Chapter 36: Urging Drinks

Who else could it be but Zhao Shutong?

Xiong Yibai knew full well but didn’t expose her. She walked straight past from the side.

Zhao Shutong peered through the gap in her sunglasses, watching nervously as Feng Miwan and Xiong Yibai passed by one after the other. She let out a long sigh of relief in her heart.

Heaven knew how devastated she had felt when she spotted the two of them in the departure hall from afar, realizing they were on the same flight!

To avoid being discovered, she had rushed to buy this getup from an airport shop, nearly missing her flight.

She slumped in her seat, sighing inwardly:

How was it this hard to just give my best friend a little push in her love life? Talk about twists of fate!

A boarding announcement sounded in the cabin.

The Maple Grove Racing Team members found their seats one by one and sat down.

Xiong Yibai’s seat was by the window, with a young male team member originally next to her.

Feng Miwan stowed her carry-on luggage, leaned over to the guy, and whispered:

“Xiao Chen, do me a favor and swap seats with me?”

Xiao Chen glanced at Feng Miwan, then at Xiong Yibai beside him, nodded, and cheerfully grabbed his bag:

“No problem, Jie!”

With that, he swapped boarding passes with Feng Miwan.

Feng Miwan sat down next to Xiong Yibai and fastened her seatbelt.

Xiong Yibai merely glanced at the seat change beside her and said nothing.

After takeoff, once the plane entered steady cruising, Feng Miwan played some single-player games on her phone and watched a few race videos. But perhaps due to everything that had happened the day before and the emotional rollercoaster, a wave of drowsiness hit her.

She yawned, her eyelids growing heavy. Her head bobbed unconsciously before tilting to the side, and she slipped into a light sleep.

That awkward head-tilted position was clearly uncomfortable; her brows furrowed slightly even in her dreams.

Xiong Yibai had been reading on her Kindle but noticed the even, steady breathing beside her. She turned her head to look.

Feng Miwan was asleep, her head lolled toward the aisle, her neck twisted at an odd angle.

Xiong Yibai quietly closed her Kindle, reached out, and cupped Feng Miwan’s temple with her palm. She gently guided her head over, letting it rest on her own shoulder.

To make it more comfortable for Feng Miwan, Xiong Yibai even adjusted her posture slightly, forming a steadier support with her shoulder.

She even draped a bit of her thin jacket from her lap over as a soft buffer between Feng Miwan’s cheek and her shoulder.

Only after all that did she pick up her Kindle again and resume reading.

Some time later, as the plane began its descent, the slight turbulence roused Feng Miwan from her hazy sleep.

She first sensed a warm, soft support beneath her head, with a faint, familiar citrus scent lingering at her nose—refreshing and pleasant.

She suddenly realized what was happening and snapped awake, jerking her head up and sitting straight.

She turned to Xiong Yibai beside her, her cheeks flushing hot:

“I… did I sleep on you for a long time? Why didn’t you wake me? Your shoulder must be numb!”

Her tone was full of apology.

Xiong Yibai happened to turn her head toward Feng Miwan at that moment.

Sunlight streamed in through the window on Xiong Yibai’s side, casting a golden glow that outlined her perfect profile, plating it with a soft halo. Even the rims of her gold-wire glasses caught shards of shimmering light.

Looking at Feng Miwan’s freshly awakened, somewhat dazed yet shy expression, the corners of Xiong Yibai’s lips curved up slightly:

“Awake? It wasn’t long. I’m fine.”

Feng Miwan, still groggy from sleep, suddenly locked eyes with Xiong Yibai’s stunning face in the sunlight and that rare gentle smile. Her heart thudded as if struck.

A rush of heat flooded her cheeks, leaving her flustered, unsure where to look.

“Uh… oh… um, thanks…”

She stammered her thanks incoherently, quickly ducking her head to pretend-fuss with her already-secure seatbelt.

Xiong Yibai took in her reaction, the amusement in her eyes deepening, though she didn’t call it out:

“We’re about to land. Buckle up.”

“Mm-hmm!”

Feng Miwan nodded vigorously.

Even as the plane’s wheels screeched against the tarmac, the heat on her face hadn’t fully faded.

She sneaked a sidelong glance at Xiong Yibai, muttering inwardly:

This woman… smiles too beautifully. She was practically glowing in the sunlight!

The plane landed in Tanzhou City.

As soon as the cabin door opened, Zhao Shutong shrank into her seat, pretending to organize her luggage while furtively watching ahead to ensure Feng Miwan and Xiong Yibai had gone far with the crowd. Only then did she slink off the plane last, like a thief.

After claiming baggage, everyone headed to the parking lot.

The Maple Grove Racing Team members bid each other farewell, ready to drive home and rest.

Feng Yuxiao was so sleepy his eyelids drooped. He let out a huge yawn:

“I can’t hold out anymore. Straight home to crash. Xiao Wan, how’re you getting back?”

“I drove here, remember?”

Feng Miwan jingled her keys and turned to Xiong Yibai: “Yibai, let me give you a ride!”

Xiong Yibai shook her head slightly: “No need to trouble yourself. I drove too.”

Feng Miwan: “Oh, right then. Drive safe!”

Xiong Yibai replied, “You too.”

The two parted ways simply at the parking lot entrance, heading to their respective cars.

Zhao Shutong watched them drive off separately, breathed a sigh of relief, and started her own car.

Three cars vanished from the parking lot exit, merging into the main road traffic, each returning to their busy lives.

For the next half month, countless vehicles came and went on that road, tire tracks layering over one another as days and nights passed.

Until another weekend evening, when the setting sun painted the racetrack’s asphalt in warm gold.

Feng Miwan wore a helmet, sitting in the racing simulator, her body tilting slightly with the virtual track’s undulations.

She focused intently on conquering a tricky series of bends on the Modu Circuit, the screen data flashing rapidly.

Xiao Chen watched the real-time stats and prompted:

“Jie, brake zero-point-two seconds earlier. You’ll exit the corner smoother!”

“Got it!”

Feng Miwan acknowledged and dove back into practice.

Just then, Feng Yuxiao approached with her buzzing phone and tapped the simulator frame.

“Xiao Wan, your phone. It’s rung a bunch—same number, Shu Tong.”

Feng Miwan was stuck at a critical point and didn’t look back:

“Bro, answer it for me. Ask what’s up. I’ll be done soon!”

Feng Yuxiao sighed helplessly. He was about to pick up when the call cut off.

Seconds later, it rang again.

“She’s insistent. You take it! Sounds urgent!”

Feng Miwan frowned, reluctantly eased off the throttle, and paused the simulator.

She removed the helmet, took the phone, and as she swiped to answer, Zhao Shutong’s urgent voice exploded through:

“Wanwan! You finally picked up! Hurry! Come to my restaurant! Right now!!”