"Awake already? I was just about to go wake you up. Breakfast is ready, co and eat!" Aunt Jiang turned her head towards him. "Is Huai Xu up? What about Lord Dumpling?"
"Huai Xu's awake too. Lord Dumpling just fell asleep, after fussing all night." Zhou Li rubbed his hair and walked into the bathroom to wash up. "Are Zhu Shuang and the others still asleep?"
"They should be up soon. I'll go and call them."
Just as Aunt Jiang took a couple of steps towards their room, the door to Zhu Shuang's room opened. A hilariously disheveled Zhu Shuang stumbled out, in a state her little sisters had never seen. She spoke to Aunt Jiang in a feeble voice, "Don't bother calling Sis; she's up too. She's already posted an emo status update."
Then she turned to Zhou Li and said, "That's Lord Dumpling's blessing to you."
Zhou Li remained silent. Aunt Jiang then whispered, "Ever since you two ca back from university, you've been getting up later and later. 'Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.' Don't wait until you're old to start drinking goji berry tea; it won't do any good by then."
Zhou Li stole a glance at Old Zhou. Old Zhou, engrossed in the morning news on his phone, appeared not to have heard, subtly raising his phone a little higher to hide his face. Zhou Li still didn't make a sound, nor did he laugh.
Zhu Shuang also glanced at Old Zhou. Like Zhou Li, she tacitly protected Old Zhou's fragile pride. She then said, "Well, when Brother ca back from university, didn't he also start waking up later than before? How co I never hear you nagging him? You're playing favorites, huh!"
"Your brother earns his own college tuition and living expenses from work; obviously, he's busy. What are you busy with? Playing gas?"
"Maybe not..." Zhou Li pursed his lips and spoke softly to Aunt Jiang. "University dorms usually cut off the internet and power at night, so you can't play gas. That's why people usually play on their phones. There's a guy nad Chang Xiaoxiang in our dorm who often chats with several girls late into the night."
"Mom, don't listen to him!!"
"I was just talking about Chang Xiaoxiang... okay, I'll stop."
Realizing he had again said the wrong thing, Zhou Li turned his head back and earnestly applied toothpaste to his toothbrush, then began brushing. Afterwards, while Zhu Shuang was trying to explain to Aunt Jiang, she gestured for Zhou Li to help clear up the misunderstanding several tis. However, as everyone knows, you can't talk while brushing your teeth; even if you try, you can't be understood. So, Zhou Li felt very apologetic. Plus, he had a habit of brushing very thoroughly, which took a long ti. He only finished after Zhu Shuang had failed in her attempts to defend herself. He felt truly, deeply sorry.
「Breakfast Ti.」
Zhu Shuang ate her bread with a numb expression, sullenly tearing and biting into it.
Aunt Jiang said to Zhou Li, "I heard it's not good to brush your teeth before breakfast. You should eat breakfast first and then brush your teeth."
Zhou Li nodded. "I've read that too."
"But you're used to it."
"Right."
"Where are you guys headed today?"
"We'll see, wherever we can get to."
"Drive slowly and be safe," Aunt Jiang cautioned them. "Get familiar with the car first before speeding up a bit, but safety should always co first. The scenery along the road is pretty nice, too."
"We'll take it slow."
"Also, always be alert for any new dium-risk areas. If one appears, you have to detour around it, or you might not be able to get out. You should be more vigilant in general." The more Aunt Jiang spoke, the more worried she seed. "I knew it; we should have had you get vaccinated before leaving."
"I know. I'll send you local specialties when I get there."
"That would be lovely!"
「8:30 AM.」
Zhou Li sat in the driver's seat, setting up the navigation system.
Soon after, Jin Sha's sweet voice sounded from the navigation: "Ready to depart. The total distance is nine hundred thirty kiloters. Estimated travel ti is eleven hours and forty-eight minutes. Expected arrival is around 8:17 PM..."
Brother Nan's favorite, the Baidu Maps Jin Sha voice.
「Destination: Lanzhou.」
Of course, he intended to drive straight to the provincial capital; they couldn't afford to dawdle. Zhou Li had calculated that ti was even tighter than he'd initially thought. He had previously overlooked how epidemic control would tighten as the Spring Festival approached. It was already mid-January, aning they might have to rush back by the end of the month, or in twenty days at most.
Huai Xu had long beco accustod to his 'obeying in appearance but defying in his heart' and was inwardly as calm as still water, simply sitting there, looking straight ahead.
"Let's go."
"AWOOO!"
This car was taller and wider than Zhou Li's small dostic car, with a more upright seating position, so he was still getting used to it and drove cautiously out of the underground garage. However, he adjusted quickly once they were on the road.
The car drove smoothly. The interior was quiet, with no one speaking, and Tuanzi had fallen asleep again. Zhou Li started playing so music, but it still felt a bit boring.
Today's journey would be very long.
Zhou Li turned his head to Huai Xu and asked, "Was Lanzhou forrly known as Jin City?"
"Yes, yes it was!" the Old Monster said, montarily stunned. "What's up?"
"Do you know how it got that na?"
"What do you an?"
"Curious."
"...Why ask ?"
"I checked online. So sources say that during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, General Huo Qubing discovered gold when building a city here on his return from a western expedition, hence the na Jin City. Others claim it was nad Jin City because it was located west of the capital, Chang'an. There's also an argunt that the na cos from the phrase 'to avoid the perils beyond the fortified walls by building a stronghold in the distant borders,' taking the aning of 'Jin City' as an impregnable, fortified city. So, I wanted to ask what you know."
"Ahh, I see."
The Old Monster nodded and fell silent, as if he had found the answer he was looking for.
Zhou Li fell silent for a mont before speaking again, "Aren't you from that era?"
"Yeah!"
"So do you know the answer?"
"What's the use of knowing... Just focus on your driving!" Huai Xu turned his head to look out the window at the scenery. "Don't crash into another car; it'll cost money."
"HMM..."
Perhaps I shouldn't press him too hard, Zhou Li thought.
Then Huai Xu's voice piped up again, "Why are you driving so slowly? If you can't handle it, let drive. At the rate you're going, it'll be dark by the ti we arrive, and we still need to get beef noodles!"
"It will be dark by the ti we get there anyway."
"Let drive!"
"I'm already going 120."
"Let drive!"
"..."
Zhou Li considered it. That's not a bad idea, he thought. So, he found a service area and switched seats with Huai Xu. With the Old Monster's skills, safety would be significantly higher than with him driving, not to ntion speed. Even a sudden natural disaster or other force majeure events wouldn't pose a threat, let alone a common accident.
So, he settled into the passenger seat, massaging and petting Tuanzi, all while eating strawberries and drinking Anmuxi. The comfort was simply indescribable.
「5:00 PM.」
Zhou Li rested his chin on his hand and looked out the window at the scenery.
Tuanzi crawled around inside the car.
The weather here was much better than in Yan City; at least the sun was visible. Yan City had also seen so sun in the past few days, but it usually disappeared after 4:00 PM—a real luxury.
Turning his head to glance at the navigation system—
HMM...
We might actually reach Lanzhou before dark.
The Old Monster is truly terrifying.
So, Zhou Li took out his phone, began to book accommodations, and asked the Old Monster, "Do you want to book one for you too?"
"No need to waste money."
"Right. You'd just go back to your own place to sleep anyway."
"??" The Old Monster turned his head, looking bewildered. "Why would I go back to stay?"
"Then where will you stay? Watch the road."
"Stay in the hotel, of course! Aren't there rooms with two beds? They don't seem much more expensive than a single room!" Huai Xu rattled off, his words firing like a machine gun. "Are you planning to call your girlfriend or sothing? Even if I stayed in the room next door, I could still hear you! And it's not like I haven't heard you two before. None of the things you discuss are what normal young couples talk about when they're in love. What's there to be afraid of anyone hearing? I really don't get you young people..."
"..."
I don't want to talk to him anymore, Zhou Li thought.
He called the hotel to ask if they allowed pets, then booked a twin room. After hanging up, he explained in a low voice to Tuanzi, who had crept up to eavesdrop, "The pet refers to Huai Xu."
Tuanzi nodded and whispered back, "Lord Dumpling understands."
Huai Xu snorted softly.
Two little troublemakers.
After leaving the average speed zone, Huai Xu floored the accelerator. The car roared and surged forward, yet remained perfectly stable as it crossed into the Lanzhou boundary.
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