Love On The Turquoise Land[ 枭起青壤_尾鱼 ]

Chapter 6

Even with mental preparation, Nie Jiuluo couldn't help but exclaim.

The man abruptly stopped. It turned out to be Sun Zhou! His face was covered in blood, and the torn skin on his neck exposed, his eyes hollow. Although he halted, his body continued to tremble, even causing his teeth to chatter.

Nie Jiuluo who felt something was off, asking, "Sun Zhou, what's wrong?"

This question pulled Sun Zhou back to reality. His eyes gradually focused, lips rapidly moving, and suddenly he burst out, "Run!"

Before the words settled, he had already darted away like an arrow.

Nie Jiuluo hesitated for a second, then followed suit, running. Unaware of what Sun Zhou was hiding from, she ran with the instinct to follow the crowd in times of panic.

As she approached the car, she couldn't resist looking back. Instead of the expected zombies or monsters, the straw field seemed peaceful. However, at a moment of wind pressing the straw, she thought she saw a figure.

The engine roared, Nie Jiuluo opened the car door, and before her foot could touch the car, it sped away.

"Damn it!" She cursed, almost tripping.

The world flipped momentarily, and as she tried to support herself against the ground, her palms burned. When she raised her upper body, she felt the scorching air – the exhaust released forcefully as the car departed.

"That scoundrel Sun Zhou!" She hated him but didn't have time to scold. She knew the straw field harbored dangerous things; if Sun Zhou ran away, she couldn't afford to be clueless.

Holding a stone, Nie Jiuluo stared at the straw field, slowly standing up. The surroundings were eerily quiet, every second stretching endlessly.

Fortunately, the straw remained calm, occasionally rustling with the wind.

It seemed the thing... was gone?

Even if it had left, she dared not linger, cautiously heading east. The east part of the village was inhabited, and in the midst of people, she could find security. Walking faster, she occasionally scanned the surroundings until abruptly stopping.

The white off-road vehicle had its rear compartment door wide open, and a man forcefully threw a large canvas bag inside before firmly closing the car lid.

Nie Jiuluo showed no excitement like "finally she meets someone" or "finally she can seek help" upon the appearance of people near the incident site. Half of them were true passersby, and the other half were likely connected—perhaps this person had injured Sun Zhou and scared him away?

If that was the case, her behavior was crucial: she couldn't appear anxious or afraid, nor could she show suspicion towards this person, but complete indifference was also not an option.

She maintained a moderate distance, walked casually with an indifferent expression, casually scanning the area—a very ordinary, nonchalant glance.

The man also glanced at her, coincidentally with a casual, nonchalant manner. He was a young man, tall with broad shoulders and narrow hips, featuring handsome facial features and a firm jawline. He probably didn't smile often because people who loved to smile had gentle facial expressions.

Nie Jiuluo withdrew her gaze and casually glanced at his license plate. A man with a plush duck seated in the passenger seat could be someone playful or a father figure—or even a psychologically disturbed individual fond of bloodshed.

Therefore, noting down his license plate was necessary.

***

Passing by a convenience store at the east end of the village, seeing more people around, Nie Jiuluo finally breathed a sigh of relief. Good, she was safe now; she could settle the score later. Her concern for Sun Zhou's injury had long been overridden by the anger of almost being crushed under the wheels of a car.

She walked to the shade of a dense old locust tree, avoiding the old ladies playing cards underneath, and then called the travel agency to file a complaint.

Nie Jiuluo had come to southern Shaanxi for a specific reason, intending to stay for about half a month. Since her schedule was leisurely, she didn't want to waste time in the hotel.

So, she contacted a travel service provider to arrange a custom route for sightseeing ancient temples and sculptures in nearby counties, the older and more dilapidated, the better. As it was not a regular route and some destinations were quite remote, the travel agency quoted double the market price. Nie Jiuluo agreed readily, with only two requirements: safety and thorough coverage of all the planned stops.

Still claiming to be "safe," she looked at her palms, now scraped and thin, preparing to make a scene. She didn't engage in arguments or lose her temper in trivial matters; others might think she had no temper.

As the call connected, Nie Jiuluo began narrating in a gentle tone. She never resorted to vulgar language; though it might seem powerful, it released anger too quickly, unsuitable for a prolonged battle. After explaining the situation, the person on the other end was already trembling, repeatedly apologizing.

Nie Jiuluo said, "I don't think a few 'I'm sorry' can fix this. The driver I hired left me and ran away when trouble arose. Is that reasonable?"

The travel agency responded, "No, it's completely unreasonable."

Nie Jiuluo continued, "If I hadn't reacted quickly, would I have been trapped under the car? I understand Sun Zhou may have faced an unexpected situation, but that's a different matter. I paid for a service, and I expect a service equal to the payment. A driver claiming almost a decade of experience, even in a panic, can he disregard the safety of the passengers like this?"

The travel agency, clearly understanding the principle of the calmer the tone, the more significant the issue,was practically begging on the other end, "Yes, yes, Miss Nie, this is undoubtedly our mistake."

Just as Nie Jiuluo was about to unleash an eloquent third round of questioning and elevate the atmosphere, a voice floated into her ears, "Stole someone's man, oh my, shameless to the core..."