Wu Lan's eyes darted around, and she said the words she had been planning all along.

"No problem!" Xia Liang agreed without hesitation.

How could he possibly refuse dinner with a beautiful woman? He operated his phone, but instead of accepting the ride, he canceled the order. Now that he knew she was an old classmate, how could he possibly take her money?

A notification soon chimed on Wu Lan's phone. Seeing that the driver had canceled the order, the intelligent woman immediately understood Xia Liang's intentions and simply smiled without saying a word.

After starting the car, Xia Liang didn't rush. He took the normal route and drove slowly toward the city center. There was no rush anymore, so there was no need to repeat the "Fast and Furious" stunt from earlier.

At first, Wu Lan didn't say anything, seeming to be occupied with something on her phone. After a while, she put it down and began chatting with Xia Liang about everything under the sun.

Xia Liang then learned that Wu Lan had gone straight to a civil aviation academy after graduation. She had just finished her internship and officially become a flight attendant. She expressed a hint of regret upon hearing that Xia Liang had passed up a stable company job to become a ride-share driver right after they graduated.

As they reminisced about old times, they approached their destination. Xia Liang dropped Wu Lan off at the Binjiang Road Commercial Pedestrian Street before going to park the car. He then hurried back to their meeting spot.

Upon arrival, he saw her sitting on a roadside bench, still dressed in her flight attendant uniform. A man was standing next to her, holding a phone and saying something. Judging by Wu Lan's expression, it was clear she was growing impatient.

Noticing this, Xia Liang quickened his pace and hurried to her side.

"Kept you waiting!"

Seeing Xia Liang return, Wu Lan's face broke into a smile. Without a second thought, she stood up and looped her arm through his.

"You made me wait so long! Let's go, I'm starving!"

Xia Liang nodded, and with perfect tacit understanding, they both ignored the man and started to leave.

This dismissal clearly irritated the man. He had been sizing Xia Liang up ever since he arrived. I have to admit, the guy's handsome and well-dressed, he thought. But so what? I'm rich! This thought gave him a surge of confidence.

He spoke up, blocking their path. "Wait! Miss, you haven't answered me. Can I get your WeChat?"

Hearing this, Xia Liang instantly understood the situation. Beautiful women always attract a swarm of weirdos, no matter where they go. This guy is obviously one of them.

Hearing the man, Wu Lan instinctively frowned. Then she pressed even closer to Xia Liang and purred, "Darling, what should we do about this?"

She fluttered her big eyes at Xia Liang, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. Xia Liang was momentarily stunned by her tone. This little minx is clearly using me as a shield, he realized. But feeling the soft sensation on his arm, Xia Liang resolutely decided to play along.

He turned and fixed the man with a stern gaze. "Is there something you need? If not, please get out of our way. We have places to be."

As Xia Liang spoke, he had to look down at the man—it couldn't be helped, as he was a full head taller.

Faced with Xia Liang's condescending gaze, the man didn't flinch. In his eyes, this guy is just a pretty boy, a total loser. What gives him the right to compete with me? I might not be a billionaire, but I'm definitely much better off than him!

"I just want the lady's WeChat. Surely you aren't that petty, are you? Tell you what, I'll treat you both to a meal afterward. My restaurant is right around here."

He deliberately emphasized the words "my restaurant." After all, this was the commercial heart of Shangjing. Owning your own place here at his age was indeed quite an achievement.

Xia Liang frowned. First moral blackmail, now flaunting his wealth. The man's behavior was starting to genuinely annoy him.

"Sorry, I am that petty. Now if you don't mind, please move."

Xia Liang's rejection was decisive, but the man clearly had no intention of giving up so easily.

"Don't be so hasty. By the way, you're dressed quite nicely. Where do you work, if you don't mind my asking?"

Xia Liang was rendered speechless. What an awkward change of topic. If you're going to show off, at least don't be so stupid about it.

Faced with this guy, Xia Liang felt utterly exasperated. He glanced sideways at Wu Lan and gave her a meaningful look. Though they hadn't spoken in years, they had been desk-mates for three years. That kind of tacit understanding doesn't just disappear. A single look was enough for them to be on the same page.

With that understanding, Xia Liang said with an air of mystery, "I wouldn't call it a high-profile job. I'm just a driver."

But as soon as he said this, the man grew cautious. While being a driver wasn't a prestigious profession, it all depended on who you drove for. A chauffeur for a government leader or a wealthy businessman was a different story entirely. They weren't just drivers; they were practically assistants. He couldn't afford to provoke someone like that.

"So, who do you drive for? Maybe I know them!"

"I drive for the people!"

"What?"

Xia Liang's answer left the man momentarily stunned. Drive for the people? What the hell does that mean?

Then, Xia Liang stated with a solemn expression, "I am a proud ride-share driver!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the man turned red with anger. He was toying with me!

"You're messing with me! Kid, you're just some broke-ass driver, and you have the nerve to play me?"

But facing his rage, Xia Liang remained calm and collected.

Instead, it was Wu Lan beside him who spoke up.

"What do you mean by that? What's wrong with being a ride-share driver? It's a service to the people! How can you look down on such a noble profession?"

The man was taken aback to see the beautiful woman get angry. What kind of routine is this?

Just as he was about to explain, Wu Lan cut him off, "I despise people like you who judge others by their job! Honey, let's go. This man isn't worth our time."

Xia Liang nodded, and the two of them simply walked away, leaving the man standing there by the road, utterly bewildered.

What has this world come to? Since when did being a ride-share driver become such a proud profession? Am I, a business owner, really less impressive than a ride-share driver?

For a moment, he just stood there, dumbfounded. He simply couldn't figure out how a beautiful flight attendant could be attracted to a ride-share driver, and be so proud of it. Passersby who noticed his vacant expression assumed he was an idiot.

...

After they had walked some distance away, Xia Liang and Wu Lan glanced back sneakily at the stupefied man. They couldn't help but start snickering.

"Look at him, he looks like a total idiot!" Wu Lan giggled, filled with the simple joy of a child whose prank had succeeded.

As they walked down the street, they attracted a fair amount of attention. A handsome man and a beautiful woman always make for a noticeable pair, especially since Wu Lan was still in her flight attendant uniform, a fact Xia Liang quickly pointed out.

"Hey, don't you think you should find a place to change? Is it really okay to be walking around in your uniform?"

At Xia Liang's reminder, Wu Lan slapped her forehead.

"Oh, right! I completely forgot about that! Hand me my suitcase!"

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