TREATING BOYFRIEND AS EX

Chapter 12 Filled with Fear

After all, her mother was more concerned about the passersby than about her own daughter.

Thus, Jiao Didi couldn’t let her mother know that she had obtained her driver’s license.

She walked alone to an intersection, the streets crowded with hurried pedestrians, all caught up in the relentless hustle of life. Only she seemed to move at a leisurely pace, taking in the wildflowers along the roadside with quiet contemplation.

Suddenly, she accidentally bumped into a middle-aged woman in a black coat.

Jiao Didi quickly apologized, "Auntie, I’m sorry."

The woman, upon hearing the word "auntie," immediately flared up, leaping to her feet and shouting, "I’m only in my forties! How dare you call me 'Auntie'? Do you have any manners?"

Jiao Didi, noticing the weathered lines on the woman's face, decided it would be best to diffuse the situation.

She said softly, "My apologies."

Seeing her yielding, the woman, sensing an opportunity to bully a younger person, became even more aggressive.

"You’re only a few years younger than me, yet you call me 'Auntie'! What kind of upbringing did your family give you?"

Jiao Didi no longer backed down and retorted firmly, "What’s wrong with calling you Auntie?"

The middle-aged woman, enraged by Jiao Didi’s defiance, seemed to ignite like a powder keg. She immediately pulled out her phone and dialed the police.

Soon, the police arrived, their car flashing its lights. After listening to the woman’s shrill account of the incident, the officers were left speechless.

One officer asked, "Ma'am, are you injured?"

The woman, realizing she couldn’t fake an injury, shook her head. "No."

The officer continued, "You claim she defamed you by calling you 'Auntie.' If that’s the case, you’ll need to take it up with the courts."

The woman snorted, "I’ll sue her, and I’ll slap her too!"

With that, she pulled out a slightly battered phone from her black bag, calling her husband. "Honey, come quickly, there’s been a big incident!"

As she made a mountain out of a molehill, both Jiao Didi and the police officers were left flabbergasted.

When the woman's husband arrived in his factory uniform, looking disoriented, he listened to his wife’s embellished story, turned to Jiao Didi with a fierce glare, and was about to scold her.

But then his face drained of color, and he covered his wife’s mouth, whispering to the officers, "My wife isn’t all there, she insists on being called 'beauty' whenever she goes out. I’m so sorry, so sorry."

He bowed deeply to Jiao Didi, apologizing profusely.

The woman, still protesting behind his hand, was hurriedly dragged away by her husband.

Jiao Didi, with a small mirror in hand, examined her face and tidied her slightly disheveled hair.

Yes, still beautiful.

The officers, seeing that Jiao Didi was no longer interested in pursuing the matter, drove off in their patrol car.

As Jiao Didi walked away, she couldn’t help but reflect on the husband’s terrified expression when he looked at her—it was as though he had seen a monster.

Puzzled, she couldn’t make sense of it, so she decided to abandon the thought—it was one of Jiao Didi’s life philosophies: Never waste time pondering the inexplicable.

The gentle drizzle, though persistent, couldn’t dampen Jiao Didi’s burning enthusiasm to buy a car.

While most people bought cars based on their bank balances or loan capabilities, Jiao Didi had no such concerns. She didn’t even bother to check if she could afford it.

She walked straight into the showroom of luxury cars, where Bugattis, McLarens, Porsches, Ferraris, and more stood in a perfect row.

The sheer magnificence of it all was enough to leave anyone awestruck—cool, powerful, and utterly irresistible.

Jiao Didi’s gaze lingered on the cars, admiring them with unabashed desire.

The handsome salesman, noticing her expensive taste, immediately deduced that she was not short of money, and a sale seemed imminent.

He cracked his knuckles in eager anticipation—not to serve her, but to sell her a car.

His colleagues, fully aware of his intentions, encouraged him with nods, ready to support him at a moment’s notice.

Straightening his tie, the salesman approached her with a bright smile. "Beautiful lady, may I assist you with choosing a car?"

Jiao Didi’s eyes remained fixed on a black Bugatti, and she couldn’t tear herself away.

She imagined herself behind the wheel, drifting around corners with a carefree smile, nodding in approval. "Yes, yes," she muttered to herself.

"Looks promising," the salesman thought, his smile widening.

He pressed on, offering her further enticement. "Allow me to introduce you to the features of this car, please follow me."

Jiao Didi followed him inside, eager to sit in the Bugatti. She had never been in the driver’s seat of such an exquisite car, and the sensation of sitting there was exhilarating.

The sleek, refined steering wheel gleamed with a noble black shine. She placed her hands upon it, her fingers caressing the smooth surface.

The salesman, now in his element, began his pitch.

"This car’s engine is a masterpiece..."

Three hours later, after showing Jiao Didi every model in the showroom and explaining every minute detail, from performance to materials to the company’s history, he nearly exhausted the subject to its absolute limits.

"Miss Jiao, which one would you prefer?"

The salesman’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Jiao Didi, smiling, said, "I love each and every one of them."

The salesman’s eyes widened, his heart racing. "Could she possibly be considering buying them all?"

It wasn’t unheard of—some wealthy buyers had once purchased dozens of cars at once.

As he dreamed of topping the sales charts that month, Jiao Didi, with a touch of melancholy in her voice, added, "I’m still a bit short on funds."

The salesman, puzzled, looked at her in confusion.

She held up one finger and said, "I’m short by ten million."

Her words struck him like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the flames of excitement he had been nurturing.

She couldn’t even afford the cheapest car.

In the end, the salesman politely escorted her to the adjacent showroom, where lower-end cars were sold.

Jiao Didi, after glancing around, still couldn’t find anything that appealed to her.

The saleswoman, now with a strained smile, handed her a card, and Jiao Didi finally made her choice.

Though the saleswoman was a bit disappointed by Jiao Didi’s pickiness, she was still happy to close a deal.

With a smile, the saleswoman swiped the card and asked, "Miss, would you like me to call a driver for you?"

Jiao Didi, gazing at her new blue car—her first car—refused with a smile. "No, I’ll drive it myself."

As she stood there, rubbing her eyes in disbelief, Pan Yu couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

"She actually bought a car? And it’s..."

Given that she still owed him fifty million, he felt a bit sorry for her.

Approaching her, he said, "Didi, you bought a car?"

Jiao Didi, turning to see a familiar face, couldn’t contain her excitement. She eagerly shared her joy with him, nodding repeatedly. "Yes, yes!"

The smile in her eyes was almost overflowing.

Pan Yu, filled with sympathy, thought, Poor girl—so excited over a car worth just fifty thousand.

Trying to be kind, he suggested, "Let me have the driver take you home."

But Jiao Didi quickly shook her head, refusing. "I want to drive it myself."

Pan Yu recalled that Lu Yan had once mentioned her learning to drive and, concerned, asked, "Let me drive you home?"

Jiao Didi shook her head again.

"Then at least let me sit beside you."

This time, she smiled and nodded.

Jiao Didi, sitting in the driver’s seat, reached down to fasten her seatbelt. "You’re the first person to sit in my passenger seat since I got my license. Even Lu Yan never sat there."

Pan Yu suddenly felt a sense of foreboding...