Can you even drive

Fang Qi was shocked!

He held his phone, momentarily at a loss for words...

Not knowing what to say!

Xiaoqing... had a nightmare...?

Beside him, the silver-haired girl still squinted slightly, gazing out the window.

Her crimson eyes flickered as she stared at the reflective glass...

Lost in her own thoughts.

"This is amazing! This is amazing!!"

Lin Xiaoyou was still yelling through the phone!

"I knew it! I knew Xiaoqing could do it!"

Her voice was sharp and loud, nearly cracking with excitement.

"All my efforts weren't in vain! Xiaoqing finally... finally...!"

"Yess!!!"

"...?"

Fang Qi was stunned for a moment.

What efforts?

...Efforts?

Huh?!

He snapped back to reality!

His eyes widened even more!

"Senior, senior, this is awesom—!"

"Wait, wait, wait!"

He immediately cut off Lin Xiaoyou's continued shouting!

"What did you just say?!"

Efforts?!

He swallowed hard, eyelids twitching wildly.

"Um..."

He said with some difficulty:

"Let me just confirm—when you say nightmare, you mean...?"

...It means she retains memories of the previous loop, right?

That has to be it, right?

"Isn't that obvious?"

Lin Xiaoyou's tone suddenly carried a hint of disdain!

"Senior, why ask such a stupid question! Of course that's what it means!"

"Why else would I be this excited!"

Now Fang Qi was even more shocked!

Huh...?

So, it was your "efforts" that made Xiaoqing...?!

Miss Genius...

Are you for real?!

"How did you do it?!"

He couldn't help but ask.

"Hehe~"

On the other end of the line, Lin Xiaoyou let out two smug chuckles.

Fang Qi twitched the corner of his mouth.

Even through the receiver, he could imagine her smug face right now!

"Senior, about this matter..."

She chuckled playfully.

"It actually has something to do with you and Liguang!"

...!

Fang Qi's pupils contracted.

"But—"

Lin Xiaoyou shifted the topic!

"It's a long story. Senior, are you sure you want to hear it now?"

Fang Qi: "..."

Ah.

Right.

The task now is to save Sister An Lian!

Can't waste any time.

"Whoosh...!"

He calmed his restless mind, his gaze sharpening!

We'll talk on the way!

"Hurry up and drive that chopped pepper fish head of yours to pick me up downstairs. I'll be right—"

He stopped mid-sentence.

Wait.

He frowned.

...No!

Gu Xi had just warned him not to make too big a scene, not to cause a massive stir.

Last loop, the whole city was filled with crashes, explosions, and fire!

If this time he used the same method as last loop...

Wouldn't he be blowing up the entire neighborhood again?

Tch.

But it's fine. Thankfully, he had a brilliant mind on the other end of the line.

He immediately changed his tone, lowering his voice:

"Xiaoyou, the police just contacted me."

He carefully chose his words, using a more subtle phrasing:

"They told us not to go too far, or even she might not be able to keep a lid on it."

The other end of the phone was silent for less than half a second.

"Oh!"

Lin Xiaoyou immediately caught on!

"No wonder! I was just thinking!"

"In the last dream, no one ever came to bother me. So..."

"It was her who helped us sweep it under the rug, huh!"

She reached the conclusion instantly.

Talking to a smart person really does save time...

"No big deal, Senior!"

Her tone turned light again.

"Since there were no issues in the dream, it means..."

"The situation in the dream is still within her control, right?"

She chuckled, completely ignoring the warning!

"We just need to make sure things don't get worse than they did in the dream, right?"

"Trust my driving skills! This time, I'll stick to the back roads!"

Fang Qi: "..."

That... kind of makes sense?

...Alright, fine.

Sorry in advance to Gu Xi...

Eh, whatever. They're the ones dying over here—what's a little extra work for Gu Xi over there?!

But...

"Miss Lin."

The silver-haired girl beside him suddenly spoke.

Liguang had stopped looking out the window, tilting her head slightly.

She stared at the phone, the red in her crimson eyes flickering faintly.

"Is Xiaoqing coming this time?"

She asked the question Fang Qi had wanted to ask.

Then she turned to Fang Qi, blinking playfully.

Then she pointed gently toward the cabinet nearby.

The electric shock device Xiaoqing had given her was still sitting there.

—Master, Xiaoqing and I go way back!

Fang Qi: "..."

I feel like I shouldn't let my wife keep hanging out with Xiaoqing!

"Ah, no, she won't be coming!"

Lin Xiaoyou's tone suddenly turned a little sheepish.

"I just calmed Xiaoqing down, told her it was just a nightmare, not real. Then, to help her relax..."

"I sent her to the Coco-Cola milk tea shop!"

She giggled apologetically.

"Oh, I haven't even told Xiaoqing the truth yet!"

"This is only her first time—her condition isn't stable yet. Naturally, I need to run more tests first!"

She added matter-of-factly:

"Senior, you know how experiments work, right? You have to repeat them multiple times to verify the results!"

Fang Qi: "..."

What are you getting at?

So I have to die a few more times just for your Xiaoqing's sake?

...Ah, whatever. He was used to it by now anyway.

He immediately said seriously:

"Alright, I'm heading downstairs now. You drive that chopped pepper fish head over to pick me up!"

"Roger that, Senior!!"

Lin Xiaoyou shouted in excitement!

Fang Qi pulled the phone a few centimeters away from his ear again.

She sure is excited...

Though he could understand why.

"But Senior..."

Her tone suddenly turned dissatisfied.

"It's not a chopped pepper fish head!"

"It's my little hot hatch!"

"Click!"

The call ended.

A small hand also took hold of his.

The palm was cool and soft against his.

"Master, let's go."

Fang Qi put away his phone and squeezed her hand back firmly.

"Let's go!"

...

The pink chopped pepper fish head rolled smoothly out of the neighborhood.

Fang Qi and Liguang sat in the back seat.

The passenger seat was empty—Xiaoqing wasn't there.

In the driver's seat, Lin Xiaoyou gripped the wheel with both hands, humming a slightly off-key tune.

Her ponytail swayed left and right along with her head.

She radiated a vibe of "I'm so happy!"

"Senior, Senior, watch me!"

Her tone was so cheerful!

"This time, it'll definitely work!"

Fang Qi leaned back in his seat, watching in the rearview mirror those almond-shaped eyes curved into crescent moons.

He was itching with curiosity.

...He really wanted to ask!

Ask Lin Xiaoyou how exactly Xiaoqing managed to "dream"!

What did she do?

What method did she use?

And how was this related to him and Liguang?

He also wanted to ask...

Why did she end up at that abandoned, dangerous building in the suburbs last loop?

...But now wasn't the time.

They were probably about to encounter a massive multi-car pileup soon!

Just like last loop!

A heavy truck sweeping through! An oil tanker exploding!

Talking about something so important with Lin Xiaoyou right now...

Would be way too distracting for the "driver"!

He had to suppress his curiosity for now, gripping Liguang's hand tightly!

Honey, I'm so curious!

Lin Xiaoyou turned the steering wheel, and the pink chopped pepper fish head rounded a corner onto the main road.

Just at that moment...

The silver-haired girl beside him suddenly lifted her leg and straddled his lap!

The soft warmth of her body seeped through her skirt.

The position was exactly the same as in the last loop!

Her slender arms had already wrapped around his neck.

And then...

Two soft lips pressed precisely against the side of his neck!

The tips of her teeth sank in gently, causing a slight sting.

She expertly sucked on his neck!

Fang Qi: “...”

How can you be this skilled!

“Hey, Liguang!”

In the front passenger seat, Lin Xiaoyou caught a glimpse of this in the rearview mirror and immediately started shouting!

“You don’t trust me at all, do you!”

“We haven’t even started yet, and you’re already getting ready?”

“You’re underestimating my driving skills!”

She complained loudly, slapping the steering wheel.

“Don’t forget, in the dream, after I split up from you guys, I drove all the way to the suburbs!”

...Ah.

That’s true.

Fang Qi also realized that immediately.

So he couldn’t help but ask:

“Was there danger on the road when you drove to the suburbs?”

“Mm-hmm~ Of course there was!”

Lin Xiaoyou’s tone was light and cheerful.

“If I hadn’t deliberately taken the roads with fewer cars, I’d probably be dealing with just as many as before... Hey, senior!”

Then she suddenly lifted her chin and pointed ahead.

“Look at that big truck up front!”

Fang Qi’s gaze immediately moved past Liguang’s shoulder and focused up ahead.

A heavy-duty truck was driving to their right front, its container bearing the logo of some logistics company.

A very ordinary truck, yet Fang Qi subconsciously tensed up!

The silver-haired girl in his arms also slightly tilted her head, her crimson eyes flickering rapidly a few times!

Then she frowned slightly, but...

She gave no warning at all.

Lin Xiaoyou, meanwhile, gripped the steering wheel with both hands as if facing a great enemy!

Her eyes were excitedly fixed on that big truck, her toes hovering over the accelerator, ready to stomp down at any moment!

But that big truck...

Was driving just fine.

Steady speed, staying in the lane.

It didn’t even signal a turn.

...And just let them pass.

“...Huh?”

In the rearview mirror, Lin Xiaoyou blinked.

“...It seems like that truck isn’t a problem, after all?”

Her tone sounded a bit disappointed.

Fang Qi: “...”

Lin Xiaoyou, you’re the real player here!

After knowing she wouldn’t die, she’s completely letting loose!

But soon, she pointed ahead again.

“That one up there! That one’s definitely a problem!”

“Senior, look at how full its cargo bed is—something’s bound to fall off!”

As a result...

They overtook it safely.

“Right side! Right side! That cement mixer truck! It’s definitely trouble!”

...But still safe.

In the ten minutes that followed, the road was eerily calm.

The sun was bright outside the window, and traffic was smooth and orderly.

Occasionally, a few cars overtook them, all perfectly normal vehicles.

Fang Qi was also starting to feel lost.

...What’s going on here?

The silver-haired girl in his arms had now completely relaxed.

She wasn’t even biting his neck anymore—instead...

She was giving him gentle, repeated kisses.

Occasionally, she’d lightly lick it with the tip of her tongue, then purse her lips.

Then she’d move to another spot and continue!

Using her sweet, strawberry-scented mouth to plant hickeys all over his neck!

Fang Qi: “...”

Yeah.

Judging by his wife’s behavior, it seemed...

There really wasn’t any danger anymore?

But Lin Xiaoyou in the front seat couldn’t sit still at all!

“This time, there’s definitely something wrong!”

She stared at a box truck ahead, gritting her teeth.

“That truck—its license plate ends in 4! That’s unlucky! Something’s bound to happen!”

Then that truck turned on its right signal and drove away.

“...”

Lin Xiaoyou was silent for a moment, then pointed at another vehicle.

“That bus! Look how slowly it’s going, and it just pulled over—it’s definitely waiting for something!”

Fang Qi: “...”

That’s just a city bus!

“...This isn’t right!”

Lin Xiaoyou glared at the traffic behind them through the rearview mirror.

“Why is it so quiet? This wasn’t the case in the dream! By this time in the dream, I’d already smashed into several cars!”

She gritted her teeth, squinted her almond eyes...

Suddenly yanked the steering wheel hard!

The pink “chopped pepper fish head” car sharply veered to the left!

The body of the car grazed practically against the front of a heavy-duty truck beside them!

“Holy crap!!!”

A shout came from outside!

The truck driver, probably scared out of his wits, slammed on the brakes!

The screeching sound of brakes echoed through the street!

Immediately after, the window rolled down, and a bald-headed guy stuck his head out, his face bright red.

“You looking to die!!!”

“Do you even know how to drive?! Where the hell are your eyes!!!”

Lin Xiaoyou, with a serious expression, quickly floored the accelerator!

The pink car lurched forward!

Fang Qi: “...”

Lin Xiaoyou!

Don’t you dare take me down with you on this suicide mission!!