Jiu Men Ridge was a hideaway pleasure ground concealed within the city. Its majestic peak stood tall, dominating the mountaintop while surrounding mountains bowed before it. Racing along the winding, meandering asphalt road, one could see the magnificent undulating sea of clouds, draped with a thin veil, resembling a maiden about to speak. However, after nightfall, it transformed into a mysterious youth, with sparse mountains and dark surroundings, filled with mystery and excitement.

The asphalt road was empty, like a clear misty band winding gently around to the summit. At the foot of the mountain gathered a group of unusually restless young people. Tai Yangyang held up her phone, still enthusiastically filming Li Jinyu: “Wow, wow, wow, the last time I saw brother racing was five or six years ago, he was so handsome I nearly died…” The frame accidentally swept over Ye Meng who was preparing to get into the car, and her trigeminal nerve excited again: “Sister is also drop-dead gorgeous, absolutely amazing, suddenly they seem so perfect together, I want to ship them as a couple, waaah, I want to find an artist to draw them.”

Little Sister A: “…”

Little Sister B: “……”

Little Sister C: “Yangyang, don’t go too far, sister is married.”

“That’s true,” Tai Yangyang put away her phone with waning interest, “I’d better stop filming, in case someone sees it and it reflects badly on sister.”

Ye Meng had changed back into the clothes she arrived in, a gossamer-thin white shirt softly clinging to her upper body, with a matching fake collar scarf tied at the neckline, and a high-slit dark green fishtail skirt below, tightly wrapping her curvaceous figure and waistline.

Ye Meng wasn’t skinny as a rail; she had a small frame, but every inch of flesh on her body seemed measured with a ruler—standard and proportionate. There’s a saying that excess leads to loss; Ye Meng always possessed a “just right” quality, like seeing a flower blooming at its perfect moment. If she wanted to, she could always let others see that state—mature and passionate, bewitchingly cold and alluring, with a casual demeanor suggesting nothing was too daring for her. Such a woman appearing here was like a potent drug of temptation for these thrill-seeking rich kids. Everyone’s initial excitement about Li Jinyu’s return to the scene transformed into—ah, if only this enchanting sister could ride in their cars.

Li Jinyu and Li Chen were smoking to one side, while Ye Meng leaned against a red sports car door waiting. The mountain wind was like a child’s hand, constantly and recklessly tousling her hair, blocking her vision. Leaning against the car door, Ye Meng casually swept all her hair back, revealing her beautiful, delicate face. Her brows were furrowed, seemingly growing a bit impatient with the wait.

Li Jinyu received the signal and lowered his head with a smile. So impatient.

He dressed more casually, having stayed at Li Chen’s place for several days, wearing the same shirt and trousers from days before. But the entire person was thin and pale, exuding a kind of decadent, depressed handsomeness. Li Jinyu leaned against the door of another car that had been driven up from the foot of the mountain, hands in his pockets, head tilted back looking at the boundless black sky, his jawline tracing a smooth arc, his clear, fluid Adam’s apple bobbing slightly up and down, lost in thought.

Li Chen knew that Li Jinyu was mentally preparing himself. Li Jinyu had witnessed his brother’s car accident years ago and likely had mild PTSD; otherwise, he wouldn’t have avoided driving for so many years.

“If you can’t do it, don’t force yourself,” Li Chen couldn’t help but advise, seeing him motionless.

Li Jinyu straightened up, only saying “It’s fine,” before picking up a helmet and walking away, lazily adding: “Brother, wait for us at the summit, tonight I’m changing the name on that flag.”

Li Chen looked at the helmet he was carrying with some shock—incredibly thinking, this guy’s courage had diminished; in the past, no amount of persuasion could get him to wear such a thing.

Looking more carefully, well then, the helmet was for Ye Meng. Sure enough, he wasn’t the type to fear death.

Ye Meng sat in the passenger seat wearing the helmet, feeling like an alien. She flipped down the sun visor and looked at herself from both sides, dissatisfied, feeling like she couldn’t vent her emotions: “Can I not wear this?”

A crowd gathered around the race circuit, but they were far from them. Li Jinyu’s driver’s side door was still open; he had one foot on the ground outside, one foot casually resting inside the car, sprawling against the driver’s seat, glancing at her, then refusing without mercy, “No.”

“Why? You’re driving, what are you worried about?” Her voice was muffled like it was coming from inside a pot.

Li Jinyu started the engine, one foot still sprawled carelessly outside, his shirt sleeves casually rolled up twice at his thin forearms. He glanced indifferently at the men outside the circle, turning on the air conditioning for her, “Because you look too beautiful today, so no.”

“Then you wear one too!” Ye Meng muttered.

Li Jinyu brought his foot inside and closed the door, “When you get jealous about me, then we’ll talk.”

“Why don’t you just put me in an isolation suit and be done with it.”

With the door closed, Li Jinyu turned sideways with his back against the door, his entire body slanted toward her, his gaze like honey, sticking to her, impossible to tear away: “You think I haven’t considered it?”

Ye Meng: “…”

Li Jinyu smiled, not teasing her anymore. He sat up straight, one hand on the steering wheel, the other shifting into gear, “Let’s go.”

Ye Meng still didn’t speak, wooden.

Li Jinyu tapped her rigid helmet, “Say something.”

Ye Meng’s brain echoed with the knock, irritated: “I heard you—”

Before she finished speaking, the sudden roar of the accelerator drowned out her words. The red sports car shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, its low chassis hugging the asphalt road as it sped frantically forward, as a cheetah starved for many years, poised and ready, with all its strength surging to its agile limbs in an instant, bursting out of its cage and racing madly toward its prey at the finish line!

Ye Meng was thrown hard against the seat back by the sudden g-force.

“Feel good?” Li Jinyu asked her without emotion, controlling the steering wheel with one hand, looking at the rearview mirror rather than at her.

The word “good” coming from his mouth sounded particularly direct. Ye Meng’s thoughts wandered as she looked at his cold profile, her heartbeat suddenly quickening again, all the blood in her body seeming to rush upward.

Honestly, it felt really good. When her whole body was thrown against the seat back, her brain experienced a kind of numb, tingling sensation, completely different from driving herself.

“Yes, it feels good,” she answered truthfully.

He made a sound of acknowledgment, still looking at the rearview mirror without much emotion, “There’s something that feels even better.”

This terrible conversation made Ye Meng’s heart surge, her blood race, somewhat excited: “W-what?”

Li Jinyu gave her a sidelong glance. Hearing her voice, he knew she was overthinking, and smiled, “What is sister thinking about?”

“Nothing.” Ye Meng turned her head away, shaking off her chaotic thoughts.

He looked down at the timer, suddenly slowing the car: “Ten minutes to the summit, let’s talk.”

“Mm.”

The night scenery of the mountains rushed past the windows. The moon hid behind the mountain range, emitting a faint, thin light, visible intermittently. Apart from that sudden g-force at the beginning, Li Jinyu wasn’t driving particularly fast. Ye Meng felt he wasn’t driving seriously at all, leaning lazily against the driver’s seat, one hand propped on the window ledge, the other resting at the bottom of the steering wheel. Behind them was another car; high beams flashed twice gently, probably Li Chen’s, reminding him to let it pass. Li Jinyu made way, letting him through.

Ye Meng asked, “If your time breaks the record for slowness, will they mock you?”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said lazily, glancing at her, “Are you angry with me?”

The two volleyed questions and answers rather smoothly.

From inside the helmet came a muffled, “Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ve changed.”

Li Jinyu checked the rearview mirror, saying indifferently: “Give me an example.”

Ye Meng blurted everything out: “After you came to Beijing, you became like some high-and-mighty young master. Yes, I did say you needed your circle of friends, and I did tell you not to revolve around me all the time, but back then I hoped you would step out, I never thought you were a burden to me. After you came to Beijing, you became like a different person, ignoring me, only teasing me when you remembered my existence. I assumed you were getting back at me, fine, revenge is revenge, but what about Tai Yangyang? Did you give her a ring? If you deliberately wanted to make me jealous, well, congratulations, you succeeded. I’m jealous.”

“Anything else?”

“When I was in Beijing before, I felt I couldn’t integrate into this city. It’s prosperous and full of temptations everywhere. But no matter how much money I earned here, I never felt a sense of belonging, you understand? I originally thought things would get better when you came, but after you arrived, I found myself even lonelier. I absolutely can’t fit into your social circle – Tai Mingxiao, Gou Kai, Li Chen – people like you seem born to stand at the pinnacle of power. I’m like an ant looking up at you. This kind of relationship, I feel I can’t bear it. I want to go back to Ning Sui.”

Tears fell from Ye Meng’s eyes, dropping in large drops onto the back of her hand. She turned her head, gazing blankly at the scenery rushing by outside the window. At the foot of Jiu Men Ridge were jagged, strange rocks, an abyss that couldn’t be seen to the bottom, the demon that had swallowed her mother.

Li Jinyu heard something wrong in her voice and turned to look at her, at her wet hand. His heart tightened, feeling somewhat powerless and regretful as he tilted his head back: “Don’t cry, I can’t drive when you’re like this.”

Ye Meng reached into her helmet, gently wiping away her tears. This restrained, aggrieved appearance was even more unbearable for Li Jinyu, who immediately stepped on the brake, preparing to pull over.

Ye Meng became anxious: “Don’t stop the car! I won’t cry anymore.”

Li Jinyu’s face darkened as he took a breath, “Sit tight.” After speaking, the sound of the accelerator suddenly intensified, like a forest king who had slept for a thousand years, awakening and letting out a long, howling roar that circled endlessly around the mountain peak!

Li Chen had already reached the small red flag at the summit. Hearing the accelerator sound in the distance, he knew Li Jinyu was approaching. He got out of the car, leaned against the door waiting, and looked down at his watch, estimating about eight minutes and twenty-six seconds.

Li Jinyu broke through the finish line close to Li Chen’s estimate, off by three seconds. He finished timing and used the car’s intercom to report the time to the people at the starting point, “Eight minutes twenty-three.”

Then the intercom transmitted a chorus of jeers, with Gou Kai gloating, “Indeed not as fast as me.”

Li Jinyu had just stopped the car and engaged the electronic brake when he looked back at Ye Meng, who had been frightened by the speed of the second half of the journey. What had she just seen on the dashboard? Two hundred and twenty kilometers per hour? Was this man crazy?

“Scared?” Li Jinyu passed her a candy to calm her nerves.

“Mm, too fast, my legs feel a bit weak.”

“Okay, we won’t drive next time.”

“But it felt really good.” Ye Meng felt her legs were a bit weak, like stepping on cotton; she definitely couldn’t get out of the car right now or she might collapse on the ground. But she also felt it was exhilarating as if all the capillaries in her body had opened up.

“Can we do it again?” she pleaded in a muffled voice.

Li Jinyu turned off the engine, removed his foot from the brake, leaned back without much emotion for a moment, then turned to stare at her upon hearing this request, and agreed without principles: “Okay.”

“Aren’t you getting out of the car?”

“Ye Meng,” Li Jinyu suddenly called her. Ye Meng turned to look at him, finding that he wasn’t looking at her but down at the steering wheel, saying softly, “I didn’t mean to be cold to you, nor am I acting high and mighty. I kept you hidden, not to get revenge, but because I don’t want my mother to know about your existence.”

“Li Lingbai? Have you found out something?”

“Some things, but for now, nothing related to your mother’s matter.”

“Are you afraid she might do something to me?”

He gave a bitter smile, implicitly admitting: “Because I’ve discovered I don’t understand her at all. I used to think she just craved power, that she didn’t love me, but at least she loved my brother. Now I find she loves nothing but herself. A few years ago, the son of Xinhe’s chairman Yu Wenqing was kidnapped. Some suspected it was her doing because the ransom amount demanded was very peculiar, as if the kidnappers were extremely familiar with Yu Wenqing’s financial situation, asking for an amount that was difficult for him to gather in cash at short notice. Strangely, the kidnappers never came to collect this money, but because of this, Yu Wenqing missed a Qinghua porcelain special auction. That night, a hexagonal bonefish pattern porcelain flowed into Singapore. You know, Uncle Yu watched my brother and me grow up since we were children; our families are old friends. Yu Wenqing’s son called her Auntie Lingbai.”

Ye Meng knew about this case. She had tried every means to approach Yu Wenqing, only to find that Yu Wenqing was extremely wary of people. She took off her helmet, her long hair cascading down like a waterfall, disheveled yet gentle as it spread behind her. She looked at him with astonishment, her eyes filled with profound disbelief.

Li Jinyu said: “I haven’t changed, and I never thought about having you integrate into my circle, because I never planned to stay here. I just want to resolve this matter quickly, then take you back to Ning Sui, whether or not you’re willing to continue living with me.”

“I didn’t call Tai Yangyang here today either. I’ve been holed up at Li Chen’s place these past few days specifically to avoid her. How could I know that the clueless Tai Mingxiao would invite a bunch of people over to confess? And I never gave Tai Yangyang a ring. That ring was a graduation gift from Tai Mingxiao to her. I just gave her a red envelope. I haven’t even given you gifts, how could I give her a ring? I’m not crazy.” After saying this, he turned off the last power light in the car, preparing to get out. “Are your legs better? Shall I carry you out?”

Ye Meng sighed: “Aren’t you afraid Li Chen will see?”

Two flashy sports cars were parked side by side, with Li Chen standing right next to them.

Li Jinyu lowered the window, glancing at the man leaning against the car door smoking, and said lightly: “Among this group, Li Chen is the most discreet person. Even if I kissed you right in front of him, he wouldn’t ask a single question about our relationship.”

…

Li Chen never expected to see what he did—probably a first in his life—he was so shocked he dropped his cigarette. If he told the other guys about this, they probably wouldn’t believe him.

Li Jinyu kissed Ye Meng forcefully right in front of him.

He had Ye Meng pinned against the car door, his hands locked on either side of her, pressing in without giving her a choice. Ye Meng, of course, was unwilling, like a fish just hauled from the water, desperately struggling in his embrace. Li Chen didn’t know whether to look or not, could only awkwardly lower his head to stare at his toes, vaguely hearing the sound of their lips and teeth entangling as they kissed, accompanied by Ye Meng’s soft, shallow, incredulous exclamation: “Li Jinyu, don’t—!”

Li Jinyu didn’t give her a chance to breathe at all, gripping the back of her neck, kissing her arrogantly and imperiously: “Li Chen doesn’t dare to look, what are you afraid of? Hmm?”

Li Chen stared hard at his toes, feeling he could bore a hole through them, thinking, an innocent fool, what exactly have you learned outside these past two years? A bulldozer? You even dare to mess with a married woman!

…

Li Jinyu was going to run another lap, this time officially timed to the second. Li Chen guessed he wanted to change the name on the record now. The starting acceleration sound was heavier than the previous round, like a caged beast howling desperately, almost rampant, resounding continuously through the mountains without interruption. Until the final minute, the engine’s deep “vroom” sound was intensified again, resonating shrilly through the valley that had been quiet for so long. Li Chen knew he was making his final sprint.

The mountain wind howled, and all those improper creatures seemed to be making their final roars of life. From the forest, countless hands seemed to reach out toward them, as if to drag them down to the rocky cliff bottom. Ye Meng felt like a sword was suspended above her head, ready to pierce her forehead at any moment. Her heart seemed to be in her throat, feeling tense yet simultaneously so thrilled she could go crazy—every pore in her body was tightly standing on end like little doors tightly closed until the wheels scraped across the ground past the finish line. Li Jinyu even performed a showy drift on the spot before stopping. Her tense body gradually relaxed, all the tightly locked pores throughout her body opening at once; that moment was the climax.

Ye Meng truly felt pleasure, finally understanding why these rich kids spent day and night here. It was fortunate Li Chen didn’t charge money, otherwise, this place would be a money pit.

Li Jinyu himself didn’t feel much excitement anymore. After turning off the engine, he leaned lazily against the car door, unbuttoning his shirt collar, watching her eager face wanting to go again, and smiled, casually opening the sunroof, particularly enjoying her inexperienced manner, “Look at the sky.”

Ye Meng finally understood why he had drifted on the spot earlier.

Above the sunroof was the pitch-black night sky hanging a crescent moon. From the angle where he had stopped, there were just two faintly visible stars. Looking out through the sunroof, it was like a gentle and merciful smiling face hanging in the night, seeming able to embrace everything—the wrong, the right, what should exist, and even what shouldn’t.

Ye Meng now looked out from the car and no longer saw a chaotic, indistinguishable world. Suddenly everything felt vast, mountains were mountains, water was water, autumn waters clear, and even the green mountains seemed to stand tall with spirit.

Ye Meng unfastened her seatbelt, tossed the helmet onto the back seat, and without a word, leaned over to kiss him.

She even climbed over to the driver’s seat, sitting on his lap, the steering wheel behind her, cupping his face and trembling as she said: “I’m sorry.”

Li Jinyu leaned his head back against the driver’s seat, burning crazily from her kisses, his throat dry as he rolled his Adam’s apple, closing his eyes, half-heartedly returning her kisses while saying softly: “Don’t want to hear that, sister, kiss me.”

The mountain wind came in waves, never ceasing.

The engine’s roar gradually became clear behind them, echoing in their ears. With their eyes closed, amid that high-pitched, thrilling, and increasingly close roaring sound, they kissed intensely yet tenderly, neither wanting to let the other go.

Ye Meng’s tears rolled hot onto his heart: “Li Jinyu, no matter how much we torment each other in this lifetime, I will never give up on you again. I’ve been nearly going crazy these past days.”

So, we must go, go until the lights are bright, go until the Milky Way spreads vast, go until all winds stop for you.

…

Li Chen was the pacesetter for the second round as well. As soon as he got out of the car and saw the two kissing again, his head nearly exploded, because Li Jinyu didn’t know that this time Li Chen had Tai Mingxiao sitting in his passenger seat. Li Jinyu had outpaced Li Chen by a full twenty seconds this time. Tai Mingxiao’s brain was currently excited, clamoring to get out of the car. Just as he pushed open the door, Li Chen locked it again from outside with an expressionless face.

Tai Mingxiao thought Li Chen was venting because he lost the race, and like a little bird locked in a cage, he stood with hands on hips, banging on the car window, silently cursing Li Chen.

Li Chen suppressed a nameless anger, unable to help but curse inwardly: Li Jinyu, are you never going to stop?!