Qi Longbing startled and stomped on the brakes. He looked at the person sprawled across the hood of his car; the goose-yellow backpack on her back obscured his vision. Without pausing to think, he quickly got out of the car.
"Hey, how do you even ride a bike?!" Qi Longbing blurted out. As he looked at her silhouette, a peculiar sense of familiarity suddenly washed over him.
Hua Xiaomo, seething with pent-up anger from the near tragedy, turned her head to face Qi Longbing, her eyes meeting his handsome, domineering face.
"Your car hit me, and you still think you're in the right?" Hua Xiaomo glared at him, her rear still planted on the engine hood, her eyes blazing with fury. "So what if you're rich? Does that give you the right to act like a hooligan here? To run roughshod over everyone?"
Suddenly, she clenched one hand into a fist. With a surge of force, unable to contain the fire in her heart, she smashed it down hard on the Porsche Cayenne's front windshield.
The poor windshield couldn't withstand such a heavy blow and a hole was punched right through it. The price for this act was also painful: Hua Xiaomo's entire fist was mangled and bloody, with fresh spatters of blood on the remaining glass.
The atmosphere instantly grew tense.
Qi Longbing observed her expression. Her exquisite, delicate face was filled with furious anger. Her beautiful, amber-like eyes were wide, like those of a wild lioness ready to pounce at any moment. Her long, uneven yet distinctly layered hair flew about in the air, showcasing her defiant and untamed spirit.
For a moment, it felt as if a monstrous wave had been stirred in the sea of his heart. It had been a long time... a very long time... since he'd encountered such an amusing "creature"...
"Doesn't your hand hurt?" Qi Longbing's gaze shifted to her hand, his eyes narrowing slightly. It seemed he wasn't concerned about his car right now. Yet, he didn't take a step forward, remaining perfectly still.
"None of your damn business!" Hua Xiaomo gasped, her teeth chattering. She gripped her injured wrist with her other hand. The pain was so intense it felt like the light in her eyes would be extinguished, but she quickly turned her face away, not wanting him to see her tormented expression.
Then, Hua Xiaomo slid off the engine hood. She looked at her mangled, twisted bicycle and reached out a hand to steady it.
Suddenly, a deep voice cut in, "That bike is completely wrecked. What's the use of keeping it?"
Hua Xiaomo didn't answer him immediately. She slowly righted her damaged bicycle. The front wheel was so deformed it couldn't be pushed. She had no choice but to lift the front part, half-carrying the bike as she started to walk forward.
Seeing her remain silent and refuse to even look at him, Qi Longbing felt an unpleasant sting at being completely ignored. His expression darkened. "Hua Xiaomo... didn't you hear me?"
Hua Xiaomo stopped and shot him a sidelong glance. "Whether I want it or not is my business. It doesn't concern you." Then, looking at his damaged windshield, she added, "Your car is damaged too, so let's call it even. I don't need you to compensate me. We owe each other nothing."
Hearing this, Qi Longbing's eyes narrowed with a cunning glint. As he watched her turn and continue to haul the wrecked bicycle away, he suddenly strode forward and grabbed her shoulder. "I haven't given you permission to leave... You think you can just walk away? Is it that easy?"
"Let me tell you, Hua Xiaomo," Qi Longbing rebuked, his blue eyes glinting with a cunning, playful light, "you deliberately damaged my car. It won't be so easy to call it quits!"
"Let go of me!" Hua Xiaomo exclaimed. Being held by him felt extremely uncomfortable, and right then, she really wanted to punch someone.
She let go of the bicycle and swung her palm at Qi Longbing. Who cares who he is? Hit first, ask questions later. If he was going to make her pay anyway, she might as well get some of her "money's worth" back first!
Unexpectedly, Qi Longbing was also quick. He sidestepped her blow and, in a swift counter-move, grabbed her backpack—a goose-yellow bag shaped like a comical duck. The two of them struggled, pulling and tugging on the roadside, creating quite an amusing spectacle.
"Why are you grabbing my bag? You're so annoying! Let go, Qi Longbing!" Hua Xiaomo snapped, exasperated.
"Then stop trying to get physical with me," Qi Longbing retorted, his voice rising.
"Who's getting physical?" Hua Xiaomo gritted her teeth. Her foot suddenly shot out in a swift backward kick, aiming to strike her target.
"Trying that trick again?" Qi Longbing sneered, dodging quickly. He then gave the bag a sudden, forceful tug.
Hua Xiaomo seized the chance to shrug the backpack off her shoulder. She spun around and quickly grabbed the other strap with her free hand. Now, they each held one side of the bag.