Chapter 20
Ten days later.
A high beam and a low beam shone on the ground, one in front of the other, with a tow rope tied between the two vehicles as they drove through the night.
The light scattered and fell on Fang Xiaoyu's face, revealing only a smooth, clean surface.
Her injuries have almost completely healed. Perhaps it was because Su Ming took good care of her, or perhaps it was because of her excellent constitution, but the scars are very faint and can not be seen unless you look closely.
Because it was a cloudy day and the end of summer was approaching, the temperature wasn't too scorching, and the visibility was better, so they drove a little longer. It was inevitable to feel a bit tired while walking at night.
At this moment, Fang Xiaoyu noticed a familiar but different sign and picked up the walkie-talkie: "I see the service area."
Su Ming, who was behind, also saw it. There were many icons on the sign, which showed that the service area was quite large.
Sure enough, Su Ming was stunned as soon as the two cars turned into the service area.
He saw a convoy of eight vehicles, of varying sizes, connected by tow ropes or chains, and he couldn't take his eyes off it.
The lead RV was guarded; when they saw them coming in, the guards gestured for them to stop further away.
In the middle of the van, someone was moving things; at first glance, it was full of barrels and boxes.
The last bus was neat and clean, but it also showed signs of modification: wire mesh, storage shelves, hammocks...
The five cars in the middle are ordinary sedans, including small cars, SUVs, and off-road vehicles.
Every now and then, two legs would slide out from under the car, and someone inside would be carrying a small lamp and tools, repairing the car.
Occasionally, through the transparent window, one can glimpse the overflowing shopping carts moving about.
Some people were enjoying their meal.
Someone is shaking water droplets off their hands in the public restroom.
Everyone was doing their own thing, not being overly vigilant or paying too much attention, just glancing at each other briefly before letting it go.
Seeing so many people for the first time, Su Ming felt like he couldn't take it all in.
This...this is the team he's always dreamed of!
Overjoyed, he even forgot his fear and walked up to the white car. Through the car door, he said to Fang Xiaoyu, "Let me look around first."
Fang Xiaoyu was also stunned; this was the first time in nearly half a year that she had encountered such a large service area.
The gas station has been expanded, and there's now a dedicated warehouse in the back.
The convenience store has three floors, each of which occupies a considerable area. Judging by its size, it's comparable to a small theater. From now on, we'll call it a shopping center.
The pharmacy and repair shop also have two floors.
The rest area, like the shopping mall, is also three stories high.
To distinguish it from the micro, small, and medium-sized service areas we've encountered before, we'll call it a large service area.
When Su Ming said he wanted to walk around, Fang Xiaoyu looked around. Besides the convoy, there were also individual tourists scattered around. Everyone was not bothering each other. Although they were wary of each other, the atmosphere was relatively harmonious. Feeling that safety was not a problem for the time being, she nodded and let him go.
She let the eldest princess out of the car to give it some rest, while she started refueling, maintaining, and taking inventory of the supplies.
The eldest princess didn't run around after getting off the carriage. She followed behind her with the rope in her mouth, occasionally helping to hand her something or using her back to save energy.
After Fang Xiaoyu finished her work and saw that Su Ming hadn't returned, she locked the car door, took the eldest princess to the rest area, and wandered from the first floor to the third floor. On the third floor, she found a clean, unused room in a slightly off-center spot and settled in.
After she finished cleaning the eldest princess, she left it outside to keep watch while she hummed a song, washing away the dirt and fatigue.
After washing up and changing clothes, I took the eldest princess for a leisurely stroll. When we passed the first floor on our way back to the rest area, I heard a familiar voice coming from behind the door. I paused, listened carefully, and realized it was indeed Su Ming, who seemed to be sharing his experiences along the way with someone.
The eldest princess also stopped, tilted her head to look at the door, then looked at her, and raised her paw.
"We won't disturb him," Fang Xiaoyu said in a whisper, leading the eldest princess back to their room on the third floor.
The room wasn't too warm, and a cool breeze drifted in through the window; a thin blanket was just right.
She sank into the soft bedding and let out a sigh.
So comfortable—
Her nocturnal lifestyle made it hard for her to fall asleep, so she picked up her phone and scrolled through content she had already read countless times.
The eldest princess also lay down beside the bed and watched with her.
It even seemed as if they understood the plot, and at every minor climax, they would whimper and offer their opinions.
Fang Xiaoyu wasn't amused by the plot, but she was amused by the eldest princess's reaction, and rubbed its little head.
She didn't know how much time had passed, and without specifically checking the time, she started to yawn. The eldest princess seemed to catch it too, and started yawning as well.
In a daze, there was a sudden knock on the door.
Fang Xiaoyu rolled over, and the eldest princess stood up and waited for a while. Seeing that there was no new movement, she lay back down.
It felt like only a minute, a second, had passed when I opened my eyes again and it was already bright outside.
After a moment of dazedness, Fang Xiaoyu got out of bed, tidied up, and took the eldest princess out.
As soon as they came down to the first floor, they saw Su Ming carrying them on his back, chatting with seven or eight people in the open space outside, looking completely at ease.
"Doctor, please take a look. My leg starts to hurt whenever it rains..."
"And what about my migraines? Is there a cure?"
"Brother Xiao Su, are you particularly good at studying? My sister says that only people who are good at studying can study medicine."
"Su Ming, have you thought it through? You've seen for yourself, everyone gets along very well."
...
Su Ming replied to each one patiently.
"I saw a medicated oil that looks pretty good. I'll give you a massage later."
“It can be cured. Acupuncture can cure it, but I majored in Western medicine and have only audited a few classes in traditional Chinese medicine, so I’m not very confident.”
"You can do it too if you study hard."
"I need to discuss this with my captain. How long do you plan to stay here? Could you please give me some time? ...Okay, thank you."
...
Fang Xiaoyu blinked, then quietly led the eldest princess back to their room on the third floor.
After a while, Su Ming gently knocked on the door: "Sister Xiaoyu, are you awake?"
The door opened. "What is it?"
Knowing that the eldest princess was inside, Su Ming did not go in, but only stood at the door.
"Sister Xiaoyu, do you remember that car team we saw last night? I've already talked to them all. Some members have owned companies, some have been executives, some studied auto repair, and there are teachers, kids... Although there are many people, most of them are kind-hearted, look out for each other, are easy to get along with, and are willing to accept newcomers. Do you think we should join?"
Fang Xiaoyu waited quietly for him to finish speaking, and meeting his expectant gaze, she said, "When I first arrived, a couple told me that they had also tried to integrate into a racing team, but ultimately failed."
Su Ming understood her answer and muttered, "What they said isn't necessarily all correct. Maybe, just bad luck. Maybe if they keep trying, they'll find the right team. People always yearn for a group."
Fang Xiaoyu didn't comment on his words, but instead asked, "What about you? Have you decided to go with them?"
"I—" Su Ming opened his mouth, but when he saw the eldest princess's tail peeking out from behind the door, he subconsciously took a step back. "I haven't decided yet."
Fang Xiaoyu pretended not to see it, nodded, and said, "It's okay, let me know when you've thought it through."
"Then, I'll think about it some more." Su Ming's mind was a jumble of conflicting thoughts. He said goodbye to her in a daze and left.
Fang Xiaoyu and the others walked away, and then took the eldest princess out the door.
I wasn't feeling well last night, so I just quickly gathered the supplies according to my usual list. Today I have time, so I can take my time browsing around.
We don't need to go to the gas station and repair shop anymore; we already visited them last night.
It's worth mentioning that the warehouse specifically for storing fuel requires a forklift to access it from above. The repair shop is similar to a medium-sized service area, but with a larger space, more durable parts, and a wider variety of more sophisticated electrical appliances. She didn't hesitate to trade in her old equipment for a new one, and also added a portable thermal transfer printer. The old equipment has a special recycling bin with its own cleaning and disinfection features.
Today I'll focus on visiting pharmacies and convenience stores.
She went to the pharmacy first.
The first floor is full of various traditional Chinese medicines and Western medicines. The second floor is half vaccines and half veterinary medicines. I only visited the first floor last night; I didn't have time to look at the second floor in detail.
There is a special injection area for vaccines. Just put the selected vaccine in, insert your arm into the injection chamber, disinfect and inject for a few seconds.
She carefully checked the vaccine instructions, administered the appropriate vaccines to herself and the eldest princess, and prepared a similar set of backup medications for the eldest princess based on other people's medication lists, such as those for improving digestion, stopping diarrhea and constipation, reducing colds and fevers, and relieving inflammation and pain.
Next, we went to the shopping mall. We ate and fed each other as we walked, having breakfast while browsing Taobao.
Pet beds, pet bowls, pet food, pet toys...
Just browsing the pet section, I wanted this and that, and it was hard to choose. I couldn't move on.
While Fang Xiaoyu was happily browsing Taobao, Su Ming was struggling with his first major decision since arriving here.
Fang Xiaoyu had finally found a car team; with so many people, she thought she could get more companions to help her achieve her goals, stay away from dogs, and utilize her skills—it seemed like a win-win situation. However, she was surprised to find that not only did she have no intention of forming a car team, but she also refused to join any particular team.
She was his guide, his sister, his reliable teammate, his stubborn friend, his antagonistic roommate… almost like family. And now they were parting ways? Parting here wasn't like saying goodbye to friends, where you could just buy a ticket and drop by anytime; it was very likely they'd never see each other again.
He didn't understand what was wrong with the team, and why anyone wouldn't yearn for communal living.
The rope ladder is one thing, the eldest princess is another—why can't they just listen to themselves for once?
A jumble of thoughts swirled in Su Ming's mind until someone pushed the door open and interrupted his train of thought.
The door wasn't locked, and his roommates from different dorms often visited each other like this back in school, so his surprise only lasted a moment before he asked, puzzled, "Brother Gang, is there something you need?"
Gang Ge is the one in the team who used to own a company and was also the person in charge of setting up the team.
He first apologized for entering without permission: "I knocked but didn't hear anything, so I thought you weren't inside. Oh, you're here. Are you alright?"
Upon hearing this, Su Ming's first reaction was that Su Ming was so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't heard the knocking at the door.
He didn't suspect anything, and besides, it was just a small matter, so he casually let it go: "Sorry, I didn't notice. What do you want, Brother Gang?"
Gang put down the case of water he was carrying and said, "It's the same old story. So, what did your captain say? Are you willing to join us?"
Su Minghe said abruptly, "We need some time."
Gang Ge wasn't surprised: "It's okay. I came here firstly to ask about the results, and secondly to tell you that your sister Wen is not feeling well, so we plan to stay at this service area for a while longer."
Su Ming was used to staying with Fang Xiaoyu for a maximum of two days before leaving, and assumed that Gang Ge meant two or three days as well, which would give him time to think. So he nodded and said, "Why are you suddenly feeling unwell? I'll go check on you now."
Gang stopped him: "No need, it's just a minor ailment, a dizzy headache or something. It'll be fine on its own after a while of rest. You haven't slept much either, have you? Get some rest, I won't bother you anymore."
He then turned to leave.
Su Ming stood up to see him off, and when he returned and saw the box of water on the ground, his heart sank a little further.
Fang Xiaoyu happily added a few more things to the car. Seeing Su Ming coming over, she smiled and asked, "Have you thought it through?"
Su Ming, who had already made up his mind, wavered a little. Seeing the slight sweat on her forehead, he handed her a bottle of water: "What about you? If you're with the convoy, you'll have people to chat with, and your idea might get more help from others."
Fang Xiaoyu took the bottle and drank half of it. After thinking for a moment, she shook her head and said, "No, too many people will cause trouble. Besides, it's a dangerous experiment. I can make my own decisions, but I can't bear the possibility that others might have an accident because of it."
“If others have similar ideas, but they are no better than using a rope ladder with a safety rope, you can teach them how to use a rope ladder.”
"Those who are willing to try, try; those who are not, continue to look for a way to make a living on the highway, that's safer."
Su Ming took a deep breath, trying hard not to look in the direction of the eldest princess: "Are you so sure I will leave, and that you insist on leaving alone?"
Fang Xiaoyu blinked: "When you asked, wasn't the answer already there?"
Su Ming was speechless for a moment, then chuckled: "Actually, it was inevitable from the very beginning that we would separate, which is why you said from the start that we were just temporary teammates."
Fang Xiaoyu: ...No, she's not that smart. If she were that intelligent, she would have graduated from the top university by now. It's a pity she's just a nobody from an ordinary second-tier university.
But seeing that he seemed very sad, she did not deny it.
Let him think that way; if it makes him feel better.
It's as if I unconsciously made myself seem more profound in his presence.
It feels good.
Su Ming took a notebook out of his pocket and handed it to her: "A parting gift."
Fang Xiaoyu had kept this notebook; she often saw him writing and drawing in it, and it contained more and more detailed notes than the one she had given him.
Top students are terrifying; they can extract knowledge from their brains even without textbooks.
She took it, flipped through a few pages, and asked, "You've given it all to me, what are you going to do with it?"
Su Ming smiled and said, "I kept the photos. It will be convenient to share them via Bluetooth if someone needs them in the future, and I can also write another copy."
“Keep it. There’s no need to waste time rewriting it. Improve it and share it with more people who need it later. If you want to give it to me, just send me the photo from your phone.” Fang Xiaoyu returned it, and reminded her, “There’s a portable printer in the repair shop. You can keep a copy at every service area you encounter so it can help more people.”
Su Ming was initially reluctant to take the call, but after hearing the rest, he did: "Yes, I will try my best to improve it. Maybe I will meet other companies along the way, and it will only get thicker and thicker. Just wait and see."
"I won't regret it. I don't plan to be a doctor anyway, and I might not even understand it. It's enough for minor ailments like headaches and fevers." Fang Xiaoyu snorted and then said, "When you compile it into a booklet, please put a missing person notice in it for me. You have a photo, right?"
Su Ming knew who she was talking about as soon as he heard it, after all, he had been with her for a long time and was familiar with some of her stories.
He readily agreed.
Fang Xiaoyu thought for a moment. She had said everything she needed to say and given all the necessary reminders. The rest...
Oh, right, there's one more thing.
She pulled him aside and whispered her observations about how "everyone sees the road differently" and related "spatial folding."
Su Ming was shocked that she had such a little secret to keep from him, but now that she had told him, it meant that the two of them were really going to say goodbye. He didn't know what to say for a moment.
However, this rule is not known to everyone; at least newcomers don't discover it so quickly, just like he never noticed it.
They've been together for so long, yet he didn't realize that the road he saw was different from the one she saw!
They kept it so well hidden.
I'm a little angry.
However, he quickly realized that there were bound to be clever people on the road, some even having gotten there first, and many of them must know. But to observe them required a certain amount of luck; the right time, place, and people were all essential. Even if she didn't tell him, he would find out sooner or later on.
This rule is a double-edged sword. If someone has malicious intentions, well—no wonder she didn't share it with the other rules immediately.
He silently digested the rules, and Fang Xiaoyu asked, "When are you planning to leave?"
Su Ming snapped out of his thoughts: "Let's wait a couple of days. Someone's sick, and it'll be more convenient to stay here."
Fang Xiaoyu nodded, handed him the walkie-talkie, and said, "I'm about to leave. Goodbye."
Su Ming: "...Okay. I wish you all the best and take care on your journey."
Fang Xiaoyu: "Haha, you too, may all your wishes come true, and take care on your journey."
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