The Road Ahead Is Long

"What?" Huai Shi did not react in time.

"The car."

Tong Ji raised her wings and made an engine-revving sound. "That thing that can drive on any lousy road! The one you can take out to pick up girls and tear through the streets looking cool!"

She emphasized solemnly, "Look how cool other people are when they drive. I refuse to let other people's children have things my contractor doesn't!"

No, please!

What more did he need a bicycle for?!

Huai Shi was so frightened he nearly dropped his chopsticks. "Don't we have a horse?!"

"That thing isn't convenient for hauling cargo, and it has a terrible temper. It has gained so much weight lately, and besides, it likes your students more than it likes you. It doesn't even want to let you ride it."

Tong Ji's little wings draped around his neck as she began today's demonic whispering. "Think about it. With Helios, wouldn't you be able to go wherever you wanted, rob whoever you wanted, and swipe whatever you wanted?"

"No, no, no."

Huai Shi finally caught the rice that had fallen out of his mouth, wiped his face, and shook his head hard. "I need to live long enough for that, okay?!"

"How could you not? Big Sis thinks your fate is incomparably precious. It's only a lousy car that's one generation behind. Times are bad and fate is cruel; naturally, a virtuous person like you should own it..." Tong Ji redoubled her efforts to egg him on. "Besides, don't you still have Big Sis here?"

"It's precisely because you're here that I'm scared!"

Huai Shi stared at her wide-eyed. "None of those sisters outside have this lousy car, yet you insist that I should have one. I don't think it's anything good... Besides, are you tired