After Marrying the Aloof Beauty, I Totally Fell for Her - Chapter 34

Chapter 34:  No Respect at All

Even through her thick gloves, Mu Yan could still feel the softness of the girl’s cheek.

Clearly, the girl was much taller than her when standing upright, yet she willingly bowed her head, nestling it into Mu Yan’s palm, her deer-like eyes naturally brimming with dependence and flattery.

Mu Yan said coldly, “Aren’t you old enough to wipe your own face?”

Though she said that, her hand still followed An Ning’s will and gently brushed the snow off her face.

“Haha, Teacher Mu’s really good at cleaning.” An Ning was long used to Mu Yan’s sharp tongue and still smiled brightly, even bending her knees to make it easier for the woman to pat the snow off her head.

An Ning really liked the way Mu Yan indulged her. Even if it was only because of her past self, she still couldn’t help but want more.

It was like the lingering sweetness after a bitter cup of tea—your face might still be frowning from the bitterness, but your mouth already couldn’t wait to take another sip.

Once the two had brushed off the snow from their clothes and had a simple lunch at the restaurant at the foot of the mountain, they took the cable car back up the slope.

An Ning had been eyeing the bumper car arena for a while now. Around noon, only a few cars were zooming around. Occasionally, two would crash into each other, and the lighter one would slide across the snow, flinging up a spray of snowflakes amidst the laughter and curses of the players.

When the two reached the rental counter, there were two boys already in line—one tall and handsome, smiling as he chatted with the staff, and a shorter one wearing glasses, looking weak and sickly.

They also noticed the two girls. The taller guy whistled and said flirtatiously to An Ning, “Hey, pretty lady, want to add me on WeChat?”

An Ning wasn’t angry at the forward flirtation and just smiled as she shook her head.

But then the guy nudged his friend and teased, “The lady behind her is even prettier, but I can tell right away she’s not my type. You’d probably match better with her.”

The shorter guy looked a bit helpless at his friend’s rudeness and tugged on his sleeve. “Stop it.”

The tall one didn’t care at all and said casually, “If you keep being this timid, when are you ever going to get a girlfriend? We’re not poor or ugly—why should we be afraid of getting rejected?”

That was way out of line.

An Ning frowned. She and Mu Yan hadn’t said a word, and this guy was already pairing them off as he pleased?

She wanted to speak up, but couldn’t find anything harsh to say, so she simply glared at the guy, hoping he’d understand she wasn’t pleased.

Unfortunately, the guy was either shameless or just clueless. Instead of backing off, he actually enjoyed her glare and grinned, “Don’t be mad, gorgeous. I’m just being honest. If you become my girlfriend, I’ll give you a car. What kind do you like—”

“Did your parents never teach you how to speak like a human being?” A cold voice interrupted just as An Ning was about to snap at him.

The words were colder than the outdoor temperature, and everyone present gave a visible shiver. Even the motor-mouthed guy shut up, stunned.

He stared in disbelief as Mu Yan stepped out from behind An Ning and walked in front of her. “What… what did you say?”

Mu Yan’s expression was indifferent. Her sharp eyes looked up at the taller guy as if she were staring at a piece of gum stuck to a manhole cover. “I said, if you have so much money, maybe spend some on getting your brain checked. Looking like that and being brain-dead? Life’s going to be hard for you.”

An Ning burst into laughter. “Pfft—hahaha!”

She laughed heartily, then quickly stepped in front of Mu Yan to block the guy, who still looked dumbfounded.

Honestly, judging by his lack of brainpower, if he got mad, there was no telling whether he’d try to throw hands.

“You!” The guy finally realized Mu Yan had insulted him. His eyes widened and he stepped forward, pointing at her. “Come out here!”

An Ning immediately shielded Mu Yan, clenched her fist, and stared him down without fear.

She had no intention of starting a fight—but if he laid a hand on Teacher Mu, that was a different story.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, the staff quickly raised their voice and called out, “Gentlemen, your turn to enter the arena!”

The shorter guy also tugged on his friend. “Don’t fight with women. Seriously?”

Under all the coaxing, the tall guy finally backed off, but not before giving Mu Yan a fierce glare as he entered the bumper car zone.

An Ning felt deflated. The bumper cars had looked so fun, but now the mood was ruined.

“Teacher Mu, let’s go do something else?” she suggested.

Mu Yan’s face was calm and unbothered, completely unfazed.

“Why?” she asked, already walking to the staff at the counter.

An Ning frowned. “I just really don’t like that guy. So rude.”

Mu Yan nonchalantly signed the waiver as she replied, “Isn’t that normal? If you did like someone like that, I’d be the one taking you to get your brain checked.”

Then she handed the pen to An Ning. “Hurry up and sign. You were the one who begged to play this. Now you’re backing out just because there’s a moron inside?”

An Ning smiled and took the pen.

She had to admit Mu Yan was right. It really wasn’t worth giving up something she wanted because of someone like that.

They were led into the arena and got into a bright yellow two-seater bumper car.

Mu Yan knew An Ning wanted to drive, so she sat in the passenger seat.

Under the staff’s guidance, An Ning quickly learned how to operate the toy car. It only had a simple gas pedal and steering wheel, and was easy to master.

Driving through the snow-covered arena, she weaved past other crashing cars, going around and around.

She hadn’t earned her license yet, but just steering through the snow while enjoying the scenery was already a lot of fun.

“How’s this different from driving an actual car?” Mu Yan teased as she watched An Ning beam with happiness, her eyes squinting into crescent moons. Still, she couldn’t help but smile too.

“This is called peaceful living,” An Ning quipped proudly, winking at her before suddenly spinning the wheel.

The yellow car did a beautiful 180-degree drift, carving a perfect half-circle into the snow and spraying white flakes everywhere.

The sudden centrifugal force threw Mu Yan toward An Ning, bumping right into her.

Startled, An Ning quickly steadied her by the shoulders and slowed the car down. She gave a sheepish grin. “Hehe… that drift just now—”

Before she could say the word cool, there was a loud BANG. A massive force slammed into their car, squishing the two together.

“Teacher Mu!” An Ning had just enough time to wrap her arms around Mu Yan to shield her. Her own elbow took the hit against the side of the car.

“Ah!” she gasped, wincing from the pain. But instead of checking her own injury, she immediately turned to see if Mu Yan was hurt.

Before she could even touch her, Mu Yan had already grabbed her arm and pushed up her thick sleeve.

“I’m fine,” the woman said firmly, ignoring An Ning’s worried eyes as she inspected the spot.

A faint bruise had already formed on An Ning’s pale arm.

“It’s okay, really—it doesn’t hurt,” An Ning tried to wave it off, quickly pulling her sleeve down when she saw Mu Yan’s expression go from cloudy to full thunderstorm.

“What the hell just happened?” she asked.

“HAHAHA! Pretty lady, how was that? Cool, right?”

Before Mu Yan could answer, a familiar mocking voice rang out.

An Ning looked up and saw the tall guy from earlier driving a black bumper car, grinning from ear to ear and giving them a thumbs-down.

Clearly, he’d just rammed into them while they were nearly at a stop.

Normally, even when two bumper cars collided, one side wouldn’t be knocked so far. But when a nearly stationary car got slammed full-force by another, the outcome was entirely different.

An Ning distinctly remembered the first rule on the safety sign: Do not slam into stopped vehicles.

“How could you?!” she shouted, genuinely furious now. If she hadn’t reacted in time, that hit could’ve seriously hurt Mu Yan.

The guy showed zero guilt. Instead, he whistled again and smirked, “That was just a little greeting. A payback gift for your girlfriend insulting me. No need to be so protective. I’m still serious about my offer. Don’t be like her, alright?”

An Ning didn’t respond. She stepped on the gas and rammed her car straight into his.

“Whoa!” The guy hadn’t expected her to retaliate. He hurriedly tried to move, but she slammed right into his bumper and knocked his car back.

He rubbed his head and laughed, “Didn’t expect you to have such a temper. I like it.”

Like your damn face.

An Ning rarely hated anyone this much. Insulting her was one thing—but endangering Mu Yan and acting smug about it?

Not worth another word.

She hit the gas again and chased him down. But this time, the guy was prepared. He dodged quickly and countered by slamming into her side.

An Ning gritted her teeth and tried to fight back, but without real driving experience, she couldn’t land a solid hit. After ten minutes of chasing, she’d been bumped several times instead.

As he drove ahead, he laughed and teased, “You drive like a grandma. How about this—call me big bro and I’ll stop. Let you win.”

An Ning clenched her jaw, ignoring him as she prepared for another strike.

Suddenly, a hand tapped her arm.

“Teacher Mu?” An Ning turned to her in surprise.

Mu Yan stared coldly at the black car ahead. “Stop at the gate. We’re switching seats.”

“Oh—okay.” An Ning immediately complied, pulling over at the resting area to swap places with Mu Yan.

“Buckle up,” Mu Yan said as she adjusted the steering wheel, then tugged firmly at An Ning’s seatbelt to make sure it was tight.

“Hold on.”

Then she floored the gas pedal.

The yellow car roared and charged toward the black one.

“Te-Teacher Mu—” An Ning barely had time to react before their car smashed into the back of the guy’s.

“Holy—!” The guy fumbled with the wheel, trying to recover, but Mu Yan didn’t give him a chance. She hit him again before he could stabilize.

BANG!

The guy screamed as his car skidded across the snow.

An Ning stared at Mu Yan’s side profile, dumbfounded.

Amid the flying snow, Mu Yan’s expression remained calm. But those usually sleepy eyes were now fully focused, pupils shrinking as she tracked the black car like a hawk eyeing its prey.

“Close your mouth. Don’t bite your tongue,” she said without turning.

“Okay.” An Ning obediently shut her mouth and braced herself.

What followed was pure carnage.

Mu Yan chased the guy across the entire arena, hitting him every time he slowed down, giving him no room to breathe.

BANG! BANG!

The black car bounced around like a shuttlecock in a game of badminton, while Mu Yan’s yellow car was the racket.

The spectacle was so incredible that the other guests stopped their cars just to watch.

As they passed one couple’s car, An Ning overheard some commentary.

“What did that punk do to deserve this kind of punishment from two girls?”

“He had it coming. The two of them were just sitting there and he went out of his way to mess with them. Now look at him. But the one driving—damn, she looks like a goddess and hits like a tank. That’s what I call bumper cars.”

An Ning glanced at Mu Yan and couldn’t help but laugh.

All her earlier anger had melted away with the guy’s screams.

Mu Yan’s hair danced in the wind, revealing her delicate side profile. Her face was calm, even faintly annoyed, but her hands showed no hesitation.

So cool, An Ning thought, her heart thumping wildly.

She’d never seen this side of Mu Yan before.

After spending so much time alone with her, it was easy to think of her as sharp-tongued but soft-hearted.

But clearly, if Mu Yan were that easygoing, she’d have been everyone’s idol long ago.

This version of her—fierce, focused, a little unhinged—was awe-inspiring.

And An Ning couldn’t help but love it.

Because all that ferocity… was for her.

“Miss, miss, I’m sorry! I apologize! Please stop hitting me!” The guy was finally panicking, frantically begging for mercy as he fled across the arena.

“Tell him I accept the apology,” Mu Yan said calmly, “and tell him to stop.”

An Ning relayed the message. Honestly, she felt a little sorry for the guy now—not that he didn’t deserve it.

The guy looked relieved and quickly brought his car to a stop.

But Mu Yan didn’t.

She rammed his car one last time.

BOOM.

Like déjà vu, his car skidded five meters before stopping.

The two boys inside were squished together in a very “intimate” embrace. Only this time, the taller guy had used his scrawny friend as a human cushion.

“Ugh… crap,” the guy groaned, finally lifting his head.

“That’s payback for your little stunt earlier,” Mu Yan said coldly. “As for the rest—consider it my personal opinion of you. Got a problem with that?”

The once-cocky guy could only nod repeatedly in terror.

Mu Yan turned to An Ning, who was grinning from ear to ear. “What’re you smiling at? He gave you a hand gesture earlier. Return the favor.”

“Got it.” An Ning held back a laugh and gave the two boys a big, exaggerated thumbs-down.

Only then did Mu Yan start the car and head for the resting area.

“You’re not driving anymore?” she asked when she saw An Ning get out too.

“Nope,” An Ning replied, glancing at the other drivers who now looked at them with a mix of awe and fear. “Besides, even if I do now, I doubt anyone’s gonna dare bump into us again.”

“Why are you staring at me?” Mu Yan shifted uncomfortably under An Ning’s gaze.

She hadn’t really thought much while dealing with that guy—just wanted to shut him up.

Now that she was calmer, she worried that maybe she’d come off too aggressive.

Had she scared An Ning?

Before she could explain, a sudden hug interrupted her thoughts.

An Ning hugged her around the waist, lifted her slightly, and caught her again.

“Teacher Mu, you’re so cool!” she beamed up at her with a bright, admiring smile.

Even more radiant than when they first started driving.

Mu Yan: “…”

Was that really necessary?

Her face reddened slightly. She avoided An Ning’s starry-eyed gaze and pinched her ear.

“No respect at all. Put me down.”