Zhan Jingchun was initially quite shocked, but after listening to Peng Ma's words, she calmed down.
This place was like this; people had no sense of morality. Outsiders like them were not considered human in their eyes, more like livestock to be disposed of as they pleased.
The first time, it was her own fault for being weak and accepting fate's arrangement. But this time, she would absolutely not tolerate it any longer.
She had to find a way to struggle; death was the worst that could happen.
Once a person makes the worst-case scenario, there is nothing left to hesitate about.
That night, she slept peacefully.
The next day, Zhan Jingchun woke up early, changed into clean clothes, and sat on the bed, waiting.
Around nine in the morning, she heard unfamiliar male voices outside, accompanied by Peng Ma's enthusiastic greetings.
She knew the turning point of her fate had arrived.
Soon, Peng Ma came to open the door and gave her a final lecture.
"Go and live a good life. They are not short of money and won't mistreat you. This is all I can do for you, so don't resent me. Daughter, to be honest, going with him will be much better than staying with Peng Fei. I wouldn't harm you."
Zhan Jingchun listened coldly until she finished, then walked out of the room of her own accord.
Dressed in clean clothes and standing in the sun, the driver sent to pick her up was instantly stunned.
Over the years, he had driven all over the country and seen many people.
He considered himself to have seen all kinds of women, but he never imagined meeting someone as beautiful and with such excellent temperament as Zhan Jingchun in such a remote place.
How could she be so beautiful?
Even though her hair was short and messy like a boy's, her skin was truly fair and tender, and her features were so exquisite, no less than movie stars on television.
How could these people bear to sell such a good woman to that old Li Tou?
Zhan Jingchun could see the driver's astonishment in his eyes, which immediately gave her more confidence.
The driver went to pay Peng Ma, explaining that Old Li had important guests to entertain that day and couldn't come in person, so he had rented his car. Once the money was handed over and the person taken, his task would be complete, and he needed to hurry.
Peng Ma happily took the eighteen thousand yuan and urged Zhan Jingchun to get into the car quickly.
Zhan Jingchun said nothing, only asking Peng Ma one question.
"How much money did you get for me?"
Peng Ma seemed a bit embarrassed.
"How can you say 'got money for you'? We spent over twenty thousand yuan buying you, and now we're only getting eighteen thousand back. We've even lost a few thousand yuan."
Zhan Jingchun said, "I don't intend to settle accounts with you, Auntie. I just want to tell you that we are even."
"Whatever karma or fate connected us in the past, it ends here. I will not think of you again, and I hope you won't mention me either. My name does not belong here, and it doesn't need to be remembered by anyone."
Her words made Peng Ma feel a little awkward.
No matter how unpleasant things had been before, she had indeed exchanged her for money, and she felt a pang of guilt.
She wondered if Peng Fei would cause trouble when he returned. For psychological comfort, she took out 100 yuan for Zhan Jingchun.
"Alright, as you said, let's part on good terms. I will never mention you again. Go now. Take this hundred yuan and buy yourself some nice clothes in town. That's it, we'll never see each other again."
Zhan Jingchun pocketed the 100 yuan and got into the car. The driver soon drove her away from the village.
The car wound its way up the mountain road. The driver couldn't help but glance at her repeatedly in the rearview mirror, finding her more and more beautiful.
Old Li Tou was over forty, and his son was older than her. It was such a shame.
Halfway through the journey, Zhan Jingchun finally spoke to the driver.
"Driver, you seem like someone who has seen the world. Your license plate is from out of town. Have you been to Nancheng?"
The driver indeed transported goods between the provincial capital and the county town year-round, and his plate was from the provincial capital.
This time, he had returned for a banquet and unexpectedly took this job.
Hearing her question, he quickly replied.
"Nancheng? That's a big city. I haven't been there, but my nephew does business there. Why are you asking about Nancheng?"
Zhan Jingchun said, "You can probably guess that I was kidnapped, and my hometown is in Nancheng."
The driver clicked his tongue twice in his heart and couldn't help but sigh again.
"I knew it. You look like you're from a big city, a girl who hasn't suffered hardship. How could you be brought to a place like this?"
"It's a long story. Driver, may I ask you a question?"
"What is it? Miss, please ask."
"How old are you this year?"
The driver was surprised she would ask that and answered truthfully.
"Forty-six, why?"
"You must have children, right? You're not young anymore?"
"Indeed, my son is already 24. He's about to get married. It's just that our family's conditions aren't good, so I need to save for his bride price."
"How much do you earn in a year?"
"Sigh, I only have this old car, and I run a small business. After deducting oil costs and repair fees, I don't earn much in a year."
"So you must be in a hurry, right? Do you want to do a big business deal? The kind that makes you rich overnight."
The driver met her gaze in the rearview mirror. Seeing her determined eyes and cold expression, he was startled.
"Miss, what do you mean by that?"
"If you want to get rich, I can give you a chance. Lend me your phone to make a call, and I'll give you five million yuan."
The driver's legs trembled, and the car screeched to a halt on the road.
"What did you say? Lend you my phone to make a call, and you'll give me five million yuan?"
"That's right. You might think I'm bragging or trying to trick you, but it's just a phone call. It won't cost you anything, will it?"
"I have a hundred yuan here. I'm really afraid of losing money, so I can pay you in advance as call credit."
"If that's still not enough, you can check online. There is a businessman in Nancheng named Zhan Bei Jue, whose wife is Jiang Nan Fang. His family relationships are on Baidu Baike. He has six children, the youngest being a daughter named Zhan Jingchun. Although there are no photos of her online, her birth date is there. That person is me. We can compare."
The driver's nephew lived and worked in Nancheng year-round. During festivals and holidays, he always talked about the influential figures in Nancheng, the most frequently mentioned being Zhan Bei Jue.
He was a powerful and god-like figure.
Could his daughter be sitting in his car one day?
The driver couldn't believe it. "Miss, you can't make jokes like this. As Zhan Bei Jue's daughter, how could you be sold to this place?"
"I know you won't believe me, and I find it hard to believe myself. But one phone call will reveal the truth. If you think five million yuan is too little, I'll give you eight million yuan. Just give me five minutes."
The driver's mind was in a whirlwind of struggle. He even took out his phone and searched for Zhan Bei Jue's social network.
Comparing Zhan Bei Jue's picture online with Zhan Jingchun's features, he thought she did resemble him somewhat.
This was an eight-million-yuan deal, and it only required her to make a phone call.
After much deliberation, the driver unlocked his phone and handed it to her.