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Zhou Yao stared blankly at Luo Yi, seemingly processing what she had just heard. A few seconds later, she fully came to her senses, jumped off the bed, and rushed to the bedside, staring at the trash can. Her gaze searched among several used condoms and suddenly stopped; one was indeed torn.
"Today is the dangerous period!" Zhou Yao exclaimed in panic as she looked at Luo Yi.
Luo Yi stared at her for a moment, about to say something. Zhou Yao asked, "Do you have any medicine?"
Luo Yi shook his head.
"What about the pharmacy? The pharmacy must have some. By the way, the pharmacy in town has their phone number posted outside; I've seen it," Zhou Yao said eagerly, looking at Luo Yi. After speaking, she grabbed his hand and tried to get up but her legs felt weak, causing her to fall back onto the bed with a thud.
Luo Yi quickly supported her and calmly said, "Zhou Yao, calm down. There's no need to be scared; listen to me—"
"I heard that the sooner you take it, the better it works," Zhou Yao interrupted him, her eyes filled with anxiety. "I can't wait. I don't want a child!"
Luo Yi pressed his lips together, looking at her before finally saying, "Put on your clothes."
"Thank you." She felt a bit more settled and took a deep breath. "I don't want to go buy it with my classmates tomorrow."
He firmly squeezed her head.
Luo Yi quickly got himself ready while Zhou Yao was still struggling with her sweater. Her legs were trembling; after everything that had just happened, she felt weak and exhausted.
"You've put it on inside out," Luo Yi said as he stepped over and flipped her sweater right side out. "Put your arms out."
Zhou Yao reached out as Luo Yi helped her put on a sweater, tucking her hair behind her ears. She couldn't bend down, so he squatted to help her put on her socks and shoes. He took her wrist, grabbed the keys from the table, and headed out the door.
The motorcycle sped along the mountain road, rain pattering against the raincoat. Zhou Yao closed her eyes tightly and held onto Luo Yi without saying a word.
Not long ago, the excitement and joy had vanished, replaced by endless regret and worry after a brief moment of indulgence.
Love was trivial, but having a child was serious. She wasn't prepared for pregnancy; she was still studying and not in a position to have a baby. Not to mention her parents, Professor Zhou and Mr. Xia, would never accept that their daughter went on a month-long trip only to return to school with a child. The thought of her parents made Zhou Yao unable to lift her head.
On this rainy night, the air felt like a damp mask suffocating her, heavy and oppressive, mirroring her current mood.
Even the sky was pitch black, devoid of stars or moonlight; the outline of the mountains was indistinct.
The motorcycle rushed down to a small-town pharmacy, coming to an abrupt stop. The pharmacy was closed. A phone number was posted on the door, but it was unreachable.
It was now three-thirty in the morning.
Zhou Yao shivered in the cold wind and softly asked, "Are there any other pharmacies?"
"Mm." Luo Yi frowned slightly.
They rode around the town's wide streets and narrow alleys—pharmacies, hospitals, private clinics, even convenience stores—all were closed. Overnight, this place had turned into a deserted town.
Luo Yi strode up to the last pharmacy's door and called the number posted there; it was also turned off.
Luo Yi took a deep breath, holding back his frustration. He turned around to see Zhou Yao standing alone on the empty street in the early morning next to the motorcycle, her small face already drenched by the rain. Seeing that he couldn't get through on the phone left her feeling lost as well; her shoulders slowly slumped, and she hung her head.
The rain continued to fall on her as she stood still like an abandoned child.
Luo Yi felt a sharp pang in his heart as he quickly walked over and pulled her into his embrace, pressing his jaw against her icy forehead. "It's okay."
"I was too impulsive, making you come all this way for nothing. But— I really—" She shook her head, forcing a bitter smile, unsure of what to say. "—I don't want to have children right now," she said, gripping her hair tightly, feeling frustrated and resistant. "I don't want to, and I can't."
"Don't be afraid, Zhou Yao." He lowered his head and spoke softly to her. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."
He continued, "If anything happens—"
"Things are moving too fast," she buried her head and shook it again, feeling very resistant. "Too fast. I don't know what to do— I have to go home tomorrow."
The night was deep and cold, and she trembled slightly; she couldn't absorb his words at all.
Zhou Yao broke free from him, took a few steps, then squatted down and hugged herself. "My mom will kill me."
Luo Yi tightened his jaw, his dark eyes heavy, and he didn't say another word.
He watched her small figure squatting on the ground, took out a cigarette, put it to his lips, thought for a moment, then put it away.
On the way back, the wind and rain lessened, but the suffocating feeling between them lingered.
When they arrived at the inn, Zhou Yao took off her raincoat, kept her head down without looking at him, and said, "I think I'll go back to my own room to sleep."
Luo Yi did not stop her.
In the dim light of dawn, her departing footsteps had a slight limp as she climbed the stairs slowly without looking back.
Luo Yi returned to his room; the lingering scent of their earlier intimacy was still strong, and used condoms were scattered messily in the overturned trash can.
He leaned against the door panel, tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and sighed in frustration. If only he could restrain himself just a little...
The bed sheets were stained with large patches of dark blood. He tore the sheets off and tossed them into the sink to scrub them clean, the red blood peeling away from the fabric, flowing away in thin streams.
Everything that had happened here not long ago was vivid in his mind.
The soft, warm, and tight sensation deep within her was intoxicating; her innocent moans echoed, "Luo Boss, I can't breathe. Really, I'm not lying to you." Her dilated pupils and the curve of her smiling lips under the haze of pleasure; she giggled lightly, "Luo Boss, look, I have abs." At that moment, her skin radiated a faint pink glow, like a newborn baby.
And then there was her lonely figure standing in the rain, filled with loss and rejection.
Luo Yi lowered his head and rubbed the sheets, unintentionally clenching his teeth.
Going too fast can lead to a crash. Such a simple truth, yet he had completely forgotten it.
After leaving the bathroom and grabbing new sheets to make the bed, he unexpectedly found her black underwear lying by the bed. Just as he picked it up, there was a knock on the door.
Luo Yi immediately went to open it but froze at the sight.
Lu Xu stood at the door, drenched from the rain. He was panting heavily, his gaze filled with anger. In the cold wind and rain, he and his colleagues had chased after Luo Yi down the mountain late at night—how could he not be furious?
Luo Yi silently let him in.
Lu Xu gritted his teeth and whispered fiercely, "Have you lost your mind?! Who's going to take responsibility if something happens?! You or me?!"
Luo Yi rubbed his face vigorously with both hands and walked over to the desk.
"I thought you were the one who lacked reason the least! We're heading back to Beijing soon; what kind of nonsense are you causing?! Everyone is too scared to sleep, watching Zhou Yao from dawn till dusk, and here you are! Is this how you handle things?!"
Luo Yi did not argue a word, took a cigarette from the box on the table, and after exhaling a puff of smoke, jokingly remarked, "Did you hear that from next door?"
Lu Xu glared angrily, about to continue his outburst, but Luo Yi's voice lowered as he said, "It's my fault."
"I'm sorry."
After years of dealing with each other, Lu Xu had never seen him show any weakness. His anger subsided somewhat, but he still maintained a cold demeanor: "I will do as you say and do my best to protect Zhou Yao. But you also need to cooperate according to our previous plan. Otherwise, you know the outcome; protection is only a temporary measure. As the situation drags on, there will eventually be a day of slackening."
Luo Yi bit down on his cigarette and remained silent.
He was silent for a long time, lost in thought. Slowly, he blew out two smoke rings that floated in the air, initially close together but gradually drifting apart and expanding before finally dissipating.
Luo Yi asked, "What was the situation with that group during dinner?"
"After you took Zhou Yao out, their leader, the one named Lin Jinyan, made a phone call," Lu Xu replied. "But we tracked you and Zhou Yao secretly and did it very discreetly; we didn't see anything unusual or any suspicious individuals approaching."
"Mm." Luo Yi pondered. Was it a mistake to be suspicious, or was the other party being cautious? "Just to be safe, let's check that phone call."
"I'll handle that."
"Also, the incident at the hospital last time was a bit strange." Luo Yi fiddled with the lighter in his hand and said, "The group that tried to kidnap Zhou Yao, their leader had a gun, but Wu Ming's group did not."
"You mean that the kidnapping team was directly sent by Dan Shan?"
Luo Yi recalled the man's commanding presence and sharp instincts and concluded, "It’s likely that he is the right-hand man."
Lu Xu was momentarily speechless. That day he thought Luo Yi was lying to get himself out of the situation; he never expected...
Lu Xu also lamented, "It's my fault that he got away."
"Not colliding head-on is a good thing. You weren't prepared, and you might have been shot. Now that you know what equipment the other side has, pay attention. Don't get yourself killed," Luo Yi smiled at him.
Lu Xu remained silent.
Luo Yi continued, "Moreover, rumors say that Dan Shan is Burmese. However, in these recent encounters, although there are Burmese in the opposing team, the leaders of both the knife-wielding group and the hospital kidnapping group are from our own country."
Lu Xu was taken aback.
Luo Yi glanced at him and smirked slightly, "Dan Shan is likely Chinese, and it could be that suspicious person I mentioned to you last time."
Lu Xu pondered for a moment and said, "In that case, you should follow our plan even more closely. Don't mess things up again."
Luo Yi fell silent, narrowing his eyes as he smoked.
Lu Xu asked, "I'm going back tomorrow. How much longer will you stay here?"
"Ten days to half a month. It's uncertain."
"If you go back, don't look for Zhou Yao," Lu Xu advised.
Luo Yi did not respond directly, instead lowering his head to flick off some ash from his cigarette. He said, "Explain the land issue to her; don't keep her in the dark. If she has a sense of self-preservation, your pressure will be greatly reduced."
"I will. You don't need to worry about it."
The sound of rain outside had lessened. Zhou Yao lay flat on the bed, her eyes wide open, and after an unknown amount of time, she finally dozed off. In a hazy dream, she saw her belly growing large, with her parents looking at her in disappointment. She suddenly woke up and quickly touched her stomach, relieved to find it still flat.
Zhou Yao felt very tired and exhausted, but her legs ached, and the blanket felt icy cold, making it difficult for her to fall asleep as she tossed and turned.
After the ups and downs of the night, she wondered how to face Luo Yi the next day and how to say goodbye to him. She was caught off guard by the "pregnancy crisis," and she guessed he was too. With the crisis still unresolved, Zhou Yao felt increasingly anxious.
She kept tossing and turning until dawn finally brought a hint of sleepiness.
"Yao Yao, Yao Yao, Zhou Yao..."
Zhou Yao slowly woke up to bright daylight and the sounds of laughter from travelers in the courtyard.
Sulianlin's face appeared before her: "What's wrong with you today? You’re still not awake? We need to set off."
"Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?" Zhou Yao quickly got up, feeling pain all over. "Ouch—"
"I thought you looked really tired," Sulianlin said curiously, frowning. "What happened? Did you get into a fight last night?"
Could she really guess that?
Zhou Yao felt both embarrassed and angry. "Sulianlin, you’re so annoying!"
Zhou Yao soon got out of bed, washed up, organized her things, and before long it was time to depart.
The three roommates stepped out the door. Zhou Yao slung her bag over her shoulder and was the last to leave the room. She turned back for one last look at the four small beds and the intricately carved wooden windows; the excitement from their arrival on the first night still lingered in her mind.
The autumn breeze lifted the curtains and brushed against the red and blue striped mattress. Zhou Yao withdrew her gaze and closed the door behind her.
Lin Jinyan They were checking out, and Amin was at the front desk.
Zhou Yao walked down the stairs and glanced at the Common Area. It was still early, and the hall was quiet, with sunlight lonely streaming onto the wooden table. She did not see Luo Yi. She felt a slight sense of relief, but it did not bring her joy.
Summer Melody and Sulianlin were writing on the graffiti wall in the Common Area, calling out to Zhou Yao: “Yao Yao, come leave a memory!”
Zhou Yao walked over to take a look; the wall was filled with messages from guests, mostly about who visited Yading, or who liked whom. Summer Melody and Sulianlin were not exempt from this trend, patiently writing down the names of the seven people in their group.
Zhou Yao noticed several messages related to Luo Yi:
“Boss has abs but won’t show them to us.”
“Boss is too cold; it would be better if he were more lively.”
“Which Boss? I didn’t meet him.”
“You guys are unlucky; you didn’t run into him. Haha.”
“The Boss here is so handsome, I don’t want to leave! I want to marry him!!!”
“Back off! Boss Luo is mine, kiss off.”
Zhou Yao pouted, suddenly feeling a bit unhappy, and picked up a pen to write something on the wall.
“Comrades, let’s set off!” Ji Yu shouted at the door.
Zhou Yao put down the pen, turned back to glance at the silent Bar, and walked out. As it came time to leave, Zhou Yao felt a bit lost. She stood in the courtyard, looking at the square guesthouse and the high blue sky above her, took a deep breath, and got into the car.
Amin came out to say hello and then went inside, leaving in a hurry.
Luo Yi was nowhere to be found, not even for a farewell.
Zhou Yao leaned her head against the glass, her expression blank.
As the car drove out of the yard and onto the road, Zhou Yao suddenly widened her eyes. Luo Yi, dressed in a black trench coat, stood under the yellow leaves by the roadside, the autumn wind scattering the smoke from his fingertips.
He stood amidst the golden autumn leaves, his gaze straight and soft as he looked at her.
Zhou Yao was taken aback and immediately pressed her palm against the window, wanting to say something to him. In that fleeting moment, they passed each other by.
His figure vanished like flowing water.
Her heart sank, and she hurriedly turned back, but he had already been left behind at the end of the mountain road. As the car turned a corner, that tall figure was instantly swallowed by the golden foliage.
Zhou Yao stared blankly at the gray-red roof of an inn peeking through the branches, tears began to fall.
She was afraid that others in the car would see, so she quickly lowered her head and wiped away her tears with her sleeve, making no sound.
She hadn't had a chance to tell him,
"Boss Luo, I'm leaving now."
...
On the way back, Zhou Yao felt very distressed.
She was already feeling some pain beneath her, and after several bumps, cold sweat began to flow. After a long time, they finally reached the small town at the foot of the mountain, but the vehicle did not stop and drove straight past.
The familiar town became just a scenery left behind; only Zhou Yao glanced back, while the others had little attachment to it.
Around noon, they arrived at Daocheng County, where everyone stopped for lunch. Zhou Yao hurriedly finished her meal, excused herself to go to the restroom, and secretly ran to the pharmacy to look for Emergency Contraceptive Pills. Blushing, she managed to say it out loud, only for the clerk to inform her that they were sold out.
Zhou Yao returned speechless.
On the way, she took out her phone to check for messages but found none. Turning her exhaustion into anger, she cursed Luo Yi all the way.
After finishing lunch, they set off again and reached the airport in half an hour. The airport was very small; there were no jet bridges or shuttle buses. After exiting the waiting area, they walked a few steps to board the plane.
There were few passengers on board, so they were scattered around to balance the aircraft. Zhou Yao sat alone by the window, gazing at the yellow earth outside.
Suddenly, a note was passed to her from behind; it was from Lu Xu.
Surprised, she opened the note: "Let's talk tomorrow if you have time." A string of phone numbers followed.
Zhou Yao tucked the note into her pocket, guessing that Officer Lu was likely looking for her regarding Luo Yi.
Upon arriving in Chengdu, they waited for their connecting flight and finally landed in Beijing. Zhou Yao was exhausted and found herself stuck in a long traffic jam as soon as she exited the capital's airport.
Outside the car window, most of the trees had withered away. The concrete jungle looked gray no matter where she looked, and the air was filled with the smell of gasoline and dust.
Zhou Yao slumped in her seat, poking at the glass with her fingers, feeling an indescribable impatience: "If I had known, I would have taken the subway back to school with Sulynn!"
The driver smiled and said, "President Xia hasn't seen you in a month. How could you go back to school right after returning? Besides, today is still the weekend."
Zhou Yao leaned against the window, opened her mouth, and breathed against the car window, watching the glass become foggy and then clear again.
The driver kindly reminded her, "Yao Yao, sit properly. If Mr. Xia sees you, he will get angry again."
Zhou Yao pouted unhappily, straightened up, but after a while, she remembered the birth control pills she needed to buy, though she had no chance to do so.
When she got home late at night, dinner was left on the table. Mr. Xia had gone back to the company for an impromptu meeting; Professor Zhou was working overtime in the school laboratory.
Zhou Yao finished her meal comfortably and leisurely, washed up well, and collapsed onto her soft bed.
The room was extremely quiet, with not a sound to be heard, and there was no wind outside.
She stared at the European-style ceiling and the dazzling lights above her, suddenly feeling as if she were in another world. In just one day, it seemed she had crossed thousands of mountains and rivers.
Zhou Yao glanced at her phone; it was exactly midnight.
At midnight last night, she had been in Luo Yi's bed, her body deeply enveloping him, accommodating his forceful movements. Zhou Yao recalled countless nearly frenzied scenes and couldn't help but shiver, breathing rapidly.
She turned onto her side and stared blankly at the cabinet across from her filled with stones. The small Town Hospital, rock concerts, Brother Tashi's wedding, the dam breach at the reservoir, Jiang Peng's villa… everything felt like it had happened just this morning, yet how was it that she suddenly found herself back here at this moment?
She looked at her phone again.
Luo Yi still hadn't called or texted her; he didn't even ask if she had arrived safely or worry about a potential plane crash.
Zhou Yao couldn't help but wonder what he was doing—mixing drinks at the bar or smoking in his room? But no matter how much she thought about it, there was no way she could run downstairs to check or even knock on his door.
Zhou Yao huffed in dissatisfaction and vowed not to contact him first. She pouted and abruptly turned off the light.
In the deep of night, Luo Yi turned off the lights in the Common Area one by one. As he approached the graffiti wall, he couldn't help but wonder if Zhou Yao had ever written something on it.
He still remembered her ugly handwriting on the postcard.
Yes, at that time, he was paying attention to her.
Luo Yi had never looked at the graffiti wall before; this was his first time.
He estimated Zhou Yao's height and searched along the horizontal line. He recognized her handwriting and quickly found the words she had written:
"Goodbye, Boss Luo."
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