Chapter 41 Song Ni's Heart is Troubled
The wind was strong on the mountaintop, blowing Song Ni's slightly messy long hair. Strands of hair covered her eyes. Song Ni raised her hand to brush them away, but just as she tucked them behind her ear, hair from the other side blew up again, covering her eyes. Again and again, the wind seemed to understand her inner turmoil.
Song Ni hadn't told Qin Yang everything. She had impulsively kissed Tan Zheng, driven by a surge of emotion. There was desire in it, but also something else. Perhaps it was affection. She had never liked anyone before and didn't understand what that felt like, but she remembered the strong heartbeat in the car just now. Tan Zheng, driving the race car, was completely different, sharp and resplendent. She was ambitious and naturally admired strength. Powerful and excellent people always attracted her gaze. Witnessing the glory of the racing legend from five years ago up close was a fatal shock to her soul.
Song Ni raised her hand to touch her lip, which Tan Zheng had bitten. She looked up at the man not far away. He stood on the mountaintop, his beloved race car behind him, the scenery of the valley before him. It was as if he had returned to five years ago, standing at the peak, overlooking the most beautiful view. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she detected a hint of rain in the wind. Her vision gradually blurred. The sky changed in an instant.
Qin Yang glanced at her actions and asked, "Still savoring that kiss?"
Song Ni's fingers couldn't help but press the wound. It didn't feel the same as when Tan Zheng had wiped away her blood.
"Yeah, the scoundrel's kiss is quite addictive," Song Ni murmured softly, her voice barely audible, quickly dispersed by the wind. She withdrew her hand, unconsciously rubbing her fingers.
Qin Yang paused, watching Song Ni's demeanor for a long time. She knew Tan Zheng was a charismatic person and believed that one day Nini would be won over by such a man. But she hadn't expected this day to come so soon. With just a simple, no-more-than-simple race, Song Ni seemed to have fallen for him. At this moment, she was clearly in the midst of it all, unaware of the stirrings of her heart.
The rain suddenly intensified, and the mountaintop grew darker even faster. The group finally decided to descend. Lu Fang watched Tan Zheng open the door for Song Ni and stopped, asking Lu Hao Ting, who was beside him, "What do you think?"
Lu Hao Ting was bewildered, not understanding. "Think about what?"
Lu Fang's eyes slowly lost focus. "We couldn't persuade her for years, and now Song Ni has managed to make Brother Tan break his vow in such a short time. Don't you find it strange?"
Lu Hao Ting rubbed his chin in thought but couldn't come up with a satisfactory answer, only stating the obvious. "Sister-in-law is Brother Tan's wife. Can brothers compare with their wives?"
What Lu Hao Ting said, though crude, was not illogical. The problem was, Song Ni was just a blind date. They hadn't known each other before, let alone had any emotional foundation. In such a short time, Song Ni could make Brother Tan do this. If he truly fell in love, wouldn't Brother Tan dote on Song Ni, pampering her to the ends of the earth?
Lu Fang suddenly laughed. He laughed at the wonder of fate and felt fortunate that he had genuinely helped Song Ni resolve the online incident back then. He had a premonition that in the future, any matters that required approaching Brother Tan could be handled through Song Ni.
Tan Zheng's return to racing after five years was something everyone was happy about. The club had a courtyard with a canopy, perfect for a group gathering. Song Ni changed her clothes and went to the restroom to fix her hair. When she looked in the mirror, she was stunned. Her hair was messy, her eyes were red, her lips were slightly swollen, and her lipstick had worn off, revealing the natural pink of her lips. The spot where Tan Zheng had bitten her had turned a dark red, particularly conspicuous. Anyone looking would know what had happened. No wonder the gazes they cast her way were so strange.
Song Ni used a wet tissue to wipe her lips, completely removing the lipstick. She then took out her powder compact to mask the wound as best as she could and reapplied a layer of lipstick.
When she emerged after tidying up, everyone was busy in the courtyard. Her eyes scanned the area but couldn't find Tan Zheng. Her brow twitched, and just as she was about to ask, she heard a familiar voice from the corridor nearby. It was Tan Zheng and Cheng Ling. Song Ni raised her eyebrows and stepped forward to greet them, only to see Tan Zheng's expression was one she had never seen before, so profound. Even Cheng Ling's brows were tightly furrowed. Song Ni stopped. She recalled that Cheng Ling's relationship with Tan Zheng wasn't close enough for private conversations.
Tan Zheng suddenly looked up and saw Song Ni. He stopped talking to Cheng Ling. The two walked over. Cheng Ling's gaze flickered when he saw the lipstick Song Ni had reapplied. Then, he smirked and teased, "You should eat less during the barbecue later. I don't carry medicine with me."
Song Ni: ...
After speaking, Cheng Ling left them and went straight into the courtyard. Song Ni looked up at Tan Zheng. His face no longer showed any emotion, as if she had just imagined it. She pursed her lips and casually asked, "Are you very familiar with Cheng Ling?"
Tan Zheng glanced at Song Ni's lips, his eyes deepening slightly. "We bumped into each other and exchanged a few words."
Song Ni didn't believe it at all. Given Tan Zheng's personality, was he the type to engage in idle chatter? She didn't press further.
"Shall we go?" The group in the courtyard had already set up the barbecue grill, looking as if they were about to start cooking themselves.
Tan Zheng reached out and ruffled Song Ni's hair. "You go ahead. I need a smoke."
Song Ni looked up at him deeply, her lips moving slightly. She turned and walked towards the courtyard. Where couldn't he smoke? Tan Zheng clearly had something on his mind.
Qin Yang and Cheng Ling quickly integrated, chatting about business and leisure. Ironically, Song Ni, the intermediary, was somewhat absent-minded. Tan Zheng's cigarette seemed to be taking a long time. The sound of raindrops on the canopy was somewhat annoying, and Song Ni felt a growing restlessness. Having witnessed Tan Zheng's demeanor while racing, she found it even more perplexing. How could a proud figure like Tan Zheng be willing to give up something he loved and was passionate about like racing? Song Ni suddenly realized she couldn't stand to see that deep, somber look in Tan Zheng's eyes.
Cheng Ling noticed her unusual behavior. He quietly took a sip of his drink and asked, "What's wrong?"
Song Ni frowned and looked at him. "What were you talking to him about just now?"
Cheng Ling chuckled. "Nini, you seem to be more than just interested in him now."
Song Ni frowned, subconsciously ignoring Cheng Ling's remark, and asked again, "What did you say?"
"Just saying hello."
How could Tan Zheng be like that just by saying hello? Why was he still smoking in the corridor? Song Ni was about to ask further when a clamor erupted outside the door. It was the sound of various race car engines mixed together. The club's drivers, who had been laughing and joking, all stopped. Sheng Jiang, who had a temper, rolled up his sleeves and rushed to the door, cursing, "These bastards really think we won't do anything to them."
Everyone rushed to the entrance, and Song Ni and the others followed. They saw several race cars parked outside the club, their headlights blazing. A few people stood in the rain, whistling provocatively as they emerged.
"I heard your club lost a road race to a coward who hadn't touched a race car in five years. How can you be so trash? Or did you go easy on him out of respect for the boss?" The words were barbed, and they smirked contemptuously.
Hearing this, Song Ni's expression darkened completely.
Did our Nini fall in love???
(End of this chapter)