Xu Changqing, who had been lost in thought, burst out laughing at Shen Mingquan’s words.
When it came to how to address him, she really didn’t know which title was more appropriate.
For one, Uncle Shen was the younger brother-in-law of her aunt, Xu Chunxi.
For another, he was also Grandpa Shi’s godson—though that was a title Uncle Shen had claimed for himself.
The relationships were complicated.
“What’s the big rush?”
Joking aside, Shen Mingquan didn’t actually insist she change her form of address.
Seeing her forehead covered in sweat, his worry was overshadowed by a look of mock disgust as he tossed a towel to her.
Anyway, for the past year, the kid had been coming by to practice with the trucks whenever she had a spare moment, so Shen Mingquan wasn’t the least bit worried she’d be grossed out.
If you asked him, this kid was great—far more likable than the rascals he had at home.
Xu Changqing, who had just set down her net bag, didn’t bother taking off the basket strapped to her back.
She caught the towel with one hand and smiled.
“It’s nothing.
I just came from Grandpa Shi’s with my dad.”
“My dad had something to take care of, so I ran over here first.
Don’t go to any trouble, I’ll be leaving in a minute.
My dad doesn’t even know I came here.”
Shen Mingquan, who was about to get an enamel mug to pour her some water, chuckled.
“Here to practice with the trucks again?
You’ll have to wait until the week after next.
I don’t have time to teach you these days.
Besides, aren’t you hiding this from your dad anymore?”
“No.” Xu Changqing shook her head quickly.
“I heard at noon that there was an accident on the road to the Provincial City, so I wanted to come check out what happened.”
“Oh.” Shen Mingquan nodded in understanding.
“You’re talking about that.” ‘That family was here making a scene just this afternoon.
They’ve been raising hell since last night, and for what, I have no idea.’
‘So go on, tell me,’ she thought.
“Improper operation, for starters.
Then, drowsy driving because of personal issues.” Shen Mingquan saw no one else was around, but he still lowered his voice.
After all, one shouldn’t speak ill of the dead.
‘So Dad was supposed to be the scapegoat?’ ‘Pah, pah, pah!
What am I thinking?
What terrible luck!’ “Is the co-driver okay?
Who was on that run?
Do I know them?”
Shen Mingquan nodded.
“Monkey.
A stroke of luck in all this misfortune.
The kid’s got quick reflexes; he jumped out the moment he saw things go south.
He’s physically fine, just hasn’t woken up.”
‘It all lined up!’
If, before she came, it felt like one shoe had already dropped, she had just been waiting for the other.
Now that it had fallen, Xu Changqing’s heart was no longer fraught with anxiety.
‘Worry was unavoidable; I’ll still be worried.
Even if the dream was real and would have come to pass if nothing had changed, wasn’t it also a warning from the heavens?’
‘This is good.
It’s been avoided.
Whether by chance or by design, my father has safely passed through this disaster.’
As he spoke, Shen Mingquan gave Xu Changqing a subtle look, gesturing with his eyes toward the office behind them.
He lowered his voice, offering a hint.
“The cargo hasn’t been recovered yet.
And is he ‘still unconscious,’ or has he ‘just not opened his eyes’?
Well, that’s up to his old man to say—the one who had his son transferred to a hospital in the Provincial City the first chance he got.”
‘Get it?’
‘I get it.’
‘He was a smart man, and it was just human nature.’ Xu Changqing nodded.
“Then I won’t go visit Brother Hou.”
‘Right, that’s exactly it.
It’s best you pretend you know nothing.
This is a complicated mess.
It’s not just that people forget you when you’re gone; when a man is dead and can’t testify, the only story that matters is the one told by the living.’
Why visit the kid?
They’d only met a handful of times anyway.
That was Shen Mingquan’s point.
Outsiders might not know how well Xu Laosan was doing these days, but how could they, the drivers who traveled far and wide, be like those who never left the county town and still see him as some unlucky bastard?
This was especially true for that master-and-apprentice pair.
Their attitudes were identical, always kissing up to the powerful and trampling on the weak.
Li Datou was at least somewhat restrained in front of the girl; a grown man had to maintain some face, after all.
That kid Monkey’s approach was a lot less subtle than his master’s; he’d just put on a cheeky grin whenever he saw Changqing.
Shen Mingquan couldn’t be bothered to speak ill of the dead in front of a kid.
As the conversation lulled, he saw Xu Changqing turn to stare silently at the two Jiefang tractor-trailers in the yard, and his temper flared.
“What is it?
Are you scared?
Too afraid to get behind the wheel now?”
“Never!” Xu Changqing shook her head at once.
‘This is such a rare opportunity.
How many people dream of just touching a steering wheel and never get the chance?
How could a little thing like this make me back down?’
“Attagirl!” Shen Mingquan slapped his large hand on her slender shoulder and laughed.
“That’s the spirit!
You’re a real trooper!
If you even think of deserting, I’ll be the first one to tan your hide!”
Little Fang, who had just crawled out from under a truck, heard this as he drew near.
He rolled his eyes toward the sky, speechless.
‘He’s forgotten again,’ Little Fang thought.
‘He never remembers she’s a girl until after she’s gone.’
“And Grandpa Shi would be the second one to have your hide.
Don’t think just because the old man’s retired and doesn’t bother with much anymore that his temper would let you get away with backing out after giving your word…”
Xu Changqing couldn’t let Uncle Shen go on.
On a normal day, it would be fine, but she really didn’t have time for stories today.
She wasn’t like that son of his, who was so scared of his father’s lectures that he ran off to who-knows-where.
“A real trooper never goes back on their word.
You just watch me.”
‘This little girl really talks back!’ Little Fang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he watched the old-and-young pair—one who dared to challenge and one who dared to answer back.
“Changqing, you’re here!
Want to go for a spin?
I can take you.”
“I can’t.” Forget going for a spin; she couldn’t even stay another minute.
With time running short and her questions answered, Xu Changqing dared not linger any longer and quickly said her farewells.
Just as she had on her way there, the moment she was out the gates of the transportation depot, Xu Changqing broke into a run.
In this sweltering heat, it was a good thing her father had forced her to eat her fill at lunch; otherwise, she would have surely collapsed again.
Xu Qiguang returned to the tree at the intersection earlier than planned, arriving in less than half an hour.
He wasn’t surprised when he got there and saw no sign of his Changqing.
‘She was nothing like her older sister.
If it had been the elder one, he would have had to go looking for her.
But with the younger one, there was no need.
She had either stepped away to relieve herself or gone to run a quick errand.’
‘Besides, his younger daughter had an impeccable sense of time.
He had said he would be back in half an hour, so she would absolutely not arrive a moment later.’
‘Was that something a person had to be taught?’
‘Not at all.
Just as in the elder daughter’s eyes, nothing was more important than her own gains and losses, the younger one always considered her family first in any decision she made.’
‘Such a disposition was a double-edged sword.
She carried far too much responsibility on her shoulders and lived a life of restraint.
Just today, Aunt Tian had mentioned that the girl tended to overthink things.’
Xu Qiguang sighed inwardly.
‘A change of scenery might do her good, but her high school entrance exams are next year…’ Just as he was mulling this over, things happened exactly as he’d anticipated.
—She came running back.
Xu Qiguang dropped the cigarette from his fingers, ground the butt out with his shoe, and got on his bicycle.
With a strong push of his foot, he pedaled forward to meet her.
“Dad, have you been waiting long?”
“Just got here.”
After catching her breath, Xu Changqing glanced at her dad, who took the net bag from her, and then at the bicycle, which looked to be in great condition.
“Where’d this come from?”
“Borrowed it.”
“Oh.” ‘You’ll have your own vehicle soon,’ Xu Changqing silently vowed, before remembering to offer an explanation.
“I stopped by Uncle Shen’s place to ask when Shen Weimin will be back.”