Zhao Shuqing pushed Lin Feng into the repair shop, only to find that the interior was a whole different world from what she expected.
The place was a two-story building. An open yard out front sheltered a makeshift garage for fixing vehicles. Inside the house, it resembled a cluttered hardware store. To the left stood an iron staircase leading up, where she could vaguely make out wardrobes and a bed—clearly Liang Yue’s living quarters.
Liang Yue worked behind a counter on the first floor. At the moment, she had the back cover off Zhao Shuqing’s phone and was inspecting it closely.
“Have a seat wherever. It’ll take another hour or so,” Liang Yue said flatly. She didn’t bother greeting Zhao Shuqing but simply sat down and continued repairing the phone.
Zhao Shuqing secured the wheelchair and dragged over a stool to sit beside Lin Feng. Seeing the tension in her eyes as she glanced around nervously, she patted her hand and soothed her in a low voice. “It’s okay.”
Lin Feng gave Zhao Shuqing a slight nod and leaned in, resting her head on her shoulder.
Liang Yue focused intently on her work, so Zhao Shuqing took the opportunity to survey the surroundings. One section of the wall held fishing rods, lines, and other angling gear. Another displayed assault jackets, ice axes, climbing ropes, and the like. The opposite wall was lined with parts for repairing all sorts of vehicles—a surprisingly extensive selection.
“Are all these… for sale?” Zhao Shuqing asked curiously.
Liang Yue let out a casual “Mm” without looking up. “Grab whatever catches your eye. If you need anything, I’ll give you 95% off.”
Ninety-five percent off? Is that even a discount?
Zhao Shuqing arched an eyebrow but didn’t call her out on it. Instead, she comforted Lin Feng once more before standing to browse the items on the walls and in the counter displays.
Truth be told, besides food, she needed to stock up on a few other things. In this middle-of-nowhere spot, who knew how far it was to the Research Institute? If it was too distant and she couldn’t reach Xu Tang, she might even have to rent a car.
That black off-road vehicle parked outside looked pretty rugged. She wondered what it would cost to rent.
Zhao Shuqing wandered around and eventually paused in front of the counter, staring blankly at a map on display inside.
Provincial Road E35?
It had to be the abandoned provincial road she and Lin Feng had taken.
Farther south lay Spinning Top Ridge. A river called Spinning Top River ran alongside it, flowing westward to meet the Huai River before continuing on to the sea…
Staring at that vast expanse of dense green forest, Zhao Shuqing felt a surge of relief in her heart. They had made the right call heading north along the Spinning Top River’s bank—if they’d gone south, they would have plunged straight into the heart of the woods and likely died there.
The Huai River looked substantial. She recalled the news she’d seen at the convenience store: the driver’s body and the car’s wreckage had been found at the river’s estuary downstream.
Evidently, after the vehicle plunged into the water, Lin Feng had relied on her unique abilities to swim them both to a tributary, allowing them to survive by the skin of their teeth.
The more Zhao Shuqing pieced it together, the more she realized Lin Feng truly was her lifesaver. Once they reached the Research Institute, she would have to treat her well. Without Lin Feng, she probably would have kicked the bucket alongside the driver when the car sank.
In the end, Zhao Shuqing decided to buy the map—as a memento of their ordeal.
She also picked up a waterproof backpack. Her own had been soaked through and was falling apart; better to replace it outright, and something waterproof would last much longer.
While Liang Yue worked on the phone, Zhao Shuqing kept Lin Feng company as they snacked. Lin Feng ate more slowly this time, savoring her treats without haste. Before long, a pile of empty wrappers had accumulated in front of her.
Zhao Shuqing chuckled softly. “Don’t eat too much—you’ll get stuffed.”
When Lin Feng saw her reaching to put the snacks away, she hurriedly snatched a ham sausage and gestured that it would be her last one.
Liang Yue heard the rustle and glanced back at them, curiosity piqued. “Miss Zhao, this young lady… she can’t speak? I haven’t heard a peep out of her since you came in.”
She seemed a bit off mentally, but her features were stunning—prettier than any TV star.
Zhao Shuqing explained, “This is my younger sister. She’s been disabled since she was little and doesn’t talk much, but her mind is perfectly fine.”
Liang Yue gave an “Oh” and rose, placing Zhao Shuqing’s phone on the counter. “Phone’s fixed. Take a look.”
Zhao Shuqing’s eyes lit up. She barely spared a glance at the ham sausage in Lin Feng’s hand before hurrying over. Her phone was powering on, filling her with elation. She borrowed a charging cable and plugged it in.
The device booted up quickly. A few seconds later, a flood of messages poured in.
Zhao Shuqing scrolled through them. Amid the app notifications were missed calls from Xu Tang and other colleagues, along with WeChat messages from her mentor and Xu Tang. But they all dated back two days—no calls in the interim.
Without a second’s hesitation, she dialed Xu Tang, desperate to hear her voice.
These past few days had been utter torment. She’d never endured anything like it and was determined to vent to Xu Tang at length—maybe she could spin a tale of woe for the higher-ups and snag some extra bonus pay this month.
The other end seemed occupied.
It took a good long while before Xu Tang finally answered.
“Shuqing? Is that you?”
Xu Tang’s anxious voice crackled through the speaker. Zhao Shuqing’s nose stung, tears welling up as she replied hurriedly, “It’s me, Senior Sister. I’m still alive.”
Something clattered on Xu Tang’s end, as if she’d knocked it over. Her voice brimmed with excitement. “Where are you? Are you safe? We’ll send a car right away to pick you up!”
“I’m safe now. I’m at…” Zhao Shuqing glanced at Liang Yue and whispered, “What’s this place called?”
“Zhouling Township,” Liang Yue replied.
Zhao Shuqing repeated into the phone, “We’re in Zhouling Township.”
“We?” Xu Tang latched onto the word immediately. “The mermaid’s still with you?”
“Yes, Lin Feng’s still here.” Zhao Shuqing chuckled lightly. “She saved me. I’ve been with her these past couple of days.”
Xu Tang fell silent for some reason. Just as Zhao Shuqing started to wonder, she spoke again. “I’ve looked up Zhouling Township. It’s over one hundred twenty kilometers from here. Send me your location in a bit—I’m heading downstairs right now to arrange a vehicle.”
“Okay.” Zhao Shuqing felt a wave of relief wash over her, and she laughed from the heart. “I’ll wait for you here.”
After hanging up, she sent her location via WeChat to Xu Tang. Xu Tang replied with an OK emoji, signaling they were setting off immediately.
Watching Zhao Shuqing bustle about, Liang Yue leaned against the counter, sipping her sparkling water. “You got through?”
Zhao Shuqing looked up, her eyes crinkling into happy crescents. “Yeah, I reached my colleague. She’ll be here soon to pick me up.”
“Did the location pin accurately? Signals are spotty out here. When they’re close, head to the village entrance to wait. There’s only one road in—you won’t miss each other.”
“Got it. I’ll go there when they’re almost here.”
In high spirits, Zhao Shuqing smiled at Liang Yue. “How much for the phone repair, plus the map and waterproof backpack?”
Liang Yue flashed a charming smile in return. “3760.”
Zhao Shuqing’s smile froze on her face.
Damn it, this is a rip-off joint.
