Love in the Fast Lane - Novelbike

Is Li Ke in a hurry to do something? Tang Ning could roughly gauge this based on the information he had, assuming Qi Xiaomeng’s perspective was accurate and truly reflected Li Ke’s situation.

However, Qi Xiaomeng and Mo Zihan didn’t fully agree with Tang Ning’s opinion deep down, because they knew that the information they had on Li Ke was quite limited and they couldn’t guarantee its accuracy.

Mo Zihan had only been seeing Li Ke for a few days. In these limited interactions, aside from the positive and inspiring qualities Li Ke genuinely possessed, Mo Zihan identified only one downside-Li Ke seemed too full of himself, and now she could add manipulative to the list.

As for Qi Xiaomeng and Li Ke, they weren’t particularly close; they were just ordinary friends.

Qi Xiaomeng’s knowledge of Li Ke was primarily based on gossip she heard from others, and much of it was her own speculation. No one could be sure how credible these were.

Whether the motives and character attributed to Li Ke corresponded with the real him was hard to say. Everyone has flaws, even Qi Xiaomeng’s idea of a perfect man like Tang Ning had faults. So, how could Li Ke not?

In their eyes, these flaws were magnified, and now both women viewed Li Ke as a villain. Were their opinions fair and impartial? If those biases led them to see Li Ke as a villain, who could say what the truth truly was?

Now, Li Ke acted mysteriously. Who could claim he wasn’t hiding a secret? If it turned out that Li Ke really had something he couldn’t talk about, then even though his words today annoyed Mo Zihan, it wasn’t enough for her to see him as a villain. If Tang Ning’s judgment based on these impressions diverged greatly from Li Ke’s real intentions, the consequences would not only harm Li Ke but also affect Mo Zihan and Qi Xiaomeng.

Tang Ning noticed their hesitation and smiled, “Of course, all of this is just speculation. So, any investigation into Li Ke has to be done discreetly. Regardless of his intentions, his urgency is obvious, which means his motives, whatever they may be, will eventually surface over time. The month-long Spring Festival holiday provides a buffer. Our leaving the city is also a precaution. Think about it: Is Li Ke acting out of goodwill with hidden troubles, or does he have ulterior motives to get something from you? If his intentions are sincere and he’s just dealing with something difficult, he’ll naturally reach out if necessary, preserving your friendship. But if he means harm, what if that leads to getting hurt by Li Ke?”

Neither Mo Zihan nor Qi Xiaomeng spoke, knowing Tang Ning was right. It was uncertain whether Li Ke’s intentions were good or bad. If he’s truly sincere, avoiding him for a while and then facing him might only make them feel guilty for misjudging him, but no harm would come. However, if Li Ke is truly scheming, considering his patience and arrogance, his motives aren’t likely innocent. Pushing him might lead to unpredictable harm.

“Alright then. Set the date, and I’ll book the flight tickets in advance. By the time you leave, I’ll be home too. Also, find a safe place to keep all the documents from Starfire. Lastly, should I ask someone about investigating Li Ke?” Qi Xiaomeng suggested around nine o’clock.

Mo Zihan had no objections, but Tang Ning shook his head, “The first two matters are settled. I’ll handle the investigation on Li Ke. If he’s been around you for over a year, he’s likely familiar with your circle. He probably isn’t focused on me, and even if he was, my circle isn’t something he, or even Murong Feng, could easily understand.”

After deciding, Qi Xiaomeng stood to leave, but Mo Zihan suddenly remembered something and stopped her, “It’s late, and since Li Ke approached us today, the main road might be safe, but your residential community is dark with no streetlights. What if something happens? There are two rooms here, so except during the day, you should stay over at night. We can share a room, and Tang Ning can have the other. It’ll be easier for you to contact your friends about investigating Li Ke.”

Qi Xiaomeng shrugged, “Is that really necessary? Even if Li Ke has bad intentions, he wouldn’t dare harm someone.”

Tang Ning added, “Xiaohan’s right, better safe than sorry. Let’s do it this way: you both take the master bedroom, and I’ll use the other. During the day, we can pack things at the company, and if you need anything from your place, we can go tomorrow. I have a feeling someone’s watching this building right now. It might be just a feeling or psychological, but Li Ke’s behavior is too suspicious. We need to be extra cautious.”

Hearing his words about something eerie, Mo Zihan and Qi Xiaomeng shivered and glanced outside. The night was pitch-black, and it felt as if a shadow was indeed watching their building, waiting for Qi Xiaomeng to step out.

“I’ll stay with you guys then; I haven’t lived long enough yet,” Qi Xiaomeng said, clearly frightened by Tang Ning’s words. Despite her usual lively demeanor, she was actually quite timid. She grabbed Mo Zihan and dragged her towards the master bedroom. Halfway there, she turned to Tang Ning, “Sorry, you’ll have to bear with us for a few days. Hope that’s not too hard on you?”

Tang Ning’s face darkened, and he retreated into his bedroom.

Mo Zihan blushed as she pinched Qi Xiaomeng playfully, threatening, “If you keep talking like that, I just might kick you out. You really need to watch what you say.”

Qi Xiaomeng responded with a chuckle, “What’s the big deal? It’s only natural. Or are you the one having a hard time holding back?”

Flustered, Mo Zihan playfully pinched Qi Xiaomeng, and they both dashed into the master bedroom, giggling. A little later, Mo Zihan grabbed pillows and a blanket, and they lay on the bed chatting. Neither felt sleepy, so Mo Zihan pulled out her laptop and played a movie she’d downloaded, reminiscent of their college days spent snuggled up watching films together.

Meanwhile, in the other bedroom, Tang Ning hadn’t fallen asleep yet. After completing his daily writing, he quickly contacted some friends skilled in investigation. In the real world, Tang Ning had few friends, and those who were just lived ordinary lives. But online, his personality naturally attracted many mysterious friends.

Around midnight, Mo Zihan, ready to sleep after the movie, saw that Qi Xiaomeng was already asleep, softly snoring. As amused as she was, she also sensed Qi Xiaomeng’s relief.

She must have been quite scared these past few days. Qi Xiaomeng was quite perceptive, and while she might casually suggest that Li Ke had hidden troubles, deep down she was becoming frightened of his mysteriousness. Otherwise, with her night owl habits, she wouldn’t be sleeping so soundly now.

Compared to her, Mo Zihan felt quite lucky. In this vast, cold, unfamiliar city, she had Tang Ning by her side. This little sanctuary felt truly comforting.

Quietly rising, Mo Zihan heard Qi Xiaomeng muttering in her sleep, though she couldn’t make out the words. It was clearly a complaint about someone. She peeked into the side room to find Tang Ning still online, chatting. She told him to get some rest, knowing that Tang Ning wouldn’t be staying up all night. Reassured, Mo Zihan returned to the master bedroom.

Tang Ning definitely wouldn’t stay up late, as he had only returned to a normal sleep schedule for about a year, and he intended to keep it that way for the future. Plus, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down these days. He needed to stay alert, and not getting enough sleep would drain his energy, something he knew well.

The next morning, the sky was still overcast. After a refreshing breakfast, the three of them, feeling quite energetic, decided to organize the items they had brought back the previous day, which were still not in order.

As they went downstairs, Qi Xiaomeng, perhaps due to paranoia, felt like any passersby on the street could be Li Ke, and she walked with a sense of nervous suspicion.

Upon arriving at the office, Tang Ning casually chatted with the security guard at the entrance and suddenly asked if anyone had inquired about Starfire from the previous afternoon until now. Smoking a cigarette Tang Ning handed him, the guard thought for a moment before shaking his head, “No one specifically asked, but there have been some unfamiliar faces wandering around. Not many, maybe just two or three. You see, 99% of the people I encounter here daily are familiar faces, so it’s easy to remember the few unfamiliar ones.”

Mo Zihan was surprised, “They’ve been hanging around here? Since when have these people been around?”

The guard chuckled, “They can’t just loiter around all the time; it’s like they’re waiting for someone. There are many idle people these days; who knows what they’re up to. As long as they don’t enter the premises, it’s fine. Oh, about the gentleman who came looking for Ms. Mo yesterday, I’ve seen him several times. The boss of the corner shop opposite should know him too; he’s bought things there several times.”

Ever since deciding to set up the office there, Tang Ning had been friendly with the security guard, who seemed to be giving him a discreet warning.

Tang Ning thanked him with a smile as the three of them took the elevator upstairs, his expression turning grim only after the doors closed. “See? This person has come knocking. While we can’t be sure those wandering people are connected to Li Ke, it’s definitely not a simple matter for several strangers to show up here simultaneously.”

Qi Xiaomeng fumed, “This is outrageous. He’s come knocking on our door. If it were really some unspeakable issue, would there really be a need for all this probing and following? I think we’ve underestimated the situation. Tang Ning is right; we need to be cautious.”