Bai Tang curled his lips, offering a faint, ambiguous smile as he looked at the other person. "I never pretended to be anything before!"
"Is that so? But your driving skills weren't like this back then!" Si Rui frowned.
Bai Tang chuckled, his gaze fixed steadily on Si Rui with a hint of playfulness. "Do you really know who I was before?"
Si Rui's expression darkened, and he said nothing.
Because, just as Bai Tang had said, he didn't truly understand her.
What had her driving skills been like back then? He only knew what he'd heard from others around him.
He had always been arrogant and self-righteous, looking down on everyone, unwilling to associate with people he deemed unnecessary.
The little he knew about Bai Tang came from the fact that, back in school, this girl had pursued him relentlessly, like a stubborn burr that couldn't be shaken off.
He liked Bai Xi'er, and naturally, he knew about the relationship between Bai Tang and Bai Xi'er, so Bai Tang's pursuit had always annoyed him deep down.
Still, his good upbringing kept him from doing anything too hurtful, which only emboldened Bai Tang's advances.
Toward Bai Tang, he had always been cold and indifferent. Occasionally, his friends would tell him about some crazy thing she'd done for him.
He never responded, just felt a growing irritation inside.
Even when he heard she'd ended up in the hospital after a street race with another girl over him, he only felt annoyed.
He had rejected her to her face several times before, and afterward, she stopped appearing before him but would still do flashy things to declare her love.
In his mind, this girl was deeply in love with him.
But now, looking at the young woman before him, Si Rui saw none of the familiar adoration in those dark, sparkling eyes, nor any hint of joy.
It was like looking at a stranger—calm as still water.
This realization struck Si Rui as ironic. Could feelings change so easily?
"You used to..." Si Rui started, but the words caught in his throat.
He sneered inwardly.
"What about me before?"
Si Rui composed himself and shook his head. "Nothing. Just that you seem different now."
"People change," Bai Tang said calmly, a faint smile on her lips. "You mean I used to like you a lot, right?"
Caught off guard by her bluntness, Si Rui's face briefly showed a flicker of embarrassment before it vanished.
"That was in the past," Bai Tang said with a smile, continuing, "People change. When all that passion is met with nothing but rejection and mockery, it fades away."
"I was young and foolish back then, chasing after things that weren't meant for me. Now that I've grown up, I won't make those same mistakes again."
Bai Tang smiled openly. "Sorry, I guess what I did before was harassment."
"It won't happen again."
Si Rui felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.
He kept his expression neutral and said flatly, "You're a good driver. If possible, I hope we can have a proper match sometime."
With that, Si Rui turned and left.
Bai Tang watched his retreating figure, raising an eyebrow slightly. A decent enough guy, but not her type.
Her type was...
Bai Tang shifted her gaze, scanning the area until she met a pair of deep, dark eyes.
She paused, then grinned brightly at the person, only to see a chill flash through those dark eyes as the owner looked away in clear displeasure.
Chu Yi, observing his boss's reaction, couldn't help but speak up. "Boss, do you think those two were rekindling an old flame just now?"
Sheng Qi turned his head, his gaze landing on Chu Yi, his grip on the paper in his hand tightening slightly. "Chu Yi..."