Bai Qing was so anxious her head felt like it was on fire, her eyes darting everywhere. She spotted a detour to the side, with a few cars occasionally taking it to bypass the toll station.
"Driver, is this the only way out of the city?" Bai Qing asked the taxi driver, pointing to the detour with one hand while cradling Shi Qing with the other. "This road doesn't seem to be jammed."
To prevent the child from causing a fuss, Bai Qing administered a small dose of sleeping medication to Shi Qing daily. While this averted the trouble of Shi Qing crying out loudly, it also added to Bai Qing's burden.
"You can get out of the city that way too, but it's a much longer route. We usually don't take it; this road ahead is faster," the driver said, having noticed the detour and understood Bai Qing's intentions. Every taxi driver has a mental map, and he considered it for a moment before explaining to Bai Qing.
Bai Qing didn't care about speed. The road ahead was definitely impassable for checks. The urgent matter was to resolve this burning crisis!
"It's fine. Being stuck here is worse than taking a detour. We can even see some different scenery," Bai Qing feigned calmness, looking towards the detour. She said to the driver, "Let's take that one. Getting stuck here is really not good; it makes me feel suffocated."
Adhering to the principle that the passenger is king, the driver readily agreed. After all, he wasn't paying for the gas, so Bai Qing could go wherever she pleased.
The taxi pulled out of the crowded queue and sped towards the detour. This stretch of highway was desolate, with only a few cars passing by occasionally.
As the toll station receded into the distance, gradually becoming a small black dot, Bai Qing let out a sigh of relief. She turned her head and suddenly met the driver's gaze.
Bai Qing's hairs stood on end, and she immediately became vigilant, afraid this simple driver might see through her pretense.
"Madam, where do you live? This little one is so cute. I have a daughter at home too," the driver said, seeming a bit embarrassed as if caught staring. He scratched the back of his head, chuckled, and started making small talk.
"We live in Rongyu Residential Area. My husband is away on a business trip, so I'm taking the child back to my parents'," Bai Qing’s eyes darted around as she spun a plausible, error-free tale.
"Rongyu Residential Area is in the city center, so your husband must be very wealthy. You seem quite generous yourself..." the driver chatted enthusiastically with Bai Qing. With very few cars on the highway, he kept glancing at Shi Qing.
Bai Qing unconsciously shifted further inside the car. She adjusted the jacket covering Shi Qing, tucking it over the child's face, and forced a smile, indicating agreement.
"Madam, your child is so well-behaved. My daughter, even though she's a girl, is a terror and very troublesome," the driver ventured, not daring to stare too much for fear of upsetting Bai Qing. However, after such a long drive, the child in her arms remaining so still was rather peculiar.
"It's the holiday today, and this child played herself out at the amusement park. When kids exhaust their energy, they just fall asleep," Bai Qing said with a feigned expression of sudden realization. She smiled and pretended to adjust Shi Qing's collar, speaking in a chiding tone.
The driver nodded in understanding, saying "exactly" a few times. Amidst their conversation, the exit road appeared in the distance.
However, a group of heavily armed people stood guard on both sides. Two roadblocks were set up in front of the exit, and a large red announcement was posted above it.
Most importantly, even from afar, they could see a photograph pasted next to the announcement.
The moment Bai Qing saw the scene, her heart sank like a large black stone. She gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with malice.
Was she not going to be able to leave Pengcheng today?
"The Zhan family's child is missing, they're making a big fuss! I never thought I'd see such a grand event in my lifetime!" The driver squinted at the text on the announcement, and with few cars around, his curiosity piqued. He picked up his phone to check the day's news. "I'll go online and see what's going on."
"Don't!" The driver's words were like a death knell to Bai Qing's ears. She instinctively screamed, stopping the driver from picking up his phone.
Her photograph must be all over the internet by now. If the driver recognized her, he would hand her directly to those people, throwing a lamb to the wolves!
Being older, the driver was startled by Bai Qing's sudden shout and fumbled his phone, which clattered back to its original position. He turned to look at Bai Qing.
Bai Qing, still shaken, observed the driver's reaction. She forced a smile that looked more like a grimace and stammered an explanation.
"Driver, you're driving right now. Isn't it a bit unsafe to look at your phone?" Bai Qing held Shi Qing tightly, glancing at the child. "It's mainly because I have a child now, so I'm more cautious."
"Yes, yes, sorry. I was just too curious," the driver said, understanding after hearing Bai Qing's explanation. A mother would naturally be more sensitive than an ordinary person. He continued driving forward and eventually stopped.
Cars intending to leave the city lined up neatly in two columns, undergoing thorough checks before being allowed to pass.
Everyone knew that the Zhan family's child was missing and cooperated willingly, without a hint of complaint. The queue moved forward like a snail.
Bai Qing's taxi also moved forward, and the photograph grew closer, visible to anyone with sharp eyesight.
Bai Qing watched the driver's every move intently, large beads of sweat trickling down her forehead. She was terrified that the driver would recognize her in the photo the next moment!
"I'm getting old, my eyesight's failing. I can't see that photo clearly, but it's okay, I'll be able to see it soon," the driver chatted aimlessly with Bai Qing during the agonizing wait, scratching his forehead.
So, he had poor eyesight.
Bai Qing could finally breathe a little easier. She surveyed her surroundings. It wasn't as lively here as before. Not far away was the beach where she had murdered Bai Yan...
Gazing at a distant patch of deep blue, Bai Qing felt a wave of dizziness. It had only been a short time since that incident, yet she felt time had flown by.
She couldn't just wait for doom!
Bai Qing secretly resolved. She lowered her head, her eyes fixed on the driver. The driver was still rambling on, not seeming to notice her silence, happily entertaining himself.
If she suggested taking another route, he would surely find it strange. Changing routes repeatedly would definitely arouse suspicion.
Bai Qing stealthily reached for the car door, her decision made. She silently counted in her mind, one, two, three...