Chapter 2

The sun was scorching, and there were quite a few cars in the parking lot. The reflections on the car windows made it somewhat blinding.

The man inside the car was on a phone call, his gaze fixed on her, his dark eyes slightly narrowed, deep-set with a bright, sharp look. He had neat short hair, bronze skin, and a well-defined face with strong features.

Qin Tang recalled that the contact person earlier had referred to him as Brother Jiang and tentatively asked, “Mr. Jiang?”

He nodded, saying into the phone, “I’ve picked her up.”

Qin Tang watched him hang up the phone and said, “I’m Qin Tang.”

“Jiang Chuan. Get in the car,” he replied.

An hour ago, Lu An had called him, telling him that someone was bringing donated goods and needed him to pick her up at the airport. He wasn’t told who or what she looked like, just that her name was Qin Tang.

He hadn’t expected it to be such a delicate, beautiful young woman.

Qin Tang didn’t respond but opened the back door, stuffed her suitcase inside, shifted her position, and directly sat in the back seat.

Jiang Chuan raised an eyebrow, noticing her quick, efficient movements. He started the engine, and soon the car began to move.

They didn’t talk much during the drive. Qin Tang was a bit hungry, so she reached behind and pulled out a small bottle of mineral water, drinking a few sips. When she put it back, she touched something vacuum-packed. She pulled it out and saw it was a small piece of bread. She remembered it was something a little boy had given her the last time she was in Yunnan.

Jiang Chuan heard the faint rustling and glanced at the rearview mirror. “Didn’t you have lunch?”

Qin Tang was nibbling on the bread, her voice a little muffled, “Mm.”

After a moment, Jiang Chuan said, “I haven’t eaten either. How about some noodles?”

There were plenty of noodle shops in Xi’an, and a few were on the roadside. Since it was past meal time, it would be quicker to eat a bowl of noodles than find somewhere else.

Qin Tang agreed, “Sure.”

Jiang Chuan found a place to park, and the two of them got out of the car. Jiang Chuan stood in front of Qin Tang, his tall and muscular frame commanding attention. He was hard to miss, and when Qin Tang looked up, she realized he was even taller than she had expected.

Jiang Chuan gave her a quick once-over. She was unusually beautiful, with a great figure. She had long, slender legs.

Her skin was so fair it almost looked like it could glisten with water.

This delicate woman was preparing to head into the mountains?

Jiang Chuan’s lips curled slightly, pointing to the nearby noodle shop. “Let’s go. We’ve still got work to do after we eat.”

His smile was nonchalant, but Qin Tang frowned, feeling like he was looking down on her.

What exactly did he look down on? Did he think she couldn’t handle the hardships?

She followed him into the shop. At this time, there was only one other customer in the shop. The sound of slurping noodles filled the air. Jiang Chuan stood at the kitchen window and said, “One big bowl of beef noodles, and one small bowl…” 

He turned to look at her.

Qin Tang replied, “Small bowl.”

The shop owner inside heard and called out, “Got it!”

Jiang Chuan also ordered two meat-filled buns. The two of them sat across from each other. It didn’t take long for the noodles to be served. The large bowl was noticeably bigger than the small one, but Jiang Chuan ate quickly. Qin Tang had only eaten half of hers when she looked at him and found that his large bowl was already nearly empty.

She hadn’t had lunch, so she was too hungry to eat much more. She ate slowly, picking at her noodles.

Jiang Chuan finished his noodles, then ate a meat bun. He glanced at her, “Can’t finish it?”

Qin Tang really didn’t want to eat anymore, so she put down her chopsticks and said, “Mm, there’s too much.”

Jiang Chuan smirked slightly, his smile a carefree and slightly cheeky one. He didn’t say anything, but Qin Tang felt like he was judging her for wasting food.

She looked at him with a neutral gaze, then picked up her chopsticks again.

Jiang Chuan laughed, picking up another meat bun.

Qin Tang reluctantly finished her noodles. After they walked to the door, Jiang Chuan turned to her, “Which hotel are you staying at?”

Qin Tang asked, “Do you have somewhere to stay?”

Jiang Chuan looked at her and answered, “Yes.”

Qin Tang asked, “Are there any women there?”

Jiang Chuan replied, “Yes.”

Qin Tang touched her camera and said, “Then I’ll stay here, it’s more convenient for business.”

She didn’t plan to stay for too long this time; the sooner she finished, the sooner she could head back. She was thinking of going to Guangxi in June.

Jiang Chuan looked at her for a while, brushed his short hair back, and chuckled softly. “Let’s go.”

The car drove for nearly an hour. Qin Tang looked around and saw that they had clearly reached the suburbs of Xi’an. It was somewhat remote. Jiang Chuan drove the car into a yard. There was a big tree and a two-story old building that seemed quite spacious. Inside, it looked like an auto repair shop, with two large trucks, a red Jeep, and an old Santana.

Jiang Chuan parked the car. “We’re here.”

There was no response from the back seat. He turned around and saw her staring out the window. He smiled, “Now you’re scared?”

She had dared to come back with him without asking anything in advance.

Qin Tang looked at him directly and said faintly, “What’s there to be afraid of? I’m just looking around at your place.”

Old Yuan was very reliable. If he hadn’t confirmed the other party’s background, he wouldn’t have said what he did. Old Yuan had mentioned that this was a volunteer organization area, with websites, forums, and contact information. The donations from online users were sent here, and what could be used was delivered to impoverished areas.

Just then, a three-wheeled vehicle drove up to the entrance and stopped beside them.

The vehicle was piled high with parcels, and there was a young man sitting on it. The driver, a man with a physique similar to Jiang Chuan’s, was also quite muscular.

The young man saw the black Jeep and his eyes lit up. He jumped off the vehicle with a quick motion, excited, “Brother Jiang is back!”

Jiang Chuan got out of the car, hands in his pockets, his tall figure blocking out the sunlight.

Qin Tang also got out of the car. The man who drove the three-wheeler paused for a moment, then smiled, “Miss Qin, I thought you’d go back to the hotel to rest first. In such a hurry?”

Jiang Chuan said, “She’ll stay here.”

Qin Tang stayed silent for a couple of seconds, then looked at the muscular man, who was half a head shorter than Jiang Chuan. “You must be Mr. Lü?”

“Call me Lü An,” Lü An smiled and pointed to the young man behind him. “This is Xiao Cheng. Our place isn’t like a hotel, but there’s still one room available. If you want to stay, I’ll have someone clean it up for you. If not, I’ll take you to the hotel up front.”

This girl is from a wealthy family, obviously used to living a comfortable life. She came here with money and goods, and Lü An thought he should treat her well, in case she decided to leave in displeasure.

Qin Tang had been to many poor places, slept on hard board beds, and used rough cotton quilts. The conditions here were much better than those in the mountainous areas.

She wasn’t picky. “I’ll stay here. Tomorrow morning, you all can come with me to handle the business. I’ll leave once you’ve delivered the items.”

Lü An raised an eyebrow. “Alright, then. You can rest here for a while. I’ll call you when the room is ready.”

Xiao Cheng walked over, scratching his head and smiling at Qin Tang. “Miss Qin, I’ll take you inside to rest.”

Qin Tang pointed to a chair under the tree’s shade nearby. “No need. I’ll sit here.”

Jiang Chuan, having been on long-distance trips and spending a lot of time in the car, stretched his neck and lazily said, “I’ll wash the car and check it later. The engine’s having some issues.”

Qin Tang instinctively looked at him, her brow furrowing slightly.

Lü An saw her change in expression and quickly explained, “It’s nothing serious. If there was a big problem with the car, Brother Jiang wouldn’t have driven it to pick you up.”

Lü An gave Jiang Chuan a look. With the car having issues and Jiang Chuan mentioning it in front of her…

Jiang Chuan narrowed his eyes and looked at Qin Tang. “Are you scared?”

Qin Tang pressed her lips together. “No, I just don’t agree with your behavior.”

He chuckled.

Lü An kicked the side of the car. “What’s going on with this? It’s filthy.”

Jiang Chuan walked inside. “Got stuck in a deep, muddy pit.”

As he finished speaking, he had already stepped onto the stairs around the corner.

Lü An quickly explained, “Brother Jiang’s been really busy these past few days. He’s going to catch up on sleep now.”

Qin Tang raised her camera and took a few pictures. Jiang Chuan walked too fast, entering the frame with his tall, straight back.

Qin Tang unconsciously furrowed her brow, then took another shot after he was out of sight.

Lü An made a phone call, and within minutes, a young woman and a middle-aged woman entered the yard. The young woman was named Ah Qi, and the middle-aged woman was called Aunt Gui. Both went to tidy up the room for Qin Tang.

Seeing that Lü An was still standing, Qin Tang said, “You all go ahead with your work. Don’t mind me.”

Lü An smiled and called Xiao Cheng over to grab the water hose and bucket to wash the car. Qin Tang walked around, standing by and watching them wash the car, then asked, “Where does this car go?”

Lü An, taking a brief break, responded, “Brother Jiang went to Hanzhong, Zhenba County. The mountain roads are rough and difficult, with cliffs on the side…”

Zhenba County.

Qin Tang’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and Xiao Cheng grinned, “Only Brother Jiang can drive well enough to handle it. If it were me, I wouldn’t dare to drive there.”

Lü An laughed. “Chicken.”

Ah Qi and Aunt Gui finished tidying up the room. Ah Qi was a shy young girl, quite cute, though her skin was a bit dark. She smiled warmly as she helped Qin Tang with the suitcase.

Qin Tang slung her bag over her shoulder and followed her up to the second floor, to the second-to-last room on the east side.

Ah Qi opened the door and smiled, saying, “The bed sheets are clean, you can rest assured.”

Qin Tang glanced around. The room wasn’t large, but it was simple and tidy, with a small table, a canvas wardrobe, and a 1.5-meter bed.

“Mm, it’s fine,” she said.

Ah Qi couldn’t help but admire her beauty, stealing glances at her.

Qin Tang noticed and turned to look at her. Ah Qi blinked and said kindly, “You can rest for a while. If you need anything, just let us know.”

Qin Tang nodded, “Okay.”

Ah Qi closed the door and left.

Qin Tang tidied up her luggage a bit, then went outside where there was a public faucet. She took a basin and towel to wash her face, then stood by the hallway, leaning against the wall.

The section of Songhe Highway in Zhenba County, near the Piya Fault, is surrounded by mountains on one side and sheer cliffs on the other.

Apart from the collapsed roadbed, it was a rugged, bumpy dirt road, full of twists and turns.

Not knowing how long she had been standing there, Qin Tang bit her lip, turned around, and went back to her room. She fished a pack of cigarettes out of her bag, lit one, and took a deep drag.

Her gaze, blurred by the smoke, seemed somewhat lost.

Feeling the room was stuffy, she went back to the hallway, her slender, fair fingers holding the cigarette, hanging by the railing as she looked down at a few people below who were unpacking, with books, clothes, and small toys scattered on the ground.

Click—

A sound.

Qin Tang instinctively turned her head. A man, wearing nothing but black briefs, stood at the door. Their eyes met.

She didn’t avoid looking at him, even scanning him up and down.

The man’s physique was better than any male model she had seen in photos—broad shoulders, narrow waist, muscles taut, strong legs—and there was a noticeable bulge in his black underwear.