Chapter 44
The first snowfall of winter was exceptionally heavy and lasted for a long time, a full seven days and seven nights, leaving the snow on the roads dense and thick.
Even with snow tires, driving safety wasn't guaranteed, and they slipped at least four or five times a day. Fortunately, they kept their speed low from the start, and the soundproof wall was tall and sturdy, so they escaped unharmed each time.
I can't drive too far during the day, and I can't sleep soundly at night.
Because if you lower the car window just two hours later, you'll find that a thick layer of ice has already formed outside, and the windshield freezes even faster due to the angle.
Fang Xiaoyu dared not turn off the heater all night. The fuel was not consumed on the road, but on heating, which made her feel very distressed.
Slippery during the day, fuel-consuming at night, and this is only the first snowfall. Winter has just begun, and who knows how many more snowfalls are yet to come.
Continuing on was too dangerous, so they decided to wait until they found a suitable service area to get through the winter.
Fortunately, the weather cleared up on the third day, and they found a large service area.
There were only four cars parked at the service area, and there were still many empty rooms, so they decided to stay here for the winter.
One of the vehicles was a campervan belonging to a family of three. Their daughter had just graduated from university, and the family had unexpectedly come here during a summer vacation and had been there for about six months. They were very warm and welcoming, and simple-minded; they were the first family to greet the newlyweds.
One of the vehicles was a hybrid SUV, belonging to a mother and daughter. They had apparently arrived here on their way to a blind date three years ago. The mother was warm and talkative, while the daughter was more composed.
A truck, driven by a thin, middle-aged man, was usually very quiet and would avoid people from a distance. He would only go out to eat; otherwise, he stayed in his room and would deliberately avoid peak travel times.
The remaining van belonged to a third-tier celebrity and his personal assistant, but unfortunately, Fang Xiaoyu had never met him. Celebrities rarely go out, and Fang Xiaoyu had only bumped into the personal assistant twice. He had an ordinary appearance that was hard to remember, and a very shy personality. She had hardly ever heard him speak, and when they made eye contact, he would only purse his lips and smile shyly.
Only three rooms in the rest area had been used; there were many empty rooms. After arriving, the four families quickly settled in and chose rooms to stay in. Apart from two families staying on the third floor, the remaining two families coincidentally chose different floors.
The RV family lives on the first floor, the hybrid SUV family lives on the second floor, and the truck driver and the nanny van family live on the third floor.
When Fang Xiaoyu and her group arrived, the people on the first and second floors said they could choose any room they wanted to stay in. Since they hadn't met the people on the third floor before, and faced with the hospitality of their neighbors on the first and second floors, they chose two clean rooms on the first floor and settled in.
After settling in, the young girls on the first and second floors would visit each other's rooms, carrying their things and chatting.
Sometimes they come one by one, and sometimes they bump into each other, and their chat turns into a tea party.
Chatting with them was very relaxing; most of the time, all I had to do was listen. They also didn't intrude on her personal time excessively; after an hour or two of chatting, they would politely say goodbye and leave.
Seeing them easily reminds one of Yue Yue. Interacting with them feels more like having a tea party with colleagues and friends, giving one a brief illusion of returning to normal society.
The two of them loved to talk about their past lives as cattle and horses. They could talk about this topic for three days and three nights without stopping. They also lamented that their current laid-back lifestyle was something they wouldn't have dared to imagine before. They thought it would be even better if supplies could be refreshed, so they could stay in the same service area forever.
Secondly, they talked about their own parents. Regardless of whether they had time-traveled or not, worrying about their children's marriage was a consistent theme.
After learning that Fang Xiaoyu and Wang Le were siblings, the parents became interested in the handsome Wang Le. They would chat with him whenever they had free time, ask him to do small favors to see how he would perform, and were determined to find a suitable match for their daughters.
Fang Xiaoyu then realized why she kept seeing older people knocking on his door, and why he seemed tired in his eyes. When she asked him, he wouldn't say anything. It turned out to be his luck with women. She laughed unkindly.
The daughter of the family of three said, "If someone is good-looking, I wouldn't mind dating them for fun to pass the time. If things go well, we could even develop into a long-term relationship. I've discussed this with my parents before. If I find a new car, I'll live alone regardless of whether I'm in a relationship or not. It's nice to have someone for company, and it would put their minds at ease. Unfortunately, he wasn't interested in me and rejected me directly, but my parents haven't given up." Then the conversation turned to the several good-looking young men and women they met along the way.
The daughter of the family with her mother said, "I'm not very lucky. My car isn't big, and the two of us sometimes go hungry. We can't wash our hair for more than a week. The worst thing on the road is running out of gas. Every day, all I can think about is our meals. If I really fall in love with someone now, should I break up or not? Do I have to choose between the man and my mother? Or should the three of us live like refugees? Just thinking about it makes me feel suffocated."
Fang Xiaoyu doesn't have these kinds of worries. She shares the guidance of kind couples during their first period, the selfless teaching of Teacher Xiao, the good deeds done quietly by medical students, Yue Yue's nimble skills, the changes in choosing to rob people when encountering a black bear, and how to get a new car.
Even though her storytelling ability is limited, and she can only describe the most exciting scenes in a bland and uneventful way, they can still imagine wonderful plots and exclaim in surprise or amazement, making her talk a lot without realizing it.
After listening, they lamented that most of the people they encountered along the way were ordinary people with principles, and that they only occasionally encountered a few scoundrels who were easy to deal with. They had only met docile and timid animals and had never seen any large beasts. Realizing they had stumbled into Versailles, they smiled apologetically and quickly changed the subject, such as making a wish to drive a campervan with a garage in the new year.
The group also shared their electronic resources, each with their own focus. Fang Xiaoyu took out her new phone to save the new resources and watched dramas with the eldest princess, which made her very relaxed for a few days.
The second snowfall arrived quickly, and new people began to arrive at the service area one after another. The rooms in the rest area gradually became occupied, and even the open spaces were filled with people and vehicles.
The newcomers varied in quality, including former bank employees who joined the tea party as well as cunning and opportunistic individuals.
Fang Xiaoyu alone twice shouted away suspicious figures circling the RV, chased away petty thieves who wanted to steal and kill dogs, and then together with everyone else drove away a group of guys who wanted to block the service area and monopolize it because of their numbers. Among them, the truck owner who was silent and taciturn contributed the most.
During this "group activity," she also met a third-tier celebrity who rarely appears in public. Unexpectedly, despite her seemingly delicate appearance, she was quick-witted and decisive, no less so than Yue Yue, and equally outstanding in action. Suddenly, she threw something from the third floor, knocking one of the troublemakers unconscious and giving everyone time to react.
The snow got heavier and the road became more and more difficult to travel. No more new people appeared, and the service area returned to its peaceful and harmonious state.
The temperature dropped day by day. One night, it suddenly dropped ten degrees. Fang Xiaoyu was woken up by the cold in the middle of the night. Through the gap in the curtains, she saw several heavily wrapped figures wading through the snow to the shopping center. She followed suit and took an electric blanket, hand warmers, and two thick fleece quilts, following the path paved by the predecessors.
Fortunately, the temperature did not drop indefinitely, eventually settling at around minus thirty degrees Celsius.
Although the temperature stopped dropping, the wind picked up and became fierce. As a result, people visited each other much less often, and apart from buying necessities, they spent most of their time staying in their rooms, with the heater on, wrapped in blankets, enjoying a rare period of leisure.
Fang Xiaoyu lay in bed for two days until she got used to the cold of the bone-scraping treatment, and then she continued to practice the Eight Pieces of Brocade.
At first, they only practiced in the room, but later they felt the space was too small, so they discussed with Wang Le about going outside to practice in front of a row of neatly arranged cars, and then sweeping snow and warming up the cars.
Those who heard the noise first watched from their windows for two days, then began gesturing in their own rooms, before gradually leaving their rooms and joining in the outdoor activities.
Everyone was still warm after exercising, but their noses were red. They looked at each other and burst into laughter.
Before we knew it, more and more people were exercising, joining in snow removal and road clearing, helping each other repair cars, and sharing their experiences.
This winter lasted for two whole months, but the snow melted very quickly, revealing the dark ground in just two days.
After checking the vehicle and replenishing supplies, Fang Xiaoyu greeted her temporary neighbors and said goodbye to her friends with whom she got along well, before embarking on her journey again with Wang Le.
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