“When the car comes, you just lie down on the road and close your eyes.” The guy lay on the floor, opening one eye. “But don’t be too honest about it; don’t close them all the way. Remember to sneak a peek to see if anyone gets out of the car.”
Ji Zhaoxi looked troubled. “What if they just drive straight at me instead?”
The guy sighed, looking at her helplessly. “That’s why I told you to lie near the edge. As soon as the car moves, you get up and run!”
Ji Zhaoxi stared at him without a word.
The guy brushed the dust off his hands and stood up. “Little sis, I’ve always been the one pulling these stunts. Now it’s your turn.”
He had high hopes for her.
She looked so honest—perfect for a fake accident. When someone got close and saw her face, they’d start doubting whether they’d actually hit such an innocent-looking girl.
Ji Zhaoxi saw how worked up Ji Huaichuan was getting, and finally nodded. “Don’t worry, brother. I’ll get the job done.”
Ji Huaichuan looked at her and his eyes reddened. “Little sis, you’ve finally grown up.”
All his years of raising her hadn’t been for nothing.
Ji Huaichuan talked like a pro, but the truth was he hadn’t succeeded many times at faking accidents. He’d gotten beaten up more often than not.
Why was he so obsessed with this? A few years back, a car had bumped into him—just a scratch—but the driver had paid him tens of thousands. That’s when he saw a business opportunity.
Ji Zhaoxi had actually been to one of Ji Huaichuan’s “worksites.” The competition was fierce, though. The roadside was packed with old grandpas and grandmas; she couldn’t even squeeze in.
But Ji Huaichuan was different. He used the fact that the old folks had no stamina to shove his way in, grinning proudly at her as he succeeded.
The first day it rained.
Ji Zhaoxi still took her umbrella and went to the road where she’d be pulling her stunt.
“Girl, you’re this young and you’re already doing this?” An old man in a raincoat lay on the road.
Cars kept their distance, terrified he might pick them at random.
Ji Zhaoxi nodded awkwardly.
The old man saw how embarrassed she looked and chuckled. “Girl, you’re new here, huh? Don’t be shy! I’ve made enough from this to buy five apartments!” He proudly held up a hand.
Suddenly, his peripheral vision caught a license plate. With lightning speed, he lunged toward it. But the next second, a few traffic cops grabbed him.
“Old man, is this the tenth time this month? Haven’t you made enough money yet?”
The officers carried him off, his feet dangling in the air, while he kept shouting, “Money? You can never have enough money!”
He twisted his head to give Ji Zhaoxi an encouraging look.
She caught it and managed a faint smile.
The ground was wet, so Ji Zhaoxi decided to wait until it dried.
The next day it was dry.
The cops were gone, the grandpas and grandmas were off somewhere else, and there were fewer cars on the road.
Then Ji Zhaoxi saw a car approaching slowly. She thought the logo looked familiar but couldn’t remember which one it was.
Ji Huaichuan had drilled her on car logos, but she’d forgotten.
The car was about to pass her. Ji Zhaoxi hesitated, then lay down—making sure it was near the edge.
The driver: …
What was this? A newbie? Didn’t she know you don’t pull this stunt on this kind of license plate?
A crisp voice came from the back seat. “Just drive over her.”
When nothing happened for a while, Ji Zhaoxi sneaked a look. The driver saw her face and froze.
She looked so young and shy!
The driver inched the car forward and stopped a few steps away from her, the tension hanging in the air.
“Young master, let me check first. Maybe the girl’s not feeling well,” the driver said earnestly.
The person in the back: …
The driver got out. When he saw Ji Zhaoxi’s eyes, his tone softened. “Miss, are you not feeling well?”
Ji Zhaoxi played along and coughed. The driver’s eyes were full of sympathy, which made her feel a little guilty.
The driver tried to help her up, joking, “For a second, I thought you were trying to fake an accident.”
The next second, he heard her whisper, “I am.”
The driver’s face stiffened. He stepped back and trotted over to the car window.
“Young master, you were right. She’s faking it. She admitted it!” The driver lowered his voice.
A mocking laugh came from inside the car.
The driver hung his head in embarrassment.
Just a moment ago, he’d thought his young master was heartless for saying a hurt-looking girl was faking it.
Turns out you had to be as ruthless as their young master to spot a ruthless move like hers.
“Ask her how much she wants,” a lazy voice said from inside. That would decide how he’d hit her.
The driver walked back with a stern face, towering over Ji Zhaoxi. “How much do you want?”
From today on, he would never smile again!
Ji Zhaoxi was overcome with guilt. This was her first time doing this.
Then her eyes caught a figure in the bushes—the old man from before, watching her seriously. He even gave her a “fighting” gesture.
That boosted her courage. She cleared her throat and said firmly, “Two hundred blocks!”
The driver stared at her in silence.
Ji Zhaoxi steeled herself. “Or I won’t get up.”
Their rice cooker was broken. Two hundred was just enough for a decent replacement.
The driver was at a loss. He scratched the back of his head in confusion. Had he heard wrong?
He frowned. “How much did you say?”
Ji Zhaoxi saw his expression darken and lowered her voice. “One hundred and fifty then.”
The old man hidden in the bushes was watching anxiously, unable to hear what they were saying. But from their expressions, he knew they were negotiating
That’s it! You can haggle! This girl was sharp!
The driver’s voice cracked in shock. “One fifty?!”
Ji Zhaoxi felt even more nervous and glanced at the greenery beside her, thinking about escaping.
The driver stared at her in disbelief. “Let me ask our young master.”
She nodded weakly.
The driver went to the window and whispered, “Young master, the girl wants one fifty.”
A sarcastic voice replied from inside. “One hundred and fifty million? Greedy.”
The driver paused. “Young master, she meant one hundred and fifty bucks.”
He stressed the word “bucks.”
The person in the car fell silent.
The driver looked back at Ji Zhaoxi, who gave him a polite smile.
The driver: …
