"So what do you suggest? You don't dare to go down there, and waiting here isn't an option!"
Someone glanced at their wristwatch. "They've been gone for twenty minutes. Even if they had a bad stomach, they couldn't possibly be squatting in the grass for that long. Why don't we let the driver or the attendant go check?"
"Why should we go!" the attendant immediately retorted.
"They got off your bus. If something really happens, you won't be able to escape responsibility. Everyone is rushing to get home. The best solution right now is for the two of you to get off and check the situation." The person spoke with conviction, standing on moral high ground to look down on the driver and attendant.
In reality, they didn't dare to go down, nor did they dare to leave.
Whether it was themselves who got into trouble, or those three men, they would all be held accountable.
Therefore, instead of wasting time here, it was better to force the driver and attendant to go and see. After all, the bus was theirs, and if anything happened to the passengers, they would be the first ones to be blamed.
Ning Wei snorted, "You talk a good game, why don't you go down and check yourself?"
The man was momentarily speechless, then said, "This isn't my bus. I must have had terrible luck to even get on this bus! It's so unlucky!"
He just complained and cursed, never mentioning getting off the bus.
The situation reached a stalemate. Minutes ticked by, the three men remained silent, and the passengers on the bus didn't dare to get off.
Ning Wei spoke again, addressing the attendant, "Let's go quickly. They're not coming back, not that we didn't wait!"
She added, "I'm anxious to get back to school too!"
Ning Wei began to whine and act spoiled, insisting that the driver drive.
The driver dared not drive, but since Ning Wei had spoken up for him and the attendant earlier, he didn't try to stop her tantrum.
Unfortunately, Ning Wei was outnumbered. Although others wanted to leave, they dared not take responsibility for the lives of three men.
"The driver should go down and check!"
"If that's too much, the attendant can go. You're family anyway."
Tang Tang couldn't hold back anymore. She angrily rebuked the person who spoke, "You're really shameless, forcing a woman to get off the bus!"
But at this moment, face was no longer important.
Someone immediately confronted Tang Tang, "Since you're defending the attendant, why don't you two go down? You're both so eloquent, I bet you're not afraid of ghosts."
"Of course, we're not afraid of ghosts. The people on this bus are far more terrifying than ghosts," Zhu Yilian couldn't stay silent any longer. She had been holding back for a long time.
At a time like this, girls needed to stick together. Only by helping each other could they overcome difficulties.
Since Ning Wei's side had a considerable number of people, the situation was currently polarized and tense.
One side insisted on leaving the three men behind and driving away quickly, while the other side was pressuring the driver or attendant to go down and check the situation.
Their reasoning was sound: they were worried about the three men, but they were too scared to go down themselves.
The driver and attendant exchanged glances several times, but still couldn't make a decision.
There were legends of ghosts and spirits in the countryside, but they had never encountered any.
There were also amulets brought from temples by the passengers' families. As time passed, the bus was completely plunged into darkness.
Only the bright moonlight outside the bus served as a guide, offering a sliver of comfort.
Ning Wei was still arguing with the other group. She had transformed into a shrew, standing in the middle of the bus, single-handedly battling them all.
As for Tang Tang and the others, they were ready to take over from her at any moment.
"Alright, stop arguing," the driver suddenly said.
"Waiting any longer isn't a solution. If I go down and don't find them, we'll leave immediately. Do you all agree?"
"No!" The group pressuring the driver immediately responded.
The driver unbuckled his seatbelt, pulled out the car key, and intended to get off.
At this moment, the attendant suddenly stopped him, her cold voice cutting through the air, "I'll go."
The driver was stunned and refused. Although he was usually honest, he knew that in this situation, a woman should not be the one to go.
But the attendant was usually a person who had the final say, and the driver always followed her instructions. So, when she said this, she didn't give the driver any chance to refuse.
The attendant strode over to Ning Wei and placed her hands on her shoulders, helping her to sit down. "Sis, you've been talking for so long, your mouth must be dry. Don't argue anymore. I'll go down and take a look right away. If I find them, great. If not, we'll leave immediately, so don't worry."
Ning Wei reached out and held the attendant's hand. Although she didn't know the situation outside, she knew it was definitely dangerous. She didn't want the attendant to go down.
"Don't go," Ning Wei said.
The attendant gently pushed Ning Wei's hand away. She had to go down today, or she couldn't explain herself to all the passengers on the bus.
She also knew that Ning Wei meant well, so she gave her a slight smile. "I'll be back soon. If I encounter any danger, I'll scream!"
"If anything happens, shout immediately, and I'll come down to help you!" Ning Wei immediately replied.
"Us too!" Tang Tang and the others chimed in.
The attendant felt deeply comforted. On this bus, there were such kind people on her side, and her heart felt warm.
With their support, her fear was dispelled.
Now, fearless, she strode down the bus.
Following the direction the three men had taken, the attendant walked into the grass, calling out as she went, "Passengers! Passengers! Where are you?"
She did this for two reasons: first, to find the people, and second, to let the people on the bus hear her. Primarily, it was to let the driver know that she was safe for now.
Her calls lasted for about a minute. The attendant didn't dare to go too far, only about two or three meters in, and then stopped, calling out in all directions.
But she received no response. The cold wind blew, and the dry grass rustled, immediately sending a chill down her spine.
The driver couldn't stand it anymore and shouted from the doorway, "If you can't find them, come back!"
Just as the attendant was about to agree, a scream was heard from the bus: "Ah!"
"Chunxia!" the driver exclaimed in alarm!
Ning Wei also immediately stood up and craned her neck to look outside.
Just as the driver was about to get off, the attendant's voice was heard again, "Don't get off! I'm back!"
However, her voice sounded a little off, with a low whimper.
Ning Wei immediately turned to her companions and whispered, "Something's wrong. We'll have to improvise!"
Everyone nodded. Song Zhi even lowered his head to look for a suitable tool.
Unfortunately, the bus was in such bad shape that they couldn't even find an emergency hammer to break the glass.
Ning Wei stood behind the driver, while Tang Tang and the others formed pairs, vigilantly observing their surroundings.