Chapter Eight: Introductions

Upon hearing that voice, Jiang Xiaotian couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Why was this guy lingering like a ghost that refused to depart? He was about to turn and retort, but the sight of Chu Ran by his side made him freeze, and the words choked in his throat.

Once, she too had nestled in his arms just like this…

It was impossible not to feel the ache. So many years of affection—perhaps Chu Ran felt little nostalgia for it, but Jiang Xiaotian was always sentimental. He had no desire to say more. Without pausing, he continued to walk away.

“Jiang Xiaotian, what are you doing here?”

But when Chu Ran’s voice sounded again, he faltered, lacking the strength to keep going.

“Don’t tell me you’re here to buy a car?” Chu Ran smiled, but the derision in her tone was especially sharp and cutting.

She didn’t smile for long before she noticed the silent girl standing beside Jiang Xiaotian.

A single glance, and Chu Ran was utterly stunned, followed by a surge of nameless fury!

She was too beautiful. Chu Ran prided herself on her own looks; usually, even when she encountered a striking woman, it left her unmoved. But Ling’er’s beauty was ethereal, her aura extraordinary—the two of them weren’t even in the same league.

“Well, that was quick—you’ve already found a new love after breaking up with me?” Chu Ran’s words dripped with sarcasm, her annoyance at Jiang Xiaotian only growing.

How could this penniless loser even be here? How could he possibly know such a stunning girl?

“Hey, you give him too much credit. Do you really think this young lady is his new flame?” said Chen Kai with a laugh.

His eyes flashed with greed when he saw Ling’er again, though he dared not make it too obvious in front of Chu Ran.

Still, Chen Kai had confidence—if he truly wanted to win Ling’er over, it wouldn’t be difficult. As for Jiang Xiaotian, who knew by what trickery he had attached himself to her.

In his eyes, Ling’er surely had some underworld connections, perhaps a strong background; it made sense for her to come buy a car.

“Young lady, if you’re here to buy a car, we can give you some advice. There’s no need to consult this pauper—he might even be a sales rep sent to bring in customers for some extra cash,” Chen Kai said, unable to suppress a laugh.

Chu Ran relaxed as well, convinced this girl had been deceived by Jiang Xiaotian. Otherwise, how could someone like him have such a friend?

“Exactly! I was fooled by him once too. He promised to buy me a big house and a luxury car someday—he’s such a liar!”

Jiang Xiaotian listened in silence, bitterness tightening in his chest.

He forced a sheepish smile.

Before he had dated Chu Ran, he’d been poor, but still had tens of thousands in savings. While with her, he’d spent everything to fulfill her wishes, even falling into debt.

And in the end, she said such things about him. That smile of his—perhaps it was the moment he truly gave up.

By nature, Jiang Xiaotian was placid and disliked trouble. If they wanted to insult him, so be it—he was ready to leave.

But Ling’er suddenly seized his arm, stopping him.

“Is cheating now something to be so proud of?” Ling’er suddenly asked, her tone innocent and harmless.

The words struck Chu Ran’s sore spot; she flared up at once. “What did you say? Jiang Xiaotian, how dare you slander me!”

Rather than curse at Ling’er, she directed her anger at the easiest target.

“Hah, see? I told you he was a liar. Did he tell you I cheated on him? Sorry, he doesn’t even realize he was dumped. After breaking up, he badmouths the other person—what kind of man is that, do you think?”

Ling’er gazed at them with a blank expression. “But from just now until now, it’s only been the two of you speaking ill of him, hasn’t it?”

Chen Kai and Chu Ran were immediately left speechless, unable to come up with a reply.

But Chen Kai, after all, was a man of means and manners. He put on his trademark smile. “You misunderstood. You’re here to buy a car, right? Looks like you haven’t made a purchase yet. Why not let me make a recommendation?”

Jiang Xiaotian was about to speak, but Ling’er stopped him again.

“All right,” she said suddenly, breaking into a smile.

That smile made Chen Kai’s heart flutter—so women really were drawn to wealth and capability, after all.

But to Jiang Xiaotian, that smile sent chills down his spine.

Fake—so unbearably fake.

The salespeople on the side were deeply uncomfortable. They understood the situation but dared not speak—both sides were big shots, and offending either was unwise. The best approach was silence.

“Heh, most girls prefer sports cars, right? I won’t recommend something like the Macan—it’s cheap, the basic model is only about half a million.”

Ling’er’s expression shifted. She hadn’t realized the cars here were so expensive.

She didn’t know much about worldly prices, but she understood the value of meat. By comparison, the difference was staggering—one car could buy her meat for ages!

But this subtle change in her expression stunned both Chen Kai and Chu Ran. Clearly, the price of a Porsche was still high for them, but for Chen Kai, five hundred thousand was nothing.

Jiang Xiaotian couldn’t fathom what this idiotic dragon was thinking. “Why waste time?” he whispered.

“A free tour guide—why not? Besides, I haven’t learned about the other cars yet.”

I give up! Dragon brains really do work differently!

At the same time, Jiang Xiaotian thought Chen Kai must be mad too, actually going through the motions of a proper introduction. Did none of them have anything better to do?

Though he tried to blend into the background, the two kept mentioning him—utterly inexplicable.

Fortunately, there weren’t too many models in the Porsche showroom. After a round of introductions, only two cars remained.

“I’m sure you’ve heard about the 718. It’s a popular model these days—interested? If you go for the base version, you could drive it home for around five hundred thousand. That’s a real bargain for a supercar.”

Chen Kai emphasized “base version” to draw Ling’er’s attention.

Sure enough, she “took the bait.”

“There’s even a base version? I don’t understand these things,” Ling’er said, feigning ignorance.

Chen Kai shrugged. “Of course. You can customize the options. Most people go for the mid-range, about six or seven hundred thousand. Only a few high rollers choose the top trim, which is about a million.”

Ling’er twitched her lips, a little disappointed. She thought she’d been tricked by the dealership for not knowing better, but it turned out her own car was the most expensive one after all.

Seeing her unresponsive, Chen Kai wasn’t in a hurry and guided her gently.

“But really, if you can afford it, never buy the base Porsche—go for the top version if you can. Don’t you agree?”

“Oh.” Ling’er blinked, as if understanding. “How do you know so much about this?”

Chen Kai grinned—this was exactly the reaction he wanted. He didn’t answer, but glanced at Chu Ran, who promptly took out her phone and made a call.

Soon, Yang Yuan trotted over, beaming, car keys in hand. Upon seeing Chen Kai, his smile was radiant. “Ah, sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Kai. Your car will be ready in a bit, but here’s your key in advance.”

Chen Kai feigned a frown. “Why the delay?”

Yang Yuan glanced at the others and smiled knowingly. “Well, you picked the top-spec 718—it’s not ready so quickly.”

Chen Kai felt a surge of pride and said nothing more. The subtlest displays of status were always the most lethal.

In truth, he’d spent ages choosing this car. While his family was wealthy, a million-yuan car wasn’t an impulse buy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t keep coming back for test drives.

“That’s why some men are capable, and some will never amount to anything—just following in others’ wake,” Chu Ran added smugly, her animosity toward girls more beautiful than herself instinctive.

“But there’s still one car you haven’t introduced,” Ling’er pointed to a bright red supercar in the center.

Chen Kai laughed, this time with genuine mockery. “Oh, that one? The 911. Only the top model’s in stock—over two million. Interested?”

He had barely finished speaking when another salesperson hurried over, carrying a delicate gift box.

Inside was a crystal key and a model car, both exuding luxury.

Chen Kai hadn’t expected such a beautiful gift; he patted Chu Ran’s shoulder. “Go on, it’s yours.”

Chu Ran was thrilled, just about to step forward, when the salesperson handed the gift box to Jiang Xiaotian.

“Sir, here is your car key!”