Chapter 2

Chapter 2: These People’s Looks Are Too Bland When Yu Xia walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, she happened to see a Volkswagen Tiguan parked by the roadside. It looked like the car she had booked online, so she opened the door and climbed straight in. The man in the driver’s seat was holding a phone. He turned around in surprise and saw a woman wearing a dazzling red dress. Its slender straps rested on her delicate shoulders, looking as though they might snap at any moment. It used far too little fabric. The broad expanse of her cool, pale skin made his car look especially clean and well kept. His gaze moved upward and lightly swept over the woman’s face. The man’s voice abruptly stopped mid-call. His dark eyes shone like stars, and the distant years in his memory suddenly found their destination. “I’ll stop here. We’ll talk when we meet up later.” The next second, the man ended the call. He was just about to say something when the woman urged him, “Let’s go.” Yu Xia did not want to stay in this place for even a moment longer. The man frowned almost imperceptibly before asking, “Where to?” Yu Xia thought this ride-hailing driver was incredibly unreliable. Didn’t he even check the booking information? “Yu Jiangnan,” she said flatly, giving him her address. The car continued smoothly along the road. About five minutes later, Yu Xia received a phone call. “I’ve arrived at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau. Please reach the designated pickup point within two minutes to board the vehicle.” Yu Xia was stunned. After quickly analyzing the situation, she hurriedly apologized to the person on the other end. There was no way she could make it there within two minutes, so all she could do was cancel the booking. “Who are you? Why are you pretending to be a ride-hailing driver?” Realizing that she had gotten into the wrong car, Yu Xia warily stared at the man driving. She could only see the back of his head, and her brows drew tightly together. The almanac’s talk of auspicious days was all a lie. She was having the worst luck imaginable today. Chi Mucheng was both exasperated and amused. “If you haven’t lost your memory, you can think back and remember that you were the one who got in.” Yu Xia became even more convinced that he was up to no good. “Then why didn’t you tell me right away? Pull over and let me out, or I’m calling the police!” She put on a forceful front as she threatened him, her bright expression turning sharper. Chi Mucheng glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Are you sure? It’s the midday rush right now.” Yu Xia watched the traffic gradually slow and saw people waiting for rides everywhere along the roadside. Her mood plummeted to rock bottom. She looked at the faint reflection of herself in the car window, almost as if she could see the words “bad luck and nothing going right” engraved across her forehead. Before long, the phone in her bag rang again. It was her best friend, Yan Jin. “The Garden Restaurant called and asked why none of the guests have arrived yet and whether they should cancel the reservation. You and Jiang Yiwen didn’t rush off to consummate the marriage, did you? Take it easy, okay? The days ahead are…” Yan Jin deliberately emphasized the suggestive part of her sentence. “Long!” Yu Xia tugged at the corner of her mouth. To celebrate her newlywed happiness, she had specifically asked Yan Jin to reserve a table at the Garden Restaurant. She had never expected the prospective groom to flee at the last moment. “Did I interrupt you two? How about you send me a message after you’re done? Ah, I’m so jealous that you have such a well-behaved, considerate, gentle, and tactful best friend like me…” Since Yu Xia had not answered, Yan Jin assumed the newlyweds were in the throes of passion. “Turn off the little dirty movie playing in your head. Congratulate me—I’ll be continuing to make waves in the ranks of single beauties.” Yu Xia composed herself before finally speaking. She did not notice that, after she said this, a considerable storm stirred within the driver’s usually calm and indifferent gaze. * That night, Yan Jin took Yu Xia to the bar Tonight and Every Night. Yu Xia hooked her arm through Yan Jin’s as they walked toward a booth. “Darling, is your way of comforting me to get me drunk?” Yan Jin had a fresh, sharp bob that brushed her ears, blending mature refinement with languid comfort to perfection. She domineeringly raised one finger and gently lifted Yu Xia’s chin. “What’s there to comfort? Being single is freaking amazing, okay? We came here today to celebrate the day you’ve returned to the glorious freedom of being single.” As she spoke, she snapped her fingers at a server and ordered a bottle of whiskey. While pouring drinks for both of them, Yan Jin cursed the scumbag up and down. “Hah, I never would’ve thought Jiang Yiwen would turn out to be such a piece of garbage. He looked so polished and respectable, too. It’s fine—good riddance! The next one will be better behaved! There are thousands upon thousands of handsome men in the world. If one doesn’t work, we’ll just switch. Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere. Today, I’m going to show you the joys of being a single woman.” Yan Jin picked up her glass and demonstrated how to attract men from every direction with a dazzling display of body language. Yu Xia was so amazed that she nearly stood up to applaud. “Jin Ye, you’re absolutely killing it! That whole circle of men has eyes glued to you like they used 502 superglue.” Yan Jin coolly brushed back her already-neat bangs. “Of course. I didn’t earn the title of Queen of the Nightlife for nothing. Relax. Since we’re here, enjoy this wonderful night.” Yu Xia curled her vermilion lips, but sorrow churned inside her. It was not that she missed that bastard Jiang Yiwen. It was just that thinking about how she had wasted three precious years on him left her with a lump in her throat. “Look, the man at three o’clock has been staring at you for ages. He’s refined and elegant, with a temperament that gets better the longer you look at him. He’s a little mature, but he’s obviously a successful man.” Yan Jin leaned close to her ear, speaking excitedly. Yu Xia was speechless. “Weren’t you the one who said that being single is always amazing? Besides, do you really think I’m in the mood to find a replacement right now?” Yan Jin took a sip of her drink. “Please update your understanding of what being single means: being single is great, being single is wonderful—like whoever you want, whenever you want! What do you think of that handsome guy at eight o’clock? Tsk, that smile is like a spring breeze bringing gentle rain. He’s the kind of warm-hearted man who makes people feel comfortable.” Yu Xia let her gaze drift over. Hmm. He still seemed to be lacking something. “You know I’m a looks person, right?” She ignored the burning gazes coming from the men and clinked her glass against Yan Jin’s. As her best friend, Yan Jin naturally knew her well. “Of course! Otherwise, how could you ever have fallen for that scumbag Jiang Yiwen? Back then, there were plenty of men more talented and richer than him.” Yu Xia nodded a little sluggishly. This liquor seemed rather strong. Her cheeks felt a little hot, and her mind had grown somewhat muddled. “So these men’s looks…” Yu Xia waved a hand, dismissing a whole swath of them. “They’re too bland!” Yan Jin was startled by her bold declaration. “Darling, you’re getting a little arrogant. But judging from what you said, have you seen some heavenly-level man who could turn all these guys into instant garbage?” Yan Jin’s gossip radar immediately went into overdrive. For a man to catch Yu Xia’s eye, he had to at least be more handsome than Jiang Yiwen. Back in the day, Jiang Yiwen had been the campus heartthrob of Jiang University. Yu Xia smiled mysteriously. “Brows like finely carved jade, elegant eyes, a face as flawless as jade, eyes that shimmer when he looks around… Tossing and turning, thinking wild thoughts…”