Anxin drove far from the city to a secluded spot, where she placed the 10,000-yuan advance payment safely into her portable warehouse. Only then did she resume her routine of driving a taxi and selling goods from her stash.

However, preoccupied with pressing matters, Anxin felt the day dragged on endlessly. Several regular passengers boarded her taxi and, unlike her usual sales pitches, she didn’t offer them any products. Instead, the customers themselves had to request items, to which Anxin halfheartedly complied, selling goods without much enthusiasm.

Distracted and restless, she struggled through the day. Finally, at 6 p.m., she dropped off her last passenger and sped off toward Kaizi’s alley. Along the way, several people tried flagging her down, hoping to catch her taxi. But Anxin, uninterested in picking up more fares, politely rolled down her window and explained:

“I’m done for the day. Something urgent has come up at home.”

Though running the taxi service was a long-term necessity for her, Anxin understood the importance of maintaining polite interactions with potential clients.

Luckily, those she declined were understanding, responding with a wave, “No problem. Take care of your family business, and we’ll catch up another time.”

Anxin smiled in return, offering a polite nod before flooring the gas pedal. After what felt like an eternity, she arrived at Kaizi’s courtyard.

Surprisingly, the usually bustling yard was eerily quiet. Anxin parked the car at the designated spot and got out, ready to hand over the keys. However, instead of Kaizi waiting for her, it was Sanmao.

Sanmao, spotting her arrival, greeted her with uncharacteristic cheerfulness:
“Hey, Anxin! You’re early today. Must’ve had a good day, huh?”

Normally, Anxin would show up begrudgingly at the last minute, just before the 7 p.m. deadline. Today, however, she was earlier than usual, which surprised Sanmao.

“Had something to take care of, so I wrapped up early,” Anxin replied flatly, her thoughts elsewhere.

Still, she didn’t forget her primary objective. Turning to Sanmao, she asked directly:
“By the way, why are you here instead of Kaizi? Where is he?”

Kaizi, who usually hovered around the yard, was now nowhere to be found. Anxin needed to discuss transport arrangements urgently since the contract she signed earlier was set to begin the following day. Delays weren’t an option; transporting 30,000 tons of goods to the train station on time was a daunting task.

Sanmao, unbothered by Anxin’s obvious concern, shrugged casually.
“Oh, Kaizi? He had some business in the countryside and won’t be back until tomorrow.”

His nonchalant response left Anxin visibly anxious. “What? He’s gone until tomorrow?!”

The thought of waiting another day for Kaizi to return—then negotiating the transport arrangements—meant losing valuable time. The delay could jeopardize the entire operation, potentially leading to breached deadlines and hefty penalties.

Anxin’s frustration was evident as Sanmao remained calm and unconcerned. He added matter-of-factly:
“Yeah, he went to handle something in a rural area. Should be back by tomorrow, probably before noon.”

Then, as if recalling something, he added:
“Oh, by the way, you’re not worried about renting a car for tomorrow, are you? Don’t worry, Kaizi already made arrangements for you.”

Anxin was speechless. Who said anything about worrying over rental cars?

Sanmao continued confidently:
“Before he left, Kaizi specifically told me to hold a car for you every day since you helped us out with that last delivery. You’re covered.”

His self-assured tone irritated Anxin. “No, that’s not it! I have something else I need to discuss with him.”

It was clear that, in Kaizi and Sanmao’s eyes, Anxin was merely a collaborator who occasionally rented their vehicles. Any deeper sense of camaraderie she had assumed existed was evidently one-sided.

Sanmao seemed surprised at her insistence.
“What’s so urgent? If it’s not critical, I can pass on the message when he returns.”

His words reminded Anxin of the slow pace of life in this era—where transportation, communication, and problem-solving all lagged frustratingly behind. She let out a long sigh before countering:
“Just tell me where he went. I’ll find him myself.”

Her determination startled Sanmao. “What could possibly be so urgent that you’d chase him all the way to the countryside?”

His questioning gaze lingered on her until a sudden thought struck him. With a mischievous grin, he leaned closer and asked:
“Anxin… don’t tell me you’re interested in my brother Kaizi?”