055, this fuel consumption doesn’t seem right!

After breakfast, the two of them left Lin Family Village and, after merging onto the national highway, switched to the expressway at An County, heading straight for Dongdao County.

In the car, since it was still early and there was little scenery along the roadside, Chen Jue reclined his seat and closed his eyes to rest. The driver, Master Zhu, on the other hand, wore a puzzled expression as he kept his eyes on the road, occasionally easing or pressing down on the accelerator.

Why was he perplexed?

It was because he noticed that, despite only picking up one passenger on this lucrative morning trip, the fuel consumption reading on the dashboard was abnormally high. Initially, when they left Chen Village, he hadn’t felt much difference since it was a downhill stretch and required minimal effort. But as soon as they veered onto the national highway, the problem became apparent: every time he stepped on the gas, the car felt sluggish and slow to accelerate.

This Buick minivan, though entry-level and basic, was never supposed to have issues with power—unless it was fully loaded, and only then would acceleration and fuel consumption be affected. But there was only Chen Jue in the backseat! The passenger had mentioned bringing a dumbbell along, but in Zhu’s mind, a fitness dumbbell weighed, at most, twenty kilograms.

Glancing at the rearview mirror, he noticed the upright travel bag bulging, seemingly larger than a typical dumbbell.

“How heavy is that dumbbell, anyway?”

“Why does it feel like I’m hauling a whole group of four or five people, when I’ve only got one passenger?”

“I thought this trip would save me some fuel…” Zhu grumbled inwardly. As a driver trying to make a living, he was extremely sensitive to fuel costs, since that directly affected his profits.

But with Chen Jue alone, plus the dumbbell in the travel bag, the total weight came to five hundred and sixty jin—without even counting the clothing backpack. It was the equivalent of carrying four or five adult passengers! It was as if several invisible people were riding in the back, no wonder the car felt underpowered.

Fortunately, once they got on the expressway, there was no more stop-and-go traffic or red lights, and the car could cruise at a steady, high speed. Only then did the fuel consumption gradually go down.

...

Chen Jue dozed for over an hour in the car. When he finally opened his eyes, the sunlight streaming through the window was much brighter than at dawn. He found the car traveling along a long bridge spanning the sea.

It wasn’t the towering kind of sea-crossing bridge he’d imagined, but a low one, just a few meters above the mudflats and water. Yet, it stretched as far as the eye could see, leading to the entrance of Dongdao County. On both sides of the bridge lay vast expanses of muddy flats, and beyond them, the endless horizon of the sea.

The sky was a brilliant blue, mirrored by the azure sea. A few fluffy, cotton-like clouds drifted overhead. On the flats, fishermen in waterproof gear were gathering seafood left behind by the morning tide.

Now and then, a car would stop by the roadside. Couples or families with children would get out, carrying little plastic buckets and small shovels to join in the search for shells, crabs, and clams—a harmonious and picturesque scene.

Chen Jue sat up, taking in the passing scenery, and struck up a conversation with Master Zhu, who had been driving in silence. These drivers were generally well-acquainted with the area, often ferrying tourists to local attractions, and knew all the best spots in Dongdao County.

Learning that Chen Jue hadn’t booked a hotel or guesthouse, Master Zhu opened the armrest compartment, pulled out a business card, and tossed it over.

“Since we’re from the same hometown, let me recommend this guesthouse for you!”

“It’s a row of detached villas, newly renovated last year, in a prime location. The owner’s a good guy. I took my daughter there during her summer break. It’s on a corner of the island—just a few steps to the beach.”

“But seafood on the island is pricey; you’d be better off taking a taxi into the county for meals.” Once Master Zhu started talking, there was no stopping him—clearly, he’d brought many groups to Dongdao before.

Chen Jue asked for recommendations for some good seafood restaurants, scanned the QR code on the business card, and added the guesthouse owner on WeChat. He didn’t book right away, just asked for the location—intending to check out the place in person before deciding.

...

The sea-crossing road into Dongdao County was long; it took nearly half an hour for the minivan to reach the end.

The county town on the island looked much like any other city, except there were few pedestrians—this was a tourist spot with only about a hundred thousand residents. Compared to a large county like An County with over a million people, it felt sparse, but tourists could be seen everywhere: carrying bags, driving their own cars. Stylish, detached villas lined the streets—clearly, local homes converted into guesthouses.

Signs for seafood restaurants, hotels, and guesthouses were everywhere. It was late summer, just on the cusp of autumn; the weather was pleasantly cool, the sea water at its most refreshing. The fishing ban had just been lifted, and seafood was at its plumpest, drawing plenty of visitors.

When they arrived at the original destination, right in the county town, Chen Jue didn’t get out. Instead, he kept the ride-hailing order open and had Master Zhu drive him to the recommended guesthouse.

Luckily, the guesthouse wasn’t far—just over ten minutes away by car.

Situated on a prominent tip of the island, the guesthouse was a cluster of detached villas, their exterior walls coated with snowy white textured paint, accented with blue ocean-themed decor. The overall look was quite appealing, far more modern than traditional guesthouses—no doubt thanks to recent renovations.

“What do you think? Not a bad recommendation, right?” Master Zhu said, chin lifted in pride.

“It’s really beautiful,” Chen Jue nodded, stepping out to survey the surroundings.

A vast stretch of yellow-white sand lay nearby, flanked by massive wave-worn rocks. Umbrellas and tourists dotted the area. Beyond the beach was the sea—emerald green close up, deep blue in the distance. Lush vegetation covered the slopes, and from the guesthouse, the entire panorama was visible—a truly inviting scene.

He inquired about the rates: a detached villa, two thousand five hundred a night, with six rooms and a kitchen for self-catering; utilities and cleaning were an extra fifty per day. For a big family, it was quite cost-effective.

But since Chen Jue needed privacy for his training, he decided against sharing and simply booked a villa for himself.

“I won’t be staying long anyway, and I have subsidies, so why not splurge a little,” he thought to himself, registering with his ID, paying for three nights, collecting the keys, and hauling his travel bag out of the car.

Master Zhu, planning to stay on the island to pick up return fares, didn’t linger. After a few friendly words, Chen Jue took his leave.

Yet before he left, Master Zhu kept glancing—somewhat pointedly—at Chen Jue’s travel bag, clearly still fixated on the mysterious dumbbell inside.

No wonder!

It was just so ridiculously heavy!