BOOM... BOOM... BOOOM~
There was a frightening peal of thunder, and lightning flashed incessantly, lighting up the sky. A rolling sea of threatening dark clouds churned like a raging tsunami, as flashes of lightning streaked from within, making them appear to glow angrily. It only took a moment for a heavy downpour to make the entire Xiahai city's temperature drop. The neon lights in this stormy weather looked fuzzy and made the whole city seemed rather hazy.
The city streets were still bustling with people and cars, and the city looked lively and busy. There were many pedestrians without umbrellas hiding under any building they could find shelter in. But, those who had raincoats or umbrellas chose to brave through the storm. However, the cars had slowed down on the road due to safety concerns and to avoid potential accidents with other vehicles and pedestrians.
"Can you stop being so barbaric in the future? We can settle all these things through a proper legal procedure. Violence cannot be the answer to every problem."
Su Li tried to convince Xiao Luo in the car for this was the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. She really disliked his usual way of solving a problem using the most extreme means he could. No sane women in the world would prefer a man with a predisposition toward violence.
"Ms. Su, I admire your magnanimity even though you were taken advantage of. It was amazing that you could remain so calm and unaffected," Xiao Luo responded, keeping his eyes on the road.
"You...!"
Su Li was offended and frustrated that Xiao Luo chose not to even consider her words at all. He didn't get—it was not about her being taken advantage of. Seriously? What did he mean by "unaffected?"
She felt hurt as this man could never get what she meant, even once!
"Alright, you two are like Tom and Jerry—you guys clearly are fond of each other, but you're just stubborn as hell. As an outsider, I have a fair and objective comment to make. None of you guys are willing to take the initiative to break the deadlock. You two would have lived together a long time ago had either of you chosen to do that. Instead, you're living in your apartment separately."
Shen Qingyan chuckled as she finally understood the situation now. "Su Li, you always complain to me about how Xiao Luo does not have a successful career, and you see him as a total loser. This could be interpreted from another perspective—that you're was very concerned about Xiao Luo," she said, "And, Xiao Luo, as for today's little sparring session with Leon—you would not have done that if you did not have a thing for Su Li as you're essentially a gentle person. To make things clear, your feelings for each other are mutual."
She used to look down on Xiao Luo, but she found him quite charming after some time of hanging out with him. She did find him quite charming, actually!
"Huh, who wants to stay together!"
Both Xiao Luo and Su Li responded simultaneously as if they had been practicing it together.
They stared at each other and then looked away immediately. Su Li was blushing while Xiao Luo was expressionless.
"Tsk! You can keep denying it. I'll see how long can you guys live in denial. If you guys ever decided to live together someday, text me, and I'll take Su Xiaobei with me. So you guys can have a sweet and hot honeymoon to yourselves." Shen Qingyan said, smiling cheekily.
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
Su Li vehemently denied any such thing. She stared out of the window into the night sky, trying to calm herself down. She stole a fleeting glance at Xiao Luo as she thought, if only this man were not so barbaric and had a successful career, it would be so wonderful. He was the man who made her heart flutter, and she had already set her mind on living with him for the rest of her life—for now, at least.
Xiao Luo suddenly decided to take the attention off himself, and said in jest, "President Shen, I think you would make a perfect match for a friend of mine, if there's ever an opportunity, I would like to introduce him to you."
"Oh? So, now you're trying to matchmake your boss? Fine, I don't have a high standard, but he cannot be less handsome and shorter than you. Most importantly, he needs to give me that special feeling of connection. That's all, and I don't care if he's rich, as I already am," Shen Qingyan replied, playing with her long hair.
"Cough, cough..."
Xiao Luo choked. He had intended to refer Zhang Dashan since he was unable to date Huang Ruoran. A woman like Shen Qingyan was every man's dream, and it would be a nice thing to matchmake them. However, Shen Qingyan's selection criteria had totally discouraged him.
"Well, you've got to see him for yourself," he said.
Shen Qingyan smiled as she was obviously uninterested and placed little faith in such arrangements.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The tiny car behind them was honking incessantly and flashing its headlight to force Xiao Luo out of its way.
"Is that dude blind or sick? Can't he see that we can't give way?" Shen Qingyan hissed, and she was pissed.
"Don't bother; the driver probably has road rage syndrome!" Su Li said.
Road rage syndrome?!
Xiao Luo smiled as this was his first time hearing such a term, but it was very apt nonetheless.
He continued to drive at their current speed. He turned on the car's music app to shield their ears from the honking from behind them. When the music played, it turned out to be one of Su Li's greatest hits, "Twice Blooms the Flower."
"Two kinds of life, like a wilting flower, reminiscing the memories of blooming, many moons ago...awaiting here in patience, to let time returns, with eyes full of petals..."
The song was soothing, and the lyrics were beautiful—it sounded like a song that could purify one's soul. Both Xiao Luo and Shen Qingyan were mesmerized by the singing.
"Li, let me ask you a question. What does it feel like to listen to your own song?" Shen Qingyan asked.
"Lame!"
Su Li's answer was short and straightforward.
She had actually become popular because of this song in the past. Of course, her focus now on the film industry and not music. She had not sung for a really long time.
Then, the car from behind them suddenly caught up but did not overtake them. Instead, it ran alongside them.
The window on the far side of the driver seat was wound down, and a weird-looking man with ear studs yelled, "What the f*ck, you f*cking donkey, don't you know how to drive? We've been honking a gazillion times—are you deaf? I would kick your ass if I wasn't in a rush, f*ck you!"
He grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the bottom of his seat and threw it at the window of the Jaguar. That man even put up a middle finger as he let out a barrage of expletives, then wound up his window. Immediately, he sped up and overtook them.
Both Su Li and Shen Qingyan were shocked as they did not expect to run into such a gangster. It was impossible to give way as there was clearly no extra room for them to give way!
"What kind of jerk is this? How rude can he be?" Shen Qingyan hissed. She was furious as those people now spoiled her mood.
"Tighten your seatbelts!"
Xiao Luo did not break a sweat, and he only said it once as he looked at them through the rearview mirror.
Both Su Li and Shen Qingyan grabbed the handrail unconsciously as they knew very well what Xiao Luo intended to do.
"Hmm..."
Xiao Luo stepped on the accelerator pedal hard. The Jaguar started to charge forward like a beast, overtaking one car after another and finally catching up to the Audi when they came to the gigantic bridge between the river. He then slammed the accelerator pedal entirely and overtook the car like a fire arrow before he braked in front of the Audi, preventing it from moving anywhere.
.....
"Is there an umbrella in the car?" Xiao Luo turned his head to ask Shen Qingyan, seated in the backseat. It was common practice for car owners to leave an umbrella in the car in case of unexpected bad weather.
"Yeah, in the glove compartment," Shen Qingyan replied. She glanced towards the glove compartment in front of the passenger seat.
Xiao Luo immediately opened the glove box. There was an umbrella there—but its edges were lined with lace, and it was pink lace, at that. He furrowed his eyebrows. "Err, never mind..."
Xiao Luo got out of the car shortly after he spoke.
The rain poured down relentlessly, and he was immediately soaked from head to toe the moment he stepped out. At the same time, four young men descended from the black Audi sedan that had been tailing them. There looked like hooligans, grimacing with unfriendly scowls on their faces.
"D*mn you, b*stard! Are you looking to die?"
"F*ck him, let's beat the hell out of that guy!"
The four young men drew strength from their numbers and charged towards Xiao Luo.
One of them, the one who yelled at Xiao Luo, was swaggering as he led his men from the front. Xiao Luo preempted his attack, and without any warning, sent him flying a few meters back with just one kick. The young man clutched his stomach as he threw up everything he ate for dinner, groaning as he lay on the road in unimaginable pain.
The other three men were shocked, and they held back for a beat. Suddenly, they rushed at Xiao Luo with fierce roars.
Xiao Luo huffed lightly. He landed a clean and accurate right hook on the face of a silver-haired young man. It sent flying the young man with a pathetic scream and left him with a row of bloody front teeth. The young man reeled back and crashed heavily on the wet ground. He landed into a large puddle of rainwater with a splash, kicking up sprays of water a meter high.
There were now two of them left, and they were so terrified that they froze, suddenly unsure of themselves. When Xiao Luo turned and glared at them, they nervously pulled out their switchblades and exchanged glances before they charged wildly toward Xiao Luo at the same time.
Xiao Luo laughed with a sneer and stepped forward to meet them head-on. He weaved between the two of them and spread out both arms like two metal rods and struck at their chests. There were but two dull thuds before the two young men spat out thick blood, and they found themselves sailing back in the air as if struck by a speeding sports car.
It had barely been a minute, and the four young men had already been dispatched and lying sprawled on the ground!
Su Li and Shen Qingyan were shocked as they took in the scene. This was too brutal, too barbaric. Had it not been for the fact that they had seen all of this with their own eyes, it would be too difficult for them to imagine that someone like Xiao Luo, who did not seem imposing or menacing in the least, had such terrifying moves up his sleeves.
Xiao Luo raked his gaze over the four people who were writhing on the ground and crying pathetically. There was not a trace of emotion on his face. Then, he walked over to the front section of the black sedan.
Crack!
It was like his left arm was a machine. He effortlessly smashed the front window and then snatched the car key from the ignition.
In debonair fashion, Xiao Luo turned around and strode over to the Jaguar. As he did so, he tossed the car key off the bridge. A river of raging waters ran beneath the bridge, and but not a single one of the four men dared make a sound. They were lying on the road and groaning miserably. It was clear that they had messed up here today.
When Xiao Luo got back in the driver's seat, he brushed his wet hair with a hand. He looked at Su Li indifferently through the rearview mirror and said, "You say that I'm barbaric and violent. Well, I guess you're right. That's exactly the kind of person I am. If I were to consider this some illness, then I think I'm already at death's door, and there's no hope left for me!"
There was a deeper meaning behind his words, and his message was—think as you wish! Xiao Luo had no plans of changing; that was for sure.
After he said that, he stepped on the gas without waiting for Su Li to respond, speeding through the bridge and getting them to the other side of the river.
Su Li bit into her scarlet lips. In a scarcely audible voice, she hissed, "Barbarian..."
Although Shen Qingyan thought that Xiao Luo was excessively barbaric and violent, she was, on the other hand, much comforted by his ability to protect them. "You've gone too far this time, Xiao Luo. On top of beating them to a pulp, you also threw their car keys into the river. I think they'll remember this encounter for as long as they live," she said.
"Some people need to be taught a lesson before they see reason," Xiao Luo replied.
"Why does it feel like you're hinting at something?" Shen Qingyan quipped, glancing at Su Li, who was sitting beside her.
Su Li glared at Shen Qingyan. "What are you looking at? Leave me out of your conversation."
She was, in fact, lashing out at Xiao Luo.
...
...
By the time they made their way back to Crescent Bay, it was already ten in the evening.
Not only did it seem like the rain would not be stopping anytime soon, but it appeared to be getting heavier. More puddles were forming on the ground, and when the raindrops hit them, the bubbles that were formed seemed to light up like tiny bulbs.
"Huh, why is there someone standing there in the rain? It looks like a girl?" Shen Qingyan exclaimed.
Xiao Luo followed the direction of her gaze. Indeed, he saw a girl curled up, folding her arms around her chest. She sat unmoving in the pouring rain by the streetside next to the main gate leading to Crescent Bay, with her head lowered. Although she was some distance away from the car, she seemed familiar to him at first glance.
Gu Qianxue?
He took a harder look, and he was about 80% sure that it was her—not everybody had that simple yet elegant air about them.
Xiao Luo immediately pushed open the door and bounded over.
"Gu Qianxue?" He stood in front of the girl and called out to her.
When she heard him, the girl immediately raised her head. She had a beautiful face with a cold demeanor, giving her an aloofness that made it difficult for anyone to approach her. She had a pair of exquisitely beautiful eyes and glowing pale skin. Who could it be if not Gu Qianxue? She was as naive as a blank sheet of paper.
"I've been waiting for you, Xiao Luo."
Gu Qianxue stood up. She was drenched from head to toe. Her face seemed unusually pale, and her hair was soaking wet as well, with some strands clinging to her face. At the sight of Xiao Luo, the coldness in her eyes vanished, replaced by warmth and glee.
"Since you know I live here, why didn't you just let yourself in? Why did you have to wait here in the rain?" Xiao Luo said.
There was a trace of an uneasy smile on Gu Qianxue's face. "Umm, they wouldn't let me in. So I had no other option but to wait here by the gate for you," she said.
Xiao Luo really could not understand why the girl was so foolish. "Your older sister is so smart, so how are you this dumb? Don't you know to find shelter when it's pouring like this?"
"That's alright, my body's real tough. A little rain like this can't hurt me," Gu Qianxue responded, shaking her head.
Xiao Luo was shocked. He did not know whether to laugh or cry. "If your dad knew the kind of situation you were in, he'd probably call me out for a cup of tea in the middle of the night," he said.
Gu Qianxue laughed sweetly. "Xiao Luo, it's great that I managed to find you..."
As soon as the words left her mouth, her eyes fluttered slightly, and she collapsed in a heap.
Xiao Luo jumped in shock, instantly helping her up. "Gu Qianxue, Gu Qianxue..." he called her name several times, but she did not respond. He put his hand on her forehead, and he blanched. "What was all that nonsense about having a strong body? You're burning up!" he muttered.
He gathered the foolish girl into his arms and sprinted into Crescent Bay. There was some medicine to treat fevers and flu in his apartment, and he had to treat her immediately.
In the Jaguar, Su Li and Shen Qingyan sat frozen in shocked silence.
It was Shen Qingyan who came back to her senses first. "Li, they seem to know each other. The girl seems rather innocent, probably in her early 20s. The girls that Xiao Luo are acquainted with are all so pretty. Is this what it means to be blessed?" she said.
There was a conflicted expression on Su Li's face when she heard those words. She was a woman, and her sixth sense told her that the girl was her love rival.