The army-green off-road vehicle was slowly advancing against the wind and sand, with Jack driving and Qin Yu leaning back in the passenger seat, giving him directions. The two occasionally exchanged a few nonsensical remarks, but most of their conversation consisted of brief questions and short answers.
The man seemed to have many questions for the woman, but the woman appeared to have many reservations, responding in a very vague and subtle manner, as if she wanted to say something but held back. This situation left Thomas Xu in the back seat with a curious expression, feeling as if the two were playing a game of charades, making it hard for him to grasp what was going on.
Thomas Xu had been violently dragged out of his warm bed by Cao Mei and the other women. They were certainly worried about Jack going out with just one woman. If they spent several days alone together, who knows what might happen? Qin Yu might even come back with a big belly. So, starting with Bai Ru, they all unanimously decided that regardless of whether Thomas Xu wanted to or not, he had to go with Jack, officially to assist him.
"Thomas Xu, have you been to the place where Qin Yu is trapped?" Jack looked up at the rearview mirror, with a hint of realization on his face, as if he had just remembered that Thomas Xu was sitting in the back.
"I used to go there often before the living dead appeared, but once they showed up, I didn't dare to go anymore…" Thomas Xu said, putting down his phone, his eyes wide with surprise as he watched Jack hand a cigarette to both Qin Yu and himself. When Qin Yu actually put the cigarette in her mouth, Thomas Xu hurriedly collected his thoughts and said, "Uh... that place is near Jiangcheng Airport, and the hotel where Qin Yu and the others are trapped is right in the newly developed area. A couple of months ago, a few of us wanted to go there to find some resources, but there were too many living dead. We just circled around the edge and left; we really didn't dare to go in!"
As he spoke, Thomas Xu leaned over and kindly helped Qin Yu light her cigarette. After seeing her take a skilled puff, he felt a bit more respect for her, and his gaze towards Jack suddenly became admiring. Leaning back in his seat while smoking, Thomas Xu thought for a moment and said to Qin Yu, "Doctor Qin, Qin Yu is quite an honest and reliable young man. How come he suddenly became so bold this time? He even dares to go to such a place?"
"I don't know, maybe it's because there's really no food around!" Qin Yu gently shook her head. Perhaps thinking of her brother who was in a life-threatening situation, Qin Yu, holding a cigarette, tiredly pinched her brow, leaning against the window, staring blankly outside. Her expression revealed a deep sense of helplessness.
Driving through the sandstorm, the car couldn't go very fast, and the road conditions around were truly terrible. So, from morning until afternoon, they had only managed to cover a miserable distance of less than fifty kilometers. The sun behind them was already beginning to set. Qin Yu had curled up in her seat, sleeping with her legs hugged like a cat. However, it seemed that she was having a nightmare in her sleep; her long eyelashes were constantly trembling, and her brows were tightly furrowed. When Jack gently patted her arm to check on her, Qin Yu suddenly pushed Jack's hand away with a startled "Ah!" and looked at him with an expression of extreme fear.
"What's wrong? Xiao Yu, did you have a nightmare?" Jack asked, slowing down the car with a concerned look.
"No... it's nothing, just a nightmare!" Qin Yu shook her head in panic. She didn't know when, but beads of fine sweat had appeared on her forehead and neck, and her face was a sickly pale.
Qin Yu took several deep breaths before picking up the cigarette that Jack had placed in the storage box. Her hands trembled as she pulled one out and placed it on her pale lips, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the lighter to spark. Frustrated, she slammed the lighter and the cigarette onto the ground and sighed deeply, weakly saying to Jack, "Let's find a place to rest for a bit!"
"Rest?" Jack looked at Qin Yu with some confusion. She had been resting the whole time, and besides, if they drove for just over an hour, they would reach the campsite they had discussed earlier. Why rest now?
"I... I need to take care of something!" Qin Yu mumbled, looking down.
"Okay!" Jack finally understood and nodded. He turned the steering wheel and found a dirt slope that could shield them from the wind, stopping the car. He turned to Qin Yu and said, "You can take care of it by the car. Thomas and I will go behind the slope to smoke a cigarette!"
"Alright, but..." Qin Yu hesitated as she looked at Jack and then at Thomas, who was lying in the back. She gently rubbed the hem of her clothes and said softly, "I might take a bit longer, so you guys come back in half an hour!"
"Lin Ge, since that's the case, let's just camp here. It doesn't matter where we sleep; sitting in the car all day has nearly jostled my bones apart!" Thomas sat up from the back seat, patted Jack's arm, and said, "Come on, Lin Ge, let's just grab the tent and set up camp behind the slope. At this rate, we'll probably arrive by noon tomorrow, which is just right!"
After skillfully setting up the tent, Jack casually leaned against a sand slope. He gently exhaled the smoke from his mouth and looked at his watch; it had been over forty minutes, but Qin Yu still hadn't come back. Although they had already had the closest contact, Jack didn't want to recklessly check on her while she was taking care of her business, as that would only make everyone awkward.
"Lin, you are really my idol!" Thomas Xu walked over with a mischievous smile, cigarette in mouth, and flopped down on the sand slope like a boneless person. He looked at Jack with a grin and asked, "Lin, what's going on with Qin Yu? When did you get her? You're really fast, coming in and taking down the most beautiful flower in our gathering place right away, heh heh, idol, can you let me in on the details? Did you find her or did she find you? Was it a field encounter or a car shake? It must have been quite a thrill!"
"I suspect you weren't a bodyguard before, but a paparazzo, right?" Jack shot a glare at Thomas Xu, flicked the cigarette butt away, and stood up after patting his butt. A few minutes passed, but there was still no sign of Qin Yu. He didn't care about the potential awkwardness anymore and decided to go check it out!
"Qin Yu!"
Jack climbed over the dirt slope and saw the car still quietly parked there, but he didn't see Qin Yu's shadow. He frowned slightly and looked around for Thomas. There were no zombies here, and it was unlikely there were any other people; the flat terrain didn't offer any hiding spots. He was worried something had happened to Qin Yu, so he hurried over to check the car, but just then, he heard Qin Yu's somewhat flustered voice coming from behind the car: "Don't come over, I... I'm just taking a leak, what are you coming over for?"
The voice came from the direction of the car's rear tire, which explained why Jack couldn't see her. However, Qin Yu's voice sounded a bit off—both flustered and anxious, and she seemed quite weak.
Jack stopped in his tracks and asked with concern, "I saw you hadn't come over yet, so I was worried something happened to you. Are you okay?"
"What could happen while I'm just taking care of business?" At that moment, Qin Yu slowly emerged from behind the car, her hands holding up her dark jeans as she was fastening the button at her waist. Her complexion hadn't improved; in fact, it looked even paler. She walked unsteadily to Jack's side, gazing at him in a daze, as if she were trying hard to recognize who he was. After a full half minute, she suddenly laughed, looking very happy, and said, "Baby, did you miss me?"
"You..." Jack looked at Qin Yu in surprise because her smile at that moment was surprisingly lewd, reminiscent of the smiles of streetwalkers in the red-light district when they see someone, as if saying they are available for anyone who pays. Perhaps such a smile occasionally appearing between lovers wouldn't be too surprising, just like how Jiao Jiao smiled last night while seducing Jack, which was even more provocative. But seeing Qin Yu show such a smile in this completely inappropriate situation left him puzzled. Even when Qin Yu reached her peak last night, she hadn't shown such a smile; she had always smiled in a reserved and subtle manner.
"What's wrong? Don't you miss me?" Qin Yu giggled, and as she spoke, one hand reached up to touch Jack's cheek. Licking her lips with a dreamy gaze, she said, "Baby, let's do it again, just like last night. Last night was the first time I experienced the joy of being a woman!"
"Qin Yu, are you sick? Just look at how you are right now!" Jack turned his head to dodge Qin Yu's hand, frowning as he pointed at her chest. It turned out that Qin Yu was wearing a purple casual shirt today, but for some reason, she had only fastened two buttons, and those two buttons were even done up incorrectly. The bottom two buttons were fastened at her chest, revealing her ample figure wrapped in a white bra, showcasing the view inside without reservation.
"Oh dear, how did I button this wrong? I'm so silly!" Qin Yu chuckled as she patted her head, swaying as she tried to unbutton her top. While unbuttoning, she laughed and said, "But why are you unhappy? It's not like you haven't seen them before; didn't you like them so much last night? You were kissing and rubbing them, hehe~ I won't button up anymore, let me give you some kisses instead!"
As she spoke, Qin Yu simply took off her shirt completely, wearing only her underwear, and excitedly pounced on Jack. She was like a little female monkey, wrapping her legs around Jack's thick waist, hooking her arms around his neck, and pressing her lips against his. Jack was taken aback by the kiss, but after a brief entanglement, he quickly pulled away, a hint of anger on his face as he scolded, "Qin Yu! What on earth is wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with that?" Qin Yu, clinging to Jack, pouted her lips in a somewhat aggrieved manner, then smiled and kissed Jack again, saying, "Be good, darling. Don't you really like little Yu? I actually like you a lot too, I like kissing you, and I like you kissing me. Darling, let's do it, right here in the sand, okay? The sand is soft and it must be really comfortable. I've always longed for this!"
Looking at Qin Yu's eager eyes and lascivious smile, Jack suddenly felt as if he didn't know this woman at all. Qin Yu's current state was clearly off, resembling someone who was a bit tipsy, a mix of confusion and excitement, rambling on about how much she liked Jack. However, there wasn't even a hint of alcohol on her, so she was definitely not drunk. In an instant, an unbelievable thought flashed through Jack's mind!
Qin Yu has a split personality!
"Qin Yu, why don't you come down and rest for a bit?" Jack lifted Qin Yu's legs and walked to the side of the car. Just as he opened the door to put her inside, Qin Yu excitedly yanked off her underwear, wrapped her arms around Jack's neck, and tried to kiss him, mumbling, "Darling, hurry, darling, give it to me, quickly give it to me, I want you, I need you!"
"Splash~"
A bottle of mineral water was poured all over Qin Yu's head. She let out a whimper, staring blankly at Jack, who was fuming with anger, droplets of water covering her face. She moved her lips as if to explain something, but Jack didn't give her a chance. With a loud bang, he slammed the car door shut and coldly said to her through the glass, "I don't care if this is your true personality, but if you want to be a promiscuous woman, don't come looking for me!"
"I…" Qin Yu was about to speak urgently, but Jack had already turned to leave. Qin Yu leaned against the glass, lost and despondent, watching Jack's figure slowly fade away. Her eyes instantly turned red, and she turned around, weakly collapsing onto the seat. Slowly, Qin Yu cradled her face and began to cry hysterically.
The dusk had already enveloped the earth, and a bonfire was burning vigorously in front of two tents. Jack sat on the ground with his legs crossed, silently eating the instant noodles that had just been cooked. Qin Yu sat beside him, hugging her legs and resting her chin on her knees, staring blankly at the bright red flames in front of her, not moving at all. The food placed at her feet remained untouched. After a moment of silence, she seemed to notice that Jack was still eating with some reluctance. Without saying a word, Qin Yu quietly took the empty bowl from Jack's hands and offered him all the food she hadn't touched.
"Aren't you eating?" Jack asked淡淡地.
"I'm not hungry; my appetite has always been small!" Qin Yu slowly shook his head, then looked at the fire and continued to remain silent.
After finishing his meal, Jack turned around and crawled into the tent. He had agreed with Thomas Xu that they would take turns keeping watch, with each person responsible for half the night. The reason they prepared two tents was that one was specifically reserved for Qin Yu to rest alone, while Jack's tent was shared with Thomas Xu. However, Jack had barely lain down for a short while when Qin Yu lifted the door curtain and bent down to crawl in.
The firelight filtering through the tent cast a more graceful and slender silhouette of Qin Yu. Jack looked up at her expressionlessly. Qin Yu seemed to hesitate for just a moment before lying down beside Jack in her clothes. Then, neither of them spoke, silently gazing at the ceiling. For a time, apart from Thomas's occasional mutterings outside, they could hear each other's heartbeats clearly.
About five minutes later, a sudden rustling sound came from Qin Yu's side. Immediately after, a cold yet incredibly soft body slid into Jack's sleeping bag. The sensation on Jack's arm clearly told him that Qin Yu was completely naked. He had just furrowed his brows, wanting to ask something, but Qin Yu was quicker, biting his ear with her small mouth and whispering into his earlobe, "I don't know if this will make you angry again, but I really just want to repay you. Please don't blame me, okay?"
All the anger instantly softened in Qin Yu's gentle words. That kind of tenderness that could turn hardened steel into something soft made Jack sigh helplessly. His body, however, reacted involuntarily. He had intended to tell Qin Yu that they should just go with the flow, but his steel gun was suddenly grasped by Qin Yu's trembling, icy little hand, and the myriad of emotions that were about to spill out were once again blocked. Jack's heart warmed, and finally, driven by his instincts as a man, he turned over and pressed down on her...
As the rain stopped, Qin Yu no longer complained about whether Jack had forgotten to wear a condom. She leaned against Jack's chest, a bit intoxicated, quietly listening to his strong and powerful heartbeat. After a while, Qin Yu softly said, "Let's go back tomorrow!"
"What does it mean?" Jack asked in surprise, looking up.
"We're not going to save anyone anymore; it's too dangerous there. Let's go back!" Qin Yu's voice was soft and gentle, devoid of any joy, anger, or sorrow. After taking a deep breath, she turned to hold Jack's face and said tenderly, "I don't want you to get into trouble because of me, and I don't want to feel guilty!"
"Nothing will happen, don't forget your brother is still there, we can't just leave him behind!" Jack gently wrapped his arms around Qin Yu, feeling her soft, almost boneless body and her delicate face. Jack believed that she was a woman worth risking one's life for, and it seemed that he himself was also stepping into that category.
"Sigh~ If I lose one for the sake of the other, I would really feel guilty for a lifetime!" Qin Yu closed her eyes in pain and silently caressed Jack's chest for a while. When she slowly raised her head again, her expression was very serious. Qin Yu looked directly at Jack and asked softly, "Tao, if something were to happen to you this time, would you hate me?"
"Fool, how could I ever hate you? If something goes wrong, I can only blame my own bad luck. I would never hate anyone!" Jack smiled faintly, gently stroking Qin Yu's hair and kissing her forehead. He patted her back and said with a smile, "Alright, stop saying such discouraging things. You should be cheering me on instead!"
"Tao…" A look of immense pain suddenly flashed across Qin Yu's face, but it quickly transformed into determination. Then, with a resolute gaze, Qin Yu looked at Jack and said firmly, "Tao, don't worry. Once Qin Yu is rescued, if anything happens to you, I will repay you for everything I owe you. I will definitely accompany you, and I will still be your lover on the Marcus Spring Road!"
"Qin Yu… what's wrong with you? Why do you sound like you're certain something will happen to me?" Jack looked at the emotionally stirred Qin Yu in surprise. He smiled wryly and said, "My luck shouldn't be that bad, right? I believe that if nothing major goes wrong this time while saving people, I shouldn't have any big problems!"
"Hmm, then I'll wait for you in the car tomorrow, waiting for you to pick me up. I won't go anywhere!"
Qin Yu gently nodded, her face filled with tears as she caressed Jack's cheek. Looking into his eyes, she tried hard to squeeze out a smile and said softly to Jack, "You know? You are the second man in my life. My first time was given to my fiancé, on the day we got engaged, in that white car we spent time in together. I gave my most precious first time to him in that car, and in the end, he didn't let me down; he lost his life to protect my parents. And yesterday, I gave myself to you in that car. Now you have to take risks for me and my family. I sincerely hope nothing happens to you, and I don't want to feel guilty for the rest of my life. Xiao Yu will definitely wait for you, waiting to be your lover for a lifetime!"
"Fool, why are you getting more sentimental? Don't talk about being lovers; I would be willing to marry you!" Jack embraced Qin Yu, his eyes also sparkling with emotion.
"Hehe~ you're the fool. If you marry me, those three women in your family will probably tear you apart!" Qin Yu looked at the somewhat embarrassed Jack, a sly smile appearing on her face. She turned over to lie in Jack's arms, playfully biting his arm before teasingly saying, "Being your wife is definitely not as good as being a lover. You men always care more for your lovers than your wives. Besides… Xiao Yu doesn't deserve to be your wife at all!"
As Qin Yu spoke, her gaze suddenly dimmed. She gently pressed her hand over Jack's mouth, which was about to ask a question, and sighed softly, "Sigh~ don't ask me why I say I don't deserve it. Not deserving is just not deserving. Xiao Yu isn't as good or as pure as you think. I'm just a very ordinary woman… Alright, no more talking. I'm a bit tired. Can you just hold me like this and let me sleep?"