The muscle-bound guy pulled open the car door.
After Bella Bai got in, she worried that Evan Lin would be hassled by the muscle guy and his friends, so she deliberately turned back and motioned for Evan to get in.
Once inside, Bella Bai had Evan sit right next to her.
"Everyone's in, let's go!"
The muscle guy shouted, and the driver decisively started the engine.
The Lincoln was spacious; even with eight people inside, it didn't feel crowded at all.
Counting Bella Bai, there were seven people on their side.
Four guys and three girls.
"Doesn't this guy look a lot like the one who totally ignored Bella a few days ago?" A girl painting her nails looked up at Evan, then said to the girl next to her.
"I think so too—no wonder Bella ran outside by herself just now." Another girl gave Evan a once-over. "You really should thank Bella. If it weren't for her, you'd probably still be stuck on the curb trying to hail a cab, right?"
"Plus, this stretch Lincoln—bet you've never ridden in one before, right? Consider it a life experience."
"Oh, and you can take your phone out, snap a pic inside, and post it to your moments. Just say you're riding in a stretch Lincoln—guaranteed your friends and classmates will be jealous as hell."
The girl joked as she spoke.
She sounded relaxed, but the teasing in her words wasn't hidden at all.
"Getting to ride in this car isn't easy, you know."
A guy wearing glasses nodded, giving Evan a cold look and a fake smile: "Probably only you in your whole circle have the luck to ride in a car like this."
"That's the limitation of your social circle!"
The guy didn't hold back at all.
The girls mostly looked at Evan with a hint of schadenfreude, while the guys all stared at him like hungry wolves.
It was obvious—they saw Bella Bai treating Evan differently, and it made them feel seriously out of balance.
Back when Bella Bai went out of her way to chat up that fiery young guy, they were annoyed—but before they could even show it, his strength totally stunned them.
Now, looking at Evan Lin in front of them, it was obvious he seemed way easier to bully than that other guy.
"Can you guys knock it off?"
Bella Bai frowned at their nonstop chatter. "I was the one who invited him into the car. If you think he doesn't belong here, then I'll just get out with him!"
"Whoa, whoa, Bella, we're just joking!" Seeing Bella Bai's annoyed look, the guy quickly changed his tune.
"Yeah, it's everyone's first time meeting, right? We're just trying to get to know each other—maybe we'll end up as friends." The guy with glasses nodded, forced to consider Bella Bai's feelings now.
"Right, maybe you'll become friends, and you'll get more chances to ride in this stretch Lincoln."
The girl teased, "Feels pretty nice sitting in this car, huh?"
"After all, the price speaks for itself—this car costs about as much as a villa."
She said this while eyeing Evan, clearly sizing him up.
"That's just how they are. Don't take their words to heart."
Bella Bai ignored the girl and turned to Evan, her face full of apology.
"I never bother with idle riff-raff. It's fine."
Evan Lin shook his head.
Idle riff-raff?
Those four words made everyone present frown.
Even Bella Bai was a little taken aback.
She hadn't expected that the guy next to her—who seemed cold but easygoing—would suddenly drop a line like that.
But she wasn't angry at all.
"By the way, bro, you never said where you're headed."
The muscle-bound guy spoke up: "Surely you're not planning to tag along with us, are you?"
He was doing the math in his head—talking directly to Evan Lin now would only make Bella Bai dislike him.
Might as well just wait for the kid to get out.
Anyway, no matter what, they probably wouldn't ever meet again.
No point offending Bella Bai over someone they'd only meet once.
"I'm going to the Zhan Family."
Evan Lin replied.
The Zhan Family.
Everyone—including Bella Bai—was stunned by Evan's answer.
"Are you kidding us?"
A tall, lean guy who’d been sitting quietly in the corner finally crossed his arms and looked at Evan, his voice icy cold: “You never said where you were headed when you got in. Then, after you heard us mention the Zhan Family, suddenly you’re going there too, huh?”
I’d advise you to think carefully about what you’re saying. And you’d better realize—people like you and Qianyu only get one shot to meet us in your whole life, and it’ll only last a few minutes.
Don’t even try your little tricks to test our patience, and don’t think you can use this chance to get closer to Qianyu!
The guy spoke, his words sharp as knives. The way he looked at Evan was pure wolf—like he might attack and tear him apart any second.
You guys are misunderstanding.
Bella Bai jumped in to smooth things over: “I was the one who invited him to get in. He wasn’t planning to ride with us at all, he…”
Bella tried to keep explaining.
Qianyu, you’re wrong.
The guy shook his head. “I’ve seen plenty of this ‘playing hard to get’ routine. Bro, you must know the trick pretty well, huh?”
Let’s be real, Qianyu—when you walked out of the station, you just happened to spot him hailing a cab, and then right as you ran over, suddenly there were no taxis anywhere on the whole street.
All these things happening together—is that just a coincidence?
The guy looked serious as he spoke. Bella Bai froze when she heard him.
Yeah, I gotta say, it’s a little too convenient.” The guy with glasses nodded along.
Looks like this bro’s got a lot more going on than we thought.” The muscle guy grinned.
Everyone turned to look at Evan.
Their gazes weren’t friendly.
You’re not gonna explain yourself?
The girl sitting across from Evan propped her chin in her hand, watching him with a teasing look, clearly hoping for drama.
Yeah, it is a bit of a coincidence.
Evan nodded, swept his gaze around, letting his eyes linger on each person’s face in turn.
Wherever his gaze landed, even the ones who’d just been smirking felt a chill deep down.
Everyone shivered, almost without realizing it.
Getting to ride in the same car as me? That’s the kind of luck you earn after eight lifetimes.
Go home and call your parents, ask if your family’s ancestral graves are smoking with good fortune.