Chapter Thirty-Five: The Devil in Givenchy

Xu Qinning was notorious for her terrible morning temper. Looking at her phone, which she’d tossed aside and which was still noisily recording her singing, she grumbled irritably, “Ugh, just because the tiger hasn’t shown its claws, you think I’m your little pet? And just because the donkey’s silent, you take me for a fool?”

She stretched out a hand as pale and smooth as mutton-fat jade from beneath the covers and picked up the phone, now lying at the edge of the bed. The screen was still flashing with the name “ATM”—her own nickname for her father, Xu Jiacheng. Remembering that her credit card bill was due this month, she had no choice but to answer. Swallowing her anger, she replied flatly, “Hello.”

Her father’s voice, brimming with fury, came from the other end. “Ningning, it was your aunt’s birthday yesterday. Not only did you not come home, you didn’t even call her?”

“Oh, I had an exam yesterday. Forgot.” Xu Qinning sat up in bed, her ivory silk pajamas hugging her shapely figure. The dorm was comfortably warm, and she yawned as she listened to the voice that always made her feel stifled.

“Your aunt turned thirty-six, all the relatives were there, and you didn’t show up. What are you thinking?”

Listening to her father’s relentless questioning, Xu Qinning slipped on her slippers and replied carelessly, “Well, you didn’t go either! Why blame me?”

“If I didn’t go out and earn money, what would you spoiled brats eat and wear...”

At this point, Xu Qinning simply turned on the speakerphone and put the call down, letting him rant on as she washed her face and brushed her teeth. Only when she heard the “beep, beep” of a disconnected call did she pull a face at the mirror and mutter fiercely, “So what if you have a little money? Who cares? Just wait until I strike it big—then I won’t have to listen to your nagging!”

Moments later, she received a text from the “ATM”: “Your winter break allowance is canceled, and your credit card is suspended until you reflect on your behavior and admit your mistake.”

Xu Qinning let out a sharp scream when she realized her credit card was cut off. Her brand-new white Sharp flip phone slipped from her hand into the foamy sink, splashing water onto her slender waist.

The exams had finished yesterday, and the school was now on break. Not wanting to go home, she’d spent the night in the dormitory, and now she was the only one left. She opened her large ROA aluminum-magnesium suitcase and began to pack. Her phone was dead, and all she had on her was a pitiful few dozen yuan—a headache. She never carried much cash, and after treating her roommates to a lavish meal last night, she’d even given the rest to a little girl selling flowers on the street.

“Not even enough for a cab,” she muttered to herself. Sitting on the stool, she put on her canvas shoes and gazed at her reflection in the full-length mirror by the door. Her mood lifted a bit; her face, radiant and lovely, was a feast for the eyes. She adjusted her short hair, admired her long legs in fitted jeans, and the way her pink NNSOO turtleneck sweater hugged her curves. Satisfied, she slipped on the latest black N Show woolen coat, grabbed her suitcase, and left the dorm.

But when she reached the school gate, she hesitated. She’d never ridden the subway or a bus in her life—she could barely tell north from south and had no sense of direction. To her, finding her way home on public transport was harder than climbing to the moon. Taxi was the only option she could think of. Looking at the Breguet Reine de Naples on her wrist, she thought if worst came to worst, she could pawn it to the driver for the fare, then collect it from home.

Just as Xu Qinning stood before the entrance of Moon Lake Villas, struggling with how to explain things to the ever-chatty taxi driver, Cheng Xiaoyu happened to be pulling out in his Ferrari, waiting for the security guard to lift the barrier on his way to the Fu Xiuyue's music studio.

Spotting the Ferrari’s license plate, Xu Qinning mistook it for Aunt Zhou’s car. She told the driver to wait, opened the door, and hurried toward the Ferrari. Cheng Xiaoyu, seeing her charging over with a fierce air, instinctively rolled up his window—he was genuinely intimidated by this Givenchy-clad “she-devil.”

But as Xu Qinning drew closer, she realized it wasn’t Aunt Zhou but Su Yuxi’s infamously aloof brother. Still, she felt no discomfort; after all, they’d exchanged countless texts—though she’d forgotten Cheng Xiaoyu had no idea “Tang Wenqian” was actually her.

Seeing the barrier rise and Xu Qinning’s determined approach, Cheng Xiaoyu tried to make a getaway. “Better to avoid trouble,” he thought, pressing the accelerator.

But with her precious Breguet as collateral, Xu Qinning wasn’t about to trust the driver completely, especially when she had so little cash left. Gritting her teeth, she blocked the Ferrari’s path—after all, that fatso wouldn’t dare do anything to her.

Xu Qinning, standing boldly in front of the Ferrari, left Cheng Xiaoyu stricken. “What grudge does she hold against me?” he thought, panic rising. “She’s crazy enough to risk her life blocking my car. Sure, I wasn’t speeding, but what if I couldn’t stop in time?”

She patted the trunk of the Ferrari, but Cheng Xiaoyu, not understanding, rolled down the window and shouted, “Lady, are you insane? Even if you were pregnant with my child, you don’t need to risk your life like this!”

Unfazed, Xu Qinning simply said, “Open the trunk.”

Faced with her unwavering smile, Cheng Xiaoyu had no choice but to comply. She waved for the taxi driver—a kindly, pale-faced man in his forties or fifties—to bring her suitcase over. He placed it in the cramped Ferrari trunk and closed the lid.

“How much is the fare?” Xu Qinning asked sweetly.

“One hundred and twenty-eight,” the driver replied.

No longer worried about Cheng Xiaoyu escaping, Xu Qinning approached his window and demanded, “Hand over your wallet!”

Cheng Xiaoyu gave her a glare. “I’m just a poor student. I have a backpack, not a wallet.”

Xu Qinning arched her brow, and Cheng Xiaoyu braced for a tantrum. Instead, she clutched her arm, looking as pitiful as a quail in the cold wind, her eyes instantly red and tears threatening to fall. Her beautiful face was full of sorrow as she wailed, “I gave up everything for you! Now I can’t even go home. I came to find you, and you treat me like this?”

Cheng Xiaoyu’s mind went blank. He racked his brain but couldn’t remember ever meeting her before his accident. He managed to stammer, “I—” but before he could finish, the taxi driver, sensing something was wrong, hurried over. At the sight of Xu Qinning’s tear-streaked face and the immovable fat man in the Ferrari, he instantly imagined a playboy scion abandoning a schoolgirl. Ignoring her expensive outfit, he scolded Cheng Xiaoyu loudly, “Young man, this is your fault! Such a lovely girl comes to find you first thing in the morning—you can’t just abandon her like this!”

Cheng Xiaoyu looked at the sun already high in the sky and protested, “Sir, you’re mistaken. I barely know her...”

But before he could explain, Xu Qinning’s silent tears turned into full-blown sobs.

The driver hurried to comfort her. “Don’t cry, miss. He’s not worth it. Where’s your home? I’ll take you back for free. Just go home and talk things over with your parents.”

“But I’m carrying his child...” Xu Qinning sniffled.

At this, Cheng Xiaoyu’s scalp practically exploded. What deity had he offended? All he’d done was crack a harmless joke! But this was a death sentence!

The driver muttered, “What a scoundrel! Unbelievable!”

Surrounded by curious security guards, Cheng Xiaoyu, at his wit’s end, pulled out a wad of cash. “Fine, you win! I surrender!”

Xu Qinning took five hundred yuan, handed it to the driver, and beamed, “Thank you, sir!”

The driver only accepted two hundred. “Young lady, you should hurry home and talk with your family. They’ll understand. That man’s no good—I recognize him. He’s that rich kid who hit someone with his car! It was all over the papers!”

Xu Qinning forced the rest of the cash into the driver’s hand, her voice trembling with manufactured grievance. “I have to think of my baby—I’m only seventeen. If he won’t take responsibility, I’ll have no choice but to throw myself into the Huangpu River.”

The driver shook his head in dismay. “What’s this world coming to?”

Cheng Xiaoyu was beyond words, slumping in his seat, feeling cursed by the gods.

Xu Qinning circled to the passenger side, got in, and wiped her tears with a tissue. “Sorry, I lost control a bit. I’ve been rehearsing for the play ‘Tales of the Sea’ lately, and once I got going, I couldn’t stop.”

“Like I’d believe that,” Cheng Xiaoyu thought. He said aloud, “Miss Xu, if you need a ride home, the security cart can take you. You’ve already scared me enough for one day. You’re not expecting me to drive you home, are you?”

Xu Qinning gave him a winsome look. “How could I trouble you to drive me home? I’ll just tag along with you. Just buy me something to eat—I haven’t had anything all day!” She had no intention of going home to that suffocating place. She’d decided to stick with Cheng Xiaoyu for a while. If it were anyone else, she might not have bothered, but this was Su Yuxi’s brother, and besides, he was an A. Pestering him didn’t bother her in the least.

“Maybe I’d better just drive you home,” Cheng Xiaoyu sighed, realizing it was safer to keep his distance if he valued his life.

“If you take me home now, I might get bored and drop by your house later. Who knows what mood I’ll be in—I might just tell Aunt Zhou and your sister that you harassed me. Given how close I am to your sister, do you really want to make your life in this house unbearable?” Xu Qinning spoke with the certainty of someone determined to drag him down with her.

Cheng Xiaoyu was torn. For most men, having such a gorgeous girl cling to them would be a dream come true—worthy of a third-rate TV drama plot. But for someone who knew her true nature, it was a nightmare. Not to mention the weight of the illustrious Xu family—he was just an illegitimate nobody. Only a fool would cast aside a whole forest for a man-eating flower. Besides, he knew his limits—a girl like Su Yuxi was not someone he could handle. As a mature man, he understood not to overreach and should only pursue girls within his own league, not waste time on unattainable fantasies.

But with this tigress beside him, he found himself utterly defeated. All he could do was grumble, “What do you want to eat? But let’s be clear—after we eat, I’ll drive you home. After today, we’ll go our separate ways. You pretend you never knew me, and I’ll pretend I never saw you.”

It was the first time a boy had ever spoken to her like that—unfazed by her beauty, immune to her charms. Xu Qinning was genuinely surprised. She turned her big, sparkling eyes to him. “What are you afraid of, that I’ll eat you?” Then she remembered—of course, he wasn’t a “normal” man; he was an A. Relieved, she added gently, “Don’t worry, I won’t bully you anymore. I just got carried away. Besides, your sister is like my own—no need to be so distant.”

Cheng Xiaoyu could only sigh in resignation at her quick-changing moods. With a heavy heart, he pressed the accelerator and drove on.