Clothes make the man.
Even Xiao Zhou didn't expect it. That guy who had seemed like a rustic, backwater bumpkin—straight out of some remote mountain village—had completely transformed the moment he changed into a Hanfu. His entire aura had shifted!
But the first words out of his mouth ruined the impression entirely:
"How's this? Not bad, right? Too bad I'm not a flirt. Since I'm marrying Ning Xiruo, I'll just grit my teeth and accept it. Otherwise… well, you might've had a chance."
Xiao Zhou's face went red with both embarrassment and fury. She wanted nothing more than to drive off the overpass and crush this damn fool!
"You mountain bumpkin, what are you thinking?! Ning is the goddess of Dongshan! The most beautiful woman here! Do you even realize how much luck it takes to marry her? And you still complain…"
Chen Xinan sneered dismissively. "Her? The most beautiful? Have you Dongshan men all gone blind? What kind of taste is that?"
Xiao Zhou was speechless. Blind? Bad taste? She didn't even know where to start. Best to just let it go; after all, the whole marriage was a sham anyway.
"I'll remind you," she said, her face serious, "tonight you're going back to Panlong Bay with Ning Xiruo. Her family… they're not easy to deal with. You have to behave. Do not embarrass her or cause her trouble."
Chen Xinan tilted his head, his eyes wandering over her profile. Xiao Zhou flushed and snapped, "I'm talking to you! Are you listening?"
He answered lazily, "Yeah, yeah, I'll behave. Not like I cause trouble."
Her face burned. "Have you had enough staring yet?!"
Chen Xinan shook his head. "Nope. Looks fun. I want to play. You mind parking? Let me…"
"You pervert! I warn you—don't even think about it!" Xiao Zhou turned away, furious.
"I can't believe you're like this! No money, no power—just a bumpkin from the mountains—and yet you get to marry a goddess like Ning Xiruo! Don't you feel honored?"
Chen Xinan blinked, puzzled. "I just want to try driving. How is that flirting?"
"…Huh?" Xiao Zhou was stunned.
"You said 'fun' earlier—driving, right?" she asked, embarrassed.
"Of course. What else did you think?" Chen Xinan replied with a cocked head.
She realized with horror that his eyes had never been on her body—he had been studying her hands and feet to learn how to drive!
The humiliation was unbearable. Xiao Zhou wished she could dig a hole and crawl into it.
Clearing her throat, she said as composedly as she could, "If you want to learn, wait until after your marriage. You can register for driving lessons. At most, six months and you can get a license."
"Fastest?" Chen Xinan asked.
"One month is possible, but only if you've driven before. Have you?"
"Nope. Never," he admitted honestly.
He had grown up on Qingniu Mountain. He'd been down to nearby towns for herbs and supplies, so he wasn't completely clueless—but morning's car ride with Lin Shuai had shaken him. He had thrown up and felt ashamed. Chen Xinan's nature was to confront his fears head-on, just like when he learned medicine and dissected wild animals.
Xiao Zhou, though strict with him, found a reputable driving school and introduced him to Coach Guan, a fifty-something instructor known for his experience.
"This is Coach Guan, my instructor too. He's thorough and responsible. I'll register him; after your family matters, you can come practice."
Coach Guan chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he gets his license. Even my slowest student took two months—he won't need more than three."
A group of students laughed at Chen Xinan as he climbed into the car. "First time behind the wheel? He can't even start!"
"Two stalls, third start's steady. Give him half an hour!" someone predicted.
"By the time he's on lesson two, we'll have our licenses already," another joked.
Ten minutes later, a training car roared down the track like a wild stallion, dust flying behind it. Xiao Zhou muttered nervously, "Coach, he's a total beginner. Driving this fast will scare him half to death!"
The car suddenly swerved toward her, and the students screamed, scattering. Xiao Zhou froze.
With a screech, the car stopped just thirty centimeters in front of her—behind the wheel wasn't the coach, but Chen Xinan himself. He gave her a thumbs-up. "Thrilling!"
Coach Guan got out, stunned. "You said he's a beginner? He's never touched a car? Who are you kidding? This guy's a pro! I didn't even dare hit the passenger brake!"
Xiao Zhou swallowed hard. "Coach… he really is a beginner. He only learned by watching me drive on the way here."
Chen Xinan's fearless audacity and raw talent left everyone dumbfounded—and left Xiao Zhou both impressed and exasperated.