Chapter Fourteen

Without a doubt, Su Xiaobai's sudden appearance had caused a great deal of trouble for Fang Cheng. From the start of the meeting to its end, he couldn't even begin to count how many times people's eyes had wandered in his direction. Though the atmosphere in the meeting remained serious, everyone's thoughts couldn't help but drift back to the woman in the red supercar.

Everyone was familiar with Fang Cheng's wife, Su Bai. They had seen her at the wedding, and she was indeed beautiful, but her beauty was that of something untouchable—like a perfect thing that didn't spark the desire to possess it.

Su Bai wasn't the type of woman who was just a pretty face; she was exceptionally capable, with both high emotional intelligence and intelligence, making her a successful career woman. But for some reason, people's impressions of her were rather plain. Perhaps it was because she lacked a certain flair—the kind of charm that would catch a man's attention.

That's why it was so puzzling to everyone—just how had she changed so much in such a short time? It hadn't even been a few days. While "absence makes the heart grow fonder," surely her transformation wasn't that drastic. Su Bai seemed completely different now, exuding an effortless, carefree attitude, a feeling that was new and alluring, easily attracting any man's attention.

Chen Xingran couldn't make sense of it. He believed that even Fang Cheng couldn't figure out what his wife was up to. How could she so brazenly drive a multi-million-dollar sports car to work? No one would believe her excuse that the car was just broken down. It was too flimsy a reason, and it seemed far more likely that Su Bai had done this on purpose, trying to stir trouble for Fang Cheng.

It seemed that Su Bai wasn't as simple as she appeared. A smile played on Chen Xingran's lips as a thought crossed his mind: if Fang Cheng wasn't careful, he might one day fall into this woman's trap.

After the meeting broke up, Chen Xingran nudged Fang Cheng with his elbow. Only then did Fang Cheng raise his head, following the direction Chen Xingran pointed. He saw Gong Zheng talking to Qiao Nan.

"Hah, this Gong Zheng is trying so hard to please others, but doesn't he know who he's dealing with? He's got no real skills, but he's showing off in front of the big shots," Zi Yu muttered, rolling her eyes at Gong Zheng, but her gaze kept flicking over to where Qiao Nan stood.

Fang Cheng and Chen Xingran didn't respond. They knew that Zi Yu had been "handled" by Qiao Nan before. To her, Qiao Nan was someone to be wary of, and just hearing his name made her scalp tingle.

When they had first joined the unit, their first superior had been Qiao Nan. They had been young and full of idealistic energy, impulsive and prone to reckless behavior. They had nearly ended up as street punks, especially Zi Yu, who was known for causing trouble. Back then, Qiao Nan had given him a "lesson" he would never forget. As for what exactly had happened, Zi Yu would never speak of it. Not even their closest friends could get him to say a word.

Sure enough, everything unfolded as Zi Yu had predicted. After a brief conversation with Gong Zheng, Qiao Nan left the meeting room without a word, leaving Gong Zheng, as always, with his usual expression. No one could tell what he was feeling inside.

Seeing this, Chen Xingran was reassured. At least they couldn't read Qiao Nan, and it was the same with Gong Zheng. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Fang Cheng was on the phone. The call was, of course, to his wife—Su Bai.

Unfortunately, it was just another string of voicemail messages. Su Bai was either turning off her phone or running out of battery, though Fang Cheng increasingly suspected it was the former.

It turned out that Fang Cheng didn't really know his wife as well as he thought. Su Xiaobai's phone had indeed died. The girl was out there driving her multi-million-dollar supercar on a winding mountain road, speeding recklessly.

Su Bai might not have known this place, but Su Xiaobai did. This was a well-known, unofficial racing spot in Pearl City, frequented by wealthy second and third-generation heirs, the typical young elite who liked to show off their cars.

The entire mountain slope was about thirty kilometers long, with thirteen sharp curves, making it the perfect place for thrilling races.

Su Xiaobai's presence seemed like a fresh drop of blood in a sea of chaos, immediately drawing the attention of everyone around. It wasn't just because of the expensive sports car—by now, all these young people had their own luxury cars. What truly piqued their interest was the car's owner—a young woman, and more intriguingly, one who loved to race.

After racing for two laps, Su Xiaobai was quite satisfied. She got out of the car and immediately a young boy approached her with a bottle of mineral water. She smiled and thanked him, her voice sweet and melodious, making the boy blush and become flustered.

It was strange, though. The young people who came here to play were all rebellious, their families couldn't control them, and they wouldn't listen to anyone. But somehow, the words of this young lady seemed to be coated with honey. It was the kind of voice you never got tired of hearing.

A young man in his twenties, standing on the edge of the crowd, was smoking a cigarette while squinting at Su Xiaobai. His friend, noticing his gaze, teasingly asked, "What's up? Are you interested in her?"

The young man just shook his head but smoked his cigarette more intensely.

"Cut the act. This woman has some real charm. Haven't you seen all those people around her? They all have the same thoughts," his friend said with a grin.

The young man finished his cigarette, silently moved away, and took out his phone to make a call. As soon as the line connected, he spoke, "Su Miao, I saw your sister here at the mountain loop. And that red Ferrari of yours, license plate 38, can't be wrong."

Originally, Su Miao had made an appointment to discuss business with the CEO of South Mountain Real Estate. They had already had a few drinks. If it hadn't been for the benefits this deal brought, Su Miao would never have sat at the same table as the greasy, middle-aged man. But just as they were in the middle of their conversation, Su Miao received an urgent phone call, and her expression soured immediately. Qin Ming noticed the change in her and leaned in to whisper, "What's wrong?"

"Tell Chen Manfu to handle things with him. We'll leave first."

Without hesitation, Qin Ming made the call, and Su Miao excused herself with a few polite words, leaving the table with Qin Ming.

Once they had left the hotel, Qin Ming asked, "Su Miao, what's going on?"

"Fang Zi said he saw my sister at the mountain loop," Su Miao replied coldly.

Qin Ming stopped in his tracks, looking incredulously at Su Miao. "That kid didn't make a mistake, did he? What could your sister be doing at the mountain loop?"

Su Miao sneered, "Racing."

Qin Ming rubbed his forehead, clearly annoyed. "You know how Fang Zi tends to exaggerate..." But before he could finish, Su Miao cut him off.

"She was driving my red Ferrari, same license plate. There's no way he could have been wrong."

"Seriously?"

Su Miao nodded, her mind in turmoil.

Qin Ming was left speechless. In their eyes, Su Bai was an elegant, poised woman, someone who would never be found in a place like the mountain loop, a gathering spot for troublemakers. Qin Ming understood why Su Miao was upset; he worried that perhaps something had triggered Su Bai with Fang Cheng.

Su Miao tried calling Su Xiaobai again, but her phone was still off, which only deepened her unease.

Su Miao turned to get into her car, but Qin Ming stopped her, noticing the dark look on her face. He sighed. "Don't go to the mountain loop. By now, everyone should be leaving. Just go home. Since your sister took your car out, she'll probably bring it back eventually."

Qin Ming, usually so composed, seemed a little helpless. Su Miao, a smart and sharp person, was acting impulsively just because of Su Bai.

Meanwhile, Su Miao and Qin Ming rushed to the Su family's home, while Su Xiaobai, after a day of fun, was also heading back with a sense of satisfaction. The siblings arrived at the old Su family home one after the other.

Unfortunately, Su Miao had arrived first. She checked the garage, her brow furrowed as she looked at the empty parking spot, lost in thought.

Qin Ming handed her a cigarette. The two of them leaned against the car, waiting for Su Xiaobai to show up.

About an hour later, they heard the sound of an approaching car. A bright red sports car came into view, pulling into the garage. Su Xiaobai hummed a tune, in a good mood as she planned to return the keys to their rightful place. But just as she reached the door, she was stopped by someone, causing her to freeze and let out a startled scream.