ABT ### Chapter 151: The Feast of Automobiles
Li Fanyu helped to put the luggage in the room before realizing something was wrong, "Where's my room key?"
Cheng Ke sprawled face down on the bed, spread out like a starfish, her face buried in the pillows, "They said it’s unsafe for a girl to stay alone and suggested we share a room..."
"What? How are we going to sleep? There's not even a sofa here," Li Fanyu said, bewildered.
Cheng Ke bit her lip hard under the covers, her face burning with embarrassment. After a while, she muttered, "The receptionist said it's dangerous here! There are several rape cases every day. I don’t dare sleep alone... What if something happens? You brought me here, you have to ensure my safety."
Looking at her sprawled form, Li Fanyu felt helpless, "Are we really going to sleep in the same bed? Aren't you afraid I'll do something to you?"
Cheng Ke suddenly lifted her head, "I've thought about it carefully. Even though you're a bit dull, you're still better than a rapist. If you have the heart to take advantage of such an innocent and lovely girl, then go ahead!"
With that, she flipped over and lay on the bed, still spread out.
Li Fanyu put his hands on his hips and shook his head, "Fine, you win. Your dad did warn me, so I wouldn’t dare. Alright, stop pretending to be a little white rabbit. Get up, let’s go find something to eat."
Hearing her dad's involvement in her love life, Cheng Ke perked up, straightened her hair, and sat up from the bed.
"Fanyu, what did my dad say to you? Did you propose to him?"
Li Fanyu looked at her with a mix of pity and amusement, "He mentioned it when we had coffee. Come on, stop messing around, I’m starving..."
Cheng Ke pouted, then suddenly had an idea, "Hey, does this mean we’ve officially met each other's parents? I’ve had dinner at your mom's, and my dad had coffee with you..."
Defeated by her innocence, Li Fanyu couldn’t muster a suitable expression. He just tore off the shipping tag from the travel bag and stuck it on her mouth.
"If you don’t come, I’ll go by myself. It’s unsafe to go out at night, don’t cry if you’re hungry."
"Mmph, I’m coming!"
So, the two set out on a quest for American cuisine while it was still early.
But their search proved that American food culture was still in dire straits, with streets filled with burgers and pizzas that were not even as good as the ones back home.
Exhausted from their travels and jet-lagged, they soon grew tired. Once the initial excitement wore off, Cheng Ke began yawning and dragged Li Fanyu back to the hotel.
Cheng Ke had full confidence in Li Fanyu's character, a trust built since their first meeting. Too tired to set any ground rules, she changed into her pajamas, slipped into bed, and was soon softly snoring.
Li Fanyu, after changing into his pajamas, found her already asleep. He shook his head with a smile, carefully lifted the covers, and lay down on the far side of the bed.
It was a restful sleep, except for a disturbing dream for Li Fanyu.
He dreamt he was vacationing in the Maldives, happily diving underwater. But then, a soft octopus wrapped around him tightly, suffocating him.
He woke early the next morning to find a drooling little piglet in his arms.
A disheveled, yet cute, little piglet.
"Ugh,"
His arm was numb. Looking closely, he realized why he had that dream.
Honest to goodness! Li Fanyu was still a virgin!
So... Cheng Ke had a nightmare too.
In her dream, she was enjoying a park in a foreign land, holding cotton candy in one hand and a helium balloon in the other. Suddenly, a man with a blurred face pulled out a gun, pressed it against her stomach, and threatened, "Don't move! I'm a rapist!"
"Ah! Fanyu, save me!" she screamed, waking up from the dream.
She opened her eyes to see a very red-faced Li Fanyu.
"Thank goodness, it was just a dream."
******
"AHHHH!!!"
A loud, frantic scream echoed through the room.
……
At eight in the morning, they avoided each other's gaze while eating breakfast. Li Fanyu told Cheng Ke to lock the door and windows securely before he hurriedly fled to the exhibition hall—the shipping company had called, the cars had arrived.
Cheng Ke's face still felt hot; it was so embarrassing. However, her curiosity was not yet satisfied.
Back in the room, she locked the doors and windows tightly, drew the curtains, and hid under the duvet.
She took out her phone and called her best friend.
The phone rang for a long time before it was answered; clearly, the other person was still asleep. "Hello? Ke Ke, have you arrived?"
Cheng Ke nodded, "Yes! Were you sleeping, Ru Ru?"
"Yeah, it’s the middle of the night here."
Cheng Ke twisted her fingers, embarrassed, "Ru Ru, I... I have a question."
"Okay, ask away."
"Uh... how long is a man's... you know, usually?"
Her friend immediately perked up! "Huh? Did you lose your virginity, Ke Ke?"
"No, I’m just curious."
"You little devil, have you fallen for someone? Did you call internationally just to ask this?"
"Ugh, are you going to answer or not? If not, I’m hanging up."
"Alright, alright, I’ll tell you. If it’s a Chinese guy, usually about ten centimeters. I’ve seen from ten to fifteen. Hehe, how long was the one you saw?"
"Yuck, shameless. Okay, not talking to you anymore, I’ll bring you a souvenir."
Cheng Ke hung up and tilted her head, raising her hand to estimate the length.
"Hmm... seventeen, maybe eighteen? Oh my gosh! Wouldn't that hurt..."
Ahhh! What are you thinking, you silly girl? Ugh,
.......
Meanwhile, Li Fanyu had hired two helpers and, with a mix of gestures and a translation app, worked for most of the day to set up the booth.
After paying the helpers, he covered the booth with a tarp, arranged for security, and, with nothing else to do, took a walk around the exhibition hall.
Inside and out, the hall was bustling with activity, with exhibitors showcasing their products and technologies.
The outdoor area mainly featured tuning companies and small-scale manufacturers, along with various parts suppliers.
Inside the hall, it was a display of high-end brands.
American brands like Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, Dodge, Mercury, and Lincoln.
German brands like Mercedes, Volkswagen, Opel, Wiesmann, and Aryan.
Japanese brands like Toyota, Honda, Isuzu, Daihatsu, Acura, and Mazda.
Korean brands like Hyundai, Kia, and SsangYong, along with Italian and British brands like Ferrari, Turin, Renault, Lotus, Spyker, Saab, and Skoda...
Over forty top brands from around the world were gathered, showcasing a plethora of vehicles and technologies that dazzled Li Fanyu, making it hard to know where to look.
Upon closer inspection of the various booth designs, he noticed something interesting.
It seemed as though there was an unspoken agreement among these brands, with each major group having a distinctive booth style.
For instance, the American brands focused on showcasing the electrical technology of their cars, such as human-machine interaction, in-car connectivity, and smart systems.
The German booths emphasized luxury, highlighting the power, interiors, and the much-touted German quality of their vehicles.
The British, French, and Italian booths were all about performance, filled with sports cars. Here, Li Fanyu spotted a familiar face—the Raesfas.
The Japanese booths were simpler, repeatedly stressing economy and practicality, although Toyota's three hybrid models also highlighted energy innovation and future technology. They had a super cool display segment—the hydrogen power concept.
The Korean booths were adorably naive, with Hyundai, Kia, and SsangYong all looking like K-pop groups, displaying their cars as if in a beauty pageant. “Look at us, we’re good looking, we’re pretty…”
As he walked around, Li Fanyu marveled at the creative promotional methods and the intricately designed booths, whether they were exquisite, unique, sci-fi-themed, or steeped in history.
He had to admit that foreign car companies had mastered the art of showcasing their brands and products with more science and substance. Unlike domestic auto shows, which still relied on scantily clad models to draw crowds.
Here, it was truly a feast of automobiles.
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