Lawrence Winters: "..."
Even though they were in a tense escape, Lawrence couldn't help but laugh, panting and teasing, "Uncle, when did your ringtone change to 'Wild Wolf Disco'? — You're really keeping up with the times!"
"What's up? Can't us middle-aged people have a sense of fashion?"
Nick Zeller glared at her, just as he took out his phone to answer a call, he realized the other party had already hung up.
At that moment, Lawrence's phone ringtone also loudly rang.
"This road along these sides, afraid you won't hit the barrier..."
A more intense Min Nan song "Youth of Datian" than "Wild Wolf Disco" started playing.
Nick glanced sideways at his niece and laughed.
"...Your ringtone is 'Youth of Datian'? You've got quite a fashionable taste too!"
He opened the door of his Grand Cherokee, stuffed Lawrence inside first, then walked around to the other door and sat in.
Lawrence giggled, took out her phone and swiped to answer the call, sweetly saying, "Mom? It's me, I'm with Uncle...it's okay, it's okay...don't worry...huh? Turns out there was an accident on the train from Capital City to River City!"
She quickly glanced at Nick, mouthing the words: "...Not an earthquake."
Nick gestured to her like he was cutting his throat.
Lawrence nodded but was still anxious inside, continuing to comfort her mom, "Mom, no, you remembered wrong, Uncle and I were checking feng shui far, far away from that train station..."
"We're just going home now, on our way, Uncle was driving, so he couldn't answer your call then. We'll call you back soon!" Then she quickly hung up the call.
Saying any more would risk exposing things.
The call Nick missed earlier was from Lawrence's mom, who is Nick's sister.
She probably realized Nick's phone wasn't reachable and called Lawrence instead.
Nick gave Lawrence a thumbs-up, then pressed the gas pedal with a roar, and the Grand Cherokee surged forward, leaving the curb and speeding back.
Behind them, a group of men in black suits were busy making calls, hiding by the roadside, and scattering like a chaotic pot of porridge.
It took a while before they realized that the feng shui experts they had specially invited had already disappeared without a trace.
"!!! Running so fast! They're scared for their lives too!"
One of them grumbled discontentedly.
"Hey, be careful what you say." The PR director, a skinny short man in a suit, cautioned everyone cautiously, "Looks like they have some skills. Didn't you see, as soon as they said this place had bad feng shui, there was a delay?"
"...Is it really that accurate?" The others looked at each other with disbelief, "It's just a delay, Director Liu, you're overreacting."
All of them grew up under the nine-year compulsory education system and attended prestigious universities, believing in materialism.
As for the boss's insistence on checking feng shui, it had nothing to do with them as high-ranking executives.
They're just doing their jobs; they have to earn a living somehow!
"I also think...it's probably just a coincidence..." The project director shrank down, wrapping his suit coat tightly, muttering, "If they were really so skilled, would they have run away so quickly?"
"I swear I saw, a guy standing tall at 185cm, he must be weighing 185 pounds, and suddenly running faster than a rabbit..."
The others silently listened and silently gave the project director a thumbs-up.
...
Meanwhile, sitting in the Grand Cherokee, Lawrence was also praising Nick Zeller, giving him a thumbs-up, "Uncle, that was truly amazing!"
"I've been in business with you all over the place, and tonight you're the best!"
Nick smiled, squinting at her, "What nonsense are you talking, kid? Your Uncle's feng shui skills in Central South Province are unmatched!"
"Go out and ask around, who doesn't know my predictions have a stable 50% accuracy rate!"
Lawrence laughed so hard she shook, "Uncle, even a monkey making feng shui predictions would have a 50% accuracy rate!"
With feng shui, for ordinary people, there are only two choices: It's either good or bad.
No matter how you choose, isn't the accuracy rate 50%?
Nick chuckled, not arguing with Lawrence about this, just reminding her, "Be careful when you go back, don't slip up in front of your mom. For us, it's like we weren't here today!"
"I know, just make sure you don't slip up." Lawrence pouted, "I always have to cover for you, I'm really tired..."
"Alright, alright, this New Year I'll give you a big red envelope, see if you're still tired." Nick skillfully turned the steering wheel, heading towards the highway.
Lawrence touched her chest, very solemnly and seriously: "Uncle, the frequency of my fatigue is inversely proportional to the size of your red envelope."
Nick scoffed, noticing the brake lights of the car in front and slowing down as well.
"What's going on? Traffic jam so badly?" Nick picked up his phone to check the traffic.
Phone signal had been restored in the area.
Lawrence Winters also opened his phone to browse Weibo and check the news.
As soon as Weibo opened, the homepage was filled with news about their city, and several entries were trending.
River City, although considered a third-tier city, is actually as backward as some small county towns in other provinces, but this time it's really attracted national attention.
Lawrence Winters: "..."
No wonder her mom was so anxious to call.
This matter has really escalated.
She read out the headlines from the Weibo trending topics to Nick Zeller.
#Train Accident in River City#
#Traffic Congestion Turns River City Highway into Open-Air Parking Lot#
#Roadside Vendors Might Consider Operating on the Highway#
#River City National Wealth List Awards Ceremony Might be Delayed#...
Nick Zeller scratched his head, stared at his phone to check the road conditions for a while, and finally said, "Lawrence, let's take the back roads. The highways are impassable, and judging by the situation, it might take days to clear up."
Lawrence Winters quickly nodded.
Her mother hated being deceived; she would never let it go.
Lawrence Winters always avoided making her mother angry in that regard ever since she was a child.
Nick Zeller also felt intimidated by his rigid sister.
The uncle and niece made their decision and immediately turned the car around to drive on the small roads back toward River City Area.
Being locals, Nick Zeller and Lawrence Winters had no trouble using the back roads instead of the highway.
The car pulled off the highway ramp, squeezing out of the congested line of vehicles.
This area suddenly became congested, with many cars and people, and several small or large accidents were occurring.
Nick Zeller drove the car slowly off the highway lane, seeing quite a few cars parked on the roadside emergency lane.
Lawrence Winters, feeling bored, tilted her head to look out the window, calculating when she would arrive home today and how to cover up the lies she told her mom.
She began to regret rambling on about them not being at the accident scene just to keep her mom from worrying.
Her mind was racing with thoughts, but then her peripheral vision caught a familiar figure.
She sat up straight and looked closely.
Yes, it really was someone she knew, her neighbor's older sister, Brooke Osborne.
Lawrence Winters quickly said to Nick Zeller, "Uncle, stop for a moment. I see Sister Brooke."
"Who?" Nick Zeller couldn't see the lane where Lawrence Winters was looking and didn't hear what Lawrence said clearly.
Lawrence Winters patted his arm, "Brooke Osborne, Sister Brooke, our old neighbor. She works in River City and is apparently going to be promoted. You don't remember Sister Brooke, do you?"
Nick Zeller responded with an "Oh" and laughed, "You should've said Brooke Osborne; then I would've understood." With that, he was already braking to a stop.
To avoid blocking the road, Nick Zeller parked on the roadside emergency lane.
Lawrence Winters pushed open the car door, wrapped in her down jacket, and ran to the emergency lane on the other side of the road, shouting, "Sister Brooke! Sister Brooke!"
Brooke Osborne was standing worriedly next to her car, which had been hit from behind, negotiating with the traffic police and the owner of the offending car while continuously making phone calls.
Hearing a familiar voice, Brooke Osborne looked up, just in time to see a young girl running over.
The girl was wearing a long down jacket that reached her ankles, her neighbor's daughter, Lawrence Winters.
With a pretty, oval face and a height of approximately 168 cm, she wasn't short, but a bit chubby, making her look quite endearing wrapped in her thick down jacket.
Brooke Osborne felt relieved, waved, and smiled, "Lawrence! What are you doing here so late?"
Lawrence Winters ran up to her, glanced at the car beside her, and subtly changed the topic: "...You got rear-ended? This car can't be driven, can it?"
Brooke Osborne's smile turned bitter, "Yes, it's really troublesome, so many issues I didn't expect."
She frequently bowed her head to check her phone, making calls and sending text messages continuously.
Lawrence Winters curiously glanced over, "Sister Brooke, what are you doing here so late? Are you going home today? My uncle's car is over there; once your car gets towed for repair, you can go home with us."
Brooke Osborne shook her head, continuing to smile wryly, "Lawrence, you should go home first. I came to pick up Kenneth Osborne from our family; I won't go home alone without him."
Lawrence Winters understood immediately, "Is it Kenneth, your brother? Is he home for winter break?"
Brooke Osborne's younger brother, Kenneth Osborne, was famous in River City as a top student, having entered the country's most prestigious Yan University three years ago, well-known as the exemplary child in every River City high school.
Brooke Osborne nodded heavily, "Yes, he is on winter break, today's train..."
Lawrence Winters suddenly realized, "…He was on the train that got into an accident today?"