Water and Fire~Chapter 17.1: Getting to Know Each Other Again

 

Chapter 17.1: Getting to Know Each Other Again

Chu Qianmiao humbly asked Ren Yan again, "Mr. Ren, could you tell me your specific address? I'll get you and your car there safely!"

Ren Yan paused for two seconds, then said, "Let's drive to your place first, and we'll talk once we get there."

"Okay!" Chu Qianmiao stopped asking and prepared to drive off.

She figured Ren Yan must be the type of person who treasured his home address—no one except his parents and the courier knew where he lived. This kind of behavior was usually a way to protect himself from the opposite sex.

Before Chu Qianmiao started the car, she performed a series of elaborate movements: taking a deep breath, she braided her hands together, twisting them forward and backward. She then untied them and swung them around, pressing one hand against the other's joints, making a cracking sound... The entire process felt like a warm-up before a fight.

Ren Yan had been staring straight ahead, but then he couldn't help but glance at her.

"Nervous?" Ren Yan frowned slightly.

Chu Qianmiao chuckled, "Not nervous. It's just my first time driving a Mercedes-Benz, so being a bit more formal is a sign of respect!"

Ren Yan's lips curled slightly.

Chu Qianmiao tilted her head toward the steering wheel, trying to figure out how to start the engine.

But the first time, she failed...

Ren Yan's slight frown deepened into a full frown: "Chu Qianmiao, do you really have a driver's license?"

The sound of the car starting up was his response.

Amid the humming of the engine, Chu Qianmiao turned and smiled at Ren Yan. "Of course!" As soon as she finished speaking, she stepped on the gas pedal, and the car shot off like a gas pumped with stimulants.

Ren Yan was pushed back against the seat by inertia.

"Hey, a Mercedes-Benz is different. That push back feeling is incredible!" Chu Qianmiao steered the car, scrambling down the curve of the parking lot.

The tires scraped against the parking lot floor with a sizzling sound, like a mouse caught in a mousetrap.

The car climbed onto the ground and into the night. It was a rare beautiful night in Beijing, free of fog and haze, the moon and stars shining brightly.

Chu Qianmiao tugged at the steering wheel, directing the car from the side road onto the main road.

And then, she stepped on the accelerator again.

Ren Yan couldn't help but call her name again.

"Chu Qianmiao."

"Huh?" Chu Qianmiao replied, looking at the road ahead.

"I have a high salary, and my life is valuable. Drive slower."

"...Oh."

She slowed down. But a moment later, she stepped on the gas and picked up the speed again.

Ren Yan said nothing more. He simply raised his right arm, resting his elbow on the window sill, his palm against his forehead, shielding his eyes...

Suddenly, he was startled by the sound of a horn. He immediately realized it was Chu Qianmiao.

He turned and looked at Chu Qianmiao. He wanted to tell her not to honk in the middle of the night.

But before he could say anything, Chu Qianmiao angrily rolled down the window and shouted at the car next to them, "Brother, you're making a U-turn on a double yellow line? It's convenient for you, but what if it causes someone else to crash?"

Ren Yan was stunned. In his memory, this girl was always cheerful and cheerful, never so aggressive.

Chu Qianmiao then rolled up the window, panting heavily.

Ren Yan glanced at her.

She was still furious.

The car suddenly stopped, and he was startled by another "bang."

This time, it was Chu Qianmiao who had slammed the car to a stop at the intersection because the yellow light ahead had turned red.

He was jolted between the seatbelt and the seatback. He was now regretting not hiring a real designated driver.

He heard her angrily slap the steering wheel and say, "How could that person in front of us cross the road when the light was red? How careless! How could they take their own life so lightly? Oh, I'm so angry!"

Ren Yan glanced at Chu Qianmiao before him, and it felt like he was seeing another side of her.

The light turned green, and Chu Qianmiao released the brake and stepped on the accelerator, bringing the car up to speed.

"That car ahead of us is really overdoing it! They changed lanes without using their turn signal! These people can't just be so reckless just because it's late at night, right? Traffic rules don't become obsolete at midnight!" Chu Qianmiao said angrily, looking at the car ahead.

Ren Yan couldn't help himself and called out, "Chu Qianmiao."

"Hey?" Chu Qianmiao replied, watching the road.

"Do you have a road rage certificate?"

"..." Chu Qianmiao was stunned, her fury softening. "No, road rage is too limited. I have a rage disorder! I... I stand up for injustice wherever I see it!" she argued.

Ren Yan chuckled softly.

Chu Qianmiao turned to look at the right rearview mirror and caught a glimpse of Ren Yan's hands on his tie, gently loosening them left and right. He had unbuttoned the first button of his shirt. The smile still lingered on his face, and his eyes, slightly narrowed, looked a bit hazy and lazy.

The moonlight was too beautiful, the night too gentle, his smile too sudden, his expression too sexy. Chu Qianmiao's hand trembled, and the car's steering trembled too. She quickly looked away from the road ahead. Her road rage was gone, cured by that chuckle.

She could feel Ren Yan turning his head to look at her with the tremor.

"Are you going to force me to drink drive?"

She stared at the road ahead and reassured him repeatedly, "Mr. Ren! No, Senior! Don't worry! I'll definitely get you home safe and sound!"

Ren Yan turned his head and looked out the window at the word "Senior." The shadows of the trees shone back, the moon was bright, a truly beautiful night. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

"Junior Chu." He suddenly spoke, giving Chu Qianmiao a startling start.

"Remember you lost a bet with me."

Chu Qianmiao knew he was talking about the bet they'd made earlier about Di Chong, Du Ran, and Zeng Qiang. Whoever loses must fulfill one of the winner's requests.

"Oh," she replied obediently. "Then make your request. Please don't make it too difficult..."

"I haven't thought about it yet, so I'll save it for now. I mention it to remind you, don't forget about this."

"...Oh." You're truly so busy, yet you don't even forget to make sure you don't get hurt.

Another red light, and Chu Qianmiao stopped the car. She quickly glanced at Ren Yan beside her. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes squinting lazily.

The invisible barrier that usually kept him at a distance seemed to have melted away considerably in the night. At this moment, he seemed approachable.

Chu Qianmiao's mind raced, and she blurted out, "Mr. Ren... Actually... I saw you in college, Senior." She observed his expression, "More than once."

Ren Yan raised his eyelids slightly and looked at her. "Well, it's not surprising. Many people saw me in school."

Chu Qianmiao: "..."

What a cocky guy...

She decided to rephrase the question.

"Senior, I mean, actually, we crossed paths many times in school. Do you remember?" She turned to look at Ren Yan, her eyes brighter than the stars outside.

Ren Yan glanced back from her gaze. He glanced forward and told Chu Qianmiao, "The light's green."

Chu Qianmiao quickly straightened her head and started the car.