Chapter 1

To judge whether a woman is of the highest quality, it takes just three glances. The first glance is to look at her figure, from bottom to top: slim calves, straight thighs, and a supple waist, only then is it worth a second glance; the second glance is to look at her hair, if it is black, shiny, and smooth, it indicates that she has a high standard of living, thus passing the second test; the third glance is to look at her skin, if it is as smooth as congealed fat, even if her face is ordinary, she won’t be bad at all.

Fang Zhicheng glanced at the woman sitting in the back seat through the rearview mirror. This woman was very appealing, fitting the criteria of being of the highest quality. Besides the three aforementioned advantages, she had a special aura, elegant and composed, sitting quietly, filling the car with a fragrance that seemed to have a life of its own, penetrating the heart and causing an unbearable itch.

— Practicing driving with a beautiful woman cleared the gloom from his work.

Not long ago, Fang Zhicheng, with the highest written test score, the second-highest interview score, and the overall highest score, was admitted to the Secretary Office of the Municipal Party Committee. However, after reviewing his resume, Deputy Secretary and Office Director Deng Nengren still found fault, “Xiaofang has good overall qualities but still has shortcomings. He doesn’t even have a driver’s license. To be a qualified secretary, one must be versatile, and a driver’s license is a must-have.”

Fang Zhicheng’s position was originally tailored for another person, but due to his excellent written test score, he squeezed out the intended competitor. After Fang Zhicheng was hired, Deng Nengren naturally wouldn’t let him disrupt his plans again, so he used nitpicking comments to remove him from the list of candidates for the Secretary to the Party Secretary.

Just a few days into his job, he was criticized and suppressed by the head of the office. Fang Zhicheng had to suppress his anger and enrolled in a driving school, determined to get his license as soon as possible—“You say I don’t have a license? I’ll get it and then see what you can do!”

Today, there were four people practicing driving. Besides Fang Zhicheng and the woman the coach called “Ms. Zhao,” there were two middle-aged men. From their gazes, one could see a hidden ardor.

Ms. Zhao, however, remained calm, not showing any anger at their rudeness. A slight smile played on her lips as she pressed down the hem of her black skirt, her legs crossed, revealing smooth lines under the sheer stockings, exuding a mysterious allure.

Women, after all, have a sense of vanity; the more others appreciate them, the more satisfied they feel—Fang Zhicheng guessed.

“Xiaofang, you’re doing well with the car. Everyone, pay attention: one step on the gas, two shift gears, three turn the steering wheel, four honk!” The coach, seeing how quickly Fang Zhicheng was learning, was very satisfied.

Fang Zhicheng humbly smiled, “The main reason is that our coach is teaching well. The golden reputation of the top coach in Yinzhou is not just talk!”

The coach, flattered, couldn’t help but smile, thinking that this young man was quite sweet and knew how to get along, so he decided to give him more time to practice.

After half an hour, Fang Zhicheng voluntarily asked to switch. The coach let Ms. Zhao try, but she seemed to be not very skilled, stalling the car several times in five minutes. The coach shook his head helplessly and let the other two take turns practicing.

The back seat was very cramped. After Ms. Zhao got in, Fang Zhicheng was squeezed in the middle. As the car drove onto a dirt road, the body jolted violently, and Fang Zhicheng’s shoulder accidentally touched Ms. Zhao’s body, making the already enticing fragrance in the car even stronger.

Ms. Zhao’s shirt collar was low, and Fang Zhicheng glanced at the expanse of white, smooth skin below her long neck. He quickly averted his gaze, but the soft sensation from his elbow became even clearer.

“Sorry! The road is too bumpy, I squeezed you.” Fang Zhicheng shifted his weight, putting on a gentlemanly demeanor.

Ms. Zhao was slightly taken aback, then smiled calmly, “It’s fine, the space is small, and it’s uncomfortable to sit. It’s okay to move a bit closer to me…”

Ms. Zhao, a woman with deep background, was not someone to be easily approached—roses are beautiful, but they have thorns. Fang Zhicheng knew his limits and didn’t overstep, smiling awkwardly and moving his buttocks forward, supporting himself on the back of the front seat to maintain stability.

After practicing, they returned to the driving school, which was already evening. After everyone dispersed, Ms. Zhao suddenly called out to Fang Zhicheng, “Xiaofang, can you help me?”

Ms. Zhao had been quiet on the way, and Fang Zhicheng was surprised that she would speak to him, asking, “Ms. Zhao, what’s the matter?”

Looking at Ms. Zhao face-to-face, without the distance, made her seem very approachable. She looked to be only about 25 or 26 years old, tall and slender, with smooth, lustrous skin, delicate features, and a voice that was pleasant and gentle, with a slight magnetic quality.

Ms. Zhao pointed to a silver-gray BMW parked nearby, took a car key from her red leather bag, and said, “Can you help me drive the car back?”

In 2004, BMWs with Yinzhou plates were still rare. Fang Zhicheng thought, “Ms. Zhao, I haven’t gotten my license yet. Are you sure you trust me to drive?”

Ms. Zhao hooked a strand of hair behind her ear with her little finger and smiled, “I trust my intuition. You can safely take me home.”

Whether it was bravery or being bewitched by the vixen, Fang Zhicheng hesitated for a moment and then actually took the car key from Ms. Zhao.

Ms. Zhao sat in the back, took out a makeup case from her bag, and occasionally glanced at Fang Zhicheng. Her mind was a mix of emotions, as today’s encounter in the coach car was actually carefully planned, and Fang Zhicheng was still in the dark.

What should she do next? Let this young man replace him and fill the void in her heart?

After a bit of fumbling, Fang Zhicheng drove the car out of the driving school. Ms. Zhao, sitting in the back, touched up her makeup and asked casually, “Do you know why I asked you to drive me home?”

“Because you feel safe when I drive?” Fang Zhicheng joked, his palms sweating on the steering wheel, his mind racing, thinking, “You’re deliberately ‘fishing’ for me!”

“Because you look a lot like my ex-boyfriend,” Ms. Zhao said playfully.

Fang Zhicheng suppressed his excitement and pretended to be angry, “Ms. Zhao, don’t joke around. I’m not easily fooled!”

“My name is Zhao Qingya. Call me Sister Ya in the future.” Zhao Qingya’s mood changed quickly, suddenly becoming melancholic, “Thank you for driving me home today. If you need anything, you can contact me directly.”

With that, she extended her hand from the back seat, placed a business card in Fang Zhicheng’s pocket.

The drive was uneventful, and the BMW stopped in front of a villa in the Golden Home neighborhood. The villa had a garden, with several tulips in full bloom, but the sky was not favorable. As soon as they got out of the car, dark clouds gathered, and the surroundings turned gloomy. After a few rumbles of thunder, lightning split the sky, and a storm was imminent.

Inside the villa, Zhao Qingya called the driver and said to Fang Zhicheng, “The driver is on his way. Come in for a cup of tea and wait for the driver to take you back.”

“Then I’ll be a bother to Sister Ya,” Fang Zhicheng nodded, looking around.

The villa was luxuriously decorated, with marble floors, a crystal chandelier on the ceiling, and a pair of Qing Dynasty vases in the corner, clearly very valuable.

Zhao Qingya served two cups of coffee. Fang Zhicheng took a sip, finding it very good, and smiled, “I’ve never had such fragrant coffee.”

“If you have time, come over often, and I’ll make it for you.” Zhao Qingya stared at Fang Zhicheng, seemingly lost in thought. Suddenly, her hand trembled, and coffee spilled onto her chest, forming a stain.

She wiped her chest with a tissue, but it didn’t clean, so she sighed, put the coffee cup aside, and went to the bedroom next to the living room.

Outside, lightning and thunder raged, and the rain was heavier than expected. The bedroom door was not fully closed, and the light from inside spilled onto the marble floor, revealing Zhao Qingya’s silhouette as she changed clothes.

This was too blatant a hint, and Fang Zhicheng felt his blood rush.

Zhao Qingya slowed her pace, feeling her soul tremble, leaving the door open, wondering if the young man would seize the opportunity.

Fang Zhicheng subconsciously moved toward the door but ultimately couldn’t make up his mind, and reason overcame impulse.

He finished his coffee in one gulp, trying to distract himself by walking around the living room. His gaze eventually fell on a photo on the bookshelf—his eyebrows twitched, feeling both surprised and eerie.

In the photo, a younger Zhao Qingya was arm-in-arm with a young man who looked about 70-80% like him.

At that moment, Zhao Qingya cleared her throat behind him, and Fang Zhicheng snapped back to reality.

Zhao Qingya had changed into a white top, her figure full and smooth, exuding a mature and elegant aura. She sighed, “This is my first love, who looks a lot like you.”

Fang Zhicheng vaguely saw the tight, fiery red straps under the thin white top, feeling a bit dazed. He scratched his head and laughed awkwardly, “I thought you were just teasing me…”

“I’m not that boring!” Zhao Qingya, seeing Fang Zhicheng’s flushed face, teased, “Why don’t you become him and be my boyfriend?”

Fang Zhicheng’s mouth opened wide, not knowing how to respond. Zhao Qingya was very beautiful, and any man would find it hard to refuse such an invitation, but being a substitute for her first love was too much to bear! Fang Zhicheng stared at Zhao Qingya, stunned.

“Just teasing you! Dummy!” Zhao Qingya, seeing Fang Zhicheng’s痴痴 gaze, blushed and poked his forehead with her finger, laughing softly.

“Sister Ya, your smile is so beautiful!” Fang Zhicheng felt a surge of courage, inexplicably grabbing her soft fingers and wrapping his arm around her slender waist, his eyes meeting her dazed gaze…

Zhao Qingya was shocked by Fang Zhicheng’s actions, feeling as if she had returned to the past, like a dream.

Back then, he would embrace her, making her breath quicken and her cheeks flush…

For several seconds, they could hear each other’s heartbeats. Fang Zhicheng felt an impulse to lean in and kiss Zhao Qingya’s rosy, inviting lips.

Just then, his phone rang, and Zhao Qingya regained her composure, pushing Fang Zhicheng away, smoothing her trembling chest, and answering the call.

After hanging up, she smiled, “The driver is waiting outside, and the rain isn’t so heavy. You can go back now.”

Fang Zhicheng sighed, feeling the lingering fragrance in his arms, suppressing his many questions, and smiled as he bid farewell to Zhao Qingya, as if nothing had happened.

As the BMW drove away from the villa, Zhao Qingya held her coffee, squinting her eyes, and gazed at the flower garden outside, murmuring to herself, “He’s like you from five years ago, just as sunny and handsome, but I know he’s not you…”

Back home, Fang Zhicheng kept flipping the business card “General Manager of Yuhu Restaurant—Zhao Qingya,” repeatedly pressing the number on the keypad, but ultimately didn’t have the courage to call.

The intermittent rain continued, and the window wasn’t fully closed, so the sound of water came from the balcony. Fang Zhicheng walked to the balcony, pulled up the window, and felt his phone vibrate, indicating a new message.

“The Anhui Provincial Meteorological Bureau has issued an orange rainstorm warning. Cities such as Qiongjin, Dengchang, Yinzhou, and Linfeng will experience continuous rainfall. The Municipal Party Committee’s Organization Department has issued an urgent notice, requiring all levels of party organizations and party members and cadres to take it seriously, act quickly, and actively participate in flood control and rescue efforts…”

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