The summer night carries a blending wave of heat and humidity.
At 23:25, the Jinxiu district beyond the fourth ring road had already fallen into tranquility, an occasional passing car failed to draw the attention of nearby residents.
"Screech―"
Suddenly, an urgent braking noise shattered the silence as if a woman's piercing scream cut through the night.
Following was an illumination of white light as a black sedan drifting around the empty bend darted out. The speed of the car, the suddenness of its braking was astounding.
Bai Zhan gripped the car door handle and clutching his suit jacket button that seemed to have popped off somewhere. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were full of disbelief.
But even so, he maintained the demeanor specific to his role as the personal assistant to the president of the Qi Group, which was to stay calm and composed.
"Miss," Bai Zhan started, his cold clear voice finally getting a glance from the person in the driver's seat.
However, that was all he received: one glance.
Ruan Xi's foot pressed the accelerator as she held the steering wheel. Her slightly baby-fat face was filled with seriousness and sternness. With a quick swing of her arm, she executed another neat drift.
To reassure the person in the car, Ruan Xi said, "I'm sorry big brother, it's an emergency. Don't worry, I won't damage your car, my driving skills are top-notch."
"No, young lady, this isn't about..."
Bai Zhan was a bit confused about what's happening now. He thought this wasn't about her good driving skills, the point was...
"Ah ah ah, Ruan Xi! Ruan Xi, hurry up! They're catching up!"
Before Bai Zhan could finish his words, another young lady who had 'borrowed' their car along with Ruan Xi began to yell from the back seat.
Ruan Xi looked up, catching sight of the two cars catching up in the rearview mirror. The corner of her mouth curled up in contempt, "Comparing speed with me? You guys are way too green."
Without another word, even to Bai Zhan, she slammed on the gas. A muffled crash echoed shortly after, accompanied by a grunt.
Bai Zhan's heart tightened. Choosing to ignore the screaming girl from the back seat, he turned around to look at the rear seat, "Brother Qi, are you ok?"
The man at the back seat, wearing a black suit and white shirt, would usually keep his hair immaculately styled. But now it was disheveled, brushing against his forehead. He hung his head with a furrowed brow, and although his face was unclear, the "川" between his brows indicated intense discomfort. Like Bai Zhan, he held the handrails tightly, fearing to be thrown out due to the speed at which the car was moving.
Ruan Xi knew she was being too aggressive with her speed — after all, she had won a car race with this kind of velocity.
But in this situation, she couldn't help it. If they didn't run, both she and An Yun could be caught by those people, and who knows what could happen.
Feeling guilty, she called to the man referred to as "Brother Qi" without glancing back. "I'm sorry, sir. You'll have to bear with it, just ten more minutes."
She had faith she could shake off those pursuers in ten minutes.
With that, Ruan Xi focused and drove down the broad avenue like an arrow, breaking the silence along the route and also unsettling Qi Shen's stomach.
Acid bubbled up in his throat, his stomach roiled like a tempest.
Never had he thought that he would encounter such a situation the second day after returning to China. He had just left the office after a meeting and was intercepted on his way home. Now, this...
"Ruan Xi, faster! Faster! We'll lose them soon!"
He hadn’t had this much to drink in a while and was already feeling uncomfortable. To make it worse, he had to deal with a loud woman beside him. Qi Shen's mood could best be described as miserable.
But, Ruan Xi?
Why did this name sound so familiar...
"Ah! Ruan Xi, you're awesome!"
As Ruan Xi performed several sharp drifts, An Yun interrupted Qi Shen's thoughts again. As he suddenly lifted his head to look forward, he didn’t have time to make out anything clearly; in front of him was a flash, and the car violently moved again.
Ugh! Can't do it!
Qi Shen held his abdomen, fine sweat on his forehead sliding down from his ear. Suddenly, the woman next to him shouted once, hit the brakes urgently, and the car stopped in front of an inconspicuous alley.
It didn't even take ten minutes.
Ruan Xi let out a breath, leaned back in the driver's seat, turned his head to look at Bai Zhan, who maintained a calm face but his eyes clearly displayed a shocking sight. She laughed and said, "Big brother, I didn't lie right? I absolutely didn't wreck the car."
Saying this, she even proudly patted the steering wheel.
Upon hearing this, Bai Zhan mechanically turned his head. His gaze landed on the girl in front of him who had smooth short hair, a face as white and chubby as a baby's, and looked obedient and gentle. He swallowed hard.
"Mm…"
Just then, a stifled groan came from the back seat. An Yun was just getting out of the car to check the situation, Bai Zhan was startled by the sound and turned to look back. Instantly, he felt something was very wrong.
The man who was usually elegant and composed even when drinking a glass of water, was now curled up holding his stomach. His decent white shirt was ripped open to a large extent, and the bead-like sweat drops around his collarbone could be vaguely seen.
That’s not the important part... The important part is...
He vomited!
At that moment, the smell of alcohol and sour scent filled the entire car, almost choking the other two occupants into vomiting.
That's still not the point! The point is!
He vomited on his own shapely legs, on his pure-black suit pants.
