Chapter 16: Watch the Road, Don’t Look at Me
Su Keke looked up at him with her little face tilted, eyes sparkling. “Uncle, you’re really so good. How can you be this good? You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met!”
Assistant Wu, who had been secretly listening in, let out a silent heh in his heart. Nice personality? Are we even talking about the same person, little cutie?
Qin Mochen looked at the cute, slightly baby-fat face before him. He lowered his gaze, then lifted it again. “Don’t look at me. Watch the road. Be careful not to trip.”
“Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ve been walking this road since I was little. I could go down it with my eyes closed. But Uncle, you have to hold my hand properly. With me protecting you, you won’t trip.”
Assistant Wu: Oh my—just hearing that makes my heart melt, okay?!
He quickly stole a glance at his Fourth Master and saw him staring straight ahead with a perfectly serious expression. Yet the faint smile at the corner of his lips—no matter how hard he tried—could no longer be hidden.
As soon as they reached the foot of the mountain, Su Keke spotted the two mountain bikes parked there.
Red and black, looking especially impressive—perfectly matched with her little uncle.
She walked around one of the bikes in a circle. “Uncle, this bike is so nice! I used to want one too, but our family is poor. My master is a big poor guy, and I’m a little poor guy.”
Actually, the little poor guy was slightly better off than the big poor guy—she could at least have a bit of money on hand. But the big poor guy hoarded all the money and wouldn’t let the little poor guy spend it recklessly. Apart from a few decent outfits, their life was so pitiful that anyone who heard about it would cry.
Qin Mochen handed the bundle to Assistant Wu and reached out toward Su Keke. “Come, girl.”
Su Keke handed over her small hand in a daze.
Qin Mochen scooped her up with one arm, set her onto the back seat, then swung his long legs over and sat down himself.
“Hold on tight.”
“Uncle, where should I hold? Your seat is so high—I can’t reach your waist.”
Qin Mochen was just about to pedal when he heard that and couldn’t help turning his head to take a look.
When the little girl sat up straight, it was fine. But as soon as she leaned forward, her line of sight landed squarely on the front—on his… waist and hips.
Although this was a modified mountain bike with a rear seat, it was still essentially a mountain bike. On top of that, Qin Mochen was tall, and the seat height had been adjusted to suit him. From Su Keke’s angle, of course she was staring right at his waist and hips.
If she stretched her arms hard enough, she could technically reach his waist, but holding that posture for long would be uncomfortable.
Qin Mochen’s brows knitted instantly, a trace of embarrassment flashing through his eyes. He quickly got off the bike.
Assistant Wu coughed. “That’s my fault. I thought the back seat was just for carrying things.”
Who would’ve thought you were carrying a living person?
“Uncle, maybe forget it. I actually run pretty fast—no slower than riding a bike.”
Qin Mochen looked at her without saying a word.
Then, silently, he loosened the seat clamp and began adjusting the seat height.
Seeing him lower the seat almost all the way down, Assistant Wu couldn’t help reminding him, “Fourth Master, if it’s that low, you won’t be able to extend your legs properly when pedaling. It’ll be very uncomfortable.”
“Uncle!” Su Keke suddenly exclaimed. “Uncle, I’ve got it! I’ll ride the bike—I’ll carry you! This height is just right for me.”
As soon as she said it, the little girl grinned. When she was younger, her master had somehow gotten an old, beat-up bicycle from a toll station, and the two of them used to ride it around everywhere. Later the junk bike broke beyond repair, and once she grew up, her master told her to run more for exercise instead of getting another broken bike.
Su Keke scooted up beside Qin Mochen. “Uncle, let me ride, let me ride! I’ll carry you!”
As she spoke, she slipped right under Qin Mochen’s arm, grinning as she grabbed the handlebars.
Before Qin Mochen could even let go, the girl had already squeezed in.
With her back to him and the two of them so close, it was as if the man had wrapped her entirely in his arms.
