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墨書 Inktalez
Driving along the uneven and broken mountain road felt much like being on a boat. However, the scenery along the way was quite pleasant, with large Deep Pools and lakes visible everywhere. In the distance, there were even waterfalls cascading down from the mountaintops, creating a picturesque view.
The lakes seemed to flow from nowhere, with a long history behind them. Dense reeds grew all around, and the banks were lined with thick trees whose roots intertwined and submerged in the water. Bridges spanned across the surface, and the water was a vibrant green, occasionally revealing shadows of black and silver fish darting beneath.
The journey was filled with this typical southern water town scenery, which was refreshing and delightful. Bai Yujing and Li Hao initially enjoyed their time exploring, getting out to take pictures and enjoy the sights. Vendors carrying baskets of fruit passed by, and Bai Yujing would get out of the car to buy some.
However, as they continued their exploration, their spirits began to wane. Their original plans seemed to be facing some obstacles.
"Didn't you say it would be easy to find?" Li Hao looked at Bai Yujing with some exasperation.
By now, it was getting late. Bai Yujing had been driving around the area all afternoon without any luck. As the sun set, he leaned against the car door, feeling somewhat helpless: "According to Professor Qiu, it should be around here. But whenever I ask people nearby, they all say they haven't heard of this village."
Bai Yujing noticed a convenience store ahead and immediately went inside. Moments later, he came out looking dejected. "Still no luck; this local said he hasn't heard of the village either."
Li Hao chimed in from the side: "Are you sure you didn't get the name wrong? Maybe it's not called that? Or perhaps the address isn't even in this area?"
Bai Yujing shook his head: "I can't be mistaken. I've asked several times; the old man said it's called Shuiyuan Village. Maybe after so many years, the village has changed its name or moved?"
Li Hao immediately replied: "That could be a problem. If there’s no one there, then we’ve come for nothing! Even if we find an empty village, it won’t do us any good!"
Bai Yujing raised his hand dismissively: "As long as we find the village, there will definitely be something to gain. Let's head back for now; tomorrow we can ask Lin Ruoqiao. Her mother should be from this village; asking her and her father might yield some results!"
Li Hao scratched his head: "Ah! Why didn’t you ask them earlier? We could have found it today!"
Bai Yujing hadn’t anticipated that they wouldn’t even be able to locate the place; it was indeed unexpected: "I thought it would be easy. I didn’t expect that people around here hadn’t heard of this village at all. There's no choice; it's getting dark, so let's head back!"
On the way back, Bai Yujing was driving while wearing headphones and made a phone call. After waiting for a long time, just as the call was about to be disconnected, it finally connected. "Hello, is this Professor Qiu? This is Bai Yujing, Xiao Bai, do you remember me?"
"I've already arrived in Qinzhou, but I've been circling around the place you mentioned for a long time and haven't found Shuiyuan Village. I wanted to ask how you got here back then," Bai Yujing said as he noticed that Professor Qiu recognized him.
"Oh, okay. If you remember anything, please let me know. Sorry to trouble you, Professor Qiu!" Bai Yujing hung up the phone in disappointment. It seemed that after so many years, Professor Qiu had aged and his memories from back then were not as clear. He still remembered some important things, but had forgotten the details. Not to mention that the roads and towns had changed dramatically over the years; even if Professor Qiu came here personally, he probably wouldn't recognize it.
Bai Yujing thought for a moment and called Lin Ruoqiao again. This time, Lin Ruoqiao's energetic voice quickly came through: "What's up, Uncle? Did you miss me already after just leaving for a bit?"
Bai Yujing knew that if he continued to chat with Lin Ruoqiao like this, they would end up on a tangent: "I need to talk to you about something serious. You were born in Qinzhou and should be very familiar with this area. Do you know where your mother's hometown is?"
Lin Ruoqiao pondered for a moment: "Hmm!!! I'm quite familiar with that area, but I don't really know much about my mother’s background. My dad rarely mentions her; I've only seen her photos, so I really don't know much about it. I definitely need to ask my dad about it, but he's such a stickler for rules that I don't want to bother him. He just scolded me earlier; I’ve already run out of the house."
Bai Yujing wanted to leverage Lin Ruoqiao's connection to ask her father but didn't expect she would have another falling out with him right after returning home. It was typical of her to be unreliable when it came to getting things done.
"I'm looking for a place that might be your mother's hometown. Don't you want to see where your mother grew up and experience the environment she was raised in?" Bai Yujing immediately used the same tactic he had used on Li Hao.
However, Lin Ruoqiao wasn't buying it: "Haha, don't think you can get me to do something for free just by talking; no way."
As long as it wasn't a flat-out refusal and there were conditions involved, they could negotiate: "So what would it take for you to help me with this?"
Lin Ruoqiao thought for a while and couldn't make a decision: "I haven't figured it out yet. Just consider it as you and Little Li owe me a wish. I'll let you know when I think of something."
This kind of open-ended wish was more troublesome than just stating a price upfront, but Bai Yujing agreed anyway: "Okay, but don’t go overboard!"
"Alright then, wait for me tomorrow morning at the place where I got off today; I'll come pick you guys up." Lin Ruoqiao sounded very happy, as if making Bai Yujing and Li Hao suffer a little was something that brought her great joy.
Bai Yujing hung up the phone and saw Li Hao looking at him with resentment. "You didn't even ask for my opinion before agreeing."
"It's fine. Anyway, once the matter is settled, we can just run away. By then, we'll be long gone, and that little girl won't be able to come after us for debts," Bai Yujing said nonchalantly.
Li Hao smirked. "That's not certain. That little girl is Flaw Must Be Reported; she holds grudges. If you try to dodge her, I bet she won't let it go easily."
"That can't be true!"
"Let's see!"
"Fine, let's see. I'm not afraid of her!"
When Bai Yujing returned to the hotel, it was already completely dark. Just as the car stopped at the entrance, Li Hao's computer suddenly emitted an alarm sound. Bai Yujing was taken aback and didn't understand what was happening, but Li Hao immediately reacted, rapidly typing on the keyboard. Bai Yujing thought his typing speed was fast, but compared to Li Hao, it was like comparing heaven and earth; his speed was astonishing—no one could match it even after being single for forty years!
Li Hao exclaimed excitedly, "Someone is starting to connect to that Listening Device! We can track them down based on the signal!"
The screen displayed ripples spinning continuously, with a long line of letters and pop-ups appearing before finally stopping on a map. Bai Yujing looked closely and realized it was just a few streets away from him. He immediately started the car and sped off; he had to find out who was trying to mess with him in the shadows.
"It's just ahead; we're almost there! This time we will definitely catch him!" Li Hao was also excited; this was his chance to showcase his skills and abilities.
Bai Yujing rushed forward, weaving through a crowded street until he entered a night market area. He slowed down to observe his surroundings and finally spotted a Black Van at the end of the street.
"Get closer, get closer; that's the car," Li Hao said immediately.
Bai Yujing felt a surge of excitement as he drove closer. At that moment, a twenty-something man wearing a Cowboy Hat leaned out of the window and tossed out a soda can. Just then, he turned around and noticed the Blue Land Rover behind him.
The young man was taken aback. Bai Yujing saw the person's face clearly through the glass, and their eyes met. Bai Yujing immediately quickened his pace, saying, "He has noticed us."
The young man was also very fast; he quickly released the handbrake and slammed on the gas, immediately merging onto the highway, racing ahead. Li Hao did not expect this person to be so lucky, discovering their presence at such a critical moment. From recognizing Bai Yujing's car, it was confirmed without a doubt that it was him.
"Chase him, we must not let him get away."
Bai Yujing held his breath and closely followed the van behind him, quickly catching up. Several times they were side by side, and Li Hao even saw the man's face through the car window.
"Take a picture of him with your phone," Bai Yujing said immediately.
Li Hao quickly reacted, picked up his phone, and rolled down the window. The man noticed Li Hao's movement and panicked, hastily accelerating to overtake Bai Yujing. Bai Yujing felt helpless; it was already rush hour, and the highway was bustling with traffic, with pedestrians crossing occasionally. Bai Yujing had just barely shed his identity as a new driver and was still somewhat hesitant about driving.
Eventually, they reached an intersection. The young man dashed through the red light during its last moments. Bai Yujing was momentarily stunned as he watched cars coming from the other side. He could only stop at the intersection and watch the van drive away.
"What the hell! Are you even capable? Your driving skills are terrible! You usually brag about being an Old Driver!" Li Hao exclaimed while slapping his thigh in frustration. They had let the thief escape, which left him unwilling to accept it.
What else could Bai Yujing do? His driving skills were lacking; he would have to find an Old Driver tomorrow to learn how to drive properly.
For now, he could only change the subject. "Did you manage to capture that person's appearance just now?"
Li Hao picked up his phone, and Bai Yujing took a look. They could only see a small part of the person's profile, and it wasn't very clear. Bai Yujing couldn't help but scoff, "You really need to improve your photography skills."
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