Chapter Three: Encounter
550 Words
The next day, Xueche still woke up early to prepare breakfast for Qingyu before heading to work.
The sky, clear after the rain, lifted her spirits. Such was Xueche; she always knew that no matter what, life had to go on.
Xueche enjoyed riding her bicycle through the city, observing the myriad faces and listening to the varied voices of people in their daily lives.
A graduate in media studies, she now worked as a copywriter in the creative department of an advertising agency, constantly gathering different ideas and perspectives.
As Xueche reached an intersection, a rare Lamborghini Reventon, one of only twenty in the world, sped past her. Not only did it splash her with muddy water, but the sudden stop caused her to fall by the roadside. She was going to be late for work!
Infuriating!
The driver of the supercar saw the incident in his rearview mirror, braked sharply, reversed, and pulled over to the side.
To his surprise, the girl who had fallen was not showing any signs of anger but seemed rather anxious. Upon closer inspection, her simple long hair, plain white shirt, and jeans, combined with a pair of clear, bright eyes, revealed a serene and resolute expression. Who was this woman?
Rolling down the window, he revealed a pair of oversized sunglasses, almost hiding half his face. Despite this, his perfectly sculpted profile, clean-cut hairstyle, and striking demeanor were unmistakable. "Hey, are you okay?" His voice was cold and stern, hardly sounding apologetic.
"Do you have any basic manners? At the very least, you should get out and apologize!" Qin Xueche fumed. Did he think money excused everything?
"Listen, turning back to check on you was already exceptional. You expect an apology? Did you hit your head in the fall?"
"Ha, you must be an ugly monster," Xueche suddenly laughed to herself.
The man in the car was surely bewildered by this unexpected remark.
By now, Xueche had picked up her bicycle and stood up. Her clothes were soaked and filthy, unfit to wear, yet she didn't have time to go home and change.
The driver stepped out, still wearing his sunglasses, and approached her. "Say that again?" His voice remained icy.
"I said, you must be an ugly monster," Xueche repeated, now intrigued. Did he think his height would intimidate her?
"Hah, you actually dare," he laughed, but it was a cold laugh.
"Why wouldn’t I? If you weren't ugly, why hide behind such large sunglasses? Afraid someone might recognize you? And if you're trying to stay inconspicuous, why drive such an ostentatious car so fast? If I were an old lady, you'd have scared me to death!" Xueche rattled off, showing none of the meekness she displayed at home.
"You should worry about your dirty clothes," he said, turning to leave without looking back.
"Oh, and here's your compensation." He fetched a wad of cash from his car and handed it to Xueche through the window.
"Do you think money solves everything?" What kind of person was he? Not even a word of apology, just throwing money around as if it were a cure-all!
"Isn’t that what you want?" He seemed puzzled. "My patience is limited."
"So what?" Xueche said, then walked away with her bicycle, leaving the astonished man behind.
- Writer
