Life is always full of surprises.

Over ten minutes later, the two of them were already sitting inside a white Polo. Chen Sufen listened with a stony face as Bai Haonan rambled on about the entire ordeal, her brows tightly knit and her lips pressed even tighter.

Now that they were in the car, those long legs of hers lost some of their intimidating power, allowing attention to settle on her face. Despite her rather rustic name—evidence enough that Old Chen and his wife weren't particularly well-educated—her petite, delicate face featured large eyes and slender brows, a slightly full, rosy mouth, and a healthy, sun-kissed beauty accentuated by her tousled short hair. The fine arch of her brows and the glossy sheen on her lips suggested that even in a hurry, she'd taken the time to fix her makeup—a detail Bai Haonan picked up on with ease, though he didn't focus on her for long. “I don't want to be mixed up in this crap anymore. Anyone with half a brain knows football is a joke. If it wasn't for the money, I would've quit ages ago...”

Chen Sufen's attractive features were clearly inherited from her mother, but the darker skin was pure Old Chen—a fact made more apparent by her current thunderous expression. Her voice was cold and mocking: “Right, so if you don't do this, what are you going to do?”

Bai Haonan bristled. “I've got a good memory. Even if I end up dealing cards in a casino, I could get by...”

A sharp slap landed before he could finish. Despite being on his guard, he couldn't dodge fast enough; her nails even grazed his forehead. “Damn it, you—”

She cut him off, her voice louder than his: “Damn it, your mother! Can you try thinking like a normal person for once? Even if you told me you were going to haul bricks for a living, I’d believe you could turn your life around! But the first thing that comes to your mind is always the casino. Besides fixing matches and shady business, what else are you even capable of?! You're uneducated, thoughtless, and have zero work experience—you’re twenty-eight! Almost thirty, and you can't do a damn thing! When are you going to shape up?”

Bai Haonan, ready to retort in the heat of the moment, caught a glimpse of her twisted little face and decided to play the better man, slumping back in the driver’s seat with an air of disdain. He let Chen Sufen scold him, his eyes drifting outside to the women passing by on the street. The rumors about the beauties of Rongdu were no exaggeration—they were nothing like the girls back in Jiangzhou.

The small space of the Polo echoed with Chen Sufen's slightly husky voice. Ignoring her face, it was as if Old Chen himself had simply been given a female voice. Bai Haonan maintained his usual lazy, unbothered manner.

Chen Sufen's anger soon spent itself. She relaxed against the seat, arms crossed over her chest. “Fine! Here’s how it is. You’ll just start over here in Rongdu—find a new job, a new life. I’m in my second year now. By the time I graduate, enough time will have passed and I’ll probably be off to another city anyway.” She finished, only to notice Bai Haonan's gaze lingering after the girls outside. Furious, she slapped him again.

But Bai Haonan’s reflexes as a professional athlete were quick—he caught her strong little arm. “Don’t push your luck. If I can’t stay here, there are plenty of other places I can go...”

Chen Sufen instantly swung with her other hand, forcing Bai Haonan to cross his arms to restrain her, his face full of exasperation. “You did well in school. You could've studied secretarial work or business, become a proper lady—but no, you had to go to the sports institute, get all rough and tumble. How do you expect to find a husband in the future...”

She struggled frantically, but all her technique was overpowered by his strength. Unfortunately, the cramped car left her long legs with no room to move, and shaking her head did little—her short hair lacked the drama. The car itself even trembled, making it look as if something unspeakable was happening inside. A passerby stopped to peer in through the window, prompting Chen Sufen to snap, “What are you looking at?!”

Bai Haonan cheered up, grinning. “Let them look. You—”

She glared at him. “Shut up! This is all your fault! Let go! I said let go!” There was nothing ladylike about her, but her refreshing straightforwardness had its own charm.

Bai Haonan finally let go, straightening his face. “Enough. I’m not going to argue. I really need to disappear for a while. I should head somewhere with fewer people. Plenty of the team know you’re in Rongdu. If word gets out and it leads here, those bookies won’t care if you’re a tomboy or not. If something happens to you, it won’t be worth it.”

Chen Sufen wasn't intimidated. She sneered, “Bring it on! You really are as dim as they say. Ever heard of hiding in plain sight? The most dangerous place is the safest. If you run off somewhere remote, how are you going to survive? The moment you withdraw money from the bank, you’ll be found. It’ll be easy for them to track you down. Hiding in Rongdu—do you think you’re that easy to find? Even if they know you’re here, this city has fifteen million people. How are they going to find you?!”

Bai Haonan wasn’t stubborn. Her words gave him pause. “That does make sense. My wallet and bank cards were all burned. I don’t even dare report them lost or get new ones—at least not for now, who knows what the police are thinking...”

Chen Sufen’s tone was mocking, but her words urgent: “That’s called being classified! What, you think it’s a penalty kick? With your survival skills, you’d be dead in a small town. Here in the big city, you can always find a way to live.”

Just then, Bai Haonan glimpsed a long-haired beauty in a tight skirt walking by, and his heart skipped a beat. “Alright! I’ll try laying low for a while. But I don’t want to drag you into this...”

A smile almost broke out on Chen Sufen’s lips, but she caught his wandering gaze and smacked him again. “Get lost! I don’t want you messing up my chances at school!”

Bai Haonan laughed in surprise, letting her hit him—her smack was more like a tickle, and he almost wanted her hand to linger on his head. “I don’t live at school anyway. I’ve got my own place a little ways off. You can stay in the living room for a few days.”

He was about to refuse, but before he could, her hand latched onto his ear, forcing him to drive. They took a winding route, though in reality it was just two stops away, skirting a huge park next to the academy. Chen Sufen, still pinching his ear, explained that the park was so large there was a training class every morning at the east gate. If she commuted from campus, she’d have to leave over half an hour early, so she’d rented a place nearby to get a little more sleep. She pointed out the window mockingly, “Look, there’s the Medical University, and over there is the Nationalities University. More female students than you can count, beauties from all over the country. Plus, right by the park is a historic old street with bars lining it. On weekends and holidays, the place is packed with gorgeous women. Happy now?!”

It had to be said, in July, Jiangzhou was already sweltering like a furnace, but Rongdu was delightfully cool. More importantly, the streets were filled with scantily clad young women. Bai Haonan nearly drooled, nodding with exaggerated approval. “Good brother! You really know my tastes...”

Chen Sufen pinched harder, but Bai Haonan didn’t seem to feel it, exclaiming in delight, “Hey, look at that one—damn...” He sounded ready to leap from the car in pursuit.

She rolled her eyes, yanked his ear to change direction, and even though his gaze stubbornly followed the pretty figure, she ordered, “Turn! Back there...”

Bai Haonan was genuinely surprised. Behind the quaint, traditional buildings was a row of shopfronts, and just behind them, a few old dormitory blocks. Seeing the bars and nightclubs packed along the street, he felt it was perfect for him—he wouldn’t even need to move his car. This new fugitive life was shaping up to be a dream.

Then came a second surprise. Climbing the stairs of the somewhat shabby building, its walls plastered with flyers, they reached the second floor. As soon as the key turned in the lock, a voice called from inside, “Xiaofen, skipping class again?”

Unlike Chen Sufen’s half-hoarse, tomboyish tone, this voice was soft and languid—just hearing it, Bai Haonan was certain it belonged to a beauty. Years spent in nightclubs had made him an expert at guessing such things.