Perhaps due to excessive tension, or perhaps because the air in the trash can was too thin, Gu Ningning fell asleep.
The next morning, the garbage can was pushed away by the sanitation worker. The sound of the wheels grinding against the ground, like the tolling of a savior's bell, woke her from her deep sleep. She dared not make a sound, afraid of being discovered by the sanitation worker.
"Hey lady, the garbage collection's here!" The garbage truck driver poked his head out and called to the sanitation worker. The sanitation worker nodded, frowning, and said, "Yeah, come give me a hand. The garbage cans seem unusually heavy today!"
Upon hearing this, the driver immediately got out of the car and took the trash can from the sanitation worker. "It's really heavy!" The man mustered all his strength and lifted the trash can onto the truck.
Gu Ningning's heart pounded faster and faster. She was terrified that she would be discovered and sent back to the place that had caused her so much suffering. She didn't know how much longer she could hold on; she just hoped that the cleaner and driver would leave soon.
"Alright, ma'am, I'm off now," the driver said, clapping his hands.
As the car slowly started moving, her heartbeat gradually calmed down.
After a while, feeling that the car had left the hospital, she quietly moved her body, lifted the lid of the trash can a little, and looked at the world outside the trash can, her heart filled with endless gratitude and hope.
Sure enough, they were already on the main road in the suburbs.
Gu Ningning didn't dare to relax for a moment, keeping her eyes fixed on the outside. She knew that now was not the best time to escape, after all, it was the middle of nowhere outside, and without a car, she could be discovered by the bodyguards at any time.
So she patiently waited for the car to enter the city.
Just as the car slowly came to a stop in a small alley, the driver brought it to a halt.
Gu Ningning carefully observed the situation and saw the driver get out of the car and walk towards the convenience store not far away. She quickly lifted the lid, climbed out of the trash can, jumped out of the car, and ran in the opposite direction.
She ran forward as fast as she could, terrified of being caught and taken back.
Fortunately, there was no one in the alley early in the morning. She ran forward. She didn't know how long she ran, but she was exhausted. After looking around and making sure no one was there, she quickly sat down on the steps in front of a house in the alley to catch her breath.
She rubbed her weak thighs, realizing she had been walking in this dark alley for far too long. This must be a semi-rural area; the alleyway still exuded a sense of dilapidation. She felt utterly exhausted, her body barely able to keep going. This unfamiliar place filled her with fear and helplessness.
She sighed, trying to calm herself. She looked around and found that there was hardly anyone in the alley, only a few dim streetlights illuminating the road ahead. The walls were covered with graffiti and faded marks.
She continued walking when she suddenly heard footsteps. Startled, she quickly hid in a corner. The footsteps grew closer, and she held her breath in fear. Only when the footsteps disappeared did she breathe a sigh of relief. She felt extremely weak and could barely walk any further. But she knew she couldn't stay there; she had to find a safe place.
She dragged her heavy steps and continued walking down the alley. Suddenly, she saw clothes hanging out to dry on ropes strung along the walls of some houses ahead.
She smelled her clothes and was hit by a pungent odor, so she gagged in disgust.
She ran over quickly, took off her coat, and then picked out a less old-fashioned-looking garment from the clothes drying on the rack and put it on.
--------
On the other side of the city.
Si Mingyu glanced helplessly at Gu Qingyan, who was sitting in the passenger seat looking disheveled, and said nothing.
Gu Qingyan couldn't hold back any longer. He glared at Si Mingyu and said angrily, "Why are you looking at me like that? If it weren't for you, would I be in this situation? I must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes to be bullied like this in the capital!"
“Qingyan, I’m not doing well either. As you just saw, my leg hasn’t fully recovered, and I still walk with a limp,” Si Mingyu said with a sigh.
"Who told you to provoke Shen Zhi Qiu!" Gu Qingyan said with displeasure. "If you hadn't been like a fly buzzing around Shen Zhi Qiu, things would have turned out like this. Besides, if it weren't for you, I might not have told her we wouldn't have gotten a divorce."
"Gu Qingyan!" Si Mingyu slammed on the brakes, pulling the car to the side of the road. "Are you out of your mind?"
"Fine, fine, I'm sick!" Gu Qingyan roared angrily, "Everyone's saying I'm sick! I'm not sick, you're the ones who're sick!"
"I'm too lazy to waste my breath on you now. You called me, and I got up in the middle of the night to drive over and pick you up. I was terrified the whole way, afraid that something might happen to you. And you, as soon as you're out of danger, start saying these useless things to make me angry!" Si Mingyu gripped the steering wheel, forcefully controlling his urge to hit him.
His fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the excessive force. His eyes were fixed on the road ahead, but his thoughts were a jumbled mess.
"That's right!" Gu Qingyan shouted indignantly. "If I hadn't opened the letters you sent her back then, I wouldn't have known that you were still thinking about Shen Zhi Qiu even after you went abroad! Do you know that she was already my wife back then!"
Si Mingyu felt a sharp pain in his heart, and painful memories immediately flooded back.
"Bastard!" His fists clenched tightly, the veins on his arms bulging with anger. Si Mingyu wanted to rush up and punch Gu Qingyan immediately, but he ultimately controlled his impulse.
Si Mingyu took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He knew this wasn't the time to act impulsively. What he needed to consider was how to get Gu Qingyan back to Nancheng safely.
"Gu Qingyan, consider it something I owe you." Si Mingyu gave a wry smile and started the car again.
Gu Qingyan was silent for a moment, then said to Si Mingyu, "I'm sorry."
“I’ll take you to Jing’an first.” Si Mingyu broke the silence. Just as Gu Qingyan looked puzzled, Si Mingyu continued, “I’ve already arranged for people to meet you there. They will escort you back to Nancheng.”
Gu Qingyan nodded, then looked out the window knowingly.
Just as they were about to reach their destination, Gu Qingyan suddenly turned to Si Mingyu and said, "Mingyu, there's something else I'd like to ask you for help with."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
