Chapter 225 Much More Exciting
Xie Chi seemed not to hear the slight aloofness in her words. He strolled over and stopped a step away from her.
The faint fragrance emanating from Xie Chi became even more distinct.
His gaze fell on the velvet box again, and the curve of his lips held a hint of amusement.
"A gift? It seems... someone beat me to it."
He seemed to be talking to himself, yet also to her, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.
Ji Wanqing didn't want to dwell on this topic and just wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible.
"It's getting late, I..."
"Your birthday just passed like that?" Xie Chi interrupted her, his narrow eyes slightly raised, a kind of unfathomable light flickering within them. "Make a wish on the cake, receive a meaningless gift, and then go home to sleep?"
He shook his head. "Too ordinary, not good enough for you."
He took a half-step closer, so close that Ji Wanqing could almost see the fine veins on his pale skin.
He lowered his head, his voice even lower, with a seductive huskiness, "I'll take you somewhere and give you a... real birthday present, guaranteed to be more... unforgettable than anything you've ever received."
His gaze was fixed on her, carrying an undeniable forcefulness, and a well-hidden, almost frantic excitement.
Ji Wanqing instinctively tried to back away, but her back pressed against the cold door panel.
She remembered the last time, which was also the first time they met.
He concealed it well at the time; although his eyes were equally aggressive, they also revealed the unruliness and confidence unique to race car drivers.
The adrenaline rush and near-suffocating thrill of that high-speed car chase did allow her to temporarily forget all her troubles, but it also left her with lingering fear.
At this moment, that familiar feeling, a mixture of danger and temptation, returned, and it was even stronger than before.
"No, it's too late, and I..." she tried to refuse.
"Late?" Xie Chi chuckled softly, his breath almost brushing against her forehead. "In my world, there is no early or late, only what I want and what I don't want."
His gaze swept across her face and slightly pursed lips, as if he could see through her inner struggle.
"After that last time, have you ever dreamed of... the roar of an engine?" he suddenly asked, his voice very soft. "That feeling of leaving everything behind, only speed and wind... hmm?"
Ji Wanqing's heart clenched suddenly.
How could he know? She did indeed dream of that heart-pounding, racing feeling one night.
Seeing her sudden change in expression, a hint of satisfaction flashed in Xie Chi's eyes.
He knew he had touched a nerve in her subconscious that she herself was unwilling to acknowledge.
"Just for a moment." He stepped back half a step, as if giving her space, but his tone still carried an invisible rope. "I'll take you to the top of the mountain to see the night view. It's much more interesting than staying cooped up in the room. My car is downstairs."
He waved the convenience store plastic bag in his hand. "By the way, I'll treat you to a birthday drink."
On the one hand, Ji Wanqing rationally knew that she should stay away from this man who seemed increasingly dangerous.
But on the other hand, a corner of my heart is indeed clamoring for a stronger, more direct stimulus to cover up all the chaos and entanglement of today.
Xie Chi stopped urging her and just watched her leisurely. His dark eyes, under the corridor lights, were like two bottomless pools of dark springs, quietly waiting for her to fall.
Finally, the string of reason loosened slightly.
“...Just a little while,” she heard her own dry voice say.
Xie Chi's lips finally curled into a genuine yet wicked smile, a smile that brought his handsome face to life, but also made him even more dangerous.
“Don’t worry,” he turned and walked toward the elevator, his voice filled with confident pleasure, “You know my skills.”
Downstairs, there was a sleek, all-black heavy motorcycle, its surface gleaming coldly in the moonlight.
Xie Chi took another helmet from under the seat and handed it to her.
Just like last time, it was clearly a helmet prepared in advance, made especially for her.
Ji Wanqing took the helmet, and the icy touch made her shudder.
"Get in." Xie Chi strode over and sat firmly in the car, starting the engine.
"Buzz—"
The roar of the engine instantly filled the night sky.
Ji Wanqing put on her helmet, hesitated for a moment, and then sat on the back seat, but didn't know where to put her hands.
"Hold on tight," Xie Chi commanded without turning his head, his voice coming through the helmet with an unquestionable tone, "Otherwise, you might fall off."
The engine roared, foreshadowing the impending high-speed surge.
Ji Wanqing gritted her teeth, reached out, and gently grabbed the side of his shirt.
Through the thin silk shirt, you could feel the taut and powerful muscle lines beneath.
"Too light." Xie Chi seemed dissatisfied and suddenly twisted the accelerator!
The motorcycle shot off like an arrow!
The intense push made Ji Wanqing gasp, her body uncontrollably pressed tightly against his back, and her hands instinctively wrapped tightly around his waist.
The wind howled past the helmet, so fast that the scenery on both sides turned into blurry blocks of color.
The city lights merged into a flowing river of light at breakneck speed.
My heart was pounding wildly in my chest, almost bursting out of my throat.
All thoughts were torn apart and scattered by this absolute speed at this moment, leaving only the most primal sensory stimulation and dependence on the man in front of them who controlled the speed and direction.
Xie Chi seemed to enjoy her being forced to cling to him, a slight smile playing on his lips where she couldn't see.
He weaved nimbly through the traffic, and every thrilling overtake and the feeling of weightlessness from the car tilting as he turned made Ji Wanqing hold on even tighter.
He would even deliberately increase his speed to a terrifying level on some straight sections, feeling the girl behind him whimper in fear and hug him even tighter, before slowing down slightly with satisfaction.
The car eventually stopped on a hilltop with a wide view on the outskirts of the city.
Beneath my feet lies a sleeping city, its myriad lights like scattered stars.
Xie Chi turned off the engine, and the surroundings instantly fell silent, leaving only the sound of their somewhat rapid breathing.
He got off the vehicle first, took off his helmet, and his messy hair was blown by the wind, adding to his wild and untamed look.
He took out an ice-cold beer he bought from a convenience store and handed one to Ji Wanqing, who was still sitting in the car, shaken.
"How was it?" He leaned back on the motorcycle, took a sip of his drink, his Adam's apple bobbing, his gaze falling on her slightly flushed cheeks and still somewhat dazed eyes. "This birthday present is... way more exciting than a fountain pen, isn't it?"
His tone carried a clear sense of boastfulness, and a satisfaction that only he himself understood—the satisfaction of having drawn her into his world.
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