"There are also some dried beans and a pot for cooking outdoors. We've been through all sorts of dangerous situations before, so I've been prepared. In this situation, we must have everything ready. We'll continue to purchase supplies along the way."
After so much training, Fatty has become a very competent logistician. He can help Ye Tiancheng with driving and other chores, and he can also cook. He's truly a support character with a lot of resilience.
To avoid wasting time, the group set off quickly. Having money in the bank and gas in the car, that's probably what gives them confidence.
Fatty had already studied the most recent routes, so they mostly took shortcuts. Although they inevitably encountered some difficult terrain at times, the car was powerful – an off-road vehicle that wouldn't be significantly affected by wear and tear.
They traveled like this for two days. Initially, they expected it to be difficult, but it turned out to be quite peaceful. However, it was getting colder. It had been snowing intermittently for these two days, and as they got closer to the north, they could feel the temperature dropping sharply. When they were in the car, they had to wear cotton-padded jackets and wrap themselves in quilts, otherwise, they might not be able to take their hands out to do anything. When they spoke, their teeth would feel icy.
"It's said that the snow lotus grows in an old forest, which should be only a few hundred kilometers from here. We've already reached the northern territory, and it won't be long before we make a breakthrough."
"Brother Ye, there's very little gas left in the car. I'm worried we'll run out of gas if we go further. There's a gas station ahead, so I'll go and refuel. You and Miss Xue, you two wait here for a moment."
Before doing anything, Fatty would always inform Ye Tiancheng. This was because the three of them supported each other. They had agreed from the beginning that no one should get into trouble. If they were going to do something, they had to inform the other two and not act alone. Therefore, no matter how complicated the situation was, Fatty tried his best to let Ye Tiancheng know what he was doing.
"Alright, Fatty, you go ahead. Wear more clothes. The snow outside is endless. There are restaurants by the roadside. We haven't had a good meal in the past two days. How about this: after refueling, we'll go to a roadside restaurant and have some hot stew cooked in a cast-iron pot. I heard it's a local specialty."
The so-called cast-iron pot stew involved putting goose, flatbread, and vermicelli into a pot and letting it steam slowly. All the flavors would meld together. The vermicelli would have the aroma of meat, and even the flatbread would be flavorful. This pot of deliciousness could be considered a major local specialty. His brothers and his master had always followed Ye Tiancheng. Ye Tiancheng wasn't short of money, so he wouldn't treat them poorly. Whenever there was an opportunity, he wanted them to eat well and not suffer with him.
"Okay, I'll go refuel first. Let's fill up the tank."
Ye Tiancheng gave Fatty a bank card. Fatty hadn't spent much along the way, and it would probably be enough for several more months. The bank card had millions transferred from company accounts. Although Ye Tiancheng wasn't at the company, he was still receiving income.
After refueling, Fatty started looking for a restaurant along the road. However, the wind and snow outside were too heavy, and he couldn't see the road clearly. The car had to be driven very slowly, otherwise, it could easily flip into a ditch.
"Brother Ye, the snow is probably too heavy, and many restaurants have already closed. Not many are open now. Let's try to find one. If we can't, we'll just make do with something to eat. Safety is more important."
"It's okay. We'll have plenty of opportunities to eat later. I just thought we've been through a lot recently. If we can't find anything, then so be it."
The wind and snow were too severe, making the car's progress extremely difficult. Fatty was also preparing to find a safe place to park. He was in a dilemma. If they weren't in a hurry to make up for lost time, they might waste half a day. But if they hurried to make up for lost time, they couldn't prepare accommodation in advance. They not only had no food but might also have no place to stay. They could sleep in the car, but it was too cold, and their faces would get chapped.
"Brother Ye, it looks like there's a light over there. I don't know if it's a home or a place to eat. I'll park the car there and go take a look."
After speaking, Fatty parked the car but didn't turn off the engine, preparing to get out and ask. If it was just an ordinary residence, they wouldn't be accommodated, and Fatty would prepare to drive away.
However, after about two minutes, Fatty ran back and asked for Ye Tiancheng's opinion.
"Brother Ye, there's only a woman there. She said if it's just the three of us, we can stay overnight and have instant noodles to eat. It's a hundred yuan per person."
This situation was normal. In such a remote place, they wouldn't put up signs for hotel business. Some would just charge money, as long as they made money. Otherwise, opening a hotel would be too costly. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"It's better than sleeping in the car. Three hundred yuan is quite reasonable. It seems like we can also get a meal. Let's turn off the car, park it properly, and get out."
Suddenly, the few people were crammed into the car, sleeping uncomfortably. Lying down was much better than sleeping while sitting. They had been through a lot these past few days and hadn't had a good shower and sleep in a star-rated hotel. Today, at least, they could. They didn't dare to dream of a star-rated hotel anymore.
When the few people entered the house, they found that it wasn't very large, a two-bedroom, one-living room setup. The owner also needed to live in one room, so the three of them could only stay in one room. Ye Tiancheng quickly made arrangements, letting Lin Xue sleep on the bed. Ye Tiancheng and Fatty, two big men, weren't so particular. They just spread out a mat on the floor and lay down, which was much better than sleeping in the house.
"Why are you all traveling on such a dark road so late at night? It's very dangerous. You don't know, just a few days ago, because of the heavy snowfall, there was a rear-end collision. More than a dozen cars crashed into each other, some even went into ditches, and all became scrap cars. It was spectacular. This kind of weather is very dangerous, and you still dare to drive at this time. You are truly brave."
The wind and snow outside were getting heavier, hitting the windows with a crackling sound that was quite terrifying. No wonder the woman spoke so seriously. Anyone with normal thinking ability would feel the same.
"Didn't you say you have instant noodles? Cup noodles will do. Prepare two boxes for each of us."
Lin Xue only ate one box, but Fatty and Ye Tiancheng both needed more than two boxes, so they tried to prepare more.
"You have quite big appetites. I said a hundred yuan per person for one box of instant noodles. If you want three more boxes, it's ten yuan per serving."
It wasn't easy to encounter three "fat sheep" here and fleece them, so the woman had to make sure she earned enough money, otherwise, she wouldn't have the chance to make money later.
"Okay, ten yuan isn't much. It's a deal."
At the train station, a box of instant noodles sells for ten yuan, and in scenic spots, it's not even that cheap. You should say what you mean, but don't go too far, otherwise, you might lose face over a few dollars, which wouldn't be good.
"You're really generous, brother. I'll also give you some small pickles. It's a total of three hundred and thirty yuan. Please pay first."
When the woman went to get the instant noodles, Fatty helped her and paid the money.
The woman was as happy as a flower. "You all look like big bosses, not ordinary people. Ordinary people don't spend money like you do."
It was only a little over three hundred yuan, but she made it sound like they were magnates. Ye Tiancheng felt as if he had suddenly become rich. It seemed that being eloquent was very important.
Fatty was self-sufficient. After boiling water, he made instant noodles for everyone one by one. Soon, the noodles were ready.
"Although we didn't get to eat what we wanted, instant noodles are also good. They have meat and vegetables, and the soup is very fragrant."
Fatty found the landlady again and asked for an egg. This time, the landlady was quite generous and directly gave him the egg without mentioning money again.
"I wish you a prosperous business."
"Thank you for your kind words. Our eggs here are all double-yolked. You can make egg drop soup by putting them in hot water. It's delicious. You can wash up in the bathroom. I see you're all tired, so I won't disturb you. Get some good rest."
After eating a few bites of instant noodles, Lin Xue lost her appetite and went to wash up. She was the first to fall asleep. Ye Tiancheng and Fatty also did a simple wash. This was probably the best place. If they went further in, it would be very desolate, and there would be no chance to enjoy an even better environment than this.
Finally, he wiped himself with a hot, wet towel, feeling much refreshed when he went to sleep. For the past few days, he felt as if his body was wrapped in plastic wrap. Now, he felt a little lighter.
The wind and snow outside continued, and the windows kept rattling. Ye Tiancheng could only make the best of a bad situation, telling himself to sleep early. Thinking too much was useless. He might as well use this time to recover his energy.
The heavier the wind and snow outside, the safer the room felt. Ye Tiancheng never expected that three hundred yuan would finally bring peace to his brother and disciple. This warmth and safety were hard-earned.
Looking at the two sleeping figures, Ye Tiancheng wished he was still at his peak. But all of that was like heavy snow, long gone into a dream. After the dream, nothing was left. People had to accept reality.
Ye Tiancheng woke up early the next morning. Fatty had already negotiated with the woman. Breakfast was complimentary today, but Ye Tiancheng still planned to leave fifty yuan. He didn't want to owe anyone favors, as that was a bad thing. He didn't need to worry too much about small amounts of money.
They had a simple breakfast of tofu pudding and fried dough sticks. Just as they were preparing to leave, they heard a young boy run over and say to the woman who had sheltered them.
"Something's wrong. Someone reported my uncle's taxi, but the person wasn't found. I just got the news. The police will probably come to notify us soon."
"I know. Where is the car now? Hurry and take me to see it."
After speaking, the woman then asked Fatty for a favor. "Fatty, can you watch the place for me? I'll be back within half an hour."
After speaking, she ran off. Ye Tiancheng was very surprised. This woman trusted them too much. They weren't related, so what was she doing? She was leaving her home to them to watch. He was afraid there was a trap.
"Brother Ye, what should we do? How about this, I'll go and take a look. I don't know what tricks this woman is up to. She left her home for us to watch. I'm afraid there's a trap."