Quick Transmigration: I'm Really Not A Scumbag - Chapter 1

In December, North City was so cold that dripping water turned to ice instantly. Breath exhaled in thick white clouds, and the air drawn in felt like ice shards, stinging the windpipe and lungs alike.

At seven in the morning, the sky was still hazy and pale. An old woman in a floral padded jacket walked into the auto repair shop leaning on a cane. Her eyes, framed by reading glasses, squinted as she scanned the room. Seeing no one, her gaze settled on a yellowed, old air conditioner in the corner working diligently to provide heat. Beneath the unit sat an old tire wrapped in a blanket, where a tuxedo cat was curled up, sleeping soundly and oblivious to the world.

She frowned and tapped her cane against the nearby counter. “Is anyone here? Mechanic!”

Not far away, the muffled sound of rolling casters came from beneath a black Mercedes. A young, dark-haired man slid out while lying on his back. His expression was cold, the front of his overalls was stained with black oil, and his eyes were heavy with deep exhaustion. He looked like a dying fish.

“What do you need?” Zhou Fan asked.

“Tire change.” The old woman shot Zhou Fan several strange looks. Likely seeing how young he was, she added, “Do you even know how to fix cars?”

Zhou Fan looked at the wrench in his hand and thought to himself that he certainly wasn’t lying under cars just for fun. With an expressionless face, he gave a curt “Mm” and asked, “What car?”

“That silver Toyota outside,” the lady said.

Zhou Fan climbed slowly off the creeper and glanced outside. A silver Toyota that had clearly seen many years was parked out front, its rear right tire visibly sagging.

He bent down, grabbed his tool bag, and headed out.

It was fine inside with the heater on, but as soon as he stepped outside and the cold wind hit him, Zhou Fan shivered, and his lingering sleepiness vanished.

He crouched down by the Toyota’s rear right wheel.

The old woman had appeared behind him at some point. “Is there a nail in it? Can it be patched?”

Zhou Fan poked the crack in the rubber with a tool. “It cannot be patched. The sidewall is cracked; it needs to be replaced.”

“Replaced?” The old woman’s voice immediately jumped an octave. “I just changed the tires last month! You mechanics always tell people to change tires at the drop of a hat. You just want to cheat elderly people like me who don’t understand cars, don’t you!”

Zhou Fan had encountered too many difficult customers like this. Hearing her words, he simply said calmly, “The sidewall is cracked and cannot be patched. Whether you change it or not is up to you.”

The old woman sneered. “The shop I went to last time could patch it, but you cannot. You are so young, yet you have such a wicked heart.”

“Then go back to that shop and have them patch it.” Zhou Fan stood up and stretched his neck.

“You,” the old woman likely had never met someone like him. She sputtered for a long time without a follow up, finally changing her tone. “Where is your boss?”

“The boss is not here. It is just me.”

“I want to complain!”

“The complaint number is on the wall.” Zhou Fan helpfully pointed toward the spot where the phone number was posted. “Help yourself. By the way, although I do not know where your previous shop was, the nearest repair shop from here is another three kilometers away.”

“My goodness! Zhou Fan, you really are something!”

Feng Ruirui walked into the repair shop briskly, carrying fried noodles and soybean milk. She tossed the items onto the counter and reached up to unwrap the scarf from her neck. “There is not a single day I am not woken up by a phone call complaining about you!”

Zhou Fan was dozing off behind the counter. Hearing the commotion, he looked up and pulled the noodles and milk toward him, fishing out disposable chopsticks from the plastic bag. “Thanks, Sister Ruirui.”

Feng Ruirui waved her hand. “What about that old lady? Did you scare her off?”

“She already left.” Zhou Fan stuffed a large mouthful of noodles into his mouth.

“How did she leave? Was the tire not cracked?”

“She replaced the tire before leaving.” While eating, Zhou Fan leaned back and pulled open a drawer to show her the money inside. “Five hundred.”

Feng Ruirui burst out laughing. “Man, I really have to hand it to you.”

As she spoke, she walked into the back room. Before long, she emerged wearing overalls, her long wavy hair tied into a neat bun, looking sharp and capable.

Passing by the air conditioner, Feng Ruirui bent down and gave the sleeping tuxedo cat’s belly a firm rub. “Naibao, still sleeping? Mama’s little darling.”

Zhou Fan rolled his eyes behind the counter.

He ate quickly, finishing the noodles and soybean milk in five minutes. He tied up the trash and threw it in the bin.

“Is the exhaust pipe for number 73 done?” Feng Ruirui asked while leaning on the counter.

Number 73 was the black Mercedes Zhou Fan had been working on early that morning.

“It is done,” Zhou Fan said.

“Good. The owner is coming to pick it up in a bit.” Feng Ruirui nodded, then took another look at Zhou Fan. “What is wrong with you today?”

“Hm?” Zhou Fan flicked his eyelids up.

“You look like you haven’t slept at all, as if you might pass out the next second,” Feng Ruirui said.

“Miaomiao was a bit unwell yesterday,” Zhou Fan replied. “What, are you going to give me the day off?”

Feng Ruirui rolled her eyes hard. “Like hell I am. You are the only senior technician on duty today. If you take a day off, I might as well go eat dirt. If you are sleepy, go outside and get some fresh air to clear your head.”

As she spoke, she took a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and tossed them in front of Zhou Fan. “Is Miaomiao okay?”

Zhou Fan stuffed the cigarettes into his pocket. “It is an old issue. She is fine now.”

“Right.” Feng Ruirui found another topic. “Have you heard? Someone finally took over that piece of land to the south!”

Zhou Fan was not interested in the topic, but he played along. “Is that so?”

“Yeah! I heard they are going to build a resort!” Feng Ruirui smiled. “Once the tourists start coming, maybe a big shopping mall will move in here. Everything would be so convenient then.”

Zhou Fan said, “They have been saying that land would be developed for years now.”

“True,” Feng Ruirui agreed. “But this time the news is quite reliable. When I rode my electric scooter over here, I took a look. There were some unfamiliar cars there doing an inspection.”

Since she said that, it was likely true.

A resort.

Calculating the time, Zhou Fan had lived in this small county for four or five years. Time seemed to stand still in this place. The traces of everything old remained visible. Forget a resort, even seeing a new building was rare.

Perhaps those developers saw exactly that.

Just like why Zhou Fan had chosen to settle in this county in the first place.

“Hey, are you even listening to me?”

Feng Ruirui nudged Zhou Fan.

Zhou Fan snapped back to reality and looked at her. “I didn’t hear you. I almost fell asleep.”

Feng Ruirui raised an eyebrow, about to start scolding him, when the door to the repair shop was pushed open. A gust of cold air blew in, making both of them shiver simultaneously.

“Welcome!” The apprentices did not arrive until the afternoon, so anyone entering at this hour could only be a customer. Feng Ruirui’s hand on Zhou Fan’s shoulder shifted from a pinch to a friendly pat.

Zhou Fan followed her gaze toward the door.

Walking into the shop was a young, handsome man in a suit.

The man had very fair skin and a tall, upright stature. His shoulder line was straight, and his waist was narrow and sharp, reflecting a perfect proportion molded by some strict discipline. His face was cold, with a high brow bone and deep eye sockets. Long eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath his eyes. His nose was straight, and his lips were thin and pale, the corners turned down as if he were born with a natural impatience.

His black suit was crisp without a single wrinkle. His shirt was buttoned to the very top against his Adam’s apple. His sleeves revealed a section of pale wrist, and his well-defined fingers held an unlit cigarette. His polished leather shoes made almost no sound as they stepped onto the oil stained floor.

Despite the distance, Zhou Fan could smell the scent of cedar and sandalwood emanating from him.

Suddenly seeing such an incredibly handsome man, Feng Ruirui’s eyes lit up. “Hello, how can I help you?”

The man, however, stared at Zhou Fan. A hint of daze and disbelief surfaced in his black eyes.

Zhou Fan stared intently at the man’s lips.

Do not say it.

Do not say it.

But the man spoke anyway. “Zhou Fan?”