From now on, we'll have nothing to do with each other, and there's no need to maintain any lingering ties. So, are you sure you can handle it?
- I can't.
Chapter 61 If the mountain won't come to me, I'll go to the mountain (3)
Once the power is switched off, the scene becomes quite chaotic.
There were all sorts of noises; you bumped into me, I bumped into you, which sparked a chorus of curses and swears.
When Zhou Qishen returned to the dance floor, the emergency lights came on, the path became visible, and the situation was under control. However, Zhao Xiyin and Cen Yue were nowhere to be seen near the pillar.
"Sorry, buddy, there's a reason for this mess today. I know no amount of explanation will help. Could you calculate how much was damaged and how much you'll have to pay? Not a penny less." In the lounge, Gu Heping was negotiating with the bar owner.
The boss, who was under thirty and dressed very fashionably, put his arm around Gu Heping's shoulder and shook his head, "Don't mention it, Brother Gu, just come often from now on. It's just a little incident, consider it as creating a festive atmosphere."
After going around in circles, they were all acquaintances. Zhou Qishen and his friends always preferred to hang out with their own acquaintances for peace of mind. The other party valued relationships, but they weren't going to take it for granted. In the end, Zhou Qishen settled the bill, double the bar's daily revenue, and even told them not to hesitate to ask for help in the future.
After finishing the business, he lost interest in playing. Old Cheng drove around the Third Ring Road and headed towards the overpass. Gu Heping slumped in the driver's seat, rubbing his eyes, seething with resentment. "You fucking poked my eyeballs out! They've been watering non-stop. I'm going to get my vision checked tomorrow. If I need glasses, you'd better make me a pair with solid gold frames."
Still not satisfied, Gu Heping complained, "Brother Zhou, I've noticed you're quite violent, huh? You just pull the switch without warning, I've never heard of anything like this before."
"Besides, why are you jealous? It's such a beautiful sight to see Xiao Zhao dancing. I think she's having a lot of fun." As Gu Heping said this, he was thinking of Cen Yue, repeatedly replaying her dancing in his mind. His voice gradually softened.
Zhou Qishen was extremely annoyed. "Who is that girl next to her? Why did you bring her here?"
Gu Heping chuckled, "You're something else. You're allowed to set fires in Guanzhou but not in the common people. What's wrong with those two good friends, beautiful young women, relaxing and having fun together? Aren't you playing cards and drinking at the bar yourself? Don't be so hypocritical as a man!"
Old Cheng chuckled and interjected, "If Brother Zhou says one thing, you say ten. Who are you really speaking up for? You've been eyeing that girl next to Xiao Zhao quite a bit, haven't you?"
Gu Heping sat up straighter and shouted, "Get lost! I just can't stand Boss Zhou!"
Old Cheng asked, "Where's Xiao Zhao? Didn't you bring her out?"
“They’re gone,” Zhou Qishen said. “When I went back to the front, they were nowhere to be seen.”
"Are you sure?" Old Cheng teased. "Just make a phone call and ask."
Zhou Qishen remained silent for a long time, clutching his phone like it was a hot potato, before finally saying, "I'll call her father later."
The bar was a place frequented by acquaintances, a legitimate business, so nothing untoward was likely to happen. With the girl's safety assured, Zhou Qishen's impulsive impulse cooled down.
After exiting the elevated highway, the traffic thinned out, and Lao Cheng was just about to pick up speed when he heard the roar of an engine from behind. Lao Cheng was all too familiar with that sound; there were too many motorcycle enthusiasts there. The light was red, and the cars lined up to stop. The motorcycle roared past their window and stopped a car length in front of them.
Old Cheng glanced at it casually, and what he saw left him dumbfounded.
The CB Xiaomao 400, with its classic white and green color scheme, looks incredibly cool with all the modifications it's been made, easily costing at least six figures.
Two girls sat on the top, with slender arms and long legs, both wearing heavy helmets.
Old Cheng stared intently, then stammered, "This, isn't this Xiao west?"
Cen Yue is truly a remarkable creature; when she returned to Beijing from Shanxi, she even specially shipped a motorcycle over. After the two left the bar, Cen Yue said she'd show her something. A cool, high-performance motorcycle was parked in the parking lot; her friend in Beijing had ridden it directly from the logistics station to this spot for her.
Zhao Xiyin was hesitant to sit down at first, but Cen Yue confidently said, "I have a driver's license, so I can legally drive on the road."
The early January nights in Beijing were bitterly cold, a biting and unpredictable experience, yet also quite exhilarating. Zhao Xiyin sat in the back of the car, shivering as she held Cen Yue. But as the cold wind seeped into her down jacket and penetrated to her very bones, a strange, almost agonizing, sensation washed over her—a mix of discomfort and relief. Some taut nerves in her body snapped, dissipating with the wind, allowing new oxygen to fill the void, and the languid parts of her body began to stir and sprout anew.
Zhao Xiyin hugged Cen Yue's waist, and they chatted about something, then she giggled.
Old Cheng was about to stick his head out and shout when Zhou Qishen stopped him, saying, "Don't call her. There are a lot of cars here. Don't scare her."
That's true. They didn't know if the young female driver was just a show-off. If she was only half-baked, she was most likely to panic and make mistakes.
And so, the two girls flew ahead, while their car followed at a constant distance. Zhao Xiyin grew bolder, daring to loosen her grip on Cen Yue's waist and reach out to grab the wind.
As Cen Yue sped up slightly, she immediately tightened her grip on the person, looking nervous. Her helmet was pinkish-white and large, resembling a small, glowing mushroom from a distance.
Zhou Qishen chuckled unconsciously, while Lao Cheng got goosebumps from the sarcasm. He was about to say something to Gu Heping when he saw Gu Heping also grinning foolishly.
Old Cheng was disgusted by the two people. "I think I can turn off the air conditioning in my car."
Gu Heping: "Why?"
"Aren't you all feeling hot and sweaty right now?" Old Cheng said slowly.
Cen Yue and Zhao Xiyin chased the wind all night, looking incredibly cool and dashing, but it was also incredibly cold! They couldn't take it for more than twenty minutes. When they got off the motorcycle, Zhao Xiyin immediately knelt on the ground, not caring about the dirt, and sat down on the icy steps.
After taking off their helmets, the two girls looked at each other and burst into laughter.
It was too cold, and Cen Yue definitely couldn't ride back. She remained calm, made a phone call, and then took a taxi with Zhao Xiyin.
"Huh? You don't want the car anymore?" Zhao Xiyin asked, confused.
Cen Yue said it was fine, "Someone will come and take it away for me later."
In the dead of night, amidst the freezing cold, someone was always available at a moment's notice. Zhao Xiyin had never inquired too much about her family, but now it seemed that Cen Yue's family was definitely not just wealthy, but perhaps also had some connections in Beijing.
The taxi took a detour to take Zhao Xiyin home first. After getting out of the car, Zhao Xiyin's legs felt weak and she could barely muster any strength. She maintained a very strange posture as she slowly walked towards the stairwell.
Her legs were as weak as noodles, blown about by the wind. Just as Zhao Xiyin was regretting her actions, her arms tightened, and she was firmly supported. Zhou Qishen looked displeased, frowning and saying unhappily, "Have you forgotten that you had a fever a couple of days ago?"
Zhao Xiyin beamed the moment she saw him. Her smile blossomed without a care in the world, like a budding flower bursting into full bloom in the warmth of spring. In just one glance, Zhou Qishen held her even tighter.
Zhao Xiyin struggled, "You always seem to appear out of nowhere, keeping people hanging. You even have the nerve to mention having a fever. I offered you a red envelope the other day, and you ran away the next day."
Zhou Qishen remained expressionless, but his eyes deepened. "I was rushing to catch a flight to Shenzhen for a business trip."
"Nonsense," Zhao Xiyin exposed him. "Everyone's on holiday, what business trip could you possibly be on? If you were really on a business trip, would you still be standing here?"