Chapter 32
The next morning, Xie Junhao, as usual, strolled towards his auto repair shop at the town entrance, a fried dough stick dangling from his mouth and humming a tuneless tune. The morning mist hadn't completely dissipated, the cobblestone street was damp, and the air carried the unique fresh scent of the Jiangnan water towns.
He squinted when he was still a dozen meters away from the shop. There, incongruously, was a black Maybach S480 parked in front of his not-so-spacious storefront. Its sleek, expensive lines and gleaming paint clashed with the somewhat old and rustic surroundings, drawing sidelong glances from several early-rising neighbors.
"Wow, who is this? Such a grand entrance!" Xie Junhao muttered to himself, wondering if it was some out-of-town boss whose car had broken down.
He quickly finished the fried dough stick, wiped his hands, and walked over. As he got closer, he saw the profile of the person in the driver's seat through the lowered car window—
Xie Junhao abruptly stopped, his relaxed expression vanishing instantly, replaced by sudden vigilance and hostility.
It's that bastard who suddenly rushed out, hugged Xiaotang, and then fought with her yesterday!
Persian had clearly seen him too. He opened the car door and got out. A night had passed, and the swelling on his face hadn't completely subsided; there were still some bruises around his mouth, and the abrasions on his arms were clearly visible. But he had changed into a clean shirt and trousers, his hair was combed, and apart from the injuries on his face, he exuded a cool and composed aura, completely different from his out-of-control and agitated self the night before. Only the bloodshot eyes and deep-seated fatigue betrayed the fact that he hadn't truly rested.
The two men stared at each other across the front of the car, and the air instantly became tense.
"What the hell do you want?!" Xie Junhao fired first, his tone aggressive, filled with undisguised defensiveness and anger. He clenched his fists, his muscles tense, as if ready to fight again at any moment. This guy actually found his shop's doorstep; he's like a persistent ghost!
Persian's gaze swept calmly over his clenched fist, his face devoid of any extra expression, his voice low and direct, without any beating around the bush: "I'm not here to fight you."
He paused, then looked sharply at Xie Junhao, asking, word by word, the sole purpose of his trip:
Where is Lin Xiaotang?
Upon hearing this, Xie Junhao sneered, raising his chin with a gesture of both protection and rejection: "I don't know! Even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you! Who do you think you are? Get out of my way in your beat-up car! Don't block my business!"
His attitude was tough, clearly indicating his refusal to cooperate.
Bai Sinian was neither surprised nor angered by Xie Junhao's hostile attitude. He simply looked at Xie Junhao quietly, his eyes deep, as if he could see through the other man's tough exterior to his inner thoughts. He knew that he wouldn't get an answer easily from this man who clearly also had deep feelings for Lin Xiaotang.
But now that he has found this place, he will never give up easily.
The standoff between the two spread silently in the damp morning air.
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