Chapter 58 - 58 057 Hug me you always have to get used to me (Second

Chapter 58: 057: Hug me, you always have to get used to me (Second update) Chapter 58: 057: Hug me, you always have to get used to me (Second update) The driver, furious, snapped at her, “Trust me, I’m right, do you have a persecution complex or something? There’s monitoring on the bus, I can’t possibly sell you off.”

Negotiation proved fruitless, so Wen Changling decided to call the police.

Just then, a call came in, and seeing the caller ID, she answered.

It was Xie Shang calling, “Aren’t you on the day shift today?”

At this time of the day, Wen Changling and Xie Shang would have finished their walk.

“I’m covering a shift for a colleague.” She kept an eye on the road; they were nearly at the spot to turn around, and she reminded the driver once more, “Turn around up ahead.”

The driver, extremely impatient, floored the accelerator and sped past the intersection where they could have made a U-turn, “We’re almost under the bridge now, turning around would take an even longer detour.”

Xie Shang stayed silent, listening.

Wen Changling didn’t lose her temper, nor did she panic, “Please stop the car.”

The driver’s attitude was terrible, as if whoever raised their voice would be in the right, “How can you be so ungrateful? Look it up online yourself and see if this road leads to your home.”

Wen Changling’s patience was exhausted.

“Changling.”

Xie Shang was calling her.

She kept the dragon in her eyes at bay.

“Share your location with me.”

Between calling the police and trusting Xie Shang, Wen Changling chose Xie Shang. She sent her location and the license plate number over to him. Xie Shang hung up and switched to video call.

Once connected, he said, “Changling, turn on your rear camera.”

Wen Changling complied.

“A bit to the left.”

She moved the camera a little to the left.

In front of the passenger seat was the driver’s badge number: 312558.

Xie Shang used a hospital’s computer to log into the taxi company’s official website to verify the identity, then started to negotiate, “Badge number 312558, Mr. Li, right?”

Driver Mr. Li stayed quiet.

He thought he could intimidate a young girl easily because he’d done it before—people tended to avoid trouble, and there weren’t many who would speak up. But now, things got complicated.

“I’ve already made a complaint call.” In the video, Xie Shang spoke clearly and calmly, without any aggression, logical and coherent, “Mr. Li, I saw on your company’s official website that there’s a policy stating that after a complaint, there will be a callback within three minutes, during which the complaint can be retracted. Take the second left turn up ahead into National Highway 2961, stop beside the phone booth 500 meters later, all within a three-minute window. After my girlfriend gets off, I’ll retract the complaint during the callback. If you don’t believe me, I can use another phone on speakerphone. But if you don’t stop after three minutes, I will call the police immediately.”

Xie Shang didn’t intimidate him, but there was no doubt he provided the best option.

Mr. Li knew he had hit a tough spot and did not want to escalate things any further. Cursing under his breath, he did slow down the car, “I’m done with you guys; I’ll stop, alright?”

Xie Shang switched back to a voice call.

Wen Changling didn’t know the roads.

Xie Shang guided her, nearly step by step, taking care of all her concerns, “If you can’t see the numbers on the national highway from the car, look for the buildings nearby, there’s a steel factory there.”

She acknowledged.

He might have been worried she would be afraid, so he thoroughly explained over the phone, “I’ve checked his identity on the official website; he’s definitely a taxi driver. A serious accident happened on Wenhua Road an hour ago, and the detour he’s taking would be shorter, but you would get stuck in traffic in fifteen minutes, at least for an hour. The taxi company introduced a new traffic jam subsidy last month, that’s why he deviated from the route.”

Wen Changling was thinking, how on earth did Xie Shang manage to find the official site, check the nearby roads, understand the traffic conditions, and file a complaint, all within a few minutes.

His execution efficiency and logical reasoning were above average; it was indeed a pity he wasn’t a lawyer.

“The driver isn’t a human trafficker or a criminal, so don’t get into a conflict with him, don’t jump out of the car, just stay alert,” he advised.

“Um.”

Xie Shang instructed her in every little detail, “When you get out of the car later, go to a busy place and wait for me.”

“Okay.”

Women inherently have a stronger need for security than men do, a trait that’s been genetically encoded through the differences in physical strength during evolution. If one day, Wen Changling fell in love with Xie Shang, it certainly wouldn’t be for his looks.

The stopping place picked by Xie Shang wasn’t too remote. The dormitory of the steel factory was nearby, and there were many passing vehicles and occasionally pedestrians; it was a very safe area.

After Mr. Li parked, he kept the doors and windows locked, demanding of Xie Shang, “You retract the complaint first.”

The follow-up call came punctually.

Xie Shang had left Gu Yihuan’s number for the complaint since he needed to keep his own phone available for contact with Wen Changling. He set up a video call to enable Mr. Li to confirm.

After the complaint was withdrawn, Mr. Li finally unlocked the car door and irritably hurried them: “Get out, get out, what a streak of bad luck, encountering two weirdos.”

Wen Changling got out of the car.

Mr. Li pressed the gas pedal and drove away.

“Is there still battery in the phone?”

“Yes.”

Xie Shang said, “Then don’t hang up, I’ll get there in thirty minutes.”

Wen Changling only advised him, “Take your time coming over, no need to drive so fast.”

The video call wasn’t ended.

Xie Shang was speaking to someone else: “Call your brother and get him to come over.” He returned the borrowed phone to Gu Yihuan.

Xie Shang and Gu Yihuan were still at the hospital at that moment.

Hadn’t Gu Yihuan fallen and injured his leg? It wasn’t actually broken, but his bone was indeed damaged. He was lying on the hospital bed, having just been examined by a doctor, and the pain turned his face deathly pale: “Are you going?” His cast wasn’t even applied yet.

Xie Shang acknowledged with a sound: “Let me borrow the car.” He took the car keys, walked out, and kept the video call ongoing, though the screen was very dim: “Changling, find a brighter place to wait, it’s too dark over there; I can’t see clearly.”

Wen Changling.

The exception of fourth brother. This was the first label Gu Yihuan gave to Wen Changling.

The video call stayed on, with Xie Shang occasionally calling out to Wen Changling every so often; the rest of the time was quiet, with the sound of fast-moving wind coming from the phone’s earpiece.

It was a sports car.

It was Gu Yihuan’s modified car, which Xie Shang wasn’t used to driving, but it had the advantage of speed. He didn’t need thirty minutes; he arrived in twenty-one minutes.

The car was flamboyantly decorated, especially the lights, red and purple, with the hub lights even changing colors, making it particularly eye-catching at night. Only when Wen Changling could clearly see the person getting out of the car did he confirm it was really Xie Shang.

There was a river not far away; there was a strong wind, with a temperature difference at nighttime.

Wen Changling turned off his overheated phone and stepped out of the phone booth: “Aren’t you cold?”

Xie Shang hadn’t worn a jacket; his shirt was short-sleeved, very thin.

The wind seemed considerate, picking just the right angle to make the muscle definition on Xie Shang’s stomach subtly visible. Xie Shang’s routine was disciplined, with twice-weekly workouts and frequent extreme sports.

“Not cold.”

Wen Changling grasped his hand, which was quite cold.

She began rubbing them together.

Xie Shang was tickled by her action but did not withdraw his hand. On the way there, he had intended to lecture her so she would be more cautious, but now he had forgotten.

“Were you scared just now?”

“Not scared.”

Such courage.

Xie Shang actually wished she would be a bit more fearful, more compliant, and not always stray from the trajectory he had envisioned.

“Don’t take a cab alone at night in the future; it’s unsafe. If you need to go out, let me know.”

“Hmm.”

It took Xie Shang more than forty minutes to drive back.

If it were under normal circumstances, Xie Shang would usually be asleep by this time. Wen Changling felt a bit sorry, so she got out of the car quickly, not wanting to keep him any longer: “Thank you for tonight, I’m heading back now.”

In Lotus Pond Street, there were mostly elderly people, and after eleven o’clock, the streets would be very quiet, the surroundings hushed, and the moon hiding behind clouds.

As Wen Changling turned to leave, Xie Shang caught hold of her. She turned her head, and he didn’t let go.

“What is it?”

“Let’s hug,” his gaze was deep, emotions veiled by the night, soft and blurry, slightly unreal. He said, “Hug me, you have to get used to me after all.”