Page 11

Challenge successful, Gu Xiaoxi took the remaining 180,000 to the shopping mall, purchased many items, and then found a hotel to crash in.

For two consecutive days, aside from eating, she just slept, never stepping out of the hotel.

On the third day, the dawn’s light streamed through the window, casting a golden sunshine on the bed like a mother’s warm hand caressing her delicate cheek.

Gu Xiaoxi turned over in bed comfortably, counting the days, three days remained until the seven days were up.

As long as these three days passed, Quan Shaoqing would no longer be able to intervene in her affairs.

By then, she would return to Luocheng to sort out her family’s matters, then head to BD Film Academy to formally become an actress, aspiring to be a big star in the future.

Gu Xiaoxi opened the hotel door to find two people standing outside.

“Miss Gu, our Young Master is looking for you.

Please come with us,” a black-clad bodyguard stepped forward and said respectfully.

“Looking for me?

And who might your Young Master be?” Gu Xiaoxi asked.

“Our Young Master is Xia Xingze, and he’s requesting to race you on Panshan Road.”

“Sorry, I’m not interested,” Gu Xiaoxi, with hands in pockets, nonchalantly walked past the two bodyguards towards the elevator, heading to the restaurant.

Her retreating figure was like a statue carved from ice, proudly solitary.

Gu Xiaoxi’s breakfast consisted of millet porridge with a plate of steamed buns and a basket of dumplings, her favorites, which she enjoyed immensely.

She had money, and felt no interest in racing with others, confident no one could surpass her.

“Miss Gu, do you think I’m not worthy to be your opponent?

I want to tell you that last night, I also challenged the CN155 track and finished in eight minutes.

That’s one minute faster than you,” a nearly 1.9-meter-tall youth suddenly appeared in front of her, his stature alone intimidating.

“So what?

By simply studying my technique and repeating my actions, even if your time was a minute faster.

You are not the first one to surpass me,” Gu Xiaoxi said casually, biting into her steamed bun.

Xia Xingze’s face turned pale in an instant, his hands clenching under his sleeves, veins standing out.

He had to admit, the girl was arrogant, excessively so.

“Miss Gu, whether you agree or not, this race is set.

It’s seven o’clock now, four hours from now, on the suburban Panshan Road, I’ll be waiting for you.

This is the real challenge, and if you don’t show up, I can assume you’re scared,” Xia Xingze approached her, hands bracing coldly against the table.

He looked at Gu Xiaoxi with utter seriousness.

“Childish, provocation won’t work on me,” Gu Xiaoxi lowered her head and continued her breakfast, genuinely uninterested in the race.

“Panshan Road, with its 9 turns at 45 degrees, a 90-meter track that’s only four meters wide, waterways along the route, sandy gravel paths in the mountain gorges, and a 60-degree incline, do you dare to come?” Xia Xingze’s voice trembled with uncontrollable excitement.

He viewed racing as life, and when encountering a formidable person, he yearned to surpass them, as such an opponent was truly challenging.

Gu Xiaoxi’s astonishing performance a few days ago had exceeded him by far, and he was desperate to win against her, anxious to outdo her.

“Don’t disturb my breakfast!” Gu Xiaoxi said coldly, waving her hand dismissively.

“Because you’re strong, that’s why I consider you an opponent.

If you’re afraid of losing to me, in the future when we meet, I’ll call you a coward,” Xia Xingze, unable to stir any interest in Gu Xiaoxi, exclaimed angrily.

“Get lost!” Gu Xiaoxi, picking up a steamed bun, flung it at Xia Xingze’s face.

Xia Xingze caught the bun deftly, his large eyes earnestly looking at Gu Xiaoxi, his expression more serious than ever, “I’ll wait for you!”

With that, Xia Xingze strode away.

Gu Xiaoxi stood dumbfounded by the dining table, recognizing that look in his eyes—the craving and persistence for victory.

Furrowing her brows, Gu Xiaoxi watched Xia Xingze’s departing figure.

How deep was his love for racing to show such an expression?

Would he not rest until they raced?

Gu Xiaoxi pursed her lips, uninterested meant uninterested.

After breakfast, Gu Xiaoxi set out to find BD Film and Television Academy, but after driving in circles on the main road for several turns, she got lost.

What frustrated her even more was that Quan Shaoqing’s car navigation was password-protected.

“It’s not like it’s classified military information, why set a password?

Show off!” Gu Xiaoxi clenched her fist towards the navigation system, cursing vehemently.

What she didn’t know was that it indeed contained military secrets.

Gu Xiaoxi had no choice but to stop the car by the roadside to ask for directions.

“Excuse me, do you know how to get to BD Film and Television Academy?” Gu Xiaoxi asked a girl who appeared to be about her age.

“One hundred bucks for one question!” The girl, with shoulder-length shaggy hair and a height of one meter seventy, looked exceptionally tall and also quite slender.

She snapped her fingers, and her sparking large eyes showed nothing but avarice and fawning towards Gu Xiaoxi.

Gu Xiaoxi casually pulled out three banknotes from the bag on the passenger seat and stuffed them generously into Song Jingyi’s hand, “Here!”

“Turn left from here, drive along the main road for twenty minutes, then turn right at the traffic light intersection.” Song Jingyi replied to three questions in one breath, smilingly looking at Gu Xiaoxi while neatly folding the banknotes back into her pocket, “Any more questions?

I know a lot more…”

Gu Xiaoxi chuckled coldly, then pulled out another banknote for her.

“Turn right at the traffic light intersection, go straight for eight hundred meters…” Song Jingyi paused.

Clearly, the address wasn’t complete yet.

One hundred bucks a sentence, she dared to ask for it.

Gu Xiaoxi continued to hand over money, ten times in total, before Song Jingyi finally explained the directions clearly.

Gu Xiaoxi sized up Song Jingyi and prepared to get back in the car and leave.

However, Song Jingyi placed her hand on the car door and pointed at the car’s front, “Miss, your license plate has been stolen, didn’t you notice?”

“Really?” Gu Xiaoxi furrowed her brows and walked towards the front of the car.

Stolen license plate?

She hadn’t paid much attention, so she believed it and went to check.

But the flashy 999 license plate was hanging there at the front of the car, not stolen at all.

Gu Xiaoxi turned around alertly to look at Song Jingyi, who was already clutching her purse and escaping swiftly through the crowd.

“…” Gu Xiaoxi was thunderstruck.

She had been robbed in broad daylight?

Gu Xiaoxi narrowed her eyes dangerously, crossed her arms, and watched Song Jingyi’s retreating figure.

She stomped her foot with force, leapt, and chased after the escaping Song Jingyi through the crowd.

Interesting, to have fooled her…

that was some skill.

To Gu Xiaoxi’s surprise, Song Jingyi was a fast runner, racing into the crowd swift as the wind and quickly vanishing.

It was as if she evaporated into thin air.

Gu Xiaoxi stood at the bustling intersection, her gaze sweeping around, then quickly turned and chased into a quaint alley.

Indeed, ten minutes later, she successfully intercepted Song Jingyi at the entrance of a secluded alley.