Just after Evan Lin hung up on Lucy Lu, he received a call from Joy Zheng. On the other end, Joy asked about Evan's injury, and Evan simply replied that with his master's help, he was fully healed. Only then did she relax.
Afterwards, Joy Zheng cautiously brought up the idea of Evan returning to the Zheng family, saying it was the wish of Old Master Zheng and Old Madam Zheng. Evan, however, flatly refused, and Joy didn’t press the issue, just sighed.
"I’ve stationed the Three Maiden Spirits at the Zheng residence, guarding Mom’s side. If anything happens, I’ll know right away. As for the Zheng family..."
Evan shook his head, truly contemptuous of Leon Zheng and the others’ behavior.
Whether the Zheng family welcomes him back means nothing to Evan. Having lived a second life, all he wants is for Joy Zheng to live peacefully and happily. Family drama and emotional entanglements are things he doesn’t want to interfere with, nor does he wish his presence to affect Joy’s personal choices.
Six o’clock in the evening.
Yvonne Zhu appeared at Evan’s door, dressed in a light brown turtleneck sweater and a pure white down jacket.
Behind her, Henry Zhu followed closely.
Seeing Evan open the door, Henry grinned, “My brother’s already headed up Phoenix Mountain. Let’s go—are you riding with me or with Yvonne?”
He looked at Evan, his eyes flickering.
Yvonne spoke up first: "I’ll drive him myself."
Henry nodded in agreement, not insisting Evan ride with him. "That works. But the mountain roads are rough—don’t lose us."
"By the way, Master Gu was called by my uncle for a talk, so he won’t be joining us tonight."
Henry mentioned this offhandedly, flashed a smile, then turned and walked ahead.
Outside, Yvonne skipped the stretch Lincoln—it was too unwieldy for her—and chose a red Mini BMW instead. The car looked much cuter and more approachable than the heavy, imposing Lincoln.
Henry’s ride was a modified BMW Z4. He jumped in, waved for them to follow, and sped off.
Once he started his car and saw the Mini trailing behind, Henry picked up his phone and called someone: "They’re right behind me. The kid’s coming."
He kept it brief, hung up, shifted into a comfy position in the seat, and muttered to himself, "Phoenix Mountain’s roads are rough—perfect spot for accidents."
As he spoke, he gently rubbed his nose. The hospital scan showed a comminuted fracture. If it weren’t for the Zhu family’s spirit pills, he’d still be laid up in the hospital today.
"Phoenix Mountain’s road has eighteen hairpin turns, nine right angles, and three S-curves. On winter nights around ten, the asphalt gets a thin layer of frost. Plus, there are plenty of dark corners to watch out for."
Yvonne drove quietly, her voice soft.
Her brows were slightly furrowed, a hint of worry between her eyes.
Evan, sitting in the passenger seat with a hat on, glanced sideways at her and teased, “Is this your way of warning me not to get ambushed by them?”
“No.” Yvonne sighed. “Victor and Henry Zhu do have their schemes, but with their strength, I doubt they can actually threaten you.”
“It’s just... if something does happen, could you... maybe show a little mercy?”
Yvonne looked apologetic. “I didn’t expect them to be so hostile toward you. Right now, only me, Uncle Gu, and my grandfather know who you really are.”
“I was worried you’d be upset, so I didn’t tell them you’re actually Master Lin from Seacrest.”
Basically, Yvonne meant that ignorance is no crime. Even if Evan punishes Victor and Henry a bit, she’ll help smooth things over for him.
But if Victor and Henry actually died at Evan’s hands, then no matter how much Yvonne supported him, family pressure would force her to distance herself.
That was the last thing Yvonne wanted to see.
"I can spare their lives."
Evan nodded, his tone indifferent.
With those words, Yvonne instantly felt relieved.
Whether Victor and Henry Zhu ended up unscathed or crippled for life was beyond Yvonne’s control.
As long as they survived, there’d never be an unbreakable blood feud between the Zhu clan and Evan.
Even now, Yvonne was nervous making such a request—her relationship with Master Lin from Seacrest was tenuous at best. She’d even offended him once at Luke Lu’s place, which now seemed laughable in hindsight.
They drove on. Yvonne’s driving was steady and skilled, while up ahead, Henry Zhu showed off, drifting around corners just to flaunt his technique, making Yvonne frown again and again.
Phoenix Mountain sits on the outskirts of Seacrest. In a city where land is worth its weight in gold, it’s rare to have such a winding mountain, and the road has been totally revamped by a bunch of rich heirs—turned into a two-lane race track.
Phoenix Mountain has two peaks. One pierces the clouds, crowned by the Phoenix Welcome Pavilion—a five-star resort where even the cheapest room costs thousands a night, and the food and drinks are even pricier.
Looking down from the Pavilion, you can see the city lights far away—mountains and city, quiet within quiet. At a guestroom window, a girl in a pale yellow sweater leaned on her hand, bored, staring blankly at the opposite peak.
On the mountaintop, rows upon rows of luxury cars were parked.
"There's a racing event over there tonight. Want to go check it out?"
Behind her, the sound of a door opening echoed.
A well-built man, dressed sharply and sporting LOTOS glasses worth as much as a sports car, pushed open the door and stood behind Yolanda Fang. He followed her gaze to the opposite peak, speaking coolly: "Just a bunch of second-rate rich kids. Their driving’s nothing special."
"A few of them like to copy Initial D’s Takumi Fujiwara, using the gutter technique for fast cornering. They think they’re hotshots, but in my eyes, they’re all trash."
"I set the Phoenix Mountain record ten years ago—ten minutes, five seconds. No one’s beaten it yet. If you want to play, I’ll go with you."