Winter Returns

Chapter 30 I'm on the Pirate Ship (First Update)
As soon as Zhang Shutong closed the car door, before he could react, the car had already started.

This feels like getting into an unlicensed taxi.

The unlicensed taxi driver even had the nerve to fan the flames:

"Shutong, why do you still want to go down? Are you afraid of me or Qiu Mian?"

Of course I'm afraid of the two of you.

Gu Qiu Mian couldn't sit still after hearing this, and her eyes widened:

"Teacher, didn't you say you were going to buy some food? Why did you bring him along too?"

"Ahem, I really do need to see Shutong, but shouldn't I take you home first? It would be too late to go back to him later, so I'll just give you a ride along."

Zhang Shutong finally understood where that displeased glance from before came from.

But the young lady remained calm. She simply lowered her head and didn't speak, while reaching under the seat with one hand and groping around for a while.

After the car had been driving for a while, Zhang Shutong finally understood what she was studying:
She was genuinely studying the chair, or rather, how to adjust the seat, but she didn't ask any questions. She just fiddled with it by herself for a long time. Suddenly, the car accelerated sharply, accompanied by the girl's exclamation. Perhaps she accidentally touched something, and she and the chair fell backward.
This was a hatchback, so the seats couldn't be very high. As a result, the scarf and the girl's hair flew around. When Gu Qiumian lay down, she landed on Zhang Shutong's lap across the chair. The scarf covered her face, leaving only her beautiful eyes visible.

The girl's hair was a little messy, with a strand hanging in front of her eyes. The two looked at each other for two seconds at close range, eye to eye and face to face. Suddenly, Gu Qiumian's eyes widened, and Zhang Shutong looked away. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her push herself up with both hands, baring her teeth and claws as she tried to sit up.

After finally returning to her place, she hesitated for a moment before muttering:

"How do I adjust this seat forward? I've never seen a manual one before."

"Oh, it's right under the seat, there's a wrench, just pull it up." Old Song's smile was almost overflowing.

Gu Qiumian pulled the chair forward forcefully, finally freeing up some space for Zhang Shutong's knees—but he still had to sit with his body turned to the side, and his knees were still pressed against Gu Qiumian's chair back.

Zhang Shutong then realized that she had wanted to move forward a bit, but somehow the chair back had been adjusted. She thanked Miss Gu, but Gu Qiumian said, "I was just uncomfortable because you were pressing against me."

But before she could finish speaking, the girl and the seat suddenly lurched backward along the tracks, making the space that had finally become more cramped again. Zhang Shutong didn't understand what she meant, but Gu Qiumian seemed a little embarrassed:
"I pulled too far ahead just now, oh dear, you take up so much space..."

It was as if there was some kind of cargo sitting behind her. As she spoke, she moved forward a tiny bit, then slid back, adjusting herself several times before finally finishing.

The carriage finally quieted down.

Zhang Shutong roughly understood what Lao Song meant. He probably thought that seeing how "actively" he was solving the case, he would simply bring Gu Qiumian along when he took her home.

That being said, it turns out that Gu Qiu Mian's father was away from home these past few days, and Old Song had been taking her to and from school.

Speaking of Gu's father, Zhang Shutong then asked Song Nanshan:
"Did you tell her dad about what happened this afternoon?"

Old Song laughed and said:
"Look, Qiu Mian, this kid is even more anxious than you are..."

Zhang Shutong was speechless upon hearing this. He had assumed that Miss Gu would not give him a pleasant look either, but Gu Qiu Mian turned her face away and silently looked out the window, as if she always did so whenever her father was mentioned.

As a result, neither of them responded to his comment. Old Song had no choice but to smooth things over:
"I already said it, just leave it to the adults to handle, don't worry. Besides, I've met Li Yipeng's mother before, and that person is... well, when she gets emotional, she'll say anything. If Qiu Mian's father hadn't been away these past few days, I wouldn't have told her, to avoid upsetting her."

But as he said that, Zhang Shutong saw him blink in the rearview mirror.

Zhang Shutong suddenly realized that the "serious business" Lao Song mentioned might not really be taking Gu Qiumian home; there might be something else. So he shut up and stopped asking questions.

Old Song smiled and said, "Now that you're out of school, have fun and enjoy the weekend. I've specially granted you two permission not to do homework this week."
After saying that, he turned on the radio, and a song happened to be playing.

Zhang Shutong had nothing to say. He stared out the window. There were many people walking and stopping outside. The car's sound insulation wasn't very good, but it gave him a feeling of being isolated from the outside world.

The air conditioner's warm air made people feel drowsy, and the hot air was mixed with a fragrant aroma. This smell could not possibly be from Lao Song's car, but rather it was brought up by Gu Qiu Mian.

Zhang Shutong couldn't tell if the smell was from his clothes, his hair, or somewhere else. He was insensitive to fragrances; perfume smelled good, laundry detergent smelled good, and of course, shower gel smelled good too.

He only realized now that he was very close to Gu Qiu Mian. Even though they had been deskmates for two days, he hadn't felt this way during that time. Perhaps the cramped train carriage amplified this feeling.

A red Ford Focus drove slowly down the road, while the roadside trees and pedestrians on both sides slowly receded.

The area around the school gate was teeming with people. Song Nanshan was clearly an expert driver, shifting gears, easing and revving the engine. He had a quick temper and would honk the horn every now and then. In his hands, the car was like an oiled fish, weaving through the dense crowd.

The high-pitched hum of a naturally aspirated engine isn't exactly pleasant, but it's not unpleasant either.

For a moment, the car fell silent. They had so much to say outside the car, but once inside, they were speechless.

The faint scents of smoke and fragrance wafted through my nostrils, and the old song playing in my ears must be Zheng Jun's "Elopement":
I reserve my love for the most sincere girl by my side;
You sang with me, you wandered with me, and we both suffered.

It wasn't until now that I suddenly understood;

What I dream of is true love and freedom;

I want to elope with you...

Old Song tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel and hummed along to the melody, as if he were about to drive his little car to elope with his beloved girl. He was completely unconcerned about whether the other two were willing or not.

But this song is really out of place. What song wouldn't be better than eloping? Wasn't the story about taking Gu Qiu Mian home? How did it become eloping? Besides, eloping should be a matter between two people, but there were clearly three people crammed into the small carriage. It's a really strange combination.

The adult sat in the driver's seat, the girl in the passenger seat, and the boy hunched over in the back because of his long legs.

Today is Friday, December 7th. Zhang Shutong checked the calendar many times and was absolutely certain that three days later, on Monday, a girl named Gu Qiumian disappeared on that very day. Her body was found in a body of water called "Restricted Area." What happened that weekend is now impossible to know.

The girl was sitting in front of Zhang Shutong. Sometimes she would look out the window, sometimes she would glance at the radio. The car horn was a bit distorted. When Zheng Jun shouted "I'll elope with you," she was the first to react and would always frown.

It was so cold that even with the car windows closed, the tips of her ears turned red from the cold.

(End of this chapter)