Chapter 69 Car Crash

◎1+2+1.5 Updates, Xie Yong, Jiang Mingzhuo◎

crash

"Xiao Fu, are you scared?" Jiang Mingzhuo seemed to see through my thoughts and said in a low voice, "They must have recognized my identity, which is why they hesitated to approach us."

Before I could say anything, Jiang Mingzhuo explained softly, "I've always grown up like this. No matter where I go, it seems like they always keep their distance from me, and it doesn't affect anything about me. I didn't know this would affect you."

“…No.” I was both surprised and ashamed. Jiang Mingzhuo’s gentle attitude immediately dispelled my doubts.

In my mind, a man as arrogant as him wouldn't notice such details. But Jiang Mingzhuo was different. He seemed to know everything about me, and then gently soothed my tension and fear.

He never asked me why I kept things from him; he always discovered my difficulties in advance and offered me direct help.

I even had a vague feeling that Jiang Mingzhuo habitually arranged everything for me, and I didn't have to think about anything. I just needed to stay quietly by his side, and he would solve everything for me no matter what happened.

Jiang Mingzhuo looked at me, stared at me, and smiled.

In that instant, I suddenly woke up. I frantically tried to stop myself, not wanting to become addicted to this habitual dependence.

"Hello, we have prepared an airline-approved carrier, kitten-specific cat food, and goat milk powder. Please take good care of it when you get back." Finally, someone came over.

Just as Jiang Mingzhuo said, the nurses treated him with utmost respect, and their eyes showed a hint of fear.

He glanced at me and nodded slightly. "How's the kitten?"

"There's no problem anymore, Mr. Jiang." The nurse gently placed the carrier down. The kitten looked up at us with its wet eyes. Compared to its previous near-death state, it had regained a lot of energy and was even pawing at the carrier with its little paws.

I carefully opened the door, picked it up, and put my scarf inside. The kitten seemed to love the scarf too, and immediately curled up into a cute little ball inside. When I stretched out my finger, it would even rub against me.

Jiang Mingzhuo looked at me and said, "Xiao Fu, you still have class, so just leave it to me. I promise I'll make sure it grows up healthy."

I smiled at him, and Jiang Mingzhuo's handsome, deep features relaxed gently, radiating tenderness. From beginning to end, his attitude was exceptionally gentle, whether towards me or anyone else around him.

It seems like they never get angry.

After the kitten had eaten its fill and fallen asleep, Jiang Mingzhuo handed the carrier to the driver, who then instructed him to take me to school.

The state school itself is a school without walls; the entire school's architecture is deeply integrated into the city. With the plaza as the heart of the school, anything outside displaying the iconic purple flag can be considered a school building.

Jiang Mingzhuo's car carried me around the square and park, where the sidewalks were crowded with students on their way to school.

The car stopped on the side of the road near the Arc de Triomphe. As I got out of the car, I found that Jiang Mingzhuo had also stepped out. He took two steps forward and came to me. "Xiao Fu, I'll take you to your classroom."

"No..." I quickly shook my head. I had already noticed that the students around me were all looking at Jiang Mingzhuo with curiosity.

Jiang Mingzhuo dressed very modestly, but exuded the air of a wealthy and arrogant person, completely different from a student.

"Okay." He smiled amicably. "Be careful on the road. It's going to snow heavily tonight. I'll arrange for someone to take you and your classmate to the store and then take you home."

“Mingzhuo. You don’t need to take care of me like this. I can get there by myself.”

Although the students passing by on their way to class kept their eyes restrained, I could still catch a hint of gossip in their eyes.

I was being taken care of by Jiang Mingzhuo, and it was in an ambiguous and special way.

I felt uneasy. The difference in our social status was too great, which could easily lead people who didn't know us to have strange thoughts out of thin air... I couldn't feel at ease enjoying his meticulous care for me, especially in the eyes of others, it seemed more like pampering than the concern between friends.

Seeing how seriously I refused, Jiang Mingzhuo said gently, "Xiao Fu, don't feel pressured, okay? I'm just worried about you. You're a girl I care about, and I rarely have such a pleasant conversation with a girl my age. So, I want to do anything for you. You're my friend, and I don't want you to suffer even the slightest potential harm."

I gently bit my lip, my head feeling a little weak. I knew there was something wrong with what he said, but I couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong or how to refute it.

"But……"

“You’re going to be late for class, Xiao Fu.” Jiang Mingzhuo raised his hand and gently stroked the tip of my nose. “Like I said, Xiao Fu, I’m just concerned about you. If there hadn’t been a blizzard warning these past few days, I wouldn’t have interfered in your affairs no matter what.”

I looked up at him.

The weather wasn't great today; as Jiang Mingzhuo had said, fine snowflakes were falling intermittently from the sky. Even in such gloomy weather, Jiang Mingzhuo's face was strikingly beautiful; his eyes shone with a focused and gentle light.

"Xiao Fu?" A girl's curious and confused voice interrupted my eye contact with Jiang Mingzhuo.

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young girl wearing a beret and a short brown jacket. She looked very capable and beautiful. It was Lu Qixi, a good friend I met in college.

“Qixi…” I called out quickly, and Lu Qixi walked towards me.

She looked at Jiang Mingzhuo with a scrutinizing expression: "Xiao Fu, who is he, senior?"

"I'm Xiao Fu's friend, Jiang Mingzhuo." The man curled his lips into a smile, the curve of his lips perfectly placed.

Lu Qixi, like her classmates, showed a look of amazement.

I noticed that Jiang Mingzhuo did not extend his hand, but instead introduced himself in a habitually condescending manner, though his gentle smile masked his superior nature.

Noticing my gaze, Jiang Mingzhuo paused, leaned slightly forward, and looked at Lu Qixi. "Xiao Fu and I are discussing sending her and you to work at the shop after class. There's a blizzard warning today, and I'm worried something might happen to you."

"Really?" Lu Qixi was overjoyed and immediately looked at me. "That's great, Xiao Fu! This way it will be easier for us to get there, and we won't have to drive ourselves!"

"Hmm...hmm." I could only look at Jiang Mingzhuo. "But, shouldn't the driver also go home early?"

That reason is so clumsy and childish.

Jiang Mingzhuo straightened up gentlemanly, his every move composed and elegant: "I'll make arrangements, go to class obediently."

"See you tonight." He said goodbye to me and Lu Qixi in a low, gentle voice, with a subtle smile in his eyes. I could feel Jiang Mingzhuo's gaze following me as I entered the teaching building.

Lu Qixi was extremely curious, and even as we entered the elevator, she was still talking to me about Jiang Mingzhuo: "Xiao Fu, is he the person you met at the gallery before?"

"Mm." I nodded.

Lu Qixi found a seat in the back row. After we sat down, she rested her chin on her hand and asked me, "Is he pursuing you? I feel that his attitude towards you is completely different from his attitude towards other girls."

I lowered my head, and my eyelashes drooped quietly.

“I was quite interested in him at the press conference a while ago. Although he didn’t seem as imposing as his brother, Xiao Fu, it’s okay to date a man like him. It would be very fulfilling to get a handsome and rich man like him.”

I met Lu Qixi's gaze; she was looking at me with curiosity and expectation in her eyes.

That being said, I actually understand that I really want to find a boyfriend. And coincidentally, Jiang Mingzhuo seems to meet all my needs perfectly. He is gentle, wealthy, and understanding. Most importantly, dating him would obviously make my future much easier.

By studying at a better art school and meeting more industry celebrities, I might just transform myself into a famous artist.

Even if we break up in the future, I'll still have enough to get an invitation to high society.

At least, I won't run into obstacles everywhere during my future internship, which is what Lu Qixi longs for.

Her dream was to become a partner at a prestigious law firm, but the Empire State was never short of outstanding legal talent, and those highly coveted internships were always reserved for graduates from more privileged backgrounds and wealthier families.

So, she and I worked in a luxury store, partly because the store manager was very generous and always paid us well.

On the other hand, with so many wealthy people coming and going here, there might be an opportunity.

"Actually, I'm a little afraid of being with him." I also told Lu Qixi the truth. "I don't know why, but I always feel like there's too much distance between us, whether it's our status or our daily interactions. I feel very uncomfortable."

Lu Qixi finally turned to look at me, a fleeting look of surprise in her eyes. Before I could process the heavy emotion in her gaze, she had already taken my hand and gently encouraged me, "Xiao Fu, don't be afraid..."

I smiled gently at her. "Don't you have an interview this weekend? I'll go with you, okay?"

“…Okay, every time Xiao Fu is with me, I succeed.” Lu Qixi smiled faintly.

Around 5 p.m., the snow outside the window stopped. But the weather remained gloomy and cold. Lu Qixi and I walked out of the building hand in hand, and we saw that familiar Maybach, which attracted a lot of attention.

"Xiao Fu, he's here to pick you up," Lu Qixi said in surprise.

The car window slowly rolled down, revealing Jiang Mingzhuo's face. He possessed a subtle, sharp edge characteristic of the upper class, but his gentle smile softened the arrogance and shrewdness in his eyes. "Get in."

I hesitated for a moment, my heart skipped a beat. When I looked at Lu Qixi, I couldn't help but recall her frustrated look as she repeatedly ran into obstacles because she couldn't find a good internship opportunity, and I gently bit my lip.

Holding her hand, we walked towards the car.

Jiang Mingzhuo stepped out of the driver's seat and opened the car door with a flourish, letting us in. He casually said, "It's going to snow soon, so I'll have the driver go back and rest. I'll take you there."

"Thank you, Mr. Jiang." Lu Qixi's face was full of gratitude.

Jiang Mingzhuo glanced at me without changing his expression and curled his lips slightly.

"Thank you..." I said.

He looked at me, his expression becoming increasingly focused. "The snow is so heavy tonight, let me take you home, okay?"

“But I have to go to the store.” I shook my head and declined Jiang Mingzhuo’s offer.

He smirked. "Which store? Let me ask. In this dangerous weather, is Goodman Department Store still operating normally?"

I have a strange, somewhat unsettling premonition. It's as if he controls everything about me—my life, my friends, my part-time job…

I shook my head slightly, dismissing the strange thought from my mind.

I took the initiative to call the store manager.

Just as Jiang Mingzhuo said, the store manager said that the entire Goodman Department Store was preparing for the upcoming blizzard, and she forgot to tell me and Lu Qixi that we didn't need to go tonight.

"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing my slightly absent-minded expression.

Lu Qixi tilted her head as well, "Xiao Fu? What did the manager say?"

"Huh? The store manager said that in case the blizzard affects the electrical system, we don't need to go today. The whole mall is under maintenance."

"Then I'll take you home." Jiang Mingzhuo turned his head, and the car slowly started moving.

Lu Qixi had an extraordinary admiration for Jiang Mingzhuo. "Mr. Jiang, thanks to you, otherwise we would have gone there like fools. It would have been a real hassle to get home. With such heavy snow, the subway station would have been packed with people... everyone would have been crammed together."

Jiang Mingzhuo paused, his hand on the steering wheel. "Really? It's just that my mother likes to shop there, and I know the place quite well."

The car drove very smoothly. It was quite unbelievable that a CEO who frequently appeared on the front page of financial news and magazines would obediently act as a driver for two college girls.

"Xiao Fu, why aren't you saying anything?" Jiang Mingzhuo looked at me through the rearview mirror, his tone unchanged, still very calm.

I gently raised my eyes and pursed my lips. "No, I'm a little tired from class. Luckily, I don't have to go to a part-time job..." I lied. When I saw Jiang Mingzhuo's sharp and indifferent eyes in the mirror, I quickly looked away.

Lu Qixi's rented apartment was behind an alley not far from the school. After she got out of the car, she waved goodbye to me. Only Jiang Mingzhuo and I were left in the car. I suddenly felt a little suffocated and unbearable. My eyelashes trembled.

Jiang Mingzhuo remained silent until he drove back to my apartment building. I was almost asleep in my seat, physically exhausted but mentally on edge. Jiang Mingzhuo opened the car door but wouldn't let me out. He leaned down, his lips slightly pursed, and said, "Are you angry with me?"

I leaned back and said, "No."

"If you don't want to talk to me, I think it's because I'm the reason you can't go to work part-time at the store, and you're angry with me."

I shook my head, slightly taken aback. I hadn't expected Jiang Mingzhuo to be so sensitive and anxious. I forced a laugh and said to him, "I'm just worried. What if I have nightmares tonight, given how scary you've described it?"

Seeing that I was no longer frowning, Jiang Mingzhuo smiled again. "I'll take you to and from school these next few days. If you need anything at home, just tell me, okay? Xiaofu, whatever you're thinking, you have to tell me, otherwise, I'll think you're afraid of me."

Jiang Mingzhuo's voice suddenly lowered, his words were slow and deliberate, and there was a strange sense of aggression in them. His eyes, which were looking over, also seemed particularly deep.

He suddenly reached out his hand. I hesitated for a moment, but Jiang Mingzhuo took it and led me out of the car. My slender fingertips were in his palm, and I did feel my heart race, but I knew very well that it wasn't attraction, it was nervousness.

Why? I couldn't help but want to find the root of the problem, and I even felt my heart tremble as he looked at me.

Jiang Mingzhuo gripped my fingertips tightly, and my eyelashes trembled.

"Aren't you going to invite me upstairs for a hot cocoa?"

I looked up and slightly withdrew my hand. "The apartment is dirty. I'll call you next time I clean it up. It's going to snow soon, so go home early and tell me when you get home."

A smile appeared in his eyes.

Is it really possible that he's this happy over such a simple polite remark? I took a step back. "I'm leaving."

He nodded slightly.

I turned and went up the steps, pushed open the apartment door, and through the glass, I saw Jiang Mingzhuo still standing there. It wasn't until I pushed open the apartment door that I heard the sound of a car engine. I carefully lifted the curtain and saw that the Maybach had already driven away from the community.

"..." Am I being too paranoid? In any case, Jiang Mingzhuo's behavior and reactions were measured, elegant and reserved, while I was like a mouse seeing a cat, trembling with fear the whole way.

I remembered he said he would pick me up tomorrow, so I went back to my bedroom to change my clothes. I went to the kitchen; there were still some ingredients in the refrigerator that could be used to make desserts. I skillfully made a banana cake, intending to give it to him tomorrow.

Near the window are my usual picture books and other books. There's also a rug and a sofa there, with various books piled up haphazardly. Usually, someone will habitually tidy up my books and put them back on the bookshelf according to thickness and size.

...Here we go again. That "non-existent" boyfriend has once again abruptly appeared in my imagination.

I leaned back on the sofa and, as usual, glanced around the apartment. It was eerily quiet. I buried myself in my book, and after a while, I received a message from Jiang Mingzhuo. He had not only returned home but also sent me a picture of a kitten.

Is he suitable to be a boyfriend?

Actually, I know he has feelings for me and takes good care of me, almost to the point of being meticulous.

Even with Lu Qixi, I could read a sense of "Xiao Fu, you're so lucky to have such a good man" in her eyes, as if I should be content, that this rich and handsome man was the gentle and considerate boyfriend of my dreams.

As for the other students at school, including the nurses at the clinic who looked at me but didn't say anything... in their eyes, I was just an ordinary student who was a bit pretty but actually had nothing. The fact that I was pursued by a man like Jiang Mingzhuo was probably because of my looks.

Many people have expressed the opinion that I should be with Jiang Mingzhuo.

Outside the window, the heavy snow was falling. The windows of the apartment building across the street had lit up at some point. The curtains were clearly light-colored, yet they made me feel so depressed and gloomy. I put down the book in my hand and lay back on the sofa to admire the snow scene.

Gradually, I drifted off to sleep, but in my half-awake state, I heard footsteps.

It seemed someone approached me. He bent down and gently stroked my face, but I was sleeping too soundly. The man's fingers caressed my face, and after a while, kisses landed on my forehead, the tip of my nose, and then lightly touched my lips.

"Ugh...!" My consciousness was still hazy, but I felt a tingling sensation throughout my body. My body swayed, and the person behind me was gripping my hands tightly.

"No, don't..." Before I could refuse, the person forcefully turned my face and gave me a fierce kiss that I couldn't resist.

Am I being raped, or am I having a nightmare? I was so scared that I wanted to open my eyes, but my body and mind were both incredibly heavy. It felt like an inescapable dream. The scariest thing was that I started to feel hungry and even found some enjoyment in it.

My voice trailed off, "W-why? Did I do something wrong...?"

"It's not your fault." The other person stroked my face. "It's just that I like you too much and have little patience. Learn to accept me, and I will make you happy."

There was a recurring, empty feeling that I was completely aroused by Tian Man. At first I felt wronged, but now I felt great. My eyelashes trembled as I hesitantly looked at the man in front of me, wanting to see who the male protagonist of this nightmare was.

I slowly opened my eyes.

But the man leaned down and kissed me, his tall body enveloping me in divine heat. As the white-hot waves swallowed me, my mind went blank, my body and brain went limp, and I fell into a deep sleep.

I felt a sense of injustice and humiliation.

The next morning, I slowly opened my eyes. The nightmare from last night still lingered in my mind. Even though I did scream out in my dream, it still made me panic. I had never considered sitting up like that before. After waking up, the first thing I did was check my body.

There was nothing unusual about it; it was as if it were just a nightmare.

I couldn't help but look out the window. They say dreams are projections of the subconscious. Could the man in my dream be someone I know? I thought back carefully. Perhaps it was because he was working out that the man's palms had some thin calluses.

His slightly rough palms loved to rub strawberries on his hands and then play with them. The more I refused, the more he played with them. He also liked to arrogantly pat me with that scary-looking thing. He must be a man with a very bad temper and an arrogant personality.

I recalled the positions we had been in, and it was mostly the man who was in control. The bedding probably reflects a man's true thoughts, so he must have been domineering, aggressive, liked to be in control, and was not gentle.

"Knock knock." I was still on the sofa when a slow knocking sound came from the door. I was startled awake and quickly went back to the bedroom to put on a sweater. I made sure my face looked normal before I dared to open the door.

The landlady was standing outside the door.

When she saw me, she smiled warmly and said, "Merry Christmas Eve, Xiao Fu. This is a fruit cocktail that I made myself."

"Thank you." I put my things away. The landlady turned around, as if she had suddenly remembered something, and said to me, "By the way, Xiao Fu, it's been snowing heavily lately. If you have time, remember to go to the door and help clear the sidewalk."

“I know, I will go.” I watched as the landlady walked toward another neighbor’s house.

Suddenly, I remembered something and quickly called out to her, "Landlady, last night...were there any strangers in the apartment last night?"

She laughed. "Silly child, you probably don't know how heavy the snow was last night. It was so heavy that it was impossible to move. The entire transportation system in the Empire State was paralyzed. I didn't see anyone until the security patrols ended. Unless it was someone living in the apartment across the street, they could probably come upstairs to us. But with such heavy snow, no one would go out in such cold weather."

My mood suddenly relaxed. I smiled and thanked them again.

I still attribute last night's nightmare to "maybe I want to be in a relationship."

In reality, I prefer gentle and charming men, but the men in my dreams are the complete opposite—strong, cold, and frightening.

When I got home, I tied my hair into a low ponytail in front of the mirror with a loose light pink silk hair tie, changed into clothes and a coat that were practical for going out and shoveling snow, and went out wearing fluffy earmuffs.

As the landlord said, last night's snow almost covered the entire city, with an exceptionally thick layer of snow on the ground. Although snowplows had cleared most of the snow from the roads, the sidewalks in front of shops and apartments were still buried in snow.

I joined the apartment cleaning team and managed to clear a path for pedestrians. Only then did I belatedly realize that it was almost nine o'clock, and Jiang Mingzhuo still hadn't arrived. Perhaps he was also trapped by the heavy snow.

Just then, I suddenly saw the "snowball" behind the fire hydrant, which had been cleared away, move.

I was startled when "Snowball" suddenly barked "Woof! Woof!" I looked closely and saw that it was a very clean-looking Samoyed. It was clearly a pet dog, the kind that its owner favored. Its fur was clean and shiny.

This Samoyed didn't seem afraid of strangers, and its face was cuter than other Samoyeds. Seeing that it didn't bite and was very well-behaved, I slowly reached out my hand.

It immediately wagged its tail and approached me. I saw the name tag on its neck, which read "XieY" and had the owner's contact information on the back.

The puppy's tail was wagging enthusiastically, and it kept rubbing against my leg. I noticed it staring intently at the little girl eating a sandwich in the coffee shop not far away, and I guessed it was probably hungry.

I got up and gestured for it to come with me. The little dog was incredibly smart; it did whatever I said. I bought a sandwich, took out the smoked beef, tore it into strips, and placed it in my palm.

It immediately got up and lay on my lap. Although it looked like it was drooling, it didn't eat it. It just wagged its tail.

"You're quite wary," I said, patting the puppy's head. I ate some food in front of it, and its eyes lit up. Then it lowered its head and wolfed down its food.

After it finished eating, it stuck out its tongue as if it was still hungry. I waited there for a long time, but its owner never came.

I wanted to drive to the police station, but the puppy suddenly jumped off the back seat. Seeing how excited it was, I quickly ran after it. I saw it excitedly running towards a tall, handsome man, barking twice.

"Alright, Daddy found you." The man didn't seem to mind that the puppy's paws had been stomping on the ground for a long time. He bent down and rubbed its head before looking up at me. In an instant, his handsome and deep features, with the air of an arrogant and proud son of heaven, made me realize that this was a man whose family background was no less than Jiang Mingzhuo's.

“Thank you,” he said, a faint smile playing on his lips. “The leash broke, and the little thing ran out of my car. I almost thought it was lost.”

"No, it's nothing." I felt a little nervous under the man's gaze, so I shook my head.

"I'll treat you to dinner to thank you for taking care of it." He curled the corners of his mouth, unconsciously adopting a confident smile.

[Author's Note]

I was a bit stuck in a rut a few days ago, and I felt like I made Jiang Mingzhuo and Xie Yong's characters a bit out of character, a little too gentle and patient. After carefully reviewing the outline from my third playthrough, this chapter finally felt right.

Some might wonder where Yu Xu went. He will appear later. Here, the relationship between Xiao Fu and Yu Xu is completely severed, making them forget each other and become strangers.