Jason heard the footsteps and looked up, only to find Emma's eyes filled with deep meaning.
Before Emma could say anything, Jason shifted his position slightly, looking towards the car beside him. Following his gaze, she was completely taken aback by the sight.
A massive white vehicle stood there, exuding a sense of stability and grandeur.
She hadn't noticed the car earlier, her attention having been entirely captivated by him. Truly, the car was stunning— its boxy shape not at all cumbersome, but rather imposing and dominant.
The letter 'B' on the front of the car seemed to radiate a sharp intensity.
After admiring the car, Emma turned back to Jason, who asked, "What do you think of this car?"
"Very handsome," she replied, and indeed, it was cool.
"Let's go," Jason said, reaching for her wrist and guiding her to the driver's side, opening the door for her.
Emma looked at him, still unsure of what was happening.
Jason met her gaze, a faint smile playing on his usually inscrutable face. "Now, take me for a spin in your new car."
Your new car...
Especially those first four words made Emma pause. She was no stranger to luxury, and she knew the brand of the car.
Brabus, the world's largest tuner of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The car in front of her was probably worth nearly as much as her family's apartment.
Emma thought for a moment, then asked, "This car is for me?"
Jason kept his gaze steady on her eyes and replied directly, "It took a long time to customize this car, and it only arrived in the past few days."
In fact, he had asked Tang Mian to customize this car after he married Emma.
Emma still felt too surprised because, to be honest, after their marriage, Jason wasn't the type to throw money at her, knowing she wouldn't appreciate it.
Even when he had tentatively suggested transferring her grandmother to the most top-tier nursing home in Shanghai, Emma had refused.
It wasn't that she didn't want her grandmother to live in a better nursing home; the current one, costing eight thousand a month, was already the best she could afford.
Emma took a deep breath, knowing it wasn't good to refuse, but she couldn't accept this car.
As she raised her head, Jason's arm rested on her shoulder, patting it gently, and said in a low voice, "Let's get in the car first. We're in the underground parking lot below my company."
This statement was effective.
Emma was guided by Jason into the driver's seat, and then Jason walked around the front of the car to the passenger side.
Once inside and with the door closed, Emma said, "I can't accept this car."
She finally voiced her thoughts.
Jason didn't seem angry; it was as if he had expected this. He lifted his chin slightly, smiled, and nodded towards the steering wheel. "Try it out first. Didn't you say that if you were to own an off-road vehicle, it would be best if it were a Brabus?"
Emma was taken aback, lost in thought for a long moment before recalling that she had indeed said those words.
That statement was made during their first meeting.
The ancient city, nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea, has long been revered as a holy land. After a millennium of trials, it exudes an air of antiquity and solemnity. Skyscrapers are a rarity here; instead, the landscape is dotted with earthy yellow, ancient structures.
Emma arrived in Jerusalem last night and had booked a hotel in advance, spending the night there. She changed her clothes early in the morning and left the hotel. After wandering through the city for three days and asking every Chinese person she could find, no one had seen her father.
Ni PingSen had gone missing in Israel five years ago; he was originally sent here for work but never returned home. This left Emma to excel academically, never letting any scholarship slip from her grasp throughout her four years of college. She was always the top student in her department, but that wasn't enough. She worked tirelessly, like a robot that never knew rest or fatigue, to earn money.
Her earnings weren't just for taking care of her grandmother; she also wanted to go to Israel. She wanted to find her father, to bring her mother's PingSen back home.
Filled with hope, Emma came to Jerusalem, but the holy city did not hold the answers she sought. She decided to head to Haifa, a decision made easier by Israel's relatively small size compared to China. Even if she were to search the entire country, it wouldn't be an impossible task.
However, she feared that Ni PingSen might not be in the major cities but in some small, out-of-the-way place. She believed he must have had an accident that kept him from coming home. As long as she hadn't found any remains, she would not entertain the thought of giving up, no matter who suggested it.
So, she decided to rent a car and head to Haifa. After inquiring with the hotel owner about the location of a rental car agency, she set off down a long cobblestone alley with her backpack, passing by men in black hats, a classic Jewish attire.
The car rental place was incredibly hard to find, and after a round of searching, she finally located it. To her surprise, sitting at the entrance was an East Asian man who Emma guessed was Chinese.
Emma tentatively asked in English, "Do you rent cars here?"
The man, who had been wearing a hat over his eyes, lazily looked up and was immediately taken aback by her beauty. He had seen countless people pass through his shop, but the girl in front of him was truly stunning.
He promptly stood up, his Northeastern Chinese accent smooth and fluent as he said, "You're Chinese, right?"
Emma, who usually had a rather indifferent expression, couldn't help but smile.
Familiarity in a foreign land.
She nodded, and the man slapped his thigh, delighted, "I knew it. No Japanese girl could be as pretty as you."
As soon as the word "girl" left his mouth, the boss felt embarrassed.
He had spoken out of habit.
Emma didn't mind, and the boss quickly asked, "Where are you planning to go?"
Frowning, he continued, "It's quite far. Are you going alone?"
Emma countered, "Can't I rent a car alone?"
The boss, out of kindness, whispered, "You know this is the Middle East, not like back home in China. It's chaotic here. Especially for a pretty girl like you, I really don't think you should be alone."
He then awkwardly scratched his head and said, "Also, unfortunately, the last car I had was just rented out."
Emma hadn't expected this situation.
"Don't worry, though," the boss continued. "The guy who rented the car is also Chinese, seemed like a decent person, and coincidentally, he's heading to Haifa too. How about I ask him if he can give you a ride?"
The boss was indeed warm-hearted, already thinking of a solution for Emma.
Emma didn't want to delay her trip any further; her return flight was booked for half a month later, and every day lost was a day less likely to find her father.
She whispered, "Thank you, boss."
The boss smiled and said, "He's out getting supplies. You wait here a moment."
After taking a few more glances at Emma and looking up at the sky for a moment, the boss couldn't help but say, "What kind of wind is blowing today? When that guy came in earlier, I was stunned by how handsome he was. I thought some big star from China had arrived. And then he just left, and here you are."
The boss was genuinely moved, as he usually saw ordinary people all the time, but today, within such a short span, both visitors were so attractive they were enviable.
Emma didn't speak, thinking the boss's words were a bit exaggerated.
Until she heard a noise behind her, and the boss cheerfully exclaimed, "Speak of the devil!"
Emma turned her head.
This glance was truly a feeling that life is worth living.
The man who approached was extremely tall, with a white shirt tucked into black trousers, and black boots on his feet. Although he was dressed very ruggedly, as he walked slowly, his indifferent expression and the arrogance he exuded softened the ruggedness.
His facial contours were extremely handsome, especially his high, straight nose, as if meticulously carved.
The man wore a pair of black sunglasses, and as he approached, Emma could clearly see her own figure in his lenses. Even through the lenses, she could feel that he was indeed looking at her.
The boss quickly stepped forward to mediate for her.
The man remained silent, listening to the boss's chatter for a long time.
But after a long while, he just stood there, neither refusing nor agreeing.
It was Emma who thought for a moment, took out her passport from her backpack, opened it, and spread it out in front of the man: "My name is Emma, and I'm from Shanghai, China. I'd like to hitch a ride with you. I can pay half of the car rental fee. The boss said there are no cars left to rent, and you're also going to Haifa, right?"
She finished speaking in one breath, her passport still held in mid-air.
At this moment, the man finally raised his hand and took off his sunglasses. When Emma's eyes met his, she felt a gentle collision in her soul.
It was the kind of collision that hit the bottom of her heart, and then a small voice said, look at him, he should have such beautiful eyes.
This man was indeed as handsome and elegant as the boss had said. Perhaps people are visual creatures; such a good-looking appearance and noble temperament made him seem like he must not be a bad person.
Finally, the man spoke: "My name is Jason, have a pleasant journey."
That day, Emma got into Jason's car and headed to Haifa. Israel is an agricultural powerhouse built on deserts, with a vast and desolate landscape on both sides of the road.
The deeper their car went, the sparser the population became.
However, neither of them was the type to engage in small talk, and from the moment they got in the car, they hadn't exchanged a word.
The car window was half open, with the wind on both sides blowing and lifting the strands of her hair. Outside the window was the boundless azure sky, so deep and vast that not a single cloud was seen.
The tranquility and peace at the moment made one feel that this was not a country that had been mired in war.
Emma looked out the window, enjoying the rare tranquility and peace.
Until she saw something dart out in front of her and shouted, "Be careful."
Apparently, the person in the driver's seat also sensed it, swerving the wheel sharply to avoid the fleeting object and plunging straight into the sandy soil beside the road.
Both were stunned.
Jason got out of the car first, followed by Emma. They went to the front of the car and tried to push it back onto the road, but it was an off-road vehicle, too heavy.
Moreover, Emma soon smelled gasoline.
They realized the car was leaking oil, and upon discovering this, Jason immediately turned off the car, not to mention trying to reverse at full throttle.
Jason looked at Emma and said, "Wait for people."
Emma, of course, knew that they could only wait for another car to come by and see if they could help pull the car out.
Coincidentally, the first car passed by soon, and Jason immediately said, "I'll stop the car."
But as he walked to the side of the road and waved at the oncoming vehicle, it sped past him without even slowing down, let alone stopping.
Jason stood there, stunned.
Until a series of light laughter sounded from behind. Jason turned to look at Emma, whose usually cold cheeks had become exceptionally soft due to her smile.
Especially her eyes, curved with laughter, were strikingly beautiful in the bright sunlight.
Jason knew she was laughing at him.
But to his surprise, after her laughter subsided, Emma, standing by the car, actually reached for her white shirt and pulled it out from her waistband, undoing a few buttons.
Jason knew he should look away at this moment.
But as he turned his head, Emma had already undone all the buttons of her shirt, revealing a fitted white tank top underneath. As she pulled the shoulders down, her slender and bony shoulders and collarbones were exposed.
The tank top was form-fitting, clinging to her body. With her slender and thin figure, and fair skin, the usually cold girl suddenly had a fiery touch.
She seemed to think it wasn't enough, pulling the hem of the shirt to her abdomen and tying a knot.
Since she was wearing green trousers and boots for convenience, paired with the shirt and tank top, it was quite a sight to behold.
Long legs, a slim waist, and skin so fair it seemed to glow in the sunlight.
After adjusting her clothes, Emma thought for a moment and asked, "Are you good at fighting?"
Jason: "…"
She tilted her head and said helplessly, "I'm afraid that if I stop a car and something unexpected happens."
In the desert, a woman who embodies both purity and sensuality standing by the roadside would naturally attract attention. However, Emma didn't want anything uncontrollable to happen after the car stopped.
Jason thought of this and finally smiled.
Emma didn't know what he was laughing at, but she knew that his smile was quite captivating.
Then he took something from the bag on the back seat of the car and waved it in front of Emma: "I have a gun."
Emma was slightly taken aback, which was unexpected.
"Alright, you hide nearby. I'll stop the car," Emma felt completely relieved, thinking they had a gun for self-defense in case of any emergencies.
Jason listened to her and stood quietly on the side of the road, his back to the traffic, waiting. While waiting, he looked at the girl standing straight on the road through the car window, with a gun in his hand.
Suddenly, he felt that they didn't seem like they were stopping a car to ask for help.
Instead, they seemed more like a pair of outlaws.
Fortunately, half an hour later, after Emma showed her small waist, a car finally stopped. There were two Italian men inside.
They sat in the car, smiling and chatting with Emma, and then Jason walked out from behind the car.
Jason saw the obvious disappointment in the driver's eyes.
Of course, these two Italian guys were still quite gentlemanly. After helping them pull the car out and discovering that their car couldn't be driven, they invited them to take their car and fix it at the next supply station.
So Emma thanked them and prepared to get in the car.
But as she bent down to pick up her bag and turned around, she happened to see Jason, who was staring at her intently.
Until Jason rather coldly glanced at her shoulders: "You can put your clothes on now."
Emma laughed, pulled up her shirt to cover her shoulders. But before she got in the car, Jason blocked her, looking at the hem of her shirt that was still tied.
It seemed as if he was asking if everything was in order.
Emma didn't expect him to care about this, but seeing him standing in front of someone else's car door, as if he wouldn't let her get in the car if she didn't fix her clothes.
So Emma threw her bag on the ground and, in front of him, untied the hem of her shirt, buttoned it up one by one, and finally, she even put her scarf back on.
After she was done, she looked at Jason with a smile and said softly, "Is this okay now, Mr. Jason?"
The two Italian men naturally noticed the scene.
Not long after getting in the car, they casually struck up a conversation with Emma. Neither of them spoke much English, but Emma was able to communicate with them in simple Italian.
"You guys are really unlucky, your car broke down," one of them said.
Emma nodded, replying with a touch of helplessness, "If I were to choose an off-road vehicle, it would definitely be a Brabus."
This comment made the two Italian men burst into laughter.
Jason, who had been silent all along, was assumed by all three to not understand Italian.
When the Italians, with smiles on their faces, inquired about their relationship, Emma glanced at the man beside her and slowly said, "He is my husband."
She said this for convenience, not wanting to offer a lengthy explanation.
Since he couldn't understand anyway, there shouldn't be a problem.
As expected, the two Italians nodded understandingly, and one of them happily remarked, "Your husband cares about you very much."
...
At that moment, in the underground parking lot in Shanghai, Emma turned to look at him, realizing she had completely recalled the scene where she had said those words.
She opened her mouth, and after a while, finally spoke: "You understand Italian?"
Jason chuckled lightly, "You never asked."
Of course he understood; he just chose not to speak at the time.
Now, Jason seemed quite at ease, slightly tilting his head as he looked at the girl in the driver's seat beside him. "Do you remember what you told those two Italians?"
Emma fell completely silent, but Jason suddenly laughed.
His voice, already deep, now seemed to lose its ascetic quality, instead gaining a hint of sexiness as he laughed.
Jason lowered his eyes, leaned closer, and after gently rubbing her earlobe with his palm, his lips almost touched her ear as he murmured, "You said I am your husband."
After a deep and lingering kiss, Jason gently touched his forehead to hers and softly said, "Now you should try this car."
Emma opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but Jason leaned back and pointed outside the window.
"Here, there might be people from my company coming and going; let's leave first."
Jason knew her weak points, and sure enough, this statement was effective.
Emma glanced down at the car, and Jason instructed her on how to start it. During her college years, she had taken on almost every kind of part-time job, including being a designated driver because she had a driver's license.
After the initial caution, Emma drove the car out of the garage with less tension.
The modified car was indeed different; Emma was inwardly shocked.
If this car were really driven into the desert, it wouldn't just handle rough terrain; it could probably easily climb a sand dune tens of meters high.
Shanghai's traffic was not the best, and at a little past four in the afternoon, there were still many vehicles on the elevated road.
Emma seemed indecisive about where to go, and Jason quietly said, "Just drive around."
This casual suggestion was truly without a destination.
So casually that Emma accidentally drove out of Shanghai, pressing the accelerator to the max as she went. The car was too eye-catching, with its white main color and rather square shape, along with the roar it made while driving.
After some time, Emma slowed down, driving as leisurely as a strolling turtle.
So much so that cars kept overtaking her, with some people even rolling down their windows to look at her.
Jason sat quietly beside her, and although the car was silent, it was not depressing; instead, there was a sense of peace.
Both of them were very busy with work, especially Jason, who hardly had any rest throughout the year. The only trip Emma had taken with him was after they got their marriage certificate and were scolded by their elders. Jason cleared his schedule and took her to Saipan.
It was in Saipan that Emma discovered this man, who seemed to have an indifferent temperament as if he didn't care about the mundane world, yet he was capable of doing anything.
As they dove deeper, he held her hand, guiding her into the abyssal depths of the sea. Sunlight pierced through the water like swords, casting straight beams below the surface, and the colorful fish around them swayed gently. Behind her mask, she looked at him, her heart as tranquil and tender as it was now. It's said that men are not good at expressing emotions, but it seemed she wasn't either. Yet, the moment she chose to marry him was because she deeply loved this man in front of her. Every moment with him brought a gentle tranquility to her heart, a feeling she had never experienced in her tumultuous life after her father's disappearance.
As Emma once again accelerated, a smile played on her lips, as if all her troubles were left behind with the speeding car. Until she saw the name on a blue road sign by the roadside and blurted out, "Nanxun."
Jason looked up at the sign as Emma, rarely so delighted, said with a smile, "Nanxun, my dad's hometown."
Ni PingSen was born in Nanxun, but unfortunately, his parents passed away early, and he had no siblings. As a child, he was practically raised by the community. When he was still around, he would take Emma back to his hometown during holidays. But after he disappeared, Emma dared not return, fearing the questions from her uncles and aunts about where her father had gone and why he hadn't come back to visit for so long.
"Want to go?" Jason asked in a deep voice.
Emma gripped the steering wheel and shook her head slightly, "No need."
Then she found an exit on the highway and turned back towards Shanghai. The sky outside had already turned gray, and it was getting late. Jason looked at Emma and asked, "What do you want to eat when we get back to Shanghai?"
Emma kept driving, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. After a while, she suddenly said, "Will you listen to me?"
Jason, still looking at her, smiled lightly, "Okay, I'll follow your lead."
His deep and clear voice was filled with an indescribable thickness, full of indulgence.
By the time they returned to Shanghai, it was already seven in the evening, with the city immersed in a sea of lights. Emma was very familiar with the roads of Shanghai, and since it was her chosen destination, she drove there without navigation.
The car finally stopped on a very lively street, with neon lights and green wines, some stalls directly set up outside the door, and the barbecue racks were in full swing, the sauces making a loud sizzling sound when applied.
Emma's car was too eye-catching, and she attracted attention as she drove in. When she got out of the driver's seat, a few young men not far away brightened up, and whistles immediately started.
A luxury car with a beautiful woman was quite a sight to behold.
When Jason got out of the passenger seat, he heard the whistles from behind. He glanced back, his eyes cold and stern, and without a word, he walked to Emma's side and put his arm around her shoulders.
Emma was slightly surprised by his embrace, but Jason looked natural.
As the whistling behind them grew louder, Emma guessed the reason for his action. She chuckled, realizing that Jason was a jealous man.
Then she put her hand on his waist, and the whistling behind them finally quieted down.
This area was a snack street with barbecues, hot pots, and crayfish, almost everything you could imagine. Emma took Jason to a place where the restaurant inside was already full, but there was just one table left in the outdoor shed.
When the boss greeted them, he looked at Jason's three-piece suit and hesitated before asking, "There's a table in the shed, do you mind?"
This question was directed at Jason because Emma's attire was that of an ordinary office worker, a shirt and jeans.
On the other hand, Jason seemed like a noble young master experiencing the common world.
Emma also looked at him; she and Jason had never eaten at such a roadside stall. His taste was light, indeed not in line with this place.