ATLAS TRANSLATES

After putting away Ji Feng’s note, Xu Miyu hurriedly washed up and got ready for work.

All the way there, although the weather was still gloomy with steady rain, she was in great spirits.

Last night, it seemed she had unburdened all her troubles and bravely reopened the door to her heart for Ji Feng once more.

She almost loved this rainy day because of last night.

However, this smooth good mood hit a snag as soon as she arrived at the hotel—her assistant Zhou Qingqing excitedly reported: “Sister Miyu, two people are here looking for you, a man and woman. They introduced themselves with the surnames Nie and Lu. They’re in the reception room now.”

Hearing those two surnames, Xu Miyu’s previously soaring mood sank like a severed kite.

She went to the reception room and saw Nie Yucheng and Lu Zhenzheng.

She had a cold look on her face, unable to imagine what business brought them here.

Seeing her appear, Nie Yucheng stood up and also pulled Lu Zhenzheng to her feet. He greeted Xu Miyu woodenly then prodded Lu Zhenzheng to apologize to Xu Miyu for what had happened at the reception that night.

Head lowered, Lu Zhenzheng apologized and entreated Xu Miyu’s forgiveness, as well as entreated her to persuade Ji Feng to resume cooperation with Free and Easy Travel.

Xu Miyu was a bit unclear at first, but after hearing Lu Zhenzheng’s apology she understood what was going on. Ji Feng must have found out about her humiliation and mocking that night, so he halted cooperation with Free and Easy Travel to compel Lu Zhenzheng, who had taken the lead in throwing dirt on her, to now apologize to her.

Thinking of Ji Feng silently doing all this just to get justice for her, her heart instantly melted into a warm puddle.

After Lu Zhenzheng finished apologizing, she waited for Xu Miyu’s response. But Xu Miyu didn’t even glance at her, as if she didn’t exist. Having her humble apology so ignored, Lu Zhenzheng could no longer restrain herself and erupted again: “Xu Miyu, I’m talking to you! Why are you pretending not to hear me? What gives you the right to treat me this way?”

Nie Yucheng scolded her from the side.

Like she had just noticed Lu Zhenzheng’s existence, Xu Miyu’s gaze drifted fleetingly over her face.

Feeling those eyes scan across her made Lu Zhenzheng feel like she was a speck of dust, worthless.

Lu Zhenzheng completely lost it and shouted at Xu Miyu loudly: “What gives you the right to look at me like that? Who on earth gave you the confidence to be able to look down on me like this? You’re not as young, beautiful or smart as me, so what exactly makes you so arrogant?”

Xu Miyu paid her hysterics and nonsense no heed. She directly used the intercom to call security.

Security came to escort the frenzied Lu Zhenzheng out. Struggling all the while, she shrieked and yelled, pleading loudly for Nie Yucheng to help.

But Nie Yucheng didn’t budge an inch, allowing her to be taken outside. His entire face was etched with disgust and weariness.

After being hauled out like a clown, Lu Zhenzheng deflated like a popped balloon. Head lowered to hide her face, she wept. Xu Miyu didn’t pity her one bit; her public disgrace today was completely self-inflicted. Xu Miyu directly instructed security over the intercom to bar this woman from entering the Sheraton again—if she caused trouble once more they could call the cops directly.

Only Xu Miyu and Nie Yucheng were left in the reception room.

Nie Yucheng formally apologized to Xu Miyu, on behalf of both himself and Lu Zhenzheng. He implored Xu Miyu’s forgiveness, and considering their past affection, asked her to persuade Ji Feng to resume cooperation with Free and Easy Travel.

Looking at his pathetic manner, Xu Miyu suddenly noticed what seemed to be white hairs at his temples.

A flash of pity rose from her heart. But it was only a flash.

She told Nie Yucheng: “I’ve got nothing to forgive you two for, because what you did isn’t forgivable. There’s nothing left of our past affection, because you squandered all of it clean when you cheated on me with Lu Zhenzheng. But I’ll pass along word that you came to apologize. As for resuming cooperation with your agency, that’ll be Ji Feng’s decision.”

Gazing at Xu Miyu, Nie Yucheng gave a bitter smile. “Miyu, you’ve changed. You’re prettier, younger looking, and your heart has grown cold.”

Xu Miyu also smiled back at him blandly.

“If I don’t toughen up some, do I have to keep being bullied by your wife forever?”

Nie Yucheng’s face betrayed his shame and sorrow.

With a laugh Xu Miyu added, “You’ve changed too. You’ve become more unprincipled, and look older.” Glancing at her watch she said, “I still have meetings, so let’s end our chat here.”

She got up to leave. Watching her now decisive and dashing retreating figure, Nie Yucheng blankly stared after her for a long time, feeling gutted inside.

Xu Miyu diligently worked the entire day and finalized the event plans for Duan Aoxiang.

After reviewing the proposal Duan Aoxiang indicated great satisfaction, even praising her abilities as eye-opening.

Receiving such affirmation, inner tranquility and abundance suffused Xu Miyu. She no longer thirsted for others’ approval like she used to.

When she got off work at dusk the rain was still falling. Xu Miyu slowly strolled in the rain, listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops drumming on her umbrella, the same as the sound of rain striking her windowpane last night as she nestled in Ji Feng’s embrace. Thinking of Ji Feng under the umbrella’s shelter from the fine rain, she felt indescribably cozy and content.

The moment she returned home, Ji Feng called.

“Off work?” he asked.

“Mm,” she answered, smiling.

“Ignoring me all day, I don’t know how you can be so heartless,” his emotions slipped out from the resentful tone, “Not missing me at all??”

Xu Miyu smiled soundlessly. She didn’t let her laughter carry through, not allowing him to hear her smugness.

“Is it raining over there?” she cared about this question. She was afraid he would suffer insomnia on a rainy night away from home.

“Don’t worry, no rain here. But I probably won’t sleep too well tonight either,” Ji Feng replied.

“Why’s that?” Xu Miyu asked, curious.

“Because I won’t be able to resist thinking about a heartless person all night,” he said, sounding very put out.

Xu Miyu’s heart, however, felt like syrup slowly rippling out in sweet waves straight to her core.

Ji Feng nattered on about this and that for half the day. Xu Miyu sensed he had something he wanted to say. So she asked: “Are you beating around the bush with me?”

Ji Feng gave a cold laugh. “Quite perceptive, seeing through even this.” After a brief pause, in a rare moment he actually hesitated a little before asking what he had wanted to all along: “So, um, did Nie Yucheng and Lu Zhenzheng come by the hotel looking for you today?”

Xu Miyu deliberately said in a very calm tone: “Oh right, they came by.”

Ji Feng hurriedly asked: “What happened?”

Xu Miyu: “They apologized to me.”

Ji Feng waited a long while: “That’s it?”

Xu Miyu: “They also asked me to beseech you to resume cooperation with Free and Easy Travel.”

Ji Feng asked her: “Then how come you didn’t come find me?”

“Why would I need to find you because of them?” Xu Miyu tossed the question back. “Them apologizing to me is only right, it can’t be used as a bargaining chip to resume cooperation.”

Xu Miyu seemed to hear Ji Feng give a low chortle, apparently very happy.

She continued: “Actually, when they desperately sought my help persuading you, I did mentally assess that if you cut ties with their travel agency, they would definitely be impacted. But what about you?”

Ji Feng took the bait and immediately asked: “What conclusion did you reach?”

Xu Miyu answered: “You probably won’t be impacted much. Anyway the hotel’s daily occupancy rate consistently exceeds expectations. Whether they give us business or not, it’s just a little more or less.”

Ji Feng tossed the question back: “What if not resuming cooperation does impact me?”

“Then of course I’d advise you to forgive them and resume working together. You’ve already gotten justice for me, so it’d be best to smooth things over and focus on making money.”

On the phone Xu Miyu heard Ji Feng emit a low rumbling laugh. His assistant Xue Rui loudly heckled beside him for Xu Miyu to hear: “Sister Miyu, that’s enough! Today Boss Ji has laughed more than the past 30 years combined, and he’s laughing like some creepy pervert—way too scary!”

Xu Miyu couldn’t help laughing aloud either.

She went to the reception room and saw Nie Yucheng and Lu Zhenzhen.

Her expression was cold. She couldn’t think of why they had come looking for her.

Upon seeing her appear, Nie Yucheng stood up and also pulled Lu Zhenzhen to stand up. He dryly greeted Xu Miyu, then nudged Lu Zhenzhen to apologize to Xu Miyu for what happened at the banquet that night.

Lu Zhenzhen lowered her head to apologize and pleaded for Xu Miyu’s forgiveness. She also pleaded for her to persuade Ji Feng to resume cooperation with Changyang Travel Agency.

At first Xu Miyu was still a bit confused, but after hearing Lu Zhenzhen’s apology, she understood what was going on.

Ji Feng must have found out that she had been humiliated and ridiculed at the banquet that night, so he stopped working with Changyang and forced Lu Zhenzhen, who had led the slandering of her, to come apologize to her.

Thinking of Ji Feng secretly doing all this just to get back at them for her and get her justice, she suddenly felt a melting softness in her heart.

After Lu Zhenzhen finished apologizing, she waited for Xu Miyu’s response. But Xu Miyu didn’t even look at her, as if she was invisible.

Seeing her humble apology be ignored like this, Lu Zhenzhen couldn’t stand it anymore. “Xu Miyu, I’m talking to you, why are you pretending you can’t hear me? What right do you have to treat me like this?”

Nie Yucheng scolded her from the side.

Xu Miyu looked at her as if just noticing her existence, her gaze drifting lightly over her face.

After being looked at like that, Lu Zhenzhen felt like she was as worthless as a speck of dust.

Lu Zhenzhen completely lost her composure and shouted loudly at Xu Miyu, “What gives you the right to look down on me like this? Who has given you the confidence to be so arrogant? You’re not as young or beautiful or smart as me, so what gives you the right?”

Xu Miyu looked at the woman before her eyes. Once a lively and innocent little white rabbit, if she had properly found a man to date and marry, she would probably still be very gorgeous and happy now.

But instead, with crooked morals, she insisted on entangling a married man. Yet in such a short period of time, she had turned this marriage that she snatched from someone else’s hands into a miserable one full of jealousy, suspicion and imbalance, constantly tormenting herself until she had become an old, faded woman.

Xu Miyu looked at the woman before her. She felt that Lu Zhenzhen was pitiful.

She herself had already let go of the unhealthy ties between her and Nie Yucheng, and Lu Zhenzhen. But Lu Zhenzhen couldn’t let it go herself.

“You asked who gave me confidence?” Xu Miyu glanced down at Lu Zhenzhen, who was half a head shorter than herself. “You know who, of course it’s Ji Feng who gave it to me.”

Nie Yucheng, who stood to the side, felt a pain in his heart.

But Xu Miyu smiled. It was as if just by saying that sentence out loud, she had reconciled with the inferiority and confidence issues she had been struggling with.

That’s right, what did she have to lack confidence about? Having a top-notch man like Ji Feng recognize her, support her, and give her so much love and affirmation.

After realizing this, her smile became even brighter. Her state of mind had never been so determined and clear as it was now.

Facing Lu Zhenzhen before her, she repeated, “Yes, it was the confidence Ji Feng gave me. So Lu Zhenzhen, I hope that next time before you go crazy, you’ll recognize where your best interests lie. I can put up with you, but Ji Feng won’t.”

She suddenly discovered what a refreshingly blissful thing it was to have someone backing you up.

Seeing Xu Miyu’s happy and confident manner, Lu Zhenzhen was provoked to the point of hysteria. She screamed and shrieked, “Xu Miyu! What more do you want from me? Why can’t you let Nie Yucheng and I go even after your divorce? Do you have to hound me to death? Do you have to break up my family before you’ll be satisfied? Do you have to see my child lose his father before you’ll be happy?”

Xu Miyu completely ignored her hysterics and unreasonable ravings. She picked up the intercom and directly called security.

The security guards came to drag the crazed Lu Zhenzhen out. Lu Zhenzhen struggled while screaming loudly for help from Nie Yucheng.

Nie Yucheng stood motionless, allowing her to be taken away by security. His face was full of disgust and weariness.

After Lu Zhenzhen was hauled away like a clown, she deflated like a pierced balloon. Bowing her head to hide her crying face, she wept. Xu Miyu didn’t pity her at all. The total humiliation she experienced today was completely her own doing. Xu Miyu immediately instructed the security guards through the intercom not to let that woman back into the Sway Hotel again. If she caused trouble again, they were to call the police directly.

The only ones left in the reception room were Xu Miyu and Nie Yucheng.

Nie Yucheng sincerely apologized to Xu Miyu on his own behalf and Lu Zhenzhen’s behalf. He pleaded for Xu Miyu’s forgiveness and begged her to persuade Ji Feng, for old times’ sake, to resume cooperation with Changyang Travel Agency.

Looking at his humble appearance, Xu Miyu suddenly noticed that there seemed to be white hairs at his temples.

A flash of pity rose in her heart. But it was just a flash.

She told Nie Yucheng, “I have nothing to forgive you for because what you did is not forgivable. There’s also no feelings or history worth considering between us anymore. Those were depleted when you had the affair. But I’ll let Chairman Ji know that you came looking for me to apologize. As for restoring cooperation with Changyang Travel Agency, that will depend on the chairman’s decision.”

Nie Yucheng looked at Xu Miyu and gave a bitter smile: “Honey, you’ve changed. You’ve become more beautiful and younger, but your heart has also hardened.”

Xu Miyu also smiled back politely, “If I didn’t toughen up a bit, should I continue to let your wife bully me?”

A look of shame and distress appeared on Nie Yucheng’s face.

Xu Miyu smiled and said, “You’ve also changed. You’ve become more unprincipled and you’re also looking older.” She glanced at her watch, “I have a meeting to attend later on, so let’s end our chat here.”

She got up and left. Nie Yucheng watched her now decisive and graceful back view for a long time, his heart feeling hollowed out.

Xu Miyu worked hard all day and finalized the event plan for Duan Aoxiang.

Duan Aoxiang expressed great satisfaction with the proposal she sent over, even praising her abilities as very impressive.

Receiving such affirmation, Xu Miyu felt peaceful and enriched inside, no longer having that anxious urge to seek others’ approval like before.

At the end of her workday in the evening, it was still raining. Xu Miyu slowly walked with her umbrella in the rain, listening to the fine pitter patter of raindrops tapping on the canopy. It sounded like the raindrops tapping on the window the night before when she was snuggled up asleep with Ji Feng, gentle and tranquil. Thinking of Ji Feng under the drumming of rain on her umbrella, she felt an indescribable comfort in her heart.

As soon as she got home, she received a call from Ji Feng.

“Off work?” he asked.

“Mm-hmm,” she answered with a smile.

“Ignoring me all day long, aren’t you too smug and complacent about that?” Unable to hide his feelings anymore, the complaint in his tone gave way to exhilaration. “You didn’t miss me at all??”

Xu Miyu smiled happily but silently. She couldn’t let him hear her happy smugness.

“Is it raining over there?” She was concerned about this question, worried that he would have insomnia on a rainy night in a different city.

“Rest assured, it’s not raining here. But I probably still won’t sleep well tonight.” Ji Feng replied.

“Why?” Xu Miyu curiously asked.

“Because I’ll be thinking of a heartless woman all night long.” He said unhappily.

But Xu Miyu felt like waves of syrup spreading open in her heart, with sweetness going straight to the middle.

Ji Feng chatted for a long time, saying this and that. Xu Miyu felt that he seemed to have something to say. So she asked: “Are you actually beating around the bush with me?”

Ji Feng snorted coldly, “How astute of you to even sniff that out.” After a brief pause, he uncharacteristically seemed a bit hesitant to ask the question he had wanted to ask from the start, “So…did Nie Yucheng and Lu Zhenzhen happen to go to the hotel to find you today?”

Xu Miyu deliberately said very calmly, “Oh, them? Yes, they did come looking for me.”

Ji Feng quickly asked, “What happened then?”

Xu Miyu: “They apologized to me.”

Ji Feng waited for a while: “That’s it?”

Xu Miyu: “They also pleaded with me to ask you to resume cooperation with Changyang Travel Agency.”

Ji Feng asked her, “Then why didn’t you come find me?”

“Why would I need to find you because of them?” Xu Miyu retorted, “It’s only right that they apologized to me. That can’t be used as a bargaining chip to resume cooperation.”

Xu Miyu could hear Ji Feng laugh. He seemed very happy.

She went on, “Actually, when they begged me to put in a good word with you to help them, I internally calculated—if you cut ties with their travel agency, it would definitely impact them. But what about you?”

Ji Feng’s interest was piqued. He immediately asked, “What conclusion did you reach?”

Xu Miyu answered, “It won’t impact you much. After all, the hotel’s occupancy rate now exceeds expectations everyday. Whether they’re there or not won’t make much difference.”

Ji Feng asked in return, “What if not resuming cooperation does have an impact on me?”

“Then I’d advise you to forgive them and resume cooperation. After all, you’ve already gotten back at them for me. It would be more important to take the high road and aggressively earn money.” Xu Miyu said.

Ji Feng chuckled deeply over the phone. Xue Rui shouted over so Xu Miyu could hear, “Sis Miyu, that’s enough! Today Boss Ji has smiled more than he has in the past thirty years combined. Smiling like some creep, it’s too scary!”

Xu Miyu couldn’t help laughing out loud too.

Ji Feng grumpily chased Xue Rui away and told him to get lost back to his own room. Then he asked Xu Miyu over the phone: “So now? Tell me whether or not I should resume cooperation with them?”

Xu Miyu imitated his usual aloof and difficult tone: “Whether or not cooperation is resumed, it’s up to your mood and personal preference.”

Ji Feng’s low laughter came through, “Manager Xu, I’ve noticed that you’ve become quite difficult to handle now.”

Xu Miyu retorted, “I was taught by you. Thanks a lot to you!”

One second Ji Feng was still laughing. The next second, Xu Miyu’s tone suddenly changed solemnly, “Thank you for avenging me, Chairman Ji.”

The soft, tender way she pronounced “Chairman” made Ji Feng’s heart suddenly stir. In his fluster, he accidentally hung up the call on his phone.

He felt extremely annoyed, angrily hitting the hand holding his phone, blaming it for failing him at a critical moment.

Unbelievably, he touched his chest and found his heart racing frantically. More frantically than even when they were dating before. He was surprised at himself that at his age, he was suddenly behaving like some hot-blooded youth.

He calmed himself and was about to call her back when suddenly his phone rang. Xu Miyu was already calling him back.

Ji Feng quickly explained that he had accidentally disconnected the call just now. Xu Miyu took no notice. She simply continued what she had been saying before.

“Listen up, this is my important speech, don’t interrupt me. I want to tell you, thank you, Chairman Ji, for avenging me and allowing me to now completely hold my head high in front of them. Thank you for not letting me deny my previous days and my previous self, so that I can now walk proudly with my head held high in front of people from my past. Also, thank you for helping me regain the dignity that was trampled on at the banquet that night, as well as the confidence I have towards myself when facing you.”

Xu Miyu spoke these words gently and tactfully. By the end, she was also moved, her voice slightly hoarse.

Ji Feng tightly gripped his phone as he listened. The more he listened, the more his heart stirred until he could no longer sit still, filled with restless excitement.

Through the phone, he said huskily to Xu Miyu, “I want to see you as soon as possible. I’ve decided. I’m returning to Xing City right now. I have to see you. I have something to tell you face-to-face!”

Ji Feng told Xu Miyu, “Wait for me, I’m coming back right now!”

His tone contained an urgency that could no longer stand waiting and would set off on the spot no matter what.

Xu Miyu felt both surprised and excited.

But she still calmed herself down to advise him: “It’s pouring rain in Xing City, such heavy rain. You should set off tomorrow instead.”

“But I want to see you today.” His voice was hoarse and ardent.

Xu Miyu found it hard to imagine that the cold, stern boss could one day become so obstinate and impulsive, like a lovestruck, hot-blooded youth.

“Did you finish handling things over there this morning?” Xu Miyu tried to stop Ji Feng using work matters since he was supposedly someone who separated professional and private affairs clearly.

“I already finalized the main issues in meetings during the day.”

Well, work matters were obviously useless against stopping him too.

Xu Miyu could only emphasize again: “It’s really coming down hard outside. The planes won’t be able to take off in this weather.”

But bad weather still could not deter Ji Feng who was impatient to return: “Then I’ll take the high speed rail or train back. If I leave now for the station, I can probably arrive in Xing City after 11pm. Wait for me. I have something I must tell you face-to-face!”

Xu Miyu knew full well what he wanted to say. Yet her heart still harbored expectations she couldn’t suppress.

Since his mind was set on returning and she also really wanted to see him, she would not try to stop him anymore.

Thus, she responded gently, “Alright!”

That one word seemed to hook and pull Ji Feng, making him wish he could already have magically appeared back in Xing City this very second.

Ji Feng told Xu Miyu to wait for him at home. But Xu Miyu had already decided to go pick him up from the station. She wanted to surprise him too.

When she estimated the train Ji Feng was on would arrive at the station in half an hour, she grabbed her umbrella and headed out.

The outside world had already become a blurry, watery realm. The heavy rain was coming down harder and harder, falling in strings onto the umbrella, as if someone was standing over it pouring water from a basin.

But the downpour did not discourage Xu Miyu.

She stood in the rain for two minutes before the express taxi she had pre-booked with an app earlier pulled over. The rain was so heavy that water was pooling at the roadside. When the taxi pulled over, the splashing water even soaked Xu Miyu’s pant legs.

Despite the chill on her legs, Xu Miyu was unbothered. When in a good mood, she would feel that even being drenched like a drowned rat would be inconsequential. She folded her umbrella and got into the car.

The driver had modified the car’s back seats and front driver’s seat to be separated by welded metal bars. Between the metal bars were hard, transparent plastic panels, with only a few small round ventilation and speaking holes. In this car, the rear passengers could only see the driver through the transparent panel but could not physically reach them.

As soon as Xu Miyu got in, she couldn’t help commenting, “Master driver, your car is really secure.”

The driver also chuckled, “Can’t be helped, I drive nights so I’m afraid I might get hijacked or something. Having the front and back separated like this, even if a bad guy jumps in from behind, he can’t get his hands around my neck or stab me. All my wife’s ideas to help keep me safe.”

After complimenting the driver’s clever wife, the car departed into the curtain of rain.

The rain grew heavier and heavier en route. The driver

continued chatting with Xu Miyu:

“I was debating whether to head home for dinner earlier, but decided to take your order in the end. Luckily your destination isn’t far, just a quick run and I’ll be done. Then I can clock off and head home earlier too. Though this rain sure is coming down harder and harder.”

Xu Miyu saw the water pooling at the roadside was already up to pedestrians’ calves. She also felt this rain was unusually heavy.

“There sure has been a lot of rain this year, been going on for a month straight. Hopefully it’ll let up after today and we’ll get some sunny weather,” the driver commented as he intended to drive into the underpass up ahead. Once they passed that tunnel, it wouldn’t be far till the station.

Xu Miyu looked at the rain outside and said to the driver, “Master, why don’t we go a different route instead of the tunnel? With rain this heavy, won’t the tunnel get flooded?”

The driver was very certain as he said, “It rains every year in Xing City but I’ve never heard of the tunnels getting flooded before. Trust me, it’ll be fine. The tunnel will get us there quicker. I can get off work earlier too.”

Since the driver was so adamant, Xu Miyu didn’t want to argue further. The tunnel was right ahead and the driver stepped on the accelerator, determinedly driving the car inside.

Xu Miyu turned and watched through the window as their world faded from rain-drenched blurriness to the relative quiet inside the tunnel.

But it wasn’t exactly quiet after concentrating and listening. There were sounds of water swirling around the wheels on the tunnel road. Xu Miyu felt her heart jump as she realized the driver had been mistaken. This year, water really had accumulated inside the tunnel, and quite a lot of it too. Every vehicle in the tunnel now seemed to turn into a boat, plowing through the waters.

The driver was now regretful: “What, there really is flooded water inside the tunnel. Should have listened to you and taken the long way around.”

Xu Miyu didn’t comment. Monday morning quarterbacking was meaningless.

She listened to the sound of wheels churning through the water and somehow, her heart began feeling unsettled too. But she reassured herself—it’ll be fine, they were already halfway through. It’d just take a bit more driving till they got out of the tunnel.

Yet when they reached the middle of the tunnel, they suddenly found themselves in a traffic jam. All the vehicles were stopped inside the flooded tunnel, everyone inching along at a snail’s pace.

The driver grew irritable and lowered the window so he could light a cigarette and smoke.

Xu Miyu checked the time. Ji Feng’s train should arrive really soon but she was still stuck in this tunnel. She also started feeling anxious.

After giving it some thought, she tapped the panel between the back and front seats. She told the driver, “Master, I’m rushed for time. Why don’t I just get out and walk over myself?”

But the driver stopped her, “You shouldn’t get out. Look how deep this water is already! Plus if the traffic starts moving again while you’re alone inside the tunnel, it’d be very dangerous.”

Xu Miyu conceded the driver made sense so she forced herself to keep waiting.

Yet after another while, it was probably about time for Ji Feng’s train to enter the station. Yet her vehicle remained unmoving in the tunnel. Meanwhile the flood waters kept rising. Vehicles stuck inside started honking impatiently, one after another, but no one could move. Everyone was growing rather irritable.

Xu Miyu was increasingly anxious. She decided to get out and walk no matter what.

Yet when she lowered her head, she was shocked to discover water starting to flow into the car.

She hastily alerted the driver. The driver looked down and cursed out loud.

Suddenly there was a commotion up ahead. Voices in the tunnel grew noisy, chaotic and ear-piercing, seemingly intermingled with screams, shouting and even wailing. Those sounds were piercing, filled with terror, as if the gates of hell had just swung wide open for some fatal disaster to come crashing through. Along with those unanticipated shrieks, screams and cries, a gigantic wave surged into the tunnel, swallowing everything in its path.

Xu Miyu would never forget this scene before her eyes. She stared out the windshield to see grey waves violently flooding into the tunnel, indiscriminately devouring and submerging everything.

Only then did she make out what those ahead were shouting:

“The floodgates opened up ahead, the tunnel’s gonna get flooded! Everyone get out of your cars and run!”

As well as—

“Save me!” “Someone pull me out!”

Water aggressively streamed into the car. The driver tried raising the window he had lowered to smoke earlier but found the controls unresponsive once flooded.

Water instantly gushed in from the driver’s open window.

Sitting in the backseat, Xu Miyu tried pushing the door to get out but realized the entire car had become non-functional. She couldn’t open the doors at all.

There was chaos everywhere inside the tunnel as others desperately scrambled out of their vehicles. Witnessing this nightmarish struggle between life and death shook Xu Miyu badly.

She had never been so frightened before. Never been this close to death.

When the rising waterline was about to completely fill the car, the driver finally squeezed himself out of the open window on his side that wouldn’t shut. He then floated outside in the water, trying to pull Xu Miyu’s door open from outside. But no matter how hard he tugged, it wouldn’t budge. Inside, Xu Miyu attempted to call for help but found her phone soaked and switched off. With that final lifeline blocked off, she could only press her head upwards, towards the ceiling, squeezing into the swiftly vanishing air space left inside. She cried out loudly for help.

The driver tried elbowing the window to break the glass but it didn’t even crack. He gestured for Xu Miyu to come to the front and exit out the driver side window.

Xu Miyu knocked against those solid metal bars he had installed. They completely blocked her way, sealing off all routes of escape.