noveltune Chapter 77 Rear-end Collision
Chapter 77 Rear-end Collision
At six o'clock in the evening, Fu Yibai finished processing the last document at hand and looked up at the window.
As dusk settled, traffic on the East Third Ring Road began to congest, with red taillights forming a continuous line, resembling a slowly flowing river.
Liu Yan pushed the door open and came in, carrying his coat and briefcase.
"Mr. Fu, the car is ready."
"Um."
Fu Yibai stood up and put on his coat. Liu Yan had already packed her things and followed behind him.
The elevator descended, and there were only the two of them in the car.
Liu Yan stood half a step behind him, her gaze fixed on the elevator buttons, her cheeks still flushed from the ambiguous encounter that afternoon.
"What do you want to eat tonight?" Fu Yibai asked.
"I...I'm fine with anything."
Liu Yan said softly, then paused and added, "How about I cook for you? I've recently learned a few dishes."
"Can you cook?"
"I'm learning...it might not taste very good."
Fu Yibai turned his head to look at her, and Liu Yan's face turned even redder, but she still tried her best to remain calm.
"Then let's give it a try."
The elevator doors opened, and the two walked through the lobby toward the underground parking garage.
Liu Yan drove her black Mercedes slowly out of the garage and into the evening rush hour traffic.
Fu Yibai leaned back in the back seat, fiddling with his phone.
As Liu Yan approached an intersection, she saw the traffic light ahead change and slowed down.
"Bang--!"
A muffled thud came from behind the car, and the car shook violently.
Liu Yan subconsciously stepped on the brake, gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands, and her expression changed slightly.
"Mr. Fu, we've been rear-ended."
Fu Yibai looked up and saw through the rearview mirror—a white Bora was right behind their car, its hood slightly raised and its front bumper deformed.
"Let's go down and take a look."
The two got off the car.
In the night breeze, the driver's side door of the white Bora opened, and a woman stepped out.
She was wearing a simple khaki trench coat, her long hair was a little messy, and her face showed obvious panic and apology.
Gao Yuanyuan.
Fu Yibai raised an eyebrow slightly, recognizing the woman in front of him.
The movie "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" released last year made this woman famous and she became the dream girl of countless men.
But at this moment, she is far removed from the radiant image she presents on screen.
Her eyes were slightly red, with traces of tears still lingering at the corners. Her lips were pressed tightly together, and she exuded a brokenness that seemed to be forced into a brave posture.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!"
Gao Yuanyuan walked over quickly, her tone urgent.
"It's entirely my fault, I was distracted... How much does the repair cost? I'll pay for it all..."
She was stunned when she saw Fu Yibai's face clearly halfway through her sentence.
"Fu...fu guide?"
Fu Yibai looked at her.
"Miss Gao."
Fu Yibai spoke in a flat tone.
"Driving while distracted is very dangerous."
Gao Yuanyuan felt even more ashamed by his words and lowered her head.
"I'm sorry... I really didn't mean to..."
Liu Yan had finished checking the contact between the two vehicles and came back to report in a low voice.
"Mr. Fu, it's not a big problem. The rear bumper needs to be replaced, but otherwise it's fine."
Gao Yuanyuan quickly said, "I'll pay for the repairs, whatever the cost! I'm so sorry..."
"Ms. Gao, the car problem is easy to solve."
His tone was flat.
"But you're not in a good condition to drive right now."
Gao Yuanyuan was stunned for a moment, then lowered her head.
"I know... I was supposed to go home, but I got distracted..."
She paused, took a deep breath, and tried to make her voice sound normal.
"Director Fu, how much will it cost to repair the car? I'll pay you right now."
I'm so sorry to have taken up your time.
Fu Yibai's gaze returned to Gao Yuanyuan.
She stood there, her trench coat billowing slightly in the night wind, her long hair a little disheveled, looking thin yet stubborn.
"Miss Gao."
Gao Yuanyuan raised her head.
"Where do you live? You're not in a good condition to drive right now. Please park your car on the side of the road and we'll take you home."
"No need to trouble Director Fu... I can just call a car."
Her voice was a little hoarse, and her refusal was not firm.
Fu Yibai looked at her calmly.
"It's hard to get a taxi in this area. And—"
He paused, his tone as flat as if stating a fact.
"If something happens to you standing here all by yourself, tomorrow's headlines will be 'Gao Yuanyuan loses control on the street late at night'."
Gao Yuanyuan paused for a moment, then pursed her lips.
Of course she knew that what Fu Yibai said was true.
Paparazzi are everywhere. If she gets photographed in her current state, who knows what the gossip pages will write tomorrow.
"I……"
"Give the car keys to Liu Yan, she'll handle it."
After Fu Yibai finished speaking, he turned around, opened the back door of the car, and stood there looking at her.
It wasn't an invitation, it was a decision.
Gao Yuanyuan hesitated for two seconds before finally taking her bag out of the car and handing the car keys to Liu Yan.
"Thank you for your help."
"It's no trouble at all."
Liu Yan took the keys with a perfectly professional smile on her face.
Gao Yuanyuan got into Fu Yibai's car.
The car door closed, shutting out the night breeze and noise.
The car was quiet, with a faint leather scent and a barely perceptible men's cologne.
Gao Yuanyuan sat at the other end of the back seat, maintaining a polite distance from Fu Yibai.
He gripped the bag straps with both hands, head down, seemingly lost in thought.
Liu Yan quickly dealt with the matter there, returned to the driver's seat, and started the car.
"Ms. Gao, what is the address?" she asked.
Gao Yuanyuan gave the name of a neighborhood that wasn't far away.
The car smoothly merged into the traffic.
A silence fell over the car.