Chapter 15: Has the plot gone off the rails? Why was her roommate in a traffic accident?
A shrill car horn sounded up ahead, and everyone turned toward it.
The red BMW 3 Series was particularly eye-catching.
The window slowly lowered. The girl in the driver's seat wore an ostentatious pair of sunglasses, exquisite makeup, and a long spaghetti-strap dress of water-soluble lace, with a prominent embroidered logo across her chest spelling out Dior.
She lowered the window and waved toward Jin Xia and the other two. "Hi, roomies! We finally meet! I'm Song Li!"
Jin Xia couldn't help frowning when she saw Song Li's outfit.
She looked as though she wanted to write "I'm rich" across her face.
"Wait a moment, okay? I'll go park."
With that, Song Li turned the wheel all the way and drove toward a parking space on the right.
Meng Ya glanced down at her own clothes, looking slightly embarrassed, and murmured, "Looks like Song Li's family must be pretty rich."
Zhang Ru rested a hand on Meng Ya's shoulder. "You bet. She's driving a BMW right as she starts college. We'd better get along with Song Li and stick close to our rich friend from now on."
Jin Xia stood to the side, her expression remaining unruffled the entire time.
Song Li hurried over excitedly. "I spotted Zhang Ru from way off! She looks just like her photo-a tomboy!"
Zhang Ru scratched her head sheepishly, then looked at the other two. "This is Meng Ya. We're from the same hometown. And this is Jin Xia."
"Ask Zhang Niannian where she is."
Jin Xia spoke in a neutral tone, turning to look at the three roommates behind her.
Song Li immediately took out her newly bought iPhone 6. "I was going to wait for the new release and buy the latest model, but my phone happened to break, so I just bought something to use for now."
"Wow, an iPhone 6!"
Zhang Ru shook her head in amazement, then added, "A rich young lady through and through."
A few minutes later...
Zhang Niannian's nervous voice came through the phone. "Hello, Song Li? I think I've gotten into trouble."
Song Li hurriedly asked in concern, "What is it? Niannian, what happened?"
"I was riding a shared bike over here and hit a car at the intersection. The owner is demanding twenty thousand yuan in compensation..."
As Zhang Niannian finished speaking, a harsh male voice came through the receiver. "Hurry up and find someone to get you the money! I just bought this car. Otherwise, we'll go to your school right now and have your advisor contact your parents!"
Song Li covered the receiver. "Don't panic. Tell me exactly where you are. We'll come over right now."
"At the intersection outside Dahui City's west entrance."
After Zhang Niannian said that, the call ended.
By a flower bed beside the road, a shared bike lay on the ground. A white Volkswagen Santana was parked to one side, with a conspicuous scratch along its body that clearly exposed the primer.
The furious owner pointed at a girl and shouted fiercely, "Do you know what kind of car this is? I just picked up this brand-new car, and you've already scratched it! How the hell were you riding?"
The girl hung her head, crying miserably. "I'm really sorry. I just came to Haicheng for school, and I only get eight hundred yuan a month for living expenses. Twenty thousand is far too much. I can't afford it."
"Can't afford it? You think saying that solves anything? Either you pay me today, or I'll go to your school and find your teacher!"
All Zhang Niannian could do was hang her head and apologize, or cry.
The moment she saw Song Li and the other three walking toward her, it was as though she had spotted a lifeline.
"Are you okay, Niannian? Did he do anything to you?"
Zhang Ru rolled up her sleeves, looking ready for a fight.
Sniffling, Zhang Niannian pitifully explained what had happened. "I was about to ride across the road, and I didn't see his car pulling out. Then I couldn't brake in time. I was going too fast and brushed along the side of his car... and scratched it."
Listening to her account, Jin Xia sank into thought.
At this intersection, there was almost nowhere a car could pull out from except the open-air parking lot behind the flower bed.
That meant the driver had come out from behind Zhang Niannian. Normally, he should have turned left after leaving the garage. Not only had he driven against traffic, but he had also driven onto the sidewalk...
He was clearly taking advantage of Zhang Niannian's youth and complete ignorance of traffic laws.
Besides, how much did a brand-new Santana even cost?
"What order worth over five hundred thousand? Take a look at that lousy car you're driving! I drive a BMW, and even my paintwork doesn't cost that much!"
After saying that, Song Li lifted her car key and waved it in front of the driver as if showing off.
"Fine! Since you're all so rich and don't need the money, hurry up and pay me! Twenty thousand yuan, not a cent less!"
The driver roared furiously, pointing at Zhang Niannian. "A college student who can't even ride a bike properly! A road menace like you has the nerve to go out!"
The driver had already lost patience and stood there arrogantly. "If you won't call the police, I will!"
"Go ahead. Call them."
Jin Xia raised her slender, pale finger and pointed to the side. "You drove against traffic on the sidewalk. That's what caused the accident."
"Y-you, what do you mean?"
The driver turned and stared at her in astonishment and bewilderment.
"This is no longer just a traffic accident. You're suspected of fraud involving a substantial sum."
Jin Xia raised her bright eyes, fixing the middle-aged man before her with a penetrating gaze.
Zhang Ru sucked in a breath. Her admiring gaze had already shifted from Song Li to Jin Xia. "F-fraud?"
Jin Xia nodded with a smile that carried a hint of mockery. "Twenty thousand yuan means a sentence of at least three years."
The driver glared at her through gritted teeth and waved a hand. "Forget it, forget it. I'll just count myself unlucky today, running into you college students. I have business to discuss. I won't stoop to arguing with you."
He turned to head toward the driver's seat of the white Santana.
Jin Xia parted her red lips and said calmly, "You can't leave. The police are already here."
She waved her phone. The words "Call in progress" stood out clearly on the screen, with the number displayed as "110."
"My friend fell and injured her arm because you drove in disregard of traffic rules. If you leave now, it'll be a hit-and-run."
Jin Xia remained methodical and composed, her entire argument tightly reasoned and her wording precise.
The frightened driver stammered, "I-I wasn't leaving! Aren't I standing right here? Stop slandering me!"
Sirens sounded up ahead as two police cars drove toward them.
The doors opened, and several uniformed officers stepped out.
"What happened?"
The officer in the lead asked sternly.
Like a schoolchild reporting a grievance, Zhang Niannian tearfully told the police the whole story from beginning to end.
"Come with us."
The officer waved to the driver, then instructed, "Leave your car here for now. We still need to collect evidence. Once that's done, the traffic police will have it towed."
"A misunderstanding! This is all a misunderstanding! I was just trying to joke with this young lady!"
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