She took a slice of bread from the fridge, ate it while descending the stairs, and then sat in her recently purchased used car.
After finishing the bread, it was eight in the morning, and she dialed a number on time, which was quickly answered.
"Mom, good morning." On the other end of the phone, a soft laughter of a little boy rang out. Thinking of her son's adorable appearance, Lin Xinlan smiled lovingly, "Baby, good morning. Have you had breakfast?"
"I'm eating it now, Grandma's pancakes, they're really tasty." The little one boasted in a taunting tone, "Mom, if you want some, you can only come back to eat them yourself."
Lin Xinlan knew her treasure was missing her and deliberately used the pancakes to lure her back home to visit him.
A wave of guilt surged in her heart, but she quickly covered it up, "Wait until Mom is less busy, and then I'll come back to eat Grandma's pancakes, okay?"
"Mm, Grandma says to work hard. Mom, when you come back, Grandma will make you pancakes to eat."
Lin Xinlan smiled knowingly, continued chatting with the child for a while, and then hung up the phone.
She had returned to B City because a friend had opened a fruit store and later needed a partner, and she, being in need of money, had joined.
It had been two years, their business was gradually picking up, later, her friend quit, and she was running it by herself.
That fruit shop was her lifeblood, just like her child, both were her life.
The car did not head directly to the store but first to the wholesale market.
She needed to stock up on inventory, a daily morning routine.
After the car was filled with fruit, it was already half-past nine in the morning.
She needed to hurry to her shop and open for business.
Because she was slightly in a hurry, Lin Xinlan drove a little fast. As she made a turn at an intersection, she suddenly saw a woman dash out—
Lin Xinlan frantically stepped on the brake, but it was still too late; the woman was struck hard and immediately fell into a pool of blood.
"Ah—" Lin Xinlan screamed in terror, and in an instant, she felt as if the world had come crumbling down.
The ambulance arrived at the hospital quickly, and covered in blood, Lin Xinlan sat outside the emergency room, trembling all over.
What to do, she had hit someone, what to do?!
What if the woman died?
She was certain to go to prison!
The thought of her mother and child being left without care if she were imprisoned made her fearfully tremble.
No, she couldn't go to prison! She'd rather die than go to jail!
"Tap tap, tap tap—" Urgent footsteps resonated.
The sunlight streamed in through the windows of the corridor.
Lin Xinlan lifted her head and first saw two tall men striding towards her.
She squinted her eyes, finally making out the features of the man in the lead.
Bushy eyebrows over bright eyes, a high and noble nose like white jade, tightly pursed thin lips, and perfect deep-set features made her feel both familiar and strange.
It was as if time had reversed, taking her back to that night five years ago.
Lin Xinlan's eyes widened in shock, staring at him, dumbfounded and unable to react.
How... could it be him...
Rong Shaoze approached her, looking down at her imperiously, and his eyes slowly filled with deadly coldness.
"You're the driver responsible for the accident?" he asked coldly, his voice devoid of any warmth.
Though it was blazing summer, Lin Xinlan felt so cold she shivered all over.
She looked at him, pale, unable to utter a word.
Rong Shaoze had no recollection of her, giving her a cold glance, he said ruthlessly, "If anything untoward happens to Ruoxin, I'll make you pay a painful price!"
Lin Xinlan clenched her hands, finally managing to squeeze out a few words, "I'm sorry..."
Rong Shaoze slightly curled his lips. The words 'I'm sorry' were the cheapest!