4.7 Driving Lessons: I just want to retire (Part 2)

While all this drama was going on the outside, Li Wei and An Jing were happily drinking their tea and enjoying the snacks. They became aware of the situation only when Li Hua and Officer Leng Ruo started yelling. They made their way to the door and peeked out to see what was going on.

An Mei was the first to notice them. She immediately ran to her husband and sister and tightly hugged Li Wei. "Weiwei, are you alright?" she asked without letting go of him.

"Mei, what are you doing here? Did you cry? Meimei, what happened?" Li Wei hugged her tightly and while stroking her back to comfort her.

"Why do you think, bendan? I got a call from the police saying that you were arrested."

"What? Arrested? No, no, Meimei, don't worry we were not arrested. It was just a minor driving license mishap. And I gave them Na-jie's number. Why did they call you?"

"I called your sister perp Li Wei..." Leng Ruo began.

"Don't call him a perp, Xiao-Ruo," her uncle snapped. "It's Professor Li."

"Sorry, sir. I called your sister Ms. Li Na, Professor Li. One of her secretaries picked up and gave me your wife's number," Leng Ruo said, clearing up the confusion.

"Why didn't you give my number?" An Mei asked her husband.

"I wanted to keep the car a secret from you. It was supposed to be a surprise. But I did not anticipate that things would turn like this."

"Did you buy a car?"

"Yeah."

"Was it because of the rain?"

"It was because of the rain, and also because we might need it one day, in the future, when we have a family of our own. To be honest, I mainly wanted to be able to drive you around. I imagined us going on drives, maybe watching the sunset while sitting in the car. I wanted to do something nice for you."

"Is this what 'running with Professor Shen' was all about?"

"Yeah, An Jing has been teaching me to drive in the mornings."

An Mei finally let go of her husband and looked at him, her expression unreadable.

"Are you mad Meimei?" Li Wei asked.

"I should be mad. At both of you," she said pointing at husband and her sister. "You are both stupid. But your intention was so sweet that I can bring myself to be mad. Come here, Jingjing," she said, pulling her husband and her sister in for a group hug.

"Jie, don't be too angry at Jie-fu," An Jing said. "I was the one who pushed him to go on the road. I was responsible for the whole mess."

"No, Mei, it was me." Li Wei was unwilling to let his instructor take the fall. "I pushed for her to teach me. It's my fault. Jingjing doesn't have anything to do with it."

"You are both at fault. And you are both idiots. But you are my idiots. Now shut up, and keep hugging."

Pretty soon they were joined by two more pairs of hands as Li Jing and Li Yue joined the group hug.

"All right, all right, enough with the mush," Li Wei said sharply. "Everyone has to get to work, and Jingjing has class."

"Hua-jie, you can join the hug too, you know," Li Jing offered.

Hua looked at the group for a second as if she was actually contemplating joining in, but then she realized that other people were watching. "Be quiet, Xiao-Jing," she yelled. "Break up the hug; it's time to leave."

"But what about the investigation, ma'am?" Leng Ruo asked Li Hua, saluting her once more.

A confused Li Hua looked at Chief Liang.

"I investigated the incident, Xiao-Ruo," Chief Liang said. "It turns out that this was just a minor traffic violation. We will find the car gang later."

"Yes, sir," Leng Ruo replied, and saluted Li Hua again.

The matriarch, who had been watching the entire drama unfold, now stepped forward to speak to the chief. "My apologies for my siblings' behavior, station chief. I hope that this incident has not caused you too much trouble."

"No...no, not at all Madam Li, it's no trouble at all," Chief Liang lied.

"I assume that there is a fine for the traffic violation."

"Ummm...yes, ma'am," the chief said, unsure of what he was supposed to do.

"I would like to pay it now."

"Yes...yes, Madam Li, just a second." Chief Liang ran to one of the desks, pulled out a slip and filled it out. He then handed it carefully to Li Fen, who gave it to one of the secretaries, who paid the fine in cash.

While Li Fen was paying the fine, An Jing told Li Yue about the nice biscuits, and they went into the conference room to try out the snacks. Li Wei and An Mei remained behind, holding each other's hand and talking about the incident. Li Jing gave the couple some space and drifted back towards Li Hua.

While Li Hua and Li Jing were talking, Leng Ruo came up to them with a small book and a pen.

"Ma'am," she said softly, her stubborn bravery vanishing for a moment. "I...I am a big fan. Can I please have your autograph?"

Li Hua looked at Leng Ruo and Li Jing with contempt.

Li Jing, who was used to being asked for autographs all the time, gave Leng Ruo a warm smile and said, "Of course, darling. You want me to write anything special for you?"

"Uhh... Not you, ma'am. I want Ms. Li Hua's autograph."

This statement took even Li Hua by surprise.

Li Jing looked slightly offended but mainly amused. "Her autograph? Girl, did you drop your brain somewhere? Why do you need her autograph? You do know who I am, right?"

"Yes ma'am, you are Li Jing. But I am Ms. Li Hua's fan."

"She has good taste," Li Hua commented.

"A fan..." Li Jing scoffed. "Fan of what? How the Amazon beats up people? Ohh! Don't tell me you are one of those? Is it the Taekwondo thing?"

"Yes, ma'am, I have watched all of her matches. I watched her win the national championship live."

"You must have been, what, nine or ten at the time?"

"Yes, ma'am. My dad took me to the match. He is also a fan."

"Ugh...so many people with poor taste. My day is officially ruined," Li Jing whined.

Li Hua took the book and the pen and signed. She even wrote something for Leng Ruo and her dad, all the while giving Li Jing a smug satisfied smile.

By then the fine was paid, and the matriarch said, "It's time to leave."

Five minutes later the secretaries and lawyers were back in the cars. Only a few members of the security detail were standing outside, while the family had gathered near the two Rolls Royces.

Li Wei and An Jing were standing in front of the four sisters like toddlers who had made a mistake and were now about to be interrogated by their mothers. An Mei was standing next to her husband and sister for moral support.

"Anything you two have to say?" Li Fen asked coolly.

"Sorry, Da-jie," Li Wei and An Jing said simultaneously.

"A sorry isn't enough, Da-jie," Li Hua said. "Look at the mess these two made."

"They are just kids, Hua-jie," Li Jing countered. "They just made a silly mistake. No need to make a big deal out of it."

"Big deal, Xiao-Jing, are you blind?" Li Hua yelled. "They are the ones who made a big deal of it. They got arrested."

"Arrested? That's nonsense," Li Jing said. "They were just detained for a little while. They even gave them tea and snacks."

"That doesn't mean that it wasn't a big deal."

"You are the one making it a big deal. They just wanted to drive."

"I... I am the one making a big deal? It's because of you that they are like this. You are a bad influence on them."

"If I am the reason they are trying new things, then I am happy to be a bad influence."

"You, you..."

"Enough," Li Fen said, and the argument stopped. "It's times like these that I miss Xiao-Na the most."

Li Hua and Li Jing looked at the matriarch and then at each other and decided that it was best to stay quiet.

"You have anything to add, Xiao-Yue?" Li Fen asked her youngest sister.

"No, Da-jie," Li Yue said. She was just happy that she wasn't the one being yelled at for once.

"Alright. Xiao-Wei, I am not going to say much to you. You are a grown man, you have a respectable job, and a family of your own. While your intention was sweet, you should reflect on how your recklessness affected your wife and the rest of us. I will say this though, for the first time in your life, you have disappointed me."

Li Wei looked like he was about to cry but managed to hold back the tears when his wife gently squeezed his hand. He looked at An Mei and then back at his eldest sister. "Sorry, Jie, I will think about it. I won't make this mistake again," he said with a new confidence in his voice.

"Good." Then Li Fen turned her attention to An Jing. "As for you, Jingjing, I am cutting off your allowance for one month. And that means no one else is allowed to help her either," she said, looking around at the rest of the family, all of whom suddenly seemed very interested in the ground.

An Jing was about to protest but decided to remain silent when she realized that she could manage.

"And, you are not allowed to play that damn game. What is it called?"

"Dragon Gate, Jie," Li Yue supplied helpfully.

"Yes, Dragon Gate, you are not allowed to play it for a month."

"But...but...Da-jie..." An Jing began to complain, but stopped when she saw the look in Li Fen's eyes.

"Anything to say?"

"No...sorry," An Jing said meekly.

"And don't think you can get away from it. I will know if you play. I will regularly check with Mei Lin, and if necessary, with the game company as well. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Jie."

"As for the driving lessons, you are not allowed to drive around the university or the roads anymore..."

"Jie, but I have to learn to drive," Li Wei complained.

Li Fen lifted her hand, telling her brother to be quiet. "I did not finish my words, Xiao-Wei. You two are not allowed to drive around the university. You will practice at Xiao-Yue's race track. That is, if Jingjing still wants to be your teacher."

"I do," An Jing said quickly. "My contract with Jie-fu is not over yet."

"All right. And Xiao-Yue, even if you join them, you are not allowed to teach Xiao-Wei. And don't try to race him. It's best if you don't touch his car at all."

"Jie, I wasn't going to do anything," Li Yue protested.

"Now I know you won't. Once Xiao-Wei has enough practice on the tracks, one of us will take him on the road. It will probably be Xiao-Na; she will be a little more free once she is back. But we will all take turns when we have time."

"Da-jie, I want Jingjing on the road with me; she is my instructor," Li Wei said, unwilling to transfer his loyalty to a new teacher.

"She will be there if she wants to. But she doesn't have a license yet, so you will need someone else with you."

"I want to be there," An Jing replied.

"Good." Li Fen looked at Li Wei and An Jing once more. "And this is the most important thing. Once Xiao-Wei has learned to drive, both of you are getting your driving licenses."

"Yes, Da-jie," both Li Wei and An Jing said at the same time.