Unfortunately, Qin Shu understood instantly. Seeing how calm Xie Lanzhi looked, he thought maybe it was just his own dirty mind. But he knew: Xie Lanzhi did occasionally tell cold jokes or “drive,” and it was always straight onto the highway. Combined with that cold, abstinent face of his, the contrast was lethal—tsk, this b*stard could drive people crazy.
But Qin Shu wasn’t afraid of words being dirty. As a longtime fanfiction writer who shipped “Cheng Ning,” he could even fight dirty with dirty. “This driving skill feels familiar… so senior is an old driver.”
Xie Lanzhi chuckled. “Just average skills.”
Qin Shu blurted out: “Enough to teach me.” The second he said it, he realized he was already on a roller coaster. It was the first time he’d “driven” like this in front of such a top-tier handsome guy; his ears were burning red.
Xie Lanzhi asked, “You don’t know how to drive?”
Qin Shu patted the steering wheel, a bit embarrassed. “Not this kind. I have a license, but I haven’t driven in a long time, so…”
Xie Lanzhi more or less understood. “Where are you trying to drive to?”
“Drive, to the edge of the city.”
Xie Lanzhi thought for a moment. “The airport?”
Qin Shu was dumbstruck. “How did you know?”
“Holiday, outskirts of the city—if not the train station, then the airport,” Xie Lanzhi said. “Open the passenger door.”
Xie Lanzhi walked around to the other side and sat in the passenger seat. The space in the sports car was cramped, and with someone like him sitting so close, Qin Shu’s whole body went stiff.
Leaning over, Xie Lanzhi began calmly explaining the functions of the dashboard. The two of them were so close they could feel each other’s breath. Qin Shu pressed tightly against the seatback, sinking in completely, yet Xie Lanzhi’s profile remained right there within arm’s reach.
Some people’s looks fall apart up close—but clearly, Xie Lanzhi wasn’t one of them. At this distance, his face was an enlarged blur—no flaws in sight. His eyelashes trembled now and then, lips opening and closing—teaching him how to drive.
Suddenly, Xie Lanzhi turned his head, looking straight at Qin Shu, and asked: “Got it memorized?”
Qin Shu held his breath. “Oh, oh, so that’s how it is. Yeah, I’ve totally got it memorized now.” (He hadn’t at all.)
Xie Lanzhi sat up straight. “Then drive it out.”
“Uh… can you say it again?” Qin Shu said weakly. “Just say it—don’t, don’t lean in again.”
Xie Lanzhi: “…”
After fumbling for a long while, Qin Shu finally managed to get the car moving. Watching Qin Shu grip the wheel with both hands, eyes locked dead ahead without daring to blink, not even checking the mirrors, Xie Lanzhi said slowly: “This car is insured, right?”
Qin Shu shouted, “Huh? Don’t don’t don’t talk to me! I can’t do two things at once!”
Xie Lanzhi began wondering which auto shop nearest their school would be most convenient for repairs.
The parking lot exit was a ways away, with several sharp turns. Right-angle turns were part of the driving test, and Qin Shu had actually scored full marks there—finally, he regained some confidence. “This one I know! When the car nose reaches the opposite edge line, immediately crank the wheel all the way toward the turn—”
Xie Lanzhi said, “Turn now.”
Qin Shu blinked. “But the instructor said—”
Seeing the SUV at the corner looming closer, Xie Lanzhi stopped wasting words. He grabbed Qin Shu’s hands on the wheel, gave it a pull, and the car’s tail barely scraped past the SUV.
Qin Shu opened his mouth, nearly crying out in shock.
“Don’t listen to the instructor,” Xie Lanzhi said near his ear. “Listen to me.”
Heart still racing, Qin Shu swallowed hard. “O-okay.”
Xie Lanzhi checked the route to the airport on his phone. All the roads were somewhat jammed. At Qin Shu’s current speed, a trip that normally took an hour and a half would take at least three.
After struggling all the way out of the parking lot, Qin Shu voluntarily pulled over, sulking. “I’d better just get a substitute driver.”
Xie Lanzhi raised his eyebrows. “You don’t realize you’ve got a free chauffeur sitting next to you?”
Qin Shu said in surprise, “But going to the airport takes a long time.”
“I’m pretty free tonight.”
It’d be a lie to say Qin Shu wasn’t touched. “You really are a good person. But this trashy car only has two seats.”
“I’ll drop you off at the airport, then take a cab home.” Xie Lanzhi unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door. “Out. Switch seats.”
Qin Shu got into the passenger side and watched as Xie Lanzhi shifted gears, started the engine, turned the wheel to the left—like a movie scene, each frame was effortlessly attractive. Qin Shu was entranced. No wonder Xie Lanzhi had become such a popular stock; there was a reason. He felt like he was bouncing nonstop between shipping his CP and drooling over looks. Most of the time, he stood firmly on ChengNing’s side, but the moment Xie Lanzhi turned on that d*mn charm, no one could resist.
Still—resist he must! In this life, he was destined to lay down his life for the pure love of his CP. A Cheng Ning boy never gives in!
Xie Lanzhi drove fast but steady, occasionally explaining the road conditions to Qin Shu. “No matter what kind of flashy stunt the car in front pulls, remember: give speed, not lane. Meaning, you can slow down, but don’t swerve lanes. Otherwise, if there’s an accident, you’ll be fully responsible…”
A phone vibrating broke the calm. Qin Shu glanced at his own phone, then said, “Looks like it’s yours.”
By now they were already on the airport expressway, cruising at 120. Xie Lanzhi kept his eyes ahead. “Ignore it.”
But the caller was persistent—each time the buzzing stopped, it started right back up. Qin Shu said, “Maybe you should answer? What if it’s important?”
“Can’t take a call on the highway.”
“Then I’ll pick it up for you?”
Xie Lanzhi hesitated, then nodded. “It’s in my pants pocket.”
The moment Qin Shu’s hand brushed the pocket, Xie Lanzhi calmly said, “Careful.”
Qin Shu nearly bit his tongue. “Careful of what?”
Xie Lanzhi didn’t reply. Qin Shu quickly pulled his hand back, wiped it on himself, and then, pinky finger cocked, daintily pinched the phone out of the pocket in the most feminine way possible.
“Unknown number,” Qin Shu said. “I’m answering.”
“Mm.”
Qin Shu picked up, but before he could even say “hello,” a girl’s sobbing voice came through.
Qin Shu: “???” Midnight horror call?
“Xie Lanzhi…” the girl cried, “can’t you just pay attention to me? What did I do wrong that you treat me so coldly? I just like you…”
Wow. Did he just hear that?
Qin Shu covered the mic and whispered, “Who’s this?”
Xie Lanzhi shook his head. “Don’t remember.”
The girl’s voice was obviously tipsy, likely drunk-dialing her crush. Unfortunately, her crush didn’t even know who she was.
Qin Shu said, “Then what do I say?”
“Just hang up.”
Qin Shu was about to when an angry male voice cut in: “Who the f*ck are you? Why’s my girlfriend drunk-dialing you? F*ck your grandpa!”
Xie Lanzhi really was just sitting in the car, and trouble dropped straight out of the sky. Qin Shu was torn between laughter and anger. “What now?”
The man’s cursing grew filthier, nonstop insulting Lanzhi’s mom and grandpa. Xie Lanzhi said, “Put it on speaker.”
Qin Shu thought he was going to curse back, but instead Lanzhi just said, “Get drunk and you call me? What, sick in the head? Take care of your own woman.”
The cool, commanding tone shot right through Qin Shu’s chest—and shut the man up instantly. Lanzhi gestured for Qin Shu to hang up. Qin Shu snapped back to himself, and before hanging up shouted loudly into the phone: “F*ck your grandpa too! Get lost!”
The corners of Xie Lanzhi’s lips lifted. “Put the phone back.”
Qin Shu shoved it quickly and cleanly into Lanzhi’s pocket, then said, “Why don’t you date girls?” He put heavy emphasis on “girls.”
Without looking away from the road, Lanzhi said, “Why should I?”
“Because tons of people like you,” Qin Shu said. “Hurry and find a girl to date.” That way, he’d feel more at ease.
Lanzhi asked, “Then why don’t you date—because of Xu Ning?”
Qin Shu sighed theatrically. “Yeah, it’s tragic. The person I like doesn’t seem to like me. But I won’t give up. Just don’t fight me for him, okay?”
“I’m not interested in guys.” Lanzhi paused, then added, “But—it’s not that the person you like doesn’t like you. It’s that you insist on liking someone who doesn’t like you.”
What the h*ll, no nesting dolls, thanks. “I don’t believe it. Ning Ning’s so good—how could anyone not like him?”
Qin Shu said it while observing Lanzhi’s expression, but he didn’t react at all. Getting nothing out of him, Qin Shu cut himself off and shut up.
They arrived at the airport twenty minutes earlier than planned. Qin Shu called Qin Hua, but the line said powered off. “My brother’s probably still on the plane.”
Xie Lanzhi parked. “You can wait for him at arrivals. I’m heading home—your brother knows how to drive?”
“Should.” Qin Shu said, “Thanks a lot for today. I’ll treat Senior next time.”
Xie Lanzhi chuckled. “So now I’m ‘senior’ again?”
Qin Shu was speechless. Lanzhi had not only driven him here but also bought him duck neck; calling him “senior” a few times hardly counted as betrayal. Speaking of which—“By the way, senior, why didn’t you take the money for the duck necks?”
“I told you, I bought them for you.”
“But I’m rich.”
Casually, Lanzhi said, “I know you’re rich. I just wanted to buy them.”
“Just to teach that saleswoman a lesson?”
Xie Lanzhi neither confirmed nor denied. He tossed the car keys to Qin Shu. “Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.”
Qin Shu caught them. “Oh—yeah, same to you.”
Xie Lanzhi called a cab, and while waiting he opened WeChat. Lu Rulu had @-ed him several times in the group chat.
[Red Carp and Green Carp and Donkey: @Lanzhi bro, game? You take on five, I just lie down.]
[Red Carp and Green Carp and Donkey: Lanzhi bro Lanzhi bro!]
[Red Carp and Green Carp and Donkey: Where’s my roommate, where did he go?]
…
[Shuimenjian: Quiet, I was driving just now.]
[Red Carp and Green Carp and Donkey: Huh? Didn’t you leave early? Just got home?]
[Shuimenjian: Love Letter’s not good at driving, I took him to the airport.]
[Overlord Chu: (Holy sh*t I’m actually shocked.jpg) He can’t drive? Bullsh*t, he drives like crazy! Last year he drove his supercar around campus picking up girls all the time.]
[Shuimenjian: ?]
Author’s note: Senior: daily suspecting Little Love Letter is setting me up.
