Melody had no luggage. She went to a service area to use the restroom and returned to ask the driver.
If she wanted to get off the bus nearby, could the driver drop her off the highway?
The driver looked her up and down, a bit perplexed.
"We're not there yet. You bought a ticket to Qingcheng, and we've only covered two-thirds of the journey."
"I don't want to go anymore. You don't need to refund the money, just let me off nearby."
The driver was quite accommodating and didn't make things difficult for her. He nodded. After everyone else returned to the bus and the headcount was complete, he drove five kilometers forward and exited the highway.
He dropped her off at the highway exit, pointing to the crowd of taxi and unofficial car drivers waiting to pick up passengers, telling her to find her own ride from there.
Seeing the bus arrive, the drivers knew customers were here and immediately swarmed forward.
They were all middle-aged men and women. The women, leveraging their gender advantage, pushed past the male drivers and surrounded her.
"Where are you from, beautiful? Are you traveling, beautiful? Where are you going? Come on, get in my car, I'll take you!"
"We can use the meter and issue receipts. Don't worry, we're absolutely legitimate!"
Some were even owners of nearby hotels.
"Beautiful, are you alone? Do you need a place to stay?"
"Our hotel is close by, convenient for transportation, clean and comfortable, and affordable. We also offer free pick-up and drop-off. If you're interested, we can leave now."
The male drivers couldn't get close to her and could only shout from behind the crowd.
"Get a ride with a legitimate driver, look at our official taxis. We use the meter, and we can leave right away if you want."
Melody wasn't foolish. She knew that legitimate businesses wouldn't come to such a place to snatch customers.
No profit, no early rising. Once they latched onto her, it wouldn't be good.
However, she did take some of their words to heart.
Firstly, she had no identification, so she couldn't check into a regular hotel.
Secondly, she had no money. She hadn't figured out where to go next, and she had to spend her money sparingly.
So, after listening for a while, she responded to one of the women.
"You own a hotel? Where is your hotel?"
Upon hearing this, the woman immediately grabbed her left arm, as if she had already secured her customer.
"Of course, I own a hotel. I've been running it for years, and I'm quite famous in this area. Come on, let me take you to see it. If you're not satisfied, you don't pay. Don't worry, we're all women, and you're so pretty, how could I possibly cheat you?"
The woman on her right also grabbed Melody's arm.
"Oh, you're the only one famous here, and we have no customers! How many times have you done this today? Don't talk like that! If you keep it up, I won't show you any respect anymore. Beautiful, listen to me..."
The two women started arguing over her, their voices getting louder, spitting as they spoke and even getting ready to fight. Melody was caught in the middle, watching their hands wave around and almost hit her face, and a feeling of revulsion quickly arose within her.
Even if she was desperate for money, she wasn't so desperate that she had to deal with people of such caliber.
Forget it, she should just leave.
Taking advantage of their fight, she pried their arms away to leave, but they clung to her like burrs.
"You agreed to come with me, so come on!"
"Who agreed? She just asked a question. Our place is much better than yours! Beautiful, come with me and take a look. We've just renovated, and I guarantee it's ten times better than hers."
As they spoke, the two started arguing again, each pulling her arm, fighting over her like she was a commodity.
Melody wasn't a pushover and wouldn't let them mess around.
Since she was leaving anyway, and they wouldn't let her go, she might as well argue with them or report them to the police.
Who does business like this?
Just as she was preparing to give up and let things unfold, someone suddenly pulled her back, and the noise instantly ceased.
"Are you okay?"
A deep, young male voice came from nearby.
The person who pulled her away was a young man with a buzz cut, dark skin, long legs, and a sturdy build. Melody couldn't tell his age, but she instinctively felt he was around her age.
He wore a simple black t-shirt, and his firm muscles were clearly visible through the fabric.
Black trousers and black sneakers. His attire was very ordinary, yet it gave him a very upright and tough demeanor.
He looked like Matt Damon during the early days of the Bourne movies.
Her arms were hurting from the two women's grip, and her hat was slightly askew.
She didn't want her hat to fall off and reveal her sparse hair, so she held it down despite the pain in her arm.
"I'm fine, thank you."
Seeing that she was alright, the man turned and gave the two women a cold look.
"Is it necessary? You're neighbors who see each other often, and you've been doing this for years. Is it worth this little bit of competition? Aren't you ashamed?"
Perhaps it was his sternness, or perhaps everyone felt that fighting over just one person was a bit pointless. After he spoke, they pouted and turned away.
He also turned and walked towards a slightly worn white pickup truck parked by the roadside.
Melody only followed him after she saw him get into the driver's seat and confirmed it was his vehicle.
The car window was halfway down, and she stood outside.
"Sir, what do you do?"
The man turned his head and looked at her. "The same as them. Do you want to go?"
Did she want to go?
Melody hesitated.
She was afraid he wasn't a good person, but she was also afraid that if she missed this opportunity, she wouldn't find a hotel that didn't require identification given her situation.
"Can I ask first? Where is your establishment, do you have pictures? What are the prices generally, and can I stay if I forgot my ID?"
After she finished speaking, a breeze blew, carrying the coolness of autumn, and instantly gave Melody goosebumps.
The other party saw her shiver, noticed she had no luggage, and was dressed thinly.
"Is this your first time in Qingshui County?"
So, this place was called Qingshui County.
Melody shook her head.
"Of course not, it's my second time. It's just that my ID is lost, and my friends can't find me at the moment, but I believe they'll be here to reunite with me soon. Don't worry, I'm not a bad person."
She might not look like a bad person, but she certainly wasn't an honest one.
Lying. The other party saw through it clearly and curved his lips.
"Oh."
Oh?
And then?
Melody looked at him, and he looked at her. After a few seconds of silence, she asked, "So, do you have them?"
"What?"
"...Room pictures, price list..."
He lowered his head, took out a black, chipped domestic brand phone, and tapped a few times.
"Yes."
Melody hadn't expected that a small-town motel that picked up passengers halfway could be so beautiful.
It was similar to hostels in famous scenic spots, with wooden floors and European-style decor. Some rooms even had a sea view.
She didn't care if it was a lake instead of the sea.
Seeing her satisfied expression, the man stated the price at the opportune moment.
"I've just opened it, and the renovation is very new. The prices are similar to others, and I won't cheat you. It's just a bit far. Because it's the off-season and I have nothing to do, I came out to pick up people. Consider if you want to go."