“BANG—”

A thunderous crash followed by sharp braking sounds. Xia Xiao Lan desperately grabbed the steering wheel, causing the car to veer and hit a utility pole while the other vehicle crashed into the right rear of Kang Wei’s car.

Kang Wei’s head slammed hard against the steering wheel. Xia Xiao Lan heard the windshield shatter and instinctively closed her eyes, raising her hands to shield her face. Glass fragments embedded in her hands.

At that moment, she couldn’t feel any pain.

Her head spinning, she saw Kang Wei clutching his forehead, curled up in pain.

“Kang Wei, Kang Wei…”

Xia Xiao Lan mumbled unconsciously, dizzy and ears ringing, unable to control her actions.

She heard someone scream.

Then someone opened the door, unbuckled her seatbelt, and lifted her from the seat.

Xia Xiao Lan struggled to point at Kang Wei: “Save him…”

Her eyelids felt heavy as she swayed unsteadily on her feet.

Someone seemed to be asking if she was alright, but Xia Xiao Lan could only point at Kang Wei. She watched as people pulled him from the car, his face covered in blood. Her legs felt weak.

No, she couldn’t collapse.

Kang Wei hadn’t received proper treatment yet. They were far from the city hospital, and who knew how serious his injuries were – she couldn’t trust everything to the perpetrator’s conscience.

Xia Xiao Lan felt someone supporting her. She felt the glass shards in her hand and deliberately pressed them deeper into her flesh.

The pain helped clear her head somewhat. “Save him! Take him to the hospital!”

The earlier fog and dizziness lifted slightly. Before, she’d felt her soul trapped in her body, screaming silently. Now she could hear her own voice – though what she mustered with all her strength was barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz, those nearby finally understood.

“Yes! To the hospital… you get in the car too.”

It was the car that had hit them. The driver who caused the accident was removed and replaced by someone else.

Kang Wei’s car had a crushed rear seat, while this car seemed to have only minor scrapes.

As people helped Xia Xiao Lan into the car, she thought: Is this the difference between luxury and ordinary cars? The Bentley that hit her and Kang Wei was pitch black… in early 1985, you could barely find any luxury cars on Shenzhen’s streets.

Xia Xiao Lan struggled against those supporting her when she saw Kang Wei being put in another car.

So this was a convoy!

“I want to stay with him!”

“Fine, bring him over here.”

Xia Xiao Lan was adamant, and they had to comply. She and Kang Wei were placed in the same car, with her sitting beside him. Someone had wrapped Kang Wei’s head with bandages for emergency treatment, but his blood had turned the white leather seats into what looked like a crime scene… The Bentley was black but had snow-white leather seats with thick carpet beneath. The bandages couldn’t contain the bleeding, which continued to seep out.

“Kang Wei! Kang Wei, you can’t sleep!”

Kang Wei’s eyelids flickered but didn’t open, though he was still groaning.

Xia Xiao Lan felt slightly relieved – he was still alive. As long as he was alive, that was what mattered!

“Take us to a major hospital, not a clinic or health center! We have money!”

The store had just distributed dividends, so Xia Xiao Lan did have substantial cash. Though the luxury car’s owner probably wasn’t short of money, she insisted she had funds just in case.

The car sped along.

Such accidents were rare in 1985. The roads weren’t congested, without endless traffic lights causing delays. Only construction trucks carrying sand and stone passed by.

Someone turned around from the front seat, “Don’t worry, we’ll reach the hospital soon.”

The voice was strange, with that accent typical of Guangzhou and Hong Kong people speaking Mandarin, though Hong Kong people had a heavier accent.

Xia Xiao Lan’s head had cleared. She told herself not to panic – losing composure would mean surrendering control to others. Her hands were still shaking, but the ringing in her ears had stopped and her vision had cleared. Then she realized the person who had turned to speak was none other than Du Zhao Hui!

Du Zhao Hui was the one who caused the accident!

Thinking of the earlier close call, Xia Xiao Lan wanted to slap Du Zhao Hui’s face – if she hadn’t desperately turned the steering wheel, their car’s front would have been hit directly.

In a collision between a Bentley and Kang Wei’s car, who would win? It was obvious.

She would have either been crushed alone, or both she and Kang Wei would have been crushed together.

Du Zhao Hui’s white suit was covered in blood. Xia Xiao Lan’s voice was hoarse:

“Thank you, Young Master Du, for your mercy in not killing us.”

Xia Xiao Lan’s sarcasm left Du Zhao Hui speechless.

The driver was new and less skilled than the previous one. Du Zhao Hui didn’t know why the car had charged straight ahead. While visibility at the intersection was indeed limited, the driver hadn’t slowed enough. What could he say now? Faced with Xia Xiao Lan’s sarcasm, Young Master Du could only bow his head:

“I’m sorry, I’ll take responsibility for all treatment costs.”

He never expected an accident, much less hitting Xia Xiao Lan. Du Zhao Hui had been in the back seat and was jolted too, but his car was better quality with a longer hood, so sitting in the back, he was largely unaffected.

When his followers went to help, Du Zhao Hui discovered the woman they pulled from the car was Xia Xiao Lan.

Her arms were full of glass shards. Despite her unsteadiness, Du Zhao Hui fought his dizziness to support her. She could barely stand but refused to rest. He watched in shock as she deliberately pressed the glass deeper into her flesh!

What kind of woman would be so harsh on herself?

It would be one thing from a tough woman, but this was the delicate Xia Xiao Lan.

Though Du Zhao Hui was known for his ruthlessness, even he was stunned by Xia Xiao Lan’s actions. After all, his ruthlessness was directed at others – Xia Xiao Lan was ruthless even to herself!

Seeing Kang Wei still groaning softly, Xia Xiao Lan anxiously snapped at Du Zhao Hui: “Let me tell you, he’s not an ordinary citizen like me that you can treat carelessly… He’s a martyr’s orphan. If something happens to him in Shenzhen because of you, it won’t be like with Director Wang from the Higher Education Department where you could solve it with a few million!”

Was Kang Wei’s family short of money?

Kang Wei could live idly his whole life if he wanted – the unit wouldn’t fire him, wouldn’t deny him housing, wouldn’t reduce his benefits.

His life was set on easy mode, not just from his grandfather’s struggles but also from his father’s sacrifice – Kang Wei would never go hungry or cold. He just felt an idle life was meaningless and wanted to strive for himself, wanted to make his own way.

Xia Xiao Lan felt like crying again.

How could Kang Wei’s family accept it if something happened to him?

The accident happened while taking her to see Zhou Cheng. If she hadn’t gone to see Zhou Cheng today, or if they hadn’t lingered after their one-hour meeting, would they have avoided this accident?!

Du Zhao Hui didn’t argue back.

Even if Xia Xiao Lan pointed at his nose and cursed now, it would be justified.

“How much longer to the hospital? Drive faster!”