Chapter 045 Maserati and the Goddess

Hearing that Florence wanted to speak to him alone, Li Huan couldn’t help but look puzzled. He couldn’t read much from her expression, but it was clear that her attitude towards him had shifted somewhat. Up until now, Li Huan had never imagined he would have any kind of interaction with this woman.

Li Ruotong and Sun Feifei both looked at Florence curiously. Sensing she had no intention of explaining herself, they turned their gazes to Li Huan, wondering what secret could possibly exist between him and Florence.

Though the question was unspoken, Li Ruotong and Sun Feifei wisely kept silent, leaving the choice to Li Huan himself. But perhaps Florence sensed the attitude of the other two women, for she didn’t wait for Li Huan’s agreement. She strode to the door, turned her back to him, and said, “I’ll wait for you outside!”

With that, Florence walked away with long strides, as if certain Li Huan would follow.

Left in the room with Li Ruotong and Sun Feifei, Li Huan felt their fiery gazes scrutinizing him, making him inexplicably awkward. He and Florence had no history whatsoever, yet the looks on their faces seemed to mock him for having some unspeakable entanglement with her.

“I’m heading out for a bit. Feifei, could you let Li Gang know?” Li Huan didn’t dare meet their eyes. He quickly turned away and left, afraid they might actually see through to some imagined affair.

As he exited the lavish entrance of Dancing with Wolves, the pavement was awash in a sultry pink glow cast by the massive LED screen nearby. Luxury sedans and sports cars lined both sides of the street. With a casual glance, Li Huan spotted Florence standing before a red Maserati, dressed in a long black tasseled gown. The trident emblem was half-concealed beneath her voluptuous hips, and her long legs crossed gracefully. Even beneath the black skirt, their straight lines were evident.

Slender black heels made her instep arch elegantly. Her skin was smooth as milk. Florence’s neck and chest, the only skin revealed by the otherwise modest gown, hinted at a tantalizing sensuality—perhaps by design, or perhaps to better showcase the luxurious emerald pendant at her throat.

Li Huan resisted the urge to admire the enticing dip between her breasts where the emerald nestled. Even though the darkness hid the focus of his gaze, he still sensed that a single look from her could see straight through him.

He stopped a meter from her, too bewildered to appreciate the Maserati’s splendor—he was simply at a loss as to why this woman had called him out alone.

“Get in,” Florence said after a silent pause, as if suddenly recalling herself. She walked to the car, opened the door, and slid inside.

Li Huan hesitated, unsure of her intentions. Her skill displayed in the private room was beyond anything he could hope to match—even his elders back home could hardly compare.

As he wavered, the car door swung open from within. Li Huan looked up to see Florence leaning over, one arm extended in midair, her neckline revealing a generous expanse of creamy flesh. Gravity accentuated her fullness and curves, and a hint of rosy hue was especially alluring under the lights.

Florence’s expression shifted; she hastily covered her chest and sat up straight, her fair cheeks flushing with a spreading blush, like ink blooming on water.

Li Huan realized he’d lost his composure, but the sight had truly stunned him. Had he not seen it himself, he wouldn’t have believed this enigmatic woman wore no underwear. In that instant, his mind wanted to look away, but his eyes betrayed him.

When the door closed behind him, Li Huan felt acutely uncomfortable. In the awkward silence, he didn’t notice that Florence was equally unsettled. Her full, firm chest rarely showed any sign of sagging, so she often went without a bra—simple and unencumbered.

The engine’s deep roar filled the air. Though the car’s interior dulled the sensation, the amazed looks from bystanders made clear just how dazzling this Maserati Quattroporte was. The sound receded behind them as the car sped off down a broad, backstreet boulevard.

It was Li Huan’s first time in a supercar worth over a million, and he had to admit it was impressive—until the ride began in earnest.

Florence, mature and alluring in her tasseled black gown, shattered all of Li Huan’s preconceptions the moment she began to drive. Her gear shifts and acceleration were smooth and seamless, the speed astonishing. The street scenery blurred past; the flow of traffic receded rapidly behind them. Florence overtook car after car, and Li Huan dared not speak for fear of distracting her.

The car finally stopped at a secluded riverside. Dim streetlights cast a muted yellow glow, and a tapestry of stars glittered overhead, the sky deep and tranquil.

But Li Huan was in no mood to appreciate the quiet contrast to the city’s bustle. The moment the car halted, he unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned out the window, retching. Fortunately, he hadn’t eaten much for dinner, but still his stomach roiled. When the car stopped, he felt as if his organs had all jolted back into place.

He collapsed into the seat, retched a bit more, and finally, pale and exhausted, managed to squeeze out a few words through clenched teeth: “I… I didn’t… offend you, did I?”

Seeing him like this, Florence’s usually taut expression suddenly blossomed into a smile. She raised her chin with pride, a touch of reserve in her manner, yet unable to hide her stunning beauty.

There are some women whose smile can bring a city to its knees; Florence was certainly one of them.

Sadly, Li Huan, oblivious to charm or too spent to appreciate it, saw none of this. He simply gasped for breath, struggling to steady his racing heart.

Though bold, Li Huan had never imagined his life would one day rest in a woman’s hands. For a moment, he thought the woman beside him was a lunatic. Were it not for having glimpsed her skill earlier, he might have leapt from the car—better a broken limb than to lose his life.

“No,” Florence replied, still smiling broadly and not bothering to hide her amusement at his state. “Never ridden in such a fast car before?”

Li Huan shook his head to clear it, regained a little strength, and turned to her. “It’s more than that. I’ve never seen anyone drive this fast before—especially not a woman…”

He trailed off, mouth agape. The woman before him was breathtakingly beautiful. He’d thought her attractive before, but not enough to make him lose his composure. After all, both Su Dieyi and Sun Feifei were top-tier beauties, and with Li Ruotong—fierce but flawless—he’d thought himself immune. Yet Florence, always so cold and aloof, suddenly smiled, and for a moment, everything else faded from existence, leaving him with a sense of unreality.

But Florence didn’t allow him to linger in admiration. As soon as Li Huan opened his mouth, her smile vanished. She turned away, as if sulking.

Li Huan didn’t believe Florence was playing coy. A woman as lofty as she wouldn’t act bashful before a stranger. Indeed, as if realizing her reaction was out of character, she pushed open the door, got out, leaned against the car, and took a cigarette from her bag.

She held the slim cigarette between elegant fingers, lighting it with practiced grace. Smoke curled gently from her lips; in the shifting light, she exhaled a perfect ring. The gesture was beautiful but tinged with sadness, as if her solitary figure invoked a poignant sense of pity.

Li Huan, embarrassed to stay in the car, opened his door and got out. He considered leaning against the hood as Florence did, but it felt too awkward, so he stood nearby. After a moment’s hesitation, he asked, “You didn’t bring me out here just to show me how a woman can drive, did you?”

“No,” Florence replied crisply. After a moment, she added, “I always drive this fast.”

Li Huan’s jaw nearly dropped. How was this possible? Did the traffic police in Zhonghai do nothing all day? Even if she had special privileges, surely she couldn’t be this reckless.

Florence seemed to sense his doubts but offered no explanation. Zhonghai was a financial powerhouse, with all the attendant traffic problems. No matter how skilled a driver, no one could race through city traffic like that.

Li Huan decided he’d walk back rather than risk another ride with this woman. It would take at least an hour to reach the bus stop on foot, but it was safer. He opened his mouth, about to ask what she wanted, hoping to settle things and get home sooner.

But Florence showed no intention of letting him go. She pulled out a box of cigarettes, tossed it on the hood, and gestured. “Have a smoke.”

Li Huan glanced down. It was a box of Davidoff ladies’ cigarettes. He’d seen them before in bars, expensive, but he’d never tried them. Shaking his head, he replied, “I’m not used to women’s cigarettes.”