Chapter 91: My Santana Was Smoking by the Roadside, You Took Me in a Cullinan

“He does have an aura, that’s true, but there’s no need to exaggerate it. In fact, no one should easily put another person on a pedestal; it’s unfair to oneself.”

The moment the plane landed, Yu Zhimei’s phone vibrated incessantly, draining a full 30% of its battery. Qiu Nuo’s call came through: “Yu Zhimei! Where are you? My friend and I are heading to the airport!”

“Huh?”

“I know you’re in Beijing. Don’t ask me how I know. I’ll wait for you at the arrival gate!”

Yu Zhimei’s heart pounded – what was her plan? Could it be that Qiu Nuo still held a grudge about that slap and was going to retaliate doubly in Beijing? Blocking her at the airport, she had no way to escape. She couldn’t judge people with prejudice; she’d just have to face whatever came.

Yu Zhimei, who had been sent to Beijing to discuss a new filming project, got out of the car and was about to look for the airport bus to the city. She had originally planned to resign from Xing Ge after Christmas at the dessert shop, but after seeing the two lines of text on Jian Zhaowen’s car window, she directly bought a plane ticket to help her boss find an office. And she remained unfazed about all this in front of Jian Zhaowen. She had been thinking of going to Huguosi Temple for bean juice and fried dough rings, then browsing the vintage shops of old rock musicians in Gulou, but as soon as she got off the plane, Qiu Nuo’s urgent call came. After getting her luggage, she saw the flamboyant welcoming beauty – Qiu Nuo, with her cherry blossom pink hair, looked like a big star, standing next to a thin young boy dressed in understated luxury, the same type as Jian Zhaowen, clearly a Beijing local.

“I’ve been waiting for you for ages! Why was your luggage so slow?”

Yu Zhimei thought for a moment: “Maybe it’s because it’s economy class... luggage comes out slower?”

“Oh, no wonder. I always fly first class.” Qiu Nuo wouldn’t help Yu Zhimei with her suitcase and turned to leave. It was the boy accompanying her who gentlemanly took the luggage. Yu Zhimei asked directly: “Are you... her boyfriend?”

“No, just friends. I also like cars. She asked me to come pick you up together. Oh right, just call me Xiao Wu.”

Yu Zhimei felt better after hearing this. Qiu Nuo had actually kept this up her sleeve, knowing she was here on a business trip and specially finding a like-minded friend to hang out with. Yu Zhimei, who was just planning to repair and modify a car, thought about chatting with Xiao Wu on the way. She was hesitating between a Jetta and a Santana. But when she reached the parking lot and took out the car keys, Yu Zhimei felt the sound was a bit off. By the time she replied to Jian Zhaowen’s message and looked up, the luggage had been put in the car, and the moment the trunk closed, Yu Zhimei’s heart jumped –

A Cullinan!

Yu Zhimei, frozen in place, had a look of disbelief. Xiao Wu was a bit shy: “We needed to carry luggage today, so we took a bigger one. I just bought an Aston Martin a few days ago, there are only two in all of Beijing. Sister Mei is a professional car enthusiast, let’s experience it together.”

Yu Zhimei took a step back: “Absolutely not, absolutely not.”

On the way, Yu Zhimei listened to Qiu Nuo and Xiao Wu chatting and felt the RMB was forcibly widening her ear canals. Xiao Wu’s family was the general agent for a white liquor brand in North China. Twenty years ago, when Yu Zhimei was still accompanying her father to teach people how to drive at the driving school, the few-year-old Xiao Wu was already taking joyrides in his father’s Mercedes-Benz S-Class. After gulping down a few mouthfuls of cold water, she still heard Xiao Wu say, “Sister Mei, what kind of car did you mention modifying just now? Let me give you some ideas.”

“...It’s nothing, I was just saying.”

“I’m into all kinds of cars, and I’m really not showing off, don’t treat me like an outsider. How about we stop at Yintai for a meal? I’ll go get my glasses and then take you to see a few of my private collections.”

“Right, Xiao Wu, tell her the names of the dishes, what were those cars again?”

Yu Zhimei, who didn’t dare to ask, heard about a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a McLaren 600LT, and the Aston Martin he had just bought through Qiu Nuo’s words. Xiao Wu was quite down-to-earth: “Sister Mei, really, the Pu Yi Optical shop is on the first floor. I’ll just grab my glasses and come down, then take you for a good meal.”

“Really, no need. Just drop me off in the city, I’m in a hurry for work. Call me for drinks tonight.”

“Okay then. Where are you going? I’ll take you.”

“It’s fine, I’ll go myself. I need to go to the hotel first anyway.”

Yu Zhimei got out of the car and let out a long breath. She couldn’t exactly tell these two Beijing locals that she had to go to Shunyi first, then Tiantongyuan, before finally returning to the centrally located hotel to rest. The two old friends Xing Ge had collaborated with in Beijing back in the day were also doing self-media. They had a shop with a very good reputation, doing car modifications, repairs, and used car trading. After getting off at Fengbo Station, Yu Zhimei saw Brother Lin and immediately got into a newly acquired Mazda Atenza, instantly feeling relaxed and cheerful. Mazda was the poetry and distant dream of Initial D fans. The Atenza had a compact and sporty design, a large cabin space, and top-of-the-line performance far exceeding a 34C. Comfortable, Yu Zhimei felt like she was home, enjoying the scenery along the way. Shunyi was a gathering place for villas and private schools. Brother Lin’s car dealership wasn’t far from a golf training base and a badminton court, and the Chaobai River was just a kilometer away on foot. Yu Zhimei didn’t really care about these things, she just kept sighing that the Atenza had a much better price-performance ratio than Jian Zhaowen’s Audi A4!

After getting out of the car, Yu Zhimei saw Brother Lin’s private collection. More than a dozen cars were parked in the backyard, each one a classic. A BMW 8 Series, a Porsche 911, a Lexus LS... Brother Lin was a middle-aged literary man. His partner, Little Xue, was slightly younger. Both had loved cars since childhood but hadn’t thought about entering the industry. The reason they personally started a repair shop was a used Land Rover. Anyone who’s owned a Land Rover knows that after two years, the warning lights on the car light up one after another, and you don’t even know which one to start fixing first. After overhauling the Land Rover, the two partnered up to open the shop. Now, even the entrance ramp of their new location had been precisely calculated so that cars with a ground clearance of 5 centimeters could drive in without scraping the bottom. At their level, filming videos and taking on advertisements had become part of their business, while offline transactions and car modifications accounted for an even larger portion. And Brother Lin happened to particularly like filming videos. He recently planned to acquire a 1990 Lexus for restoration and modification and was even planning to film a documentary. Yu Zhimei’s purpose for this trip was to discuss car modifications and... to prepare for the relocation of Xing Ge’s entire business back to Beijing.

Brother Lin spoke slowly and gently. Approaching forty, he wasn’t bald and didn’t smoke. His eyes lit up when he talked about cars. They had been old acquaintances of Xing Ge’s since 2012 and strongly recommended that Xing Ge move back to Beijing. He didn’t quite understand why a northwestern man like Xing Ge had gone to Shanghai to do car media. For Beijing locals, the best car trading areas were in North China and Zhejiang, and Xing Ge hadn’t been able to rely on those much after going to Shanghai. Brother Lin was preparing to film an advertisement for a Lexus, and Yu Zhimei watched from the side. The literary man said that cars weren’t as interesting as Xing Ge, they had more of a sentimental feel. And Lexus was indeed a brand they hadn’t filmed before. This type of high-end, performance-focused Japanese car didn’t appreciate Xing Ge’s comedic style—advertisers had their own preferences.

Borrowing Brother Lin’s AMG GT, Yu Zhimei got into the car spiritedly and sent a photo to Jian Zhaowen before driving off. Driving to Tiantongyuan meant crossing the entire city of Beijing, but Yu Zhimei wasn’t in a hurry. It wasn’t every day she had the chance to drive such a good car. After strolling around Tiantongyuan and finding a suitable office, Yu Zhimei sat in the car and called Jian Zhaowen. Jian Zhaowen’s video greeting was like a string of firecrackers: “What time did you arrive? Have you eaten? Whose car is that? Male or female owner? How old are they?”

He had his own莺莺燕燕 (yingying yanyan - a group of beautiful women) around him and still cared about her. Yu Zhimei rolled her eyes at the rearview mirror: “A friend of Xing Ge’s from before. In Shunyi, he has about a dozen treasured private collections. They’re so sentimental, and—really rich. Not to mention the cars, just think about those license plates...”

“There’s always a way.”

“Qiu Nuo asked me for drinks tonight.”

“Oh?”

“She’s probably still hung up about that incident in Shanghai last time and always wants to make up for it and prove something to me.” Yu Zhimei looked at the time: “I think she’s actually quite cute.”

“Yeah, she’s not that annoying.” Jian Zhaowen sounded like he was smoking on the phone: “Go have fun, enjoy yourself. I’ll continue working overtime. Don’t forget to buy me a pastry gift box, I want hawthorn pot helmet, and—I miss you.”

“Jian Zhaowen!”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing.” Yu Zhimei hesitated for a few seconds but still couldn’t bring herself to say it. She didn’t want to chase shadows or be the kind of woman who ran after Jian Zhaowen to chase away butterflies. If she really felt insecure about something, she would rather gain recognition at work as soon as possible—this was the balance she had always sought when feeling uneasy. Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but call her mother again. Her mother answered slowly, even a bit absentmindedly: “Meimei, is something wrong?”

“I miss you.”

“The call came at a bad time. I have two minutes left of my yoga class. Make it quick.”

“Mom... about Aunt Bai’s incident before, you were so sad, why didn’t you divorce Dad?”

Her mother seemed to have anticipated this: “Because it’s interesting being with him. It’s not like he doesn’t love me, he just briefly got greedy for the scenery elsewhere. The two of us raise flowers together, watch TV, do housework, and the day passes. It’s unbearable to be alone in a small city. What happened to you? If you’re unhappy, come home. Mom has recently learned to make soup, pigeon soup, sparerib and kelp soup, bird’s nest, I can make anything.”

“Why did you change the topic to food?” Yu Zhimei replied dissatisfiedly, but tears welled up. Her mother pretended not to hear: “I’m going to hang up. Last time I went to calligraphy class, I didn’t manage to grab a seat in the first row, I can’t lose today. Meimei, if you have someone you like and you feel they’re important and you’re afraid of losing them, that’s normal, but don’t bet your whole life on them. Betting so big will tire you out, and it will scare him away too.”

“How do you know everything?” Yu Zhimei’s voice trembled: “I’ve never liked anyone this much, Mom.”

“Don’t tell Mom this, be honest with him. I’m going to class.”

Sitting in the car watching the sunset, the skyline of the street directly in front of her had a dip in the middle, and the tall buildings on both sides couldn’t block the spreading afterglow. At this moment, the light cast people in a warm yellow, silently comforting restless souls. After a long time in the car, Yu Zhimei thought that she should at least finish the things in Beijing first. Maybe she wouldn’t adjust to working in Beijing, and it wouldn’t be too late to return to Shanghai then.

At least... besides love, she had to give herself a chance to work hard.

Qiu Nuo’s call came at just the right time. Yu Zhimei’s heart itched, and she still followed Xiao Wu to see the Aston Martin. But Xiao Wu had switched to a twenty-year-old Rolls-Royce Silver Spur, and Yu Zhimei’s eyes almost popped out just looking at it. Xiao Wu took a few photos with his phone and also took a few of Qiu Nuo. Yu Zhimei casually said, “Xiao Wu, it’s such a pity you don’t make car media videos.”

“Huh?”

“So many people haven’t seen this kind of car. A twenty-year-old car can be exchanged for an apartment now. How many people would be curious?”

“Oh, you mean that. I don’t really understand it. Sister Mei, can you tell me about it?”

Actually, Yu Zhimei’s first reaction was to leave it for Xing Ge to film, but with Xing Ge’s flamboyant soul, filming a Porsche was probably the top end of his audience’s taste. Xiao Wu was indeed more knowledgeable about cars than she had imagined, and he knew all about the top luxury cars. Yu Zhimei chatted with Xiao Wu for twenty minutes and took a tour of the Yintai parking garage. She had already heard him talk about luxury supercars and high-end cars like he knew them intimately. He had cars that were the only one in Beijing, cars that were one of only two, and cars that were one of only a few in China... even if he didn’t have them, he could borrow them—the life of the ultra-rich was dazzling. Xiao Wu became more and more excited as they talked, expressing many of his feelings about driving, and smiled openly at Yu Zhimei: “Whether it’s a luxury car or an economy car, driving is about interacting with the car. If you have a resonance with it, commonly known as ‘man and horse as one,’ that’s enough. Actually, what kind of car you drive isn’t that important.”

Quite talented. Yu Zhimei felt both happy and sentimental. The young man had momentum and high spirits and had already seen the top of the tower at a glance.

Xiao Wu snapped his fingers: “Sister Mei, what kind of job do you have now? Quit it. I’ll double your salary. You help me create an account, and I’ll buy whatever equipment you need.”

“...Don’t rush. Don’t you have a full-time job?”

“Family business. Doing car media is so interesting, I’m willing to squeeze in the time.” Xiao Wu looked at his phone: “I’ll take a call. No one moves today, it’s on me.”

Xiao Wu skipped out of the bar. The music in the place young people frequented was deafening. Qiu Nuo smoothed her hair, still sparkling all over: “Sister Mei, I didn’t ask Xiao Wu to come to bully you. I really think he’s an interesting boy, and he also likes cars.”

“I understand.”

“And also,” Qiu Nuo took the drink handed to her by the bartender, “I have to let you know that I, Qiu Nuo, am not a superficial woman.”

Yu Zhimei looked at Qiu Nuo’s bright eyes and suddenly laughed. Qiu Nuo was a bit embarrassed: “What are you laughing at?”

“You have such an excellent circle and a wealthy life, why are you still bothered by Jian Zhaowen?” Yu Zhimei looked around: “He’s not worthy, is he?”

“Oh my god, you actually said that about Jian Zhaowen!” Qiu Nuo’s eyes widened: “He’s my ‘male god’!”

“He does have an aura, that’s true, but there’s no need to exaggerate it. In fact, no one should easily put another person on a pedestal; it’s unfair to oneself.”

“That’s so cool. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m usually very normal, but as long as I like someone, I can’t help but want them to prove something, it’s probably... wanting to feel special. I probably have princess syndrome.” Qiu Nuo sighed: “I know it’s wrong, but I can’t control myself.”

Yu Zhimei clinked glasses with her without saying much. There was no need to educate others at this time. Xiao Wu’s materials were burning brightly in her heart. Staying in Beijing might really offer better opportunities. Of course, she didn’t forget other things: “Qiu Nuo, do you know someone named Vicky?”

“Know her? I know many Vickys. But are you talking about the one Jian Zhaowen knows?”

“Yeah.”

“The daughter of Jian Zhaowen’s investors. She studies at an international high school in Biyun and occasionally rides in Jian Zhaowen’s car. You might not know, but the interns at Jian Zhaowen’s company often go to pick her up from school at three or four o’clock for tutoring. Sometimes when Jian Zhaowen isn’t busy, he’ll go himself. Their next round of investment should be coming soon because the investor likes him.”

“I see.” Yu Zhimei suddenly laughed: “She’s in high school.”

“You can’t be misunderstanding something, can you?” Qiu Nuo leaned closer to look at Yu Zhimei’s face: “Oh no, the goddess image I had of you has shattered! You’re actually jealous of a young girl!”

“I... I’m not.”

Qiu Nuo laughed so hard she slapped her thigh: “You fell off your pedestal way too fast! I really thought you wouldn’t care so much about Jian Zhaowen. I really underestimated a woman’s imagination. Where did you find Vicky?”

“On Jian Zhaowen’s car window, the front windshield on the passenger side.”

“The passenger side.” Qiu Nuo smiled: “The future of these girls who go to international schools is indeed quite different from ordinary people. Don’t look at me living so lavishly and leisurely, but even seeing her makes me uncomfortable. Young, sharp, and educated by the elite, they make others feel inferior. They look like Chinese, but they’re actually ‘American cents’ (a derogatory term for those perceived as pro-Western), so—” Qiu Nuo winked: “Even Jian Zhaowen isn’t worthy of a girl like that.”

For the first time, Yu Zhimei appreciated Qiu Nuo’s cuteness.