"An hour ago," the neighbor said.
"..." Cheng Yuan felt the sting of being abandoned again. The smile on his face vanished. He asked Jiang Yu to check. Soon, Jiang Yu found Wen Xi's itinerary. "Boss, the missus went to Milan."
Cheng Yuan: "Alone?"
Jiang Yu swallowed. "Not alone. With... President Zhao."
Jiang Xiao and Zhao Kai had gone to Milan together on business. They had run into each other and happened to be on the same flight in the same cabin. But Cheng Yuan didn't know that.
He said coldly, "Give me the car keys."
Jiang Yu hesitated before handing them over. "You're not feeling well. Let me drive you back."
"No need." Cheng Yuan turned and walked into the elevator.
Jiang Yu chased after him but couldn't catch up. All he saw was the flash of taillights disappearing. He prayed silently: Boss, please don't go crazy.
Cheng Yuan used to be a racing driver. He drove like he was fearless. On empty roads, he accelerated as if he was fighting someone.
In the night, the Lamborghini flickered in and out of view. One moment it was in one place, the next somewhere else. Several times, it nearly hit the guardrails but swerved away just in time.
He was venting with his life.
Xiao Xiao, your heart is so cruel.
*
Zhao Kai was very talkative. He kept finding topics to chat with Jiang Xiao. Several times, they locked eyes, staring at each other until their gazes were fixed.
Zhao Kai's Adam's apple bobbed slowly as he leaned in. "Xiao Xiao, I..."
A flight attendant came by with a cart and said politely, "Excuse me, would you like a drink?"
Jiang Xiao ordered juice. Zhao Kai did too.
The conversation continued. Zhao Kai said again, "Xiao Xiao, I know you still have reservations, but you can test me. It doesn't matter how long. I just hope for a happy ending. I really..."
Another flight attendant came over. "Did you ask for blankets?"
"Yes," Zhao Kai said, taking the blanket and draping it over Jiang Xiao's lap.
The atmosphere kept getting interrupted. The moment was lost. Jiang Xiao deliberately didn't bring it up. After chatting about other things, she closed her eyes.
She slept deeply and had many dreams, but couldn't remember a single one when she woke up.
The weather in Milan was beautiful—clear and sunny. Just as Jiang Xiao took a deep breath, a WeChat notification came.
It was Shen Yue.
"Ahhh, babe! Guess what happened last night?"
Xiao Xiao: "What?"
Cutie Baby: "Cheng Yuan, your ex-husband, crashed his car."
Xiao Xiao: "!!"
Shen Yue decided it was too complicated for text and called directly. "Babe, I'm telling you, Cheng Yuan went crazy and played racing. Then he crashed."
"Seems pretty bad."
"I think he was provoked by last night."
Jiang Xiao remembered him kissing her with red-rimmed eyes and was furious. "Serves him right."
Shen Yue agreed. "Yeah, exactly."
She giggled. "You went to Milan with Zhao Kai?"
Jiang Xiao: "Mm."
"I think Zhao Kai is okay too. If not, you can give it a try."
"Didn't I say? Career first."
"You can have both career and love."
"I'll pass."
A car had been waiting for a while. Jiang Xiao said, "Talk later," and ended the call.
Zhao Kai was already in the car. When she got in, he handed her a milk tea. "For you."
Jiang Xiao took it. "Thanks."
Zhao Kai: "Xiao Xiao, you don't need to be so polite."
His gaze was too intense. Jiang Xiao turned her head away.
Her phone kept ringing. It was the Jiang family old mansion. Her mother called. "Xiao Xiao, is it convenient to talk?"
Jiang Xiao: "Yes, Mom. Go ahead."
"Just now, Old Master Cheng called and said Cheng Yuan is hospitalized. He keeps calling your name. He hopes you can visit him." Her mother said, "Can you go?"
Jiang Xiao hadn't told her mother about going abroad. "I'm in Milan."
"Milan? What for?"