Everyone knew Claire Li came from a good family, looked great, and had tons of admirers—not to mention all the creeps who wanted to get close and even try their luck getting into her bed.
Victor Wen saw Claire Li and the others coming over and hurried to greet them.
When they saw Victor Wen and his two buddies with bruised faces, everyone was stunned.
"Victor, what happened to your face?"
Claire Li didn’t even glance at Victor Wen. She just smiled at Yolanda Jiang and said, "He helped me out just now. It’s late and it’s hard to get a taxi here, so we might as well give him a ride into the city."
"It's nothing, just tripped while walking."
Victor Wen tried to play it off, laughing awkwardly. There was no way he’d admit he got beaten up by some country kid on the train—that’d be way too humiliating.
"Claire, how was the trip? Did you have fun? Seriously, why take the train instead of a plane—and it wasn’t even high-speed." Yolanda Jiang came up, grinning as she hooked Claire Li's arm.
Ivy Liang glanced at Evan Lin, found him totally boring, and got into the front passenger seat with her cat, face still cold.
Victor Wen had wanted Evan to take the Audi, but Claire Li just told him to get lost. Sighing, he reluctantly got into the car.
Evan Lin and Claire Li took the backseat of the pink Beetle.
"Hi, Yuran. Just get in the car already—I’m starving."
The Capitalview train station was pretty far out, but since it was already past midnight, there weren’t many cars on the road.
Yolanda Jiang glanced in the rearview mirror at the boy sitting in the back, his face calm and unreadable.
Yolanda Jiang glanced in the rearview mirror at the boy sitting in the back, his face calm and unreadable.
She couldn’t help feeling this kid was way too chill for someone his age.
"Claire, aren’t you going to introduce your new friend? What’s his name? He looks pretty young, right?" Yolanda Jiang asked with a smile as she drove.
She was genuinely curious about the boy in the back, and judging by Claire Li’s expression, she didn’t seem to dislike him at all.
Even Victor Wen, usually stuck to Claire Li like glue, was trailing half a meter behind her for once, not daring to get close.
Evan glanced at Yolanda Jiang, his expression completely neutral.
Everyone knew Li Yuran came from a good family, looked great, and had tons of admirers—not to mention all the creeps who wanted to get close and even try their luck getting into her bed.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say Li Yuran had high standards. With most guys—even classmates—she’d instinctively keep her distance.
But just now, Jiang Yao noticed that Li Yuran wasn’t pulling away from this boy at all. In fact, it looked like she was trying to get closer.
"Oh, he’s a new friend of ours," Wen Hongchang hurried to explain.
Li Yuran didn’t even glance at Wen Hongchang. She just smiled at Jiang Yao and said, "He helped me out just now. It’s late and it’s hard to get a taxi here, so we might as well give him a ride into the city."
"Alright, hop in then. Don’t just stand around like idiots."
Jiang Yao had been a bit suspicious at first, but now she didn’t say anything else.
She opened the door of her pink Beetle and took the driver’s seat.
Liang Yige glanced at Evan Lin, found him totally boring, and got into the front passenger seat with her cat, face still cold.
Wen Hongchang had wanted Evan to take the Audi, but Li Yuran just told him to get lost. Sighing, he reluctantly got into the car.
Evan Lin and Li Yuran took the backseat of the pink Beetle.
Once everyone was in, Jiang Yao started the engine.
The Capitalview train station was pretty far out, but since it was already past midnight, there weren’t many cars on the road.
In the car, Ivy hugged her cat and played on her phone.
Jiang Yao glanced in the rearview mirror at the boy sitting in the back, his face calm and unreadable.
She couldn’t help feeling this kid was way too chill for someone his age.
"Yuran, aren’t you going to introduce your new friend? What’s his name? He looks pretty young, right?" Jiang Yao asked with a smile as she drove.
She was genuinely curious about the boy in the back, and judging by Li Yuran’s expression, she didn’t seem to dislike him at all.
"Evan Lin."
Evan glanced at Jiang Yao, his expression completely neutral.
Originally, Evan planned to leave right after getting off the train, but Claire Li kept insisting it was hard to get a taxi here and it was so late—eventually, he agreed to hitch a ride. He figured it’d let her pay back a little of the favor she owed him.
"Are you still in school, or did you come to Capitalview to work?"
Jiang Yao asked, curious.
As soon as she said that, Claire Li turned to look at Evan, her face full of curiosity too.
"I’m a student."
Hearing him only answer with a few words and not seeming interested in talking, Claire Li felt a little disappointed, while Yolanda Jiang just got even more curious. "A student? Which school? Maybe you go to the same one as my cousin."
"She’s in Capitalview First High Experimental Class."
Yolanda Jiang sounded pretty proud as she said this.
The Experimental Class at Capitalview First High was basically a one-way ticket to a top university. Last year, one class sent two students to Clearwater University and three to Beijing University—totally insane results.
Having a cousin like that was definitely something Yolanda Jiang could brag about.
"I still don’t know which school I’ll be at."
Evan answered truthfully. Actually, since he figured the train might arrive pretty late, he hadn’t told Lucy Lu his exact arrival time—no need to make her stay up just to pick him up at the station.
If anything happened on the way, it’d be a hassle too.
Yolanda Jiang couldn’t help but laugh, and even Claire Li looked a bit helpless. She didn’t know Evan that well either, but for some reason, being next to him made her feel safe. At least, his eyes never had that aggressive look she hated in other guys.
Yolanda Jiang couldn’t help but laugh, and even Claire Li looked a bit helpless. She didn’t know Evan that well either, but for some reason, being next to him made her feel safe. At least, his eyes never had that aggressive look she hated in other guys.
Yolanda Jiang couldn’t help but laugh, and even Claire Li looked a bit helpless. She didn’t know Evan that well either, but for some reason, being next to him made her feel safe. At least, his eyes never had that aggressive look she hated in other guys.
"Probably Capitalview No. 2 High or No. 3 High," Ivy Liang said from the front seat, glancing back with a bored expression.
Capitalview No. 2 and No. 3 High Schools weren’t on the same level as First High in terms of academics or anything else. And as far as Ivy Liang could tell, there was nothing special about this guy in the back.
Claire Li looked a little apologetic, worried Ivy Liang’s words might offend Evan. But when she glanced at him, all she saw was the same calm, unreadable face as before.
That gave Claire Li a weird feeling, like the guy next to her was just completely above it all—totally untouched by ordinary drama.
Just then, as Jiang Yao was about to say something else, her face suddenly changed and she let out a startled cry.