Chapter 9 : The Better View

In the second half of the movie, the two main characters, who were flying the flag of Dom and Sub, inevitably fell in love.

But fortunately, their romance was a chaotic mess, full of comedic moments.

Jiang Yanlin had finally had enough of her phone and managed to muster the energy to watch the plot.

El was in front and to their right, with a small wooden table between them, but if he turned around, he would have a clear view of what was happening behind him.

Miss Péi’s expression was perfectly proper, her attention focused on the movie.

But the arm wrapped around Jiang Yanlin’s waist never let go.

It was, however, just resting there.

From time to time, Jiang Yanlin could hear her whisper, her voice low as she leaned in close to her ear.

Every word was nothing more than a cool critique or a sarcastic comment.

It was as if she was communicating this way simply to prevent El from hearing her buzzkill remarks.

But did she really care about El’s feelings that much?

Jiang Yanlin wondered with great interest.

Often, caring for others’ feelings is positioned in direct opposition to one’s own.

Like two ends of a scale: one side is the self, the other is the other.

If one side becomes heavier, the other naturally loses its balance.

People who are overly considerate in their dealings with others often do so at the expense of their own feelings.

Whether they have a self-sacrificing personality or are simply trying to win people over, over time, they become accustomed to suppressing their true emotions.

And people who are too self-centered can inadvertently hurt those around them.

Sometimes it’s unintentional, but sometimes, it’s simply a matter of prioritizing oneself.

Péi Wanyi was clearly not the self-sacrificing type.

She was self-centered.

But just how self-centered could she be?

Perhaps the measure was value.

When the “self” would harm “interests,” she would rein it in a little.

That’s why there are so many sanctimonious people in this world.

Before the movie ended, El was suddenly called away by a family emergency back in South America.

He didn’t even have time to close up the shop, simply handing the keys to Péi Wanyi before rushing out.

Miss Péi, now labeled “sanctimonious,” was completely unaware. She watched the person running off, momentarily speechless.

He had dragged her here for no reason, only to suddenly abandon them both. She almost suspected he did it on purpose.

Jiang Yanlin picked up the pillow that had fallen on the floor, dusted it off, and placed it on the sofa beside her.

The projector was still on, the credits rolling on the screen. The faint, flickering light made the night view outside the floor-to-ceiling windows seem even more enticing.

Jiang Yanlin got up and went to the balcony. The movie had made her a bit drowsy, but the night breeze woke her up.

El most likely had a real emergency. He was the type who couldn’t hide his feelings; he couldn’t fake such urgency.

But just as he had said, he had indeed done his best to “help” her.

For a rare moment, Jiang Yanlin felt a touch of complexity in her emotions.

“What’s so great about the view here?”

Jiang Yanlin turned around to see her leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, head tilted as she looked at her.

The second floor wasn’t high, and the view was limited. Naturally, it was nothing special.

But Jiang Yanlin raised an eyebrow, deliberately teasing,
“It certainly can’t be as good as the views Miss Péi has seen.”

Péi Wanyi smiled at her words, straightened up, and stuck one hand in her jeans pocket.

She was wearing just a white shirt, jeans, and simple black shoes. Her sleeves were rolled up, revealing a delicate silver chain.

The silver glinted lightly as she moved. Jiang Yanlin heard her say:
“Come on. I’ll show you something better.”

After saying that, she didn’t even bother to wait for a reply, turning and heading straight downstairs.

She really did have the attitude of a proper young miss.

Jiang Yanlin briefly considered the possibility of being kidnapped and sold by her, but in the end, she grabbed her things and followed her downstairs.

It was late at night, and most of the shops on the street were closed, with only a few signs still lit.

Péi Wanyi was standing in front of her motorcycle, skillfully putting on her helmet. She then pulled out another spare helmet from under the seat.

Jiang Yanlin glanced at the bike. The red wrap from last time had been replaced. It was now a metallic, glossy orange. It was hard to say which color was more flamboyant.

But on the all-black body of the bike, the softest, most beautiful curve seemed to demand such a striking color.

Péi Wanyi handed her the helmet and asked, “Do you know how to wear this?”

Jiang Yanlin took it, gathered her hair with one hand, and put it on.

“It seems a bit big.” Péi Wanyi leaned over the bike, reaching out to help her adjust the strap.

Jiang Yanlin looked at the face so close to hers and finally asked the question:
“What kind of cosmetic procedures do you usually get?”

Péi Wanyi’s movement paused, and she looked up at her.

Their eyes met for only a brief second, the limit.

“Is that your way of complimenting me?”
Miss Péi asked with a light laugh.

Jiang Yanlin returned the most formulaic of smiles.

Péi Wanyi carefully adjusted the strap for her before saying casually,
“Next time, I’ll make a list of everything I’ve had done and send it to you.”

Jiang Yanlin was satisfied enough and was about to reply with a “thank you.”

But the woman in front of her added another sentence:
“But I haven’t done anything in a long time. I was born with good skin, so spending money on it doesn’t make much sense.”

Jiang Yanlin looked at her speechlessly.
—In this world, there was actually a woman more narcissistic than her.

Péi Wanyi seemed oblivious to how aggravating her words were. She got on the motorcycle with a swift motion, then looked back at her and held out a hand.

“Get on.”

Jiang Yanlin never pretended to be skilled in areas she wasn’t familiar with, so she placed her hand in hers.

She also took a moment to be thankful that she was wearing loose-fitting casual pants today.

Péi Wanyi’s palm was expectedly warm. With a gentle squeeze, she pulled Jiang Yanlin onto the bike.

Then, she guided her hand to her waist and gave it a suggestive little squeeze.

“Hold on tight. Don’t let go.”

The next second, the motorcycle’s engine roared to life, and they shot forward.

Jiang Yanlin had to wrap both arms around her, using her body to block the wind hitting her face.

The strands of hair not held down by the helmet whipped around, making her squint.

The streets, no longer unfamiliar, blurred into patches of color around them, mixed with brilliant lights, all jumbled together.

The wind was more exhilarating than ever before, carrying her forward, as if it would never stop.

The warmth of the body she was holding dispelled the night’s chill. Even her mind couldn’t help but relax a little, lost in the rushing wind and the bizarre scenery.

It wasn’t until they had driven quite a distance that Jiang Yanlin realized with a start.
—She hadn’t even asked where this road was leading.