Melody had no luggage. After using the service area restroom, she returned to ask the driver.
If she wanted to get off nearby, could the driver drop her off the highway.
The driver sized her up, looking a bit confused.
"We're not there yet. You bought a ticket to Qingcheng, and we're only two-thirds of the way."
"I don't want to go anymore. You don't need to refund the money, just drop me off nearby."
The driver was quite accommodating and didn't make things difficult for her. He nodded, and after everyone else returned to the bus, the headcount was taken. They drove another five kilometers and exited the highway.
He dropped her off at the highway exit, pointed to the crowd of taxi and unlicensed car drivers waiting to pick up passengers, and told her she would have to find her own way from there.
Seeing the bus arrive, the drivers knew customers had come and immediately swarmed forward.
They were all middle-aged men and women. The women, leveraging their gender advantage, pushed past the male drivers and surrounded her.
"Where are you from, beautiful? Are you here for tourism? Where are you going, beautiful? Come on, get in my car, I'll take you!"
"We can use the meter and provide receipts. Don't worry, we're completely legitimate!"
Some of them were even owners of nearby inns.
"Beautiful, are you alone? Do you need a place to stay?"
"Our inn is close to here, with convenient transportation, clean and comfortable, and great value for money. We also offer free pick-up and drop-off. If you're interested, we can leave now."
The male drivers found it difficult to get close, so they could only shout from behind the crowd.
"Take a legitimate car, look at our official taxis. We use the meter, and we can leave as soon as you're ready!"
Melody wasn't foolish. She knew that businesses operating legitimately wouldn't come to such a place to fight for customers.
Where there's no profit, there's no early rising. Once they latched onto her, there would be no good outcome.
However, she did listen to some of what they said.
First, she had no identification, so she couldn't stay in a legitimate hotel.
Second, she had no money. She hadn't figured out where to go next, and she needed to be economical with her spending.
So, after listening for a while, she responded to one of the women.
"You run a hotel? Where is your hotel?"
Upon hearing this, the woman immediately grabbed her left arm, as if she had already secured her customer.
"Of course, I run a hotel. I've been doing this for years, and I'm well-known in this area. Come on, let me show you. If you're not satisfied, you don't pay. Don't worry, we're all women, and you're so beautiful. How could big sister possibly cheat you?"
The woman on her right also grabbed Melody's arm.
"Oh, so you're the only one famous around here, and we have no customers! How many times have you done this today? Don't talk like that! If you keep it up, I won't give you face anymore. Beautiful, listen to me..."
As the two women argued, one pulling her left arm and the other her right, they began to quarrel over her. Their voices grew louder, spitting with saliva, and they even looked like they might get physical. Melody was caught in the middle, watching their hands wave around, nearly hitting her face, and quickly felt a sense of revulsion.
No matter how desperate she was for money, she wasn't at a point where she had to deal with people of such character.
Forget it, she decided. She should just leave.
Taking advantage of their squabble, she pried their arms off and tried to leave. To her surprise, they clung to her like burrs.
"You promised to go with me, come with me!"
"Who promised? She just asked a question. Our place is much better than hers! Beautiful, come with me and take a look. We've just renovated, and I guarantee it's ten times better than hers."
Saying this, they started arguing again, each pulling one of her arms, fighting over her like she was a commodity.
Melody was no pushover and wouldn't let them act so absurdly.
Since she was leaving anyway, even if they wouldn't let her go, she could still argue with them or report them to the police.
This was no way to do business.
Just as she was preparing to resign herself to the situation, someone suddenly yanked her backward, and the noise immediately ceased.
"Are you alright?"
A low, young male voice reached her ears.
The one who pulled her away was a young man with a buzz cut, tanned skin, long legs, and a sturdy build. Melody couldn't tell his age, but she instinctively felt he was around her age.
He wore a simple black t-shirt, and his firm muscles were clearly visible through the fabric.
He wore black trousers and black sneakers. His attire was very ordinary, yet it gave him a remarkably upright and rugged demeanor.
He reminded her of Matt Damon in the early days of the "Bourne Identity" craze.
Her arms ached from where the two women had grabbed her, and her hat had shifted slightly.
She didn't want her hat to fall off and reveal her thinning hair, so despite the pain in her arms, she adjusted her hat.
"I'm fine, thank you."
Seeing she was unharmed, the man turned and gave the two women a cold look.
"Is it worth it? You're all neighbors, seeing each other all the time. You've been in this business for years. Is it worth such pettiness? Don't you feel ashamed?"
Whether it was because he sounded intimidating or because they felt it was too much trouble to fight over just one person, after he spoke, they all pouted and turned away.
He then turned and walked towards a slightly worn white pickup truck parked by the roadside.
Melody didn't follow until she saw him get into the driver's seat and confirmed it was his vehicle.
The car window was halfway down, and she stood outside.
"Sir, excuse me, what do you do?"
The man turned and looked at her. "The same as them. Do you want to go?"
Did she want to go?
Melody hesitated.
She was afraid he wasn't a good person, but she was also afraid that if she missed this opportunity, she wouldn't find a hotel that didn't require identification given her situation.
"Can I ask first? Where is your inn, do you have pictures? What are the prices like, and can I stay if I've forgotten my ID?"
As she finished speaking, a light breeze blew, carrying the coolness of autumn and giving Melody goosebumps.
The man saw her shiver and noticed she had no luggage and was dressed thinly.
"Is this your first time in Qingshui County?"
So, this place was called Qingshui County.
Melody shook her head.
"Of course not, it's my second time. It's just that I lost my ID, and my friends can't reach me for now, but I believe they'll be here to reunite with me soon. Don't worry, I'm not a bad person."
She might not be a bad person, but she was definitely not an honest one.
He could see through her lie clearly and curled his lips.
"Oh."
Oh?
And then?
Melody looked at him, and he looked at her. After a few seconds of silence, he said, "So, do you have any?"
"What?"
"...Pictures of the rooms, a price list..."
He looked down, pulled out a black, chipped domestic brand phone, and tapped a few times.
"Yes."
Melody was surprised. She hadn't expected a small-town inn, relying on random passengers, to be so beautiful.
It was similar to hostels in famous tourist spots, with original wood floors and European-style decor. Some rooms even had a sea view.
Regardless, even if it was a lake instead of the sea, that was fine.
Seeing her satisfied expression, the man offered the price at the right moment.
"I've just opened, and the renovation is very new. The prices are about the same as others, and I won't cheat you. It's just a bit far. Since it's the off-season and I have nothing else to do, I'm here to pick up passengers. Consider if you want to go."