Chapter 1719: Tracking, Secret Photos, and Taking His Belongings? (Part 5)

Xu Ni liked photography, so that was why she went up the mountain last night to shoot scenery, and happened to watch an illegal street race while she was at it. That was how she ran into Jiang Ruan and her younger brother and sister.

And the man across from her was sitting there just like that, already forming a perfect composition ratio. She felt that sneaking photos of people was really bad, but she still couldn’t help secretly picking up her phone and opening the camera.

Thinking that sneaking a shot really wasn’t right, she was just about to put her phone away, but then by accident—

With a "click—" the flash went off.

In this carriage, aside from the two of them, there were three other people. Now it wasn’t just Jiang Mutang; everyone turned to look at her.

Xu Ni had rarely made a fool of herself in her life, and yet today she’d tripped up twice in a row.

If she’d actually managed to photograph Jiang Mutang, that would’ve been one thing, but she hadn’t even gotten the shot before she got caught.

Following him, secretly filming him—he’d probably think she was some kind of pervert.

Xu Ni lowered her head, her face flushing red all over again.

Jiang Mutang only gave her a faint look, then dropped his gaze back to his book, but the corner of his lips hooked up with an almost imperceptible curve.

...

As the subway reached more stations, people kept filing into the carriage. The seats filled up, and it gradually became a bit crowded.

Jiang Mutang had originally been reading, when he heard Xu Ni say, "Kiddo, come sit here." She got up and gave up her seat.

"Hurry and say thank you to big sister." A woman had brought along a three or four-year-old child and was thanking her.

"You’re welcome." Xu Ni said, then lifted her hand to grab one of the hanging rings on the handrail in the middle of the carriage. Jiang Mutang had been about to stand and give her his seat, but this girl turned around to chat with the kid instead, clearly not wanting to face him.

Xu Ni wasn’t stupid; she’d already lost face twice in front of him and wished she could get as far away from him as possible.

Only she’d injured her right hand last night, and gripping the ring, she felt tired after a short while. She kept alternating hands, and with the subway’s heavy inertia every time they reached a station, worried she might bump into someone, she could only grip the handrail even tighter.

After just over ten minutes, she was already starting to struggle.

Jiang Mutang found the girl rather interesting, and since the carriage was getting crowded and a bit noisy, he closed his book.

He lowered his head to look at his phone for a while, and out of the corner of his eye saw a man come stand in front of him. That in itself was nothing, but the man’s position happened to block his view of Xu Ni.

The man gripped the rail on either side of the ring Xu Ni was holding. From that angle and position, it looked like he was standing at her rear diagonal, but his body inevitably brushed against her.

The carriage was crowded at this point, but there was no need to stand that close.

As the subway moved and stopped, even if they weren’t intentionally pressing together, their clothes and bodies were bound to touch.

At first, Xu Ni only knew that someone was standing at her rear diagonal, so she shifted slightly to the other side, but that man’s body still kept "accidentally" bumping into her.

Once or twice might be a coincidence—if it kept happening, there was definitely a problem...

When she looked over, the man even smiled and said, "Sorry ’bout that."

Xu Ni wasn’t naïve; she knew she’d probably run into a creep. She wanted to move to another spot, but with one hand injured and awkward to use, and so many people in the carriage, it was hard to squeeze around.

Just then—

She felt a hand reach in from behind, directly wrapping around her handrail. Their hands were right next to each other, their arms brushing. Her breath hitched and she turned instinctively. The space was too tight, and her whole body...

Was practically pressed into that person’s chest.

It was him.

He smelled very clean, with a faint scent of disinfectant. He was very tall; the two of them had probably never been this close before, and she could only end up pressed against his chest.

"Go sit in my seat." He lowered his head; his voice was slightly compressed and deeper, coming from somewhere above the top of her head.

She knew Jiang Mutang was deliberately helping her out. "Thank you," she said, loosening her fingers from the ring. It was already a bit unsteady to walk inside a moving subway, and suddenly she had nothing to brace herself on; her body lurched backward.

Jiang Mutang frowned and caught her forearm, pulling her back...

This time she crashed straight into his arms.

Her breathing was a little rushed, a little hot, landing just at his chest. That instant of strange tingling made him feel uncomfortable all over.

More importantly, Xu Ni had been startled too, and instinctively grabbed his arm. That sudden grip made him even more uncomfortable.

Jiang Mutang lowered his head. From his angle he could clearly see the tip of her nose, slightly flushed from agitation, and the ears burning red. "You okay?"

"I’m fine." Xu Ni quickly released his arm as she spoke and turned to go to his seat. His book was on the seat, occupying the spot.

Xu Ni helped him by holding his book, her heart thudding wildly, not daring to look at him.

She’d never had this kind of close contact with a guy before, so it was inevitably awkward. Just touching his hand, she felt that this book...