Chapter 108: Public Resolution or Private Settlement?

Zhang Xiluo drove slowly, deliberately pulling over to the side to let the car behind her pass. But the car behind showed no intention of overtaking and stayed right behind her.

She turned on the hazard lights, hoping he would pass, but instead, he suddenly accelerated and rammed into her car. Fortunately, the speed was low, so the impact was minor.

Her car only shook slightly, and she was unharmed.

The driver behind had already gotten out and was pounding on her car window.

Zhang Xiluo tensed and glanced up, only to find it was Mu Peipei!

She had followed her all the way here!

Zhang Xiluo looked at Mu Peipei through the glass. Mu Peipei wore a haughty expression, her eyes filled with resentment. Seeing Zhang Xiluo refuse to roll down the window, she pounded harder on the glass.

“Zhang Xiluo, get out here,” Mu Peipei snarled angrily, her voice sharp and loud. “You dare seduce Li Mingye, but you’re too scared to face me?”

Zhang Xiluo felt both amused and annoyed. According to Mu Peipei’s logic, she and Li Mingye were already involved, and Zhang Xiluo was the mistress secretly flirting behind her back.

Without understanding the situation, Mu Peipei had come straight to accuse her—typical of someone all brawn and no brains.

“First, I don’t know you, so there’s no need to talk face to face. Second, whatever happens between Li Mingye and me is none of your business. Lastly, since you deliberately hit my car, I intend to pursue legal action,” Zhang Xiluo said sternly, rolling down the window slightly.

“The whole of Longcheng knows I came back to marry Li Mingye. Since you’re already divorced from him, why are you still clinging to him?” Mu Peipei’s displeasure was written all over her face. She simply disliked Zhang Xiluo.

“I just found out too. Don’t worry, I have no interest in him,” Zhang Xiluo replied, pulling out her phone. “I don’t have time to wait for you to figure out insurance. You pay me the compensation.”

Mu Peipei paused, eyeing Zhang Xiluo with suspicion. “Are you short on money?”

“Do you want to settle privately or call the police?”

“Settle. How much?”

Mu Peipei frowned, her gaze on Zhang Xiluo growing strange. “Zhang Xiluo, you’re just a gold digger. That’s why you’re after Li Mingye.”

“Give me two hundred thousand first. I’ll give you the repair invoice—any extra, I’ll refund,” Zhang Xiluo said without answering any questions about Li Mingye. After Mu Peipei paid, Zhang Xiluo closed the window and drove off.

Mu Peipei, an arrogant heiress, lacked the cunning or subtlety—her deliberate rear-end collision proved that.

As long as Zhang Xiluo diverted the topic, she could distract Mu Peipei, and the sharp questions would vanish.

Back at Qingyuan, night had fully fallen. Zhang’s parents were waiting for her dinner.

“Why are you back so late? Did something happen to Xueting?” Mrs. Zhang asked. Zhang Xiluo hesitated for a moment, then shook her head guiltily.

“She just kept talking to me. I’m going to wash up first—I’m starving.”

She couldn’t tell her mother she had seen Li Mingye.

After dinner, she watched TV with her parents. Mr. Zhang asked how the shop search was going.

“Haven’t found the right place yet. Doesn’t need to be big, mainly a good environment,” Zhang Xiluo said, eating an apple as she explained. “I don’t want a store in the busy downtown area. Preferably somewhere quiet, suitable for my creative work.”

“Haha, look at our Luo Luo, already has the air of an artist,” Mrs. Zhang laughed happily, and Mr. Zhang nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, hahaha.”

Had it been anyone else, Zhang Xiluo might have thought they were mocking her, but she knew her parents were genuinely proud and happy for her.

“Mom, I’m going upstairs to shower and rest. You guys enjoy the show.”

After chatting a while, Zhang Xiluo went upstairs. She didn’t care much for TV, especially the war dramas.

She showered, changed clothes, and curled up in the lazy chair scrolling on her phone.

Suddenly, a message from an unknown number popped up, politely inquiring about the accident involving Mu Peipei’s car—clearly not from Mu Peipei herself.

Zhang Xiluo replied briefly: “Hello, Miss Mu Peipei, your car deliberately hit mine. The rear bumper is dented. I’m asking for two hundred thousand in cash, no more, no less. Any questions?”

“Hello, Miss Zhang, I’m Mu Changjia. I apologize on behalf of my sister. Are you available tomorrow? I’d like to accompany you to get the car fixed, to show my sincerity.”

“No need, thank you. I’ll send a driver to handle the repairs. I’ll give the receipts to Miss Mu afterward.”

Zhang Xiluo declined to meet him. Mu Changjia didn’t reply, and the matter was closed.

Early the next morning, Zhang Xiluo called Xiao Zhao to take her car for repairs, then drove her mother’s car to continue looking at shop spaces.

She had never liked socializing. With all her attention on Li Mingye, and only Jiang Xueting and Xu Xinyi as friends, she had hardly any social life.

With no entertainment, she threw herself into her career.

Today she visited a shop on Longcheng’s Old Street. The location was within an unopened tourist district.

Fortunately, the shop was tucked deep inside the alleys, far from the main paths. Tourists rarely ventured that far.

The antique wooden doors and windows filled the air with the scent of wood.

At first sight, she liked it.

The ground floor could display paintings; the second floor was for creating and resting. The space was very private.

Even with several people, they wouldn’t disturb one another.

“This one then. How much to buy it?” Zhang Xiluo was pleased.

“Sorry, Miss Zhang. This area is part of a planned district. Only leasing is allowed, no sales,” the agent said apologetically. The tourist zone was under a special plan forbidding sales.

Zhang Xiluo considered it and shrugged. “I understand. Draw up the contract for me. Let’s start with a three-year lease.”

“Okay, I’ll do it as soon as possible.”

“You can go back now. I’ll look around a bit.”

Zhang Xiluo rarely came here; she wanted to get familiar with the surroundings.

Leaving the shop, she followed a small path out. Many stores had signs, showing they had been there for some time.

She vaguely recalled hearing about this tourist area plan before but couldn’t remember who had mentioned it.

Probably stalled for some reason and put on hold.

Walking left, she realized she was a bit lost. She turned back but still couldn’t find the way she came.

After wandering around, she finally reached the main road. She patted her chest and sighed deeply.

She really needed to fix her terrible sense of direction.

“Zhang Xiluo?”

Hearing her name, she turned.

Ouyang Chen stood there, wearing a gray cardigan, carrying a large painting frame. His eyes lit up with surprise, then dimmed again.

“When did you come back, Zhang Xiluo?”

Zhang Xiluo stared blankly at him, feeling a pang of guilt.

Instinctively, she turned and hurried away, even breaking into a run, silently praying: don’t follow, please, don’t follow!