Found You at a Glance in the Crowd

The two agreed to meet the following afternoon, at Sam's insistence. He felt humiliated by Russell's mockery of him as an uncultured elementary school student and planned to use the Porsche he would receive the next day to get back at him.

Sam had it all planned out: he'd get an A in history, buy a Porsche with his dad's poverty alleviation fund, and then flirt with girls in front of Russell, getting them for a spin. He could show off, humiliate them, and win the heart of his goddess—a perfect three-birds-with-one-stone scheme.

Therefore, Sam specifically chose the lakeside as the meeting place, having already inquired that Mikaela would be attending a party there the next day.

The next day, Russell didn't go to the repair shop. Instead, he spent the morning organizing his equipment, then went to the weapons shop to buy a large quantity of Desert Eagle ammunition. After lunch, he leisurely drove to the transaction location.

Deuluth City with a pleasant climate; even in the height of summer, the sun shines brightly but doesn't feel scorching. The small city has a sparse population and a small main urban area; you can easily find yourself enjoying the natural scenery by driving in any direction.

With its affordable prices, slow pace of life, fresh air, and expansive open fields, this city is perfect for retirement!

Russell drove to the trading location. The lakeside was occupied by a group of young people on a picnic, seemingly having a pre-summer vacation party. He glanced at them a few times and then ignored them, parking his Lamborghini under the shade of a tree, putting on his Ultimate Nullifier glasses and taking a break while waiting for Sam to arrive.

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 convertible sports car!

The supercar, full of science fiction and power, has attracted the attention of many young people as soon as it appeared. Boys and girls who have not yet graduated are powerless against it.

Of course, the main reason is that this car is very expensive!

The roar of an engine drifted from afar, and a Chevrolet Camaro was parked by the lake. Judging from the engine sound alone, it was definitely a good car. However, the heavily faded paint, bearing the marks of its age, and the menacing black exhaust fumes significantly diminished its appeal; it looked like a used car that had been abandoned in a parking lot for a long time, waiting to be sold.

"Sam, is it a bad thing that we weren't invited to the party?" Miles, Sam's loser friend, asked worriedly. Birds of a feather flock together, and the two of them have never been the type to be popular with girls. If they suddenly showed up at a party they weren't invited to, they might get kicked out.

"Miles, that lake is a public place!" Sam said shamelessly. "Besides, I'm here to trade glasses, not to attend a party. It's just a coincidence."

"My God, someone actually bought your glasses? I thought you were just bragging!" Miles covered his head. "That guy must be crazy to spend $250 on junk."

"Miles, let me warn you first, if you say that in front of my God later, I'll shove your head under a tire." Sam warned fiercely, finally finding a fool willing to waste money, he couldn't let Miles's Silly Bird mouth ruin it.

The two got out of the Chevrolet. Sam spotted Mikaela with the precision of a wolfhound. Next to her stood her boyfriend, Trey, a tall, wealthy forward on the school's football team, who was a popular figure at school.

"Hey guys, look who's here!" Trey saw Sam and Miles and got interested in teasing them. "You two, I don't remember inviting you... Oh right, who are you again? Sorry, even though we see each other often in class, I still don't know your names!"

"Hahaha----"

Mocking voices rose from all around. Sam and Miles dared not speak out, especially Sam, who had come with ill intentions. Trey's thick arms made him feel guilty, fearing that his idea of poaching someone would be discovered.

"I'm here to climb trees. I come here every year before summer vacation," Miles said, and then, using both hands and feet, he climbed up the big tree next to him like a monkey.

"I... I'm here to sell glasses." Sam was so ashamed of his companion's foolish behavior that he wanted to disappear. Mikaela was watching from the side, and he quickly took two steps back, indicating that he didn't know Miles.

"Your glasses?" Trey burst into laughter. "Hahaha, don't be ridiculous. If you said you were here to sell cars... well, nobody would want your crappy car anyway."

"It's not a junk car!" Sam blurted out instinctively, then immediately regretted it.

Trey rolled his eyes and poked Sam in the chest. "Listen, skinny monkey, this is my party, and I didn't invite you. Now, take your crappy friends, drive your junk car, and get out of my sight, understand?"

"Hey, Trey, stop it, you're going too far." Mikaela couldn't stand it anymore; her boyfriend's childish behavior made her feel stupid.

"OK, whatever you say." Trey shrugged, glared at Sam, then raised his hands and shouted, "Guys, we've had enough rest, let's head to the party!"

Sam felt incredibly pathetic watching the goddess leave. He glanced at his friend hanging upside down in the tree and realized that he was not only pathetic, but also incredibly stupid. Unless Mikaela went blind, he would never have a chance in his life.

"Ring ring~~"

Sam's phone suddenly rang. He picked it up and saw that the Electro was the Silly Bird who sold glasses. He immediately put on a smile and answered the phone, "Hi, I'm at the lake now."

"I saw you, and your friend hanging upside down in the tree."

"That's not my friend, I don't know him." Sam didn't even hesitate, the friendship instantly over. He looked around. "Have you arrived yet? I don't see you."

"Under the shade of the trees."

Russell hung up the phone, the engine roared, and he raised his hand and waved.

Sam glanced at the Lamborghini parked on the roadside in the distance, then at his own used Chevrolet, and walked away, utterly dejected. If Russell asked him where the Porsche was, he'd say it was in repairs, and the Chevrolet belonged to his father.

No, it's his grandfather's car!

"The Hot_Boy_217?" Russell pulled down his sunglasses and couldn't help but chuckle. "If you had punched that bastard in the face just now, you would certainly deserve that name."

Sam chuckled sheepishly. "I own a car repair shop, sir. You just saw it, didn't you?"

"Just call me Russell."

"Hello, Russell, this is Sam! Sam Witwicky!"

The two shook hands, marking the beginning of their acquaintance. Russell answered Sam's earlier question, "I've seen it clearly; I've been observing you since you stepped out of the Chevrolet. Young man, let me give you a piece of advice: physique isn't the only measure of strength. If you're afraid of getting beaten up, you won't get any girls!"

Sam was slightly touched by these words. He paused for a moment, then quickly asked, "You've been observing me ever since I got off the bus. How do you know what I look like?"

"Sam, have you forgotten what I thought of you?" Russell said with a smile. "Your outstanding presence is so striking that I spotted you in a crowd at a glance."

Sam: "..."

"Haha, just kidding!" Russell said, taking $250 from his wallet. "The money's here, but where's the goods? I need to inspect them."

"Uh, can you not say that? It sounds cool, though." Sam glanced enviously at Russell's wallet, muttered "damn rich guy" under his breath, took out his glasses case from his pocket, opened it, and showed off his great-great-grandfather's treasure.

Russell raised an eyebrow, spotted a faint gold pattern on the broken lens, nodded in satisfaction, and the two exchanged money for goods.

"It's a pleasure doing business with you. I guarantee you'll find it excellent value for your money." Sam happily accepted the money, then, on a sudden inspiration, said, "Russell, would you like to see my other collections? Like these glasses, they are all precious antiques with great collectible value."

As they were talking, Sam suddenly stopped talking, his eyes shining as he looked at Mikaela. If he wasn't mistaken, there seemed to be an argument going on there.

My chance has come!

"Russell, wait five minutes, I'll be right there." Faced with such beauty, Sam decisively abandoned the money and turned to drive towards the Chevrolet.

Russell blinked, not understanding what had gotten into Sam, then turned his head and saw Mikaela.

Mikaela and Trey parted on bad terms because she wanted to test drive her boyfriend's SUV, but Trey disagreed, saying that she was too delicate and frail to ride bumper cars.

This guy has terminal chauvinism; he's not fit to have a girlfriend!

Mikaela's pride was hurt, so she decisively dumped her boyfriend and walked home alone.

Sam drove his Chevrolet with a smug grin, the alluring silhouette of Mikaela ahead making him drool. He glanced in the rearview mirror, trying to look less pathetic. "Hey, Mikaela, it's Sam. Sam Witwicky!"

Mikaela: "..."

Who is this Silly Bird?

"Hey, Mikaela, I'm sorry to have caused you and Trey to have a disagreement. I hope it didn't put you in too much of a bind." Sam mistakenly thought the argument was because of him and reached out to open the car door, "I can drive you home, uh, if you don't mind."

Mikaela hadn't said anything until she heard this. She glanced at the Chevrolet with its chipped paint and, for some reason, felt that she would definitely regret not getting this car.

Just as she reached out to get into the car, a strange cry came from behind. It was Sam's goofy friend, Miles.

"Sam, what are you doing? Why didn't you call me before you left?"

Miles jumped down from the tree, and because he was hanging upside down, he fell face-first into the mud. He brushed the dust off himself and ran all the way back, losing one of his slippers in the process without even picking it up.

Mikaela: "..."

She takes back what she just said; she'll definitely regret getting on this bus.

Watching the goddess's departing figure, Sam felt terrible. He was so close to driving Mikaela home.

"Hey Sam, what are you planning to do?" Miles asked breathlessly as he got into the passenger seat.

"Buddy, that's what I should be asking you. What are you planning to do?"

"Sam, you broke the party rules."

"What kind of bullshit rules are these?"

"You can't prioritize romance over friendship," Miles said seriously. "Could you turn the car back? I left my slippers there."

Sam was on the verge of tears. "You value women over friends... What nonsense are you talking about? I don't even know you."

Five seconds later, Sam really cried when he saw Mikaela pull up in the Lamborghini, that damn 'I Own a Repair Shop' convertible supercar.

"Miles, don't fasten your seatbelt."

"Why?"

I want you to die in a traffic accident.