Chapter 25: Tension

What Xiong Yibai had just said was indeed—

“Then are you still leaving?”

A rhetorical question.

It wasn’t just a simple confirmation, nor polite small talk at parting.

It sounded… more like… a plea to stay?

Even carrying a hint of… reproach?

What did she mean?

Was it as a doctor, thinking Feng Miwan hadn’t fully recovered yet?

Or as a friend, feeling unaccustomed to suddenly being apart after spending these days together?

Or… something else… something deeper…?

Feng Miwan’s heart began to race uncontrollably again.

They arrived at the underground garage, where Xiong Yibai unlocked an Audi sedan with her key and placed the suitcase in the trunk.

She opened the driver’s door.

“Get in.”

Feng Miwan obediently sat in the passenger seat.

The car interior was very clean, with a faint scent of disinfectant mixed with cedar, much like the smell on Xiong Yibai herself.

Xiong Yibai fastened her seatbelt and started the engine. “Your home address.”

“Oh, Cloud Summit Mansion, Building 12.”

Feng Miwan gave the name of yet another upscale neighborhood, not far from Xiong Yibai’s home.

Xiong Yibai entered the address into the car’s navigation system, which began plotting the route.

She shifted gears, lightly pressed the accelerator, and the car drove out of the garage, merging into the sparse nighttime traffic.

She drove very steadily, keeping the speed around forty kilometers per hour.

Feng Miwan sat in the passenger seat, her gaze drifting toward Xiong Yibai, who was focused on driving, now and then.

The streetlights’ glow and shadows flowed across her profile, her eyes fixed ahead, lips slightly pursed.

Feng Miwan watched, somewhat entranced.

The car came to a gentle stop at a red light at a crossroad.

At that moment, Xiong Yibai turned her head and caught Feng Miwan’s gaze before she could look away.

With a playful tone, she asked,

“Am I that good-looking? Worth staring at the whole way.”

Caught off guard by the sudden question and Xiong Yibai’s direct gaze, Feng Miwan’s cheeks heated up instantly.

Before her brain could catch up, her mouth acted on instinct, mumbling softly, “Yeah… you are pretty good-looking…”

Xiong Yibai had a unique intellectual aura, like a beautifully bound book that was difficult to decipher.

It left Feng Miwan… unable to stop, always wanting to steal a few more glances, trying to read the words hidden beneath that calm surface.

However, hearing such an honest answer, Xiong Yibai didn’t blush at all. Instead, she chuckled lightly.

This was the first time Feng Miwan had seen her smile so up close; it should have been delightful.

But at that moment, to Feng Miwan, it felt more like mockery—of her earlier embarrassment and foolishness, of how easily her thoughts had been seen through.

A surge of shame and anger welled up, and she whipped her head toward the window:

“Hmph… pretty women are all scum! Except me.”

“Oh?”

Xiong Yibai’s voice still held traces of amusement.

“How so?”

“That friend of mine! She’s pretty good-looking, posts all these fancy selfies in her Moments every day, like a peacock fanning its tail, always hooking up with girls! Changes girlfriends every few days, no stability at all! If that’s not scum, what is?”

Feng Miwan was still fuming as she spoke, only realizing afterward—

She had let slip that Zhao Shutong liked girls!

She wanted to take it back, but the light turned green just then. Xiong Yibai responded calmly,

“Maybe she has her own reasons? You just don’t know.”

Feng Miwan froze, seeing Xiong Yibai’s expression unchanged, without a hint of surprise at “girls liking girls.” She pressed,

“You… aren’t weirded out that she… likes girls?”

Xiong Yibai glanced at her sideways.

“Why would I be?”

“Whom she likes is her freedom.”

Hearing this, Feng Miwan’s suspended heart eased a bit, but two seconds later, she retorted defiantly,

“What reasons could she possibly have?”

Then, as if struck by a thought, she turned to stare at Xiong Yibai.

“What about you?”

Xiong Yibai raised an eyebrow slightly. “Me what?”

“Do you have reasons?”

Feng Miwan stared at her unblinkingly.

Her question was cleverly phrased.

Xiong Yibai fell silent for a few seconds before countering,

“Have you seen me post photos in my Moments?”

Her reply was equally sharp.

Feng Miwan was stumped and decided not to press further:

“Well, no… Your Moments is empty, just like mine.”

“Mm-hmm.” Xiong Yibai acknowledged.

Feng Miwan held back for a moment before murmuring a summary,

“Fine then… maybe… except you and me.”

As they talked, the car had entered the underground parking lot of Cloud Summit Mansion, where Feng Miwan lived.

Xiong Yibai found an empty spot, parked steadily, got out, and opened the trunk to retrieve the suitcase for Feng Miwan.

Feng Miwan hurried forward to take it. “Thanks, I can handle it myself…”

But Xiong Yibai didn’t let go. Instead, she gripped the handle, glanced toward the elevator hall, and asked,

“What floor? I’ll take you up.”

“Tenth floor.”

Feng Miwan blurted it out, then quickly waved her hands in refusal.

“But really, no need to trouble yourself! Just one suitcase, I can manage! It’s late—go back and rest!”

Xiong Yibai didn’t insist and released her grip. “Alright. Rest early then.”

“Yeah yeah! Thanks so much for the ride!”

Feng Miwan pulled the suitcase toward the elevator hall, turning back every few steps to bid Xiong Yibai farewell.

“Drive safe going back! Text me when you get home!”

Xiong Yibai just stood there, nodding slightly, watching her shuffle into the elevator like a reluctant puppy.

The doors closed slowly. Xiong Yibai lingered for a few more seconds before returning to her car, starting the engine, and driving away from the parking lot.

Over the next half month,

Feng Miwan threw herself back into the intense team training. As her wrist function gradually recovered, the training intensity steadily increased.

Xiong Yibai continued her busy routine between the hospital and home.

They didn’t meet again.

But their connection wasn’t completely severed.

Occasionally, during training breaks, Feng Miwan would snap a photo of the blue sky over the track or her data screen and send it to Xiong Yibai, with captions like:

“Nice weather today!” or “Shaved another second off my simulator time!”

Xiong Yibai’s replies came late but always arrived.

“How about you, are you doing well?”

“Impressive, keep it up.”

Sometimes, after late shifts, Xiong Yibai would send a photo of her empty office or the night view outside the window.

Feng Miwan would reply: “Wow! Off work so late! Hard work! Go to sleep!”

Time flew by, and soon it was mid-May.

Feng Miwan traveled with the Maple Grove Racing Team to the second stop of the China Super Car Championship, in—

Yong City.