Chapter 22 Car Crash
"Oh my god... Ningning..." The bride covered her mouth, her eyes filled with amazement.
"It's so beautiful!"
"This color suits you so well."
"She's like a fairy descending to earth."
The bride's girlfriends burst into enthusiastic praise.
Jiang Yining was so flattered that she lowered her head shyly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt. Her bashful and timid appearance was even more endearing, and even the shop assistant couldn't help but exclaim, "Miss, this dress looks absolutely stunning on you, it's like it was made just for you."
In the evening, the fitting ended. The bride was picked up by her family, while Jiang Yining was responsible for driving her cousin's wife and several bridesmaids back to the hotel with their dresses that weren't currently in use. She was driving her cousin Jiang Yunyan's car—an ordinary mid-size SUV.
Gripping the steering wheel, Jiang Yining's palms were slightly sweaty. Although the original owner had a driver's license, and she had also passed the test herself, she had never actually driven a car. The rush hour traffic in S City also made her a little nervous. She carefully merged into the sea of cars, moving at a snail's pace, maintaining an absolutely safe following distance.
However, a car behind her, eager to change lanes, impatiently honked its horn. The sharp sound startled Jiang Yining, who instinctively tried to brake but accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead.
"Bang"
A loud, clear thud, though not overly loud, followed by a jerky forward lurch before coming to a stop. Jiang Yining was completely stunned; her heart pounded, and her mind went blank. It's over, a car crash.
Ahead, the car she rear-ended was a black Porsche Panamera with sleek lines and an understated yet undeniably luxurious design. The rear bumper, near the left taillight, was noticeably dented, and the paint was scratched.
The driver's side door of the Porsche opened. A pair of flat shoes stepped out, followed by a young woman in a champagne-colored suit, impeccably made-up, and exuding a capable air. She frowned slightly as she inspected the damage to her beloved car.
Jiang Yining hurriedly tried to unbuckle her seatbelt to get out of the car, but the more anxious she became, the more the seatbelt buckle resisted her, and she couldn't open it no matter what she did. She was so anxious that fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
After inspecting her own car, An Kexia walked to the driver's side of the vehicle that had been involved in the accident and knocked on the window. The window rolled down, revealing an extremely delicate and beautiful face, slightly flushed with nervousness and annoyance.
An Kexia's words caught in her throat the moment she saw that face.
This face...this face...how could it look so much like "Ningning" that she saw in Xiao Xiao's picture book?
"Miss? Are you alright?" Jiang Yining panicked even more when she saw her stunned expression, her voice trembling with tears, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. In my haste, the seatbelt... I couldn't unbuckle the seatbelt..."
An Kexia snapped back to reality, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in her heart. It must be a coincidence; there are plenty of people in the world who look alike. She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound calm and professional: "Don't rush, relax first, press that red button, and then push the latch out a little."
Jiang Yining did as she was told, and with a click, the seatbelt finally came loose. She quickly pushed open the car door and got out, running to the spot where the two cars had collided. Seeing the glaring dent on the luxury car, her face instantly fell, and she bowed repeatedly to An Kexia, apologizing, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. What do you think we should do? I'll do whatever you say."
Looking at the girl's flustered yet sincere demeanor, An Kexia glanced at the back of her car, then at Jiang Yining's ordinary SUV, and frowned slightly: "Let's go through insurance. However..." She paused, her tone tinged with helplessness, "The insurance coverage for my car's repairs might not be enough, the difference..."
"I'll pay the difference, I'll pay it," Jiang Yining immediately replied, but her heart was bleeding. If her mother knew she had crashed into a luxury car, wouldn't she be ready to "tear Jiang apart" on the spot?
She quickly took out her phone, her fingers trembling slightly, and dialed Jiang Yunyan's number: "Brother, I... I've been in a car accident, on Nanfang Road... I hit a car, a Porsche, umm, come quick."
An Kexia stood to the side and clearly heard the man's anxious and concerned "Ningning" on the phone, as well as the girl's tearful response.
Once again, the coincidental name "Ningning" pricked her like a tiny thorn. Looking at the girl's face in the sunlight, almost identical to her memory, that absurd thought resurfaced uncontrollably, but she quickly suppressed it.
Impossible... That Jiang Yining, eight years ago... She shook her head, no longer wanting to think about it.
Jiang Yunyan arrived extremely quickly, almost as fast as he could. His face was pale, and he breathed a long sigh of relief when he saw Jiang Yining standing there unharmed. He pulled her behind him to protect her and apologized to An Kexia repeatedly, "I'm so sorry, I'm her brother. I'll handle the rest. You were frightened."
He quickly assessed the scene, took photos, and contacted the insurance company and his own 4S dealership. The process was professional and efficient. An Kexia watched Jiang Yunyan handle the situation methodically, but her gaze kept drifting involuntarily to the girl standing quietly behind him.
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