These days, even those who go to the city for work only get covered in dirt on the construction site when there's no other choice. Who wouldn't clean themselves up a bit, especially when heading home?

These five guys, they're really like those who suggest eating cake when there's no rice.

Of course, it's also because, even though I walked over, I didn't give them much time to prepare.

There were two black vans, both were minivans. The woman with the child was originally arranged to go into another van, but seeing that this van had five men, she demanded to switch back.

Seeing Li Zhiyuan and his companions looking over through the window, the black van driver had no choice but to agree to the switch.

The woman, carrying her child, climbed up happily. In this van were three young men, the one with the bandage looked a bit intimidating, but seeing the other young man and the teenager dressed so tidily, she felt safe sitting with them.

The vehicle started up, first traversing through the city and then heading outwards, gradually moving onto the mountain road.

The van behind, sometimes visible, sometimes not. It's hard; with the winding mountain roads, there's no way to hide, even if you try to stay far back. At the next bend, turning around, you can still see it in the distance.

The driver is probably new, but this vehicle is old.

The minivan was modified, two rows of seats, with plastic stools at the back for extra seating.

Run Sheng sat in front of Li Zhiyuan, while Tan Wenbin sat behind him. The woman sat to his right, separated by a narrow aisle.

The child started crying, so the woman began breastfeeding.

Li Zhiyuan turned his head to look over.

Normally, one should avert their eyes in such situations, but being cautious while away, Li Zhiyuan always remains vigilant.

What if this whole "suggest eating cake" scenario is just to highlight the woman's authenticity?

The woman, noticing the young man's gaze, didn't mind. Instead, she smiled and even turned slightly, letting the young man see her child happily nursing.

Very genuine.

Sitting in the back, Tan Wenbin, seeing Brother Xiao Yuan's "inappropriate behavior," started chatting with the woman once she finished feeding her child.

The woman had a heavy dialect, but it didn't hinder Tan Wenbin's engagement.

In their conversation, the woman seemed very normal too.

Li Zhiyuan took some snacks and drinks out of his bag, deliberately sharing some with the woman, who smiled and thanked him, then offered some peanuts and a kind of wrap back to the young man.

Li Zhiyuan also expressed thanks but indicated he wasn't hungry, putting them away in his bag without eating.

After feeding, the child became more active. It was a boy, who kept looking at the young man in front with big, bright, curious eyes.

The vehicle continued driving, and Li Zhiyuan stopped focusing on the woman, instead appreciating the scenery along the way.

Actually, he didn't mind these guys "arranging" for him, as he sought them out, not the other way around.

With these people around, he could skip many "storytelling" segments.

Besides, they haven't shown any hostility towards him, much like the woman at the antique market who kept options open with "we're doing this for your protection."

But as dusk fell, they still hadn't reached the destination, yet the road was blocked ahead.

The driver was startled, got out to inquire, and came back saying, "There's a landslide blocking the road up ahead, and it's unknown when the road will reopen."

Upon hearing this, the woman immediately began chattering in her dialect, showing discontent.

The driver, annoyed, said, "What can I do? It's not like I caused the landslide!"

After saying this, the driver glanced nervously at Li Zhiyuan, revealing some guilt.

While he didn't cause the landslide, his guilty conscience made him fear that Li Zhiyuan might suspect they were behind it.

Li Zhiyuan didn't misunderstand, knowing if they planned to attack, they wouldn't wait until now. Earlier, the entire journey provided ample opportunities wherever they stopped.

"Is there anywhere nearby where we can rest?" Li Zhiyuan asked.

"Drive back a bit. There's a roadside residence with a spacious yard if you take the next side road."

"Then let's go there. Sitting in the car for too long is uncomfortable."

"Alright." After agreeing, the driver suddenly felt like he was too accommodating as an illegal driver, so he added, "I'd like to get out and have a good smoke anyway."

The minivan reversed and pulled into the roadside residence.

The house was built by the side of a small road, with a small cliff behind, but the yard was spacious enough for trucks to park, with a makeshift toilet and a sink outside bearing a sign: Water Available.

A window in the house bore a "Tobacco" sticker.

The hosts were an elderly couple, both with hunched backs.

The van behind came in too; the driver and the five people all got out.

The elderly couple came over, asking if they wanted to buy cooked food, but Li Zhiyuan and the others indicated they had their own food by tapping their bags.

The two van drivers and the five returning home bought some food from the old couple, also picking up some cigarettes.

The sky gradually darkened, and one of the van drivers would occasionally drive to the front to inquire, finally returning to say, "We probably can't leave tonight. The road might clear by morning."

The elderly couple then pushed their accommodation services, saying there was a room inside where they could rest.

The van driver was courteous, specifically asking if Li Zhiyuan and the two others wanted the room.

Li Zhiyuan, as usual, declined; Tan Wenbin pulled out his sleeping bag, while Run Sheng set up a tent.

In the end, the two van drivers stayed inside, while the five returnees made do on the other side of the yard. They had brought plenty of pots and pans but not enough bedding, so they huddled, enduring the cold night with cigarettes.

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