Chapter 2: Don't Be Afraid, I'm Not a Bad Person

“No way?!”

“Did I…did I hit someone?”

Screech!

Feeling the impact, the person in the car slammed on the brakes at once.

Because the stop was so abrupt, the tires shrieked and left two black, patterned skid marks along the road.

Inside the car, a young woman with an ethereal beauty—her features delicate, her skin as fair as snow, and dressed in a flowing white camisole dress—was now pale as a sheet, clearly at a loss.

She took a moment to compose herself before finally opening the door and stepping out. After she got out and checked the front of the car, she saw no one.

“Was it just my imagination?”

Just as she stood there, lost in thought, a deep, steady voice came from inside the vehicle. “Hey, beautiful, are you looking for me?”

Startled, she spun around. In the passenger seat sat a young man in plain clothes, with a gentle face and a bright smile, waving at her.

“Who…who are you?” she asked warily, eyeing the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere in her car.

“Don’t be afraid, I’m not a bad person,” he replied, flashing a set of white teeth.

Despite his reassurance, she remained on guard. She hesitated, then tried to sound composed. “If you’re not a bad person, then how did you end up in my car?”

Out here in the wilderness, someone suddenly appears in her car—who would believe he meant no harm?

Reading her doubt, Su Yifan suddenly let out a dramatic “Ouch!” and put on a pained expression.

“Miss, you really are forgetful, aren’t you? You just hit me—have you forgotten already?”

“I hit you?” she repeated, her beautiful eyes wide with confusion. Was he the one she’d just hit?

Su Yifan nodded. “That’s right. If I hadn’t reacted quickly, I’d probably be playing cards with the King of Hell in the underworld by now.”

He coughed heavily, as if trying to expel his lungs.

“Are…are you all right?” She hurried over, concern written across her face. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Heh, got her, Su Yifan thought to himself, but waved it off. “It’s fine. Seeing as you’re so pretty, I doubt you did it on purpose.”

She breathed a sigh of relief, then apologized again. “Even if it was an accident, I still hit you. How about this? I’ll take you into Cloud City and get you a full checkup at the best hospital—all expenses on me.”

She noted his modest attire, guessing he probably couldn’t afford the exam, and since she was responsible, she should pay.

“You’re from Cloud City?” Su Yifan asked.

“Yes.” She slid back into the driver’s seat. “All right, buckle up. Let’s go.”

“Oh—okay.”

Su Yifan agreed and fastened his seatbelt. He’d originally planned to fly straight back, but since someone was giving him a ride, it would save him some spirit energy.

As the car started, Su Yifan closed his eyes and dozed off, showing no signs of having just been hit by a car.

The young woman glanced at him from the corner of her eye and was surprised to see he’d fallen asleep. Who in the world gets hit by a car and then sleeps soundly?

But since she had already promised to help him, she kept quiet and focused on driving.

More than five hours later…

“Phew—how comfortable.” Su Yifan stretched lazily as he woke.

That was when he noticed the long rectangular wooden box by his side.

“What’s this?” He reached for it.

“Don’t touch that box!” the young woman called sharply from the driver’s seat as soon as she saw his hand.

She realized she’d overreacted and softened her tone. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. There’s a hundred-year-old ginseng root inside, a birthday gift for my grandfather. I was just a bit too anxious.”

She couldn’t afford to let anything happen to it.

“It’s fine,” Su Yifan said, shaking his head, then asked, “Is your grandfather ill?”

He regretted the question as soon as he asked.

Sure enough, the girl turned to glare at him.

Realizing his mistake, Su Yifan gave a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry. I only meant that ginseng is a powerful tonic, and since it’s for your grandfather, I guessed as much. No offense intended.”

Her expression softened at that. She turned back to the road. “My grandfather’s birthday is coming up. This is a birthday gift for him.”

“By the way, my name is Liu Yan. I don’t know yours yet.”

“Su Yifan,” he replied automatically.

“Su Yifan…” Liu Yan repeated the name, finding it oddly familiar, though she couldn’t recall where she’d heard it.

As they spoke, they arrived at Cloud City.

“We’re here. I’ll take you to the hospital,” Liu Yan said.

“No need. Stop here,” Su Yifan said, gazing at the familiar buildings. Not much had changed since he’d left five years ago.

He wanted nothing more than to go home and see his family.

Five years had passed—Grandpa, Mom, Dad, and little sister…are you all well?

Liu Yan braked and asked, “Are you sure you don’t need to go?”

Su Yifan had already stepped out of the car. He turned back and said, “No need. Thanks for the ride.”

He was about to leave, but after a few steps, he stopped.

Liu Yan thought he’d changed his mind or come back to ask for compensation. She reached for her bag, ready to give him some money—it was only fair, after all.

But Su Yifan’s voice rang out: “By the way, that ginseng isn’t a hundred years old. It’s twenty.”

She had just unzipped her bag when she heard this and looked up sharply—only to find Su Yifan had vanished without a trace.

…

Meanwhile, at the Su family estate.

On either side of the gate were two funeral wreaths; white paper money and flowers were scattered from the entrance all the way to the mourning hall inside.

A deep sorrow pervaded the entire residence.

From within came the sounds of weeping:

“Dad, how could you leave us like this…”

“Grandpa, how could you bear to leave me… I don’t want you to go…”

Inside the mourning hall, a man and two women knelt before a coffin, their cries echoing through the house.

The middle-aged man stood, walked to his daughter Su Meng, and tried to comfort her. “Meng’er, don’t cry. Come, eat something—you haven’t eaten all day.”

At the sound of her father’s voice, Su Meng lifted her tear-stained, haggard face and choked out, “Dad, my brother is gone, and now Grandpa too? I don’t want Grandpa to leave us…”

The man gently wiped her tears. “Don’t cry, Meng’er. You still have your parents. We’ll always be here for you.”

As the only man left in the Su family, he tried to be strong. No matter how much it hurt, he knew he had to hold the family together.

“Who’s there?” Suddenly, the family’s four bodyguards sprang into action, forming a line at the entrance to the mourning hall.

Across from them, more than a dozen thugs carrying clubs began to file into the Su estate.

Hearing the commotion, Su Zhenguo turned and walked outside.

“The Su family does not welcome you. Leave at once!” he demanded, glaring at the intruders.

“Well, well, what a big mouth, Master Su,” sneered a burly man with bleached yellow hair, stepping forward from the group in a white tank top.

“What do you want, Green Gang?” Su Zhenguo forced himself to remain calm.

“What do I want? As if you don’t know.” The yellow-haired brute smirked, curling his lip. “Hand it over now and we’ll leave. How’s that?”

Su Zhenguo was about to reply when a figure darted past him—his daughter, Su Meng.

“Meng’er, come back!” he shouted anxiously.

But Su Meng ignored him, striding up to the thugs and shouting, “It’s you! You killed my grandfather! Give him back!”

She raised her hand to strike the yellow-haired thug.

“Wretched girl—tired of living?” the brute snarled, and slapped her hard across the face.