Chapter Thirty-Four: Wolf Howl, Mockery

Just as the silence stretched between them, Xin Gan’s phone made the sound of shutting down completely—it had finally run out of battery.

Cheng Jiu heard it and asked, “Do you want to charge it?”

“Yes,” Xin Gan replied.

She handed him her phone and the charging cable, and Cheng Jiu took them, plugging the phone in for her.

In the deep of night, everything around them was utterly still. Only Xiao Shi’s gentle snoring and the muffled, heavy sound of the car in motion could be heard.

Perhaps it was this profound quiet that made their minds stray, the air inside the cramped car thick with a faint awkwardness.

Suddenly, Cheng Jiu asked, “Don’t want to sleep a little longer?”

“I’m not sleepy. I slept during the day.”

Xin Gan recalled what he’d said earlier and began planning her return to Yong City in her mind. She couldn’t stay here any longer; it was best to go back and lay things out for her family. As for the things Cheng Jiu had said, she was truly afraid and resistant—she didn’t wish to agree.

After all, he couldn’t force her, could he?

He certainly couldn’t make her stay.

She feared growing attached over time, and even more, she was afraid of fiction becoming reality. To put it bluntly, she doubted her own self-control—she was afraid of falling for Cheng Jiu. Men like him were hard not to fall for.

And then, Cheng Jiu always had many admirers. All these years, Jiang Tang had stuck by him with unwavering devotion. Even if he claimed there was nothing between them and never would be, they still shared life-and-death experiences. Cheng Jiu treated Jiang Tang differently than he did her.

She’d always been afraid of competing with others. Since childhood, if something she liked was also desired by someone else, she would simply withdraw, keep her distance, and even easily declare she didn’t want it anymore—and truly never look back.

So, to avoid any future dilemma or embarrassing predicament, it was better to cut things off early, to never give an opportunity in the first place.

For however long Xin Gan remained silent, Cheng Jiu matched her silence. Past two in the morning, the world outside was shrouded in darkness, the night sky glittering with stars. In the distance, a lake shimmered under the moonlight, its ripples sparkling like a celestial river across the night.

Xin Gan’s gaze was drawn to it; she couldn’t help but look a little longer.

Cheng Jiu noticed her leaning toward the window, watching the scene outside. She even rolled down the window. His lips pressed together; he slowed the car and eventually pulled over to the side.

The straight road stretched endlessly, vanishing into the horizon.

Once the car stopped, Xin Gan looked at Cheng Jiu in confusion.

He unfastened his seatbelt and got out, saying softly, “I’m going to relieve myself. Do you need to go?”

Had he not mentioned it, Xin Gan might not have realized, but now she did feel the need.

All along the journey, she’d been holding it until they reached the small town, only using proper restrooms—never outside in the wild.

It was embarrassing, but she had no choice.

There was no public restroom along this endless, empty road.

Cheng Jiu, addicted to smoking, lit another cigarette. He took a flashlight from the car and handed it to Xin Gan, saying, “Don’t go too far.”

Xin Gan looked at the pitch-black surroundings, her heart trembling. In a small voice, she asked, “Are there any wild animals nearby?”

Cheng Jiu’s lips quirked. “This whole area is full of wild animals. Which kind did you mean?”

Xin Gan sensed he was speaking in double meanings.

“Four-legged beasts, or the two-legged kind?” Cheng Jiu’s voice was laced with teasing. Unfortunately, it was late, the light dim; only the car’s headlights illuminated the asphalt ahead, and she couldn’t see his expression.

She could only discern from his tone that he was making fun of her.

“I heard wolves howling,” Xin Gan whispered.

Indeed, the distant howl of wolves sounded, echoing through the silent night.

Cheng Jiu said, “It’s normal for there to be wolves here.”

“Are they nearby?”

“From the sound of it, they’re close. And…” Cheng Jiu paused for a few seconds. “There’s one right here—but not a wild wolf, a lecherous wolf.”