Chapter 52: Buying a Car

The sunlight at nine-thirty in the morning, like molten gold, flowed in through the gaps of the light-colored curtains. Xiang Qian opened his eyes and instinctively touched the spot beside him—the warmth remained, but Zhou Huimin was no longer in bed.

A faint sound came from the kitchen; he threw on a bathrobe and walked over, seeing Zhou Huimin standing on tiptoe searching for coffee beans in the cabinet. The strap of her silk nightgown had slipped down to her elbow, revealing the beautiful lines of her shoulder and neck.

"Why get up so early?" Xiang Qian embraced her from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head. Zhou Huimin carried a faint scent of jasmine, the smell of the body wash he had given her last night.

Zhou Huimin turned around and shoved the coffee jar into his hands: "Didn't someone say we were going to buy a car today?" She blinked, "I specifically set the alarm."

Xiang Qian chuckled softly and turned on the gas stove: "Eat breakfast first." Fried eggs sizzled in the frying pan, the yolks trembling slightly. He skillfully flipped them over, the edges of the egg whites turning golden brown.

The glass curtain wall of Kowloon Bay Auto City sparkled in the sunlight. As soon as Xiang Qian took off his sunglasses, the showroom manager came running over, his suit and leather shoes unable to hide his excitement: "Mr. Wu! Young Lady Zhou! I never expected the two of you to come personally!"

The air conditioning in the Mercedes-Benz showroom was very strong; Zhou Huimin unconsciously rubbed her arms. Xiang Qian noticed this detail and casually took off his suit jacket to drape it over her shoulders.

"This car suits me." Xiang Qian patted the leather seat of the Mercedes-Benz.

On the other side, Zhou Huimin's fingertips traced the streamlined body of the Ferrari Testarossa. The fiery red paint reflected her image, like a burning flame.

"Like it?" Xiang Qian didn't know when he had appeared behind her.

Zhou Huimin's eyes sparkled: "Doesn't it look like that one in 'Miami Vice'?"

The sales manager interjected at the right moment: "Young Lady Zhou has excellent taste! This is a special edition, limited globally..."

"Name a price." Xiang Qian had already taken out his checkbook. The pen scratched against the paper; the manager stared at that number, his Adam's apple bobbing once.

"I want both cars now." Xiang Qian tore off the check, "Can the license procedures be finished today?"

When the red Ferrari drove out of the dealership, it caused passersby to stop and stare. A young girl pointed at the license plate and exclaimed: "It's Ah Min! The English abbreviation for Zhou Huimin!"

Zhou Huimin rolled down the window, and the sea breeze brushed through her long hair. In the rearview mirror, that black Mercedes-Benz business car followed steadily behind.

"Turn right ahead!" She suddenly pointed to a small alley, "I remember there's a super authentic wonton noodle shop!"

The noodle shop owner looked up, saw two stars walking in, and the remote control in his hand dropped to the floor with a clatter.

"Two bowls of fresh shrimp wonton noodles." Xiang Qian sat down in his usual spot, the plastic chair making a sound of being overloaded.

When the owner brought the noodles, he couldn't help but ask: "Young Lady Zhou, how was the ancient city collapse special effect filmed? It was too real!"

"They built a 1:1 practical set." Zhou Huimin broke open the disposable chopsticks, "The explosives team used three tons of dynamite."

In the apartment

"What time is the flight tomorrow?" Xiang Qian sat on the sofa.

"Seven in the morning." Zhou Huimin sighed, "I have to wake up at four for makeup."

The suitcase was already packed. Zhou Huimin was blow-drying her hair in the bathroom; amidst the humming sound, she heard Xiang Qian on the phone. She turned off the hairdryer, her wet hair still dripping water. Xiang Qian picked up Mao Jin to dry her hair: "I'll drive you to the airport tomorrow." His fingers ran through her hair, "Besides, two months is too long."

The bedside lamp was dimmed to the lowest setting. Zhou Huimin curled up in Xiang Qian's arms, counting the buttons on his shirt: "Wang Pangzi said it's minus ten degrees in Shaanxi right now."

"I prepared a mink coat for you." Xiang Qian's palm pressed against her lower back, "And also heating pads."

"Will there be altitude sickness?"

"The medical team will follow the whole way."

After a moment of silence, Zhou Huimin suddenly looked up: "Actually, you are worried..."

The unfinished words were sealed by a kiss. Xiang Qian's fingertips traced the small mole on her collarbone, a secret known only to him. Outside the window, the lights of Victoria Harbour gradually went out, and the story belonging to them had just turned to a new page of a romantic scene.