Kang Junwen, the director of Linchuan Television, was no stranger to Qiao Yimian.
Judging from the familiar tone in which the other man had spoken to him, the two of them seemed to know each other quite well.
And considering that the captain of the traffic police had personally come over to handle the accident just now, along with the respectful attitude he had shown toward this man, there was no way he could be an ordinary person.
Zhou Heng was cautious and efficient. He immediately put Kang Junwen on speakerphone and briefly explained the situation.
On the other end, Director Kang expressed his understanding. “The roads are slippery with all this snow. Tell them not to rush. It’s fine if they arrive a little late.”
Before hanging up, he even cheerfully asked Zhou Heng to convey his regards to the governor.
And just like that, Song Nanxing “stuffed” Qiao Yimian into the car.
Through the window, he waved at her. “Sis, don’t worry! I can handle the tow truck! Once everything’s taken care of, I’ll come find you at the hospital!”
After a rear-end collision, not only had the other party refused to hold her responsible, they were even going to take her, the “injured party,” to the hospital.
Qiao Yimian really felt as though she had hit the jackpot. Once she was in the car, she thanked him again.
“I’m really sorry to trouble you.”
Li Yao sat at the other end of the back seat with his legs crossed, his posture relaxed. At her thanks, he merely gave a slight nod.
“It’s nothing. It’s on my way.”
Qiao Yimian realized that he was probably a man of few words, so she stopped making polite conversation.
The car started moving, and the rest of the journey went smoothly.
At first, Qiao Yimian didn’t notice anything unusual. But after some time, she began to sense that the atmosphere inside the car was a little strange.
There were four people in the car, including her, yet no one spoke. The only sounds were the hum of the moving vehicle and the faint breathing of the passengers.
She could feel an invisible pressure weighing on the air.
It wasn’t hard to figure out where it came from.
The man beside her.
Pretending to admire the scenery outside, Qiao Yimian stole a glance at him.
The man lowered his eyes to the documents spread across his lap, his long fingers turning the pages. His knuckles were smooth and pale, almost like jade, making the sight strangely pleasing to the eye.
The pale winter sunlight streamed through the car window, its rays broken by his striking profile. Backlit against the glow, his features looked cold, aloof, and aristocratic.
During the two years she had spent interning and working, Qiao Yimian had interviewed several prominent figures in Chucheng and had experienced firsthand the imposing presence of people in high positions.
But she had rarely encountered anyone like the man beside her, someone who could radiate such overwhelming authority without doing anything at all.
Remembering the familiar way that “Big Brother Zhou” had spoken with Kang Junwen and the traffic police captain earlier, she couldn’t help wondering about the identity of the man in the car again.
He clearly had power and influence.
He was definitely not a simple person.
Just as she had settled herself down, the man beside her suddenly asked, “Are you from Chucheng?”
Qiao Yimian quickly turned to look at him.
His gaze was calm and serious, and his voice was gentle, which softened some of the excessively sharp aura surrounding him.
“No,” Qiao Yimian answered honestly. “I’ve just been living in Chucheng for a few years.”
Li Yao nodded and didn’t ask anything further. His gaze moved past her clear, clean features and out the car window.
“It rarely snows in Beijiang, doesn’t it?”
Qiao Yimian followed his gaze and turned to look outside as well.
“Mm. In previous years, the snow would only form a thin layer and melt as soon as it hit the ground. The past two years have been a little heavier.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she seemed to realize something and turned to ask, “You haven’t been to Beijiang before, have you?”
Otherwise, why would he have asked that?
Li Yao withdrew his gaze and met her clear eyes again, the corners of his lips curving slightly.
“Mm. It’s my first time.”
The faint curve of his lips softened the chill of his stern features.
Like a sliver of warm sunlight breaking faintly through heavy clouds.
Qiao Yimian stared at him for two seconds before her own eyes curved into a smile.
“Welcome to Beijiang.”
Her makeup-free face was clear and fresh. When she smiled, her lips were red and her teeth white, her bright eyes sparkling.
At the accident scene earlier, she had been calm and composed while helping with the rescue and conducting her on-site interview.
But at this moment, a youthful liveliness seemed to radiate from her, as though she possessed some kind of magic capable of stirring even the depths of a silent sea.
Li Yao couldn’t help asking, “How old are you?”
“Twenty-five.”
Li Yao pressed his lips together slightly and looked away, as though responding to her, yet also as if he were talking to himself.
“An age when you long for freedom.”
Qiao Yimian had no idea where that remark had come from, but she could tell that a complicated emotion seemed to flicker through his eyes.
She studied the man again.
He looked to be in his early thirties, yet there was a maturity and composure in his tranquil, deep-set eyes that seemed to go beyond his years.
Could it be… that she had stirred up some painful memories from his youth?
Qiao Yimian wondered about it inwardly, but she had always believed in speaking carefully and acting cautiously, so she didn’t pursue the subject.
After a while, Li Yao asked her again, “How’s your ankle? Does it still hurt?”
Qiao Yimian shook her head. “It’s better.”
Before getting into the car, Big Brother Zhou had somehow found an ice pack, and she had been keeping it against her ankle ever since.
Perhaps the injury wasn’t serious. At this point, it really didn’t hurt much anymore.
Li Yao’s gaze fell on her ankle, though there was no way to tell how badly it was injured. His voice softened slightly.
“We’ll be getting off the highway soon. Hang in there a little longer.”
Before she could answer, a cheerful ringtone rang out.
Qiao Yimian quickly said, “Sorry,” and took her phone out of her bag.
An unfamiliar number appeared on the screen, with Chucheng displayed as the location. She didn’t think much of it and answered directly.
A familiar male voice came through, unmistakably carrying a trace of grievance and displeasure.
“Yimian, why did you block me?”
Qiao Yimian instinctively lowered the volume, her voice dropping as well.
“There’s nothing left to say. Don’t contact me again.”
“Yimian!” Shi Yan raised his voice, his tone anxious. “Just because I made a stupid mistake, you’re going to cut me off completely? I really didn’t mean to keep it from you!”
Qiao Yimian didn’t want to say too much to him under these circumstances.
“It’s not convenient for me to talk right now. I’m hanging up.”
“What’s inconvenient about it? I already asked your newspaper. Aren’t you on your way to Linchuan?”
The sound of car horns came through the phone. Shi Yan said in frustration, “Are you really going on a business trip, or are you trying to avoid me?”
Qiao Yimian frowned and said nothing, her patience gradually running out.
Shi Yan took a quiet breath, his voice aggrieved. “I already came clean with my mom last night and made my position clear. Whether they agree or not, I’m going to marry you! I’m heading to Linchuan to find you right now!”
Qiao Yimian could take it no longer. Lowering her voice, she snapped, “Shi Yan, can you stop being so childish?”
“How am I being childish? Is there something wrong with loving you—”
Qiao Yimian hung up directly, a throbbing pain shooting through her forehead.
Her phone rang again, but she didn’t answer. She simply switched it off.
The car fell silent again, the atmosphere even more subtle and strange than before.
Qiao Yimian took a deep breath and instinctively wanted to say, “Sorry.”
But when she turned her head, she found that the man was actually leaning back against his seat with his eyes closed, apparently resting. His handsome profile was completely devoid of emotion.
Up front, Zhou Heng had somehow put on a Bluetooth earpiece and was watching a news video on his iPad.
As for the driver…
Forget it.
The awkward heat creeping up Qiao Yimian’s cheeks gradually faded.
She quietly let out a breath and turned her gaze to the snowflakes fluttering outside the window, her emotions complicated.
The car soon reached the Linchuan exit, and its speed began to slow.
An SUV was pulled over on the emergency shoulder with its hazard lights flashing. A motorcycle lay across the road in front of it.
The owner and a traffic officer were standing by the roadside, apparently discussing something. A young man wearing a helmet was lying on the ground, clutching his leg and looking to be in considerable pain.
Another accident.
From the front seat, Zhou Heng let out an “Eh?”
“Isn’t that the motorcycle that was swerving all over the place earlier?”
No one in the car responded.
Qiao Yimian turned around and took another look. Then she remembered.
“Yes. He was the one who knocked me down earlier!”
Zhou Heng muttered, “He really brought it on himself.”
Only then did Li Yao open his eyes. He turned his head and glanced at Qiao Yimian before his gaze fell to her ankle again. His voice was cool and detached.
“Fleeing the scene after causing an accident on a motorcycle may not constitute a criminal offense, but the rider will still face administrative penalties.”
Zhou Heng immediately understood what he meant and answered at once.
“Yes.”
Qiao Yimian blinked, sensing that there was more meaning behind their words than met the eye.
After leaving the highway, the car drove straight to a military hospital and stopped at the emergency entrance.
Once the car came to a stop, Qiao Yimian turned to the man beside her and thanked him again.
“Thank you for bringing me to the hospital. I’ll be going now.”
Li Yao merely gave a casual nod before raising his voice to instruct Zhou Heng.
“Go take care of the paperwork.”
Zhou Heng answered and immediately got out of the car.
Qiao Yimian hurriedly waved her hands. “There’s no need to trouble yourself. I can do it myself!”
The man looked at her with a gaze that was calm yet commanding. His tone was gentle, but there was not the slightest hint of flirtation.
“Be good.”