireworks exploded in his mind.
What did she just say? She wanted him to carry her upstairs? To take her home? The very thing he had dreamed of, now casually spoken by her.
But his reason quickly caught up with him. She was drunk, and her words, coated in alcohol, couldn't be trusted. She didn't have any romantic intentions. She likely saw him as nothing more than a helpful uncle, someone she could rely on in her state of inebriation.