FQ chapter 2

Compared to the afternoon, the streets were now nearly deserted—quiet and a bit desolate. It looked like it had just rained. Water still pooled on the ground, and the damp pavement reflected a faint glow under the darkening sky.

Luan Ye walked slowly, pulling up a map on his phone to search for nearby supermarkets.

He had come here with absolutely nothing—no luggage, no supplies. Everything needed to be bought new. Ideally, he should get a meal, but judging by the state of his throat, he probably couldn’t even swallow anything besides water.

Fine. Go hungry. Let hunger kill him if it wants.

But not brushing his teeth or changing clothes? Unacceptable.

He searched again: 600 meters away—one store. 1.2 kilometers—another one… he scrolled down… the third was 10.9 km away.

Luan Ye: “…”

Well, it wasn’t the worst. He’d experienced worse.

Two years ago, he stayed for two weeks in a tiny Alaskan town with a population of a few hundred to shoot the aurora. Days of snow halted the train service. The only road in and out was alternated for single-lane travel. The hotel served no Chinese food, and the only grocery store in town offered limited options. In -30°C weather, Luan Ye survived on bread and smoked fish for over ten days.

Eventually, someone drove three days just to deliver him clothes and food—and waited until he finished his shoot.

“You know, with your personality, this really isn’t the job for you,” a voice had said back then—timed perfectly in his memory, like wind howling through snowfields.

“Landscape photography requires waiting—sometimes for hours, days, even months—to capture one fleeting moment. You’ll have to sacrifice your life.”

“You’re not suited for this. You don’t even love photography.”

“You’re just forcing yourself.”

Luan Ye’s smile faded into a blank expression.

At least he was still in China this time.

Surely, he wouldn’t be unable to buy basic supplies.

But after visiting the only two available stores, that fear became reality.

Luan Ye stood at the entrance of a nameless little shop, staring at the owner behind the counter, who was watching an old TV drama, Soldiers Sortie.

“Convenience store” was a better name for this place than “supermarket.” The shop looked as old as the drama. The shelves were cluttered with a chaotic mix of drinks, instant noodles, and milk. On the bottom shelf of the rice and vinegar section were a few dusty bottles of shampoo and soap, origins unknown. In the corner, two or three packets of Yumeijing baby cream.

Well, at least it had some essentials.

The other shop—600 meters away—was more like a relic, with one lonely shelf that seemed twice as old as Luan Ye himself.

The shop owner glanced up from the TV and asked, “What are you buying?”

Sheets, clothes, underwear, towels, razors… Luan Ye opened his mouth instinctively, then remembered he couldn’t speak.

He silently picked a lighter from a box on the counter and scanned the code to pay.

Outside the store, he checked the time. 8:30 p.m.

Using his memory from earlier that day, Luan Ye walked back toward the place he’d been dropped off.

He opened the ride-hailing app, entered the address of the third supermarket. The app began searching.

Ten minutes passed. Still searching.

Luan Ye sighed, glanced at the store’s location—it was in a nearby town. The photo showed a proper chain store, way better than the two he’d seen.

And the town probably had everything he’d need for the coming days.

The app said it would take 2 hours 30 minutes to walk. If he walked fast, maybe two hours.

Two hours there, buy what he needed, and hopefully catch a ride back.

Two hours.

Or… maybe just wait until tomorrow. He could tough it out tonight—he’d made it this far already. Worst case, he’d go back to that first store and buy a bar of soap. As for the clothes he hadn’t changed since he arrived, and the questionable sheets and bedding…

Luan Ye turned around and began walking in the direction the map pointed.

Two hours? Fine. Even if he died tomorrow, he was going to change his sheets and underwear today.

Call it dramatic. Whatever.

Hiking ten kilometers in a place not even on the map, on the first night of moving into a remote mountain village—just to visit a supermarket.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience.

His head started hurting again from the wind. That voice returned.

“I don’t understand why you always insist on doing these pointless things that end up making others worry.”

“Don’t you ever think that all of this is unnecessary?”

“All it does is make the people who love you feel sad.”

What had he said in response to that? Oh—nothing. He hadn’t said a word.

Coward, Luan Ye.

His throat ached again. He reached for his pocket. One cigarette left in the pack. He lit it with the lighter he just bought.

Under the faint cloud of smoke, Luan Ye looked up.

It was pitch black. The snowy mountains in the distance were invisible now. The ridges had merged into a vast shadow. The sky was overcast, and the only light came from his phone’s flashlight. The grass along the road rustled in the wind.

The entire world felt lonely.

He had the strange thought that if he died here, no one would ever find him.

Maybe it was the smoke. Maybe it was the setting. His thoughts began to drift aimlessly.

If I really died here—what’s this place called again? Hu-something Village?

He’d found this village just a few days ago while scrolling online. The name hadn’t even stuck. A spontaneous destination. But if he really died here…

It wouldn’t be the worst thing.

Suddenly, a beam of light approached from behind, illuminating a long stretch of road. Luan Ye’s shadow stretched, then shortened as the vehicle drew closer.

Beep—

The car behind him slowed and honked once.

Luan Ye stepped to the side and kept walking.

Hopefully no one would notice him. Being alone from birth to death didn’t sound so bad. Who’d come to collect his body anyway?

Beep—

He frowned and stepped aside again.

Whoever it was, he didn’t want to see them. Let the dead rest—don’t come disturbing him.

Beep—

F*ck.

Luan Ye suddenly stopped and turned to glare at the car behind him.

Beep beep beep beep beep—it kept honking like the road wasn’t wide enough. Was this guy’s license rented?

A plain white commercial van. The headlights were too bright—he couldn’t see the driver’s face.

The van slowed and stopped next to him. The window rolled halfway down. The driver tilted his head and looked at Luan Ye.

“Where you headed?”

The guy had zero manners—but a very nice voice.

It was that kind of voice—clean, clear, rich. It sounded even better in the quiet night. Young, definitely.

Luan Ye looked up and met his eyes. Three seconds later, he pulled out his phone and showed the address.

The man gave it a glance, then said without hesitation, “Thirty to drop you off. Fifty for round trip.”

Of course. Not a good Samaritan. A black-market driver.

But the price was fair. Actually cheaper than what the app had shown earlier—assuming this van wasn’t about to kidnap him.

It was already dark, and he’d just arrived here today.

This morning, at least, the other driver had dropped him just 800 meters from his destination. If this guy left him stranded somewhere now, that random thought about dying alone might actually come true.

Luan Ye put his phone away. The warm light in the van’s cabin made it easier to see the driver.

From his looks, he seemed young—sharp brows, high nose bridge. His skin was a healthy tan, and his eyes met Luan Ye’s with a calm, unhurried gaze, like a quiet puddle on a rain-soaked road.

With a face like that, he shouldn’t need to be a kidnapper—it’d be such a waste of looks.

“At this time of night, you won’t see another car pass by on this road within the hour.”

The young man looked at Luan Ye and said calmly, “You coming or not?”

Luan Ye didn’t respond. He simply opened the backseat door. But before he could get in, a huge creature suddenly jumped up from the seat and rushed toward him, tail wagging excitedly.

Holy crap! What the hell was that?!

Startled, Luan Ye instinctively took a step back. Then he saw it clearly: a large Labrador sprawled out across the backseat. It must have been starved for human contact, and was now exuberantly trying to greet him.

Is that a dog or a pig?

Luan Ye stared wide-eyed at the animal, who stared right back. From the front seat, the young man called out, “Laifu!”

The Labrador immediately sat down, though its tail continued to thrash like a helicopter blade—probably painful if it hit someone.

“He doesn’t bite,” the man said after a pause. “If you want, you can sit in the front.”

Luan Ye glanced once more at the overly friendly dog, then at the young man and finally opened the passenger side door.

The car’s interior was small and a bit old, but clean. A little Doraemon figurine was perched on the dashboard in front of the passenger seat, its head bobbing with the movement of the car.

The young man turned the steering wheel and said, “Seatbelt.”

Luan Ye pulled the belt over and clicked it in.

A second later, the man added, “Put the cigarette out.”

Tch.

Luan Ye immediately turned to look at him, but the young man wasn’t looking back—only his sharp profile was visible from this angle.

After a few seconds, Luan Ye looked away and put out the cigarette.

The young man didn’t say anything else.

Luan Ye slipped his phone back into his pocket and stared ahead.

The young man was steady on the wheel. Trees on either side of the road faded silently into the night as they passed. After only three minutes, rain began to splatter against the windshield, quickly growing heavier until visibility was blurred.

It was raining.

The window hadn’t been rolled all the way up, and rain mixed with wind hit Luan Ye’s face—sharper than tobacco, and more sobering. The man next to him was so quiet he almost felt nonexistent. The dog in the back had calmed down and was now lying quietly again.

In that moment, Luan Ye felt like his mind was clearer than before—or perhaps detached entirely, as if he were transcending life and death, reflecting not just on his own, but on others’ too.

Yeah, dying here wouldn’t be so bad, Luan Ye thought. But—

Before I die, I still need to take Bai Mingchuan down.