Chapter 101: The World Is Round (Second Update)

"Is that a woman?"

Zhu Dachang tugged forcefully at the hem of his blue police uniform, which was cinched tight around his navel. No matter how hard he pulled, he couldn't cover his round, watermelon-like belly. Sighing, he held up a leafy branch, hunched his shoulders, and retreated from the roadside back into the shadows of the trees. He peeked timidly at Hou San and asked, "Brother San, are we still going to hold her up?"

Hou San smacked the back of Zhu Dachang's head. "What the hell do you mean 'hold her up'?" He pointed at his own uniform, the hem of which barely reached his knees. "We’re wearing the proper gear now. Collecting a toll is our official duty. Don't look so shifty-eyed! Stand up straight, head high! Come on, Brother San is taking you to collect some infrastructure maintenance costs."

"But it's a woman..." Zhu Dachang straightened his posture under Hou San's prodding, his expression troubled. "Brother San, maybe we should just let it go? Asking a woman for money—I just can't bring myself to do it. Besides, she's driving a cargo truck; she’s probably struggling to make ends meet. There’s no profit to be made there. Let's wait a while longer. Maybe someone loaded with cash will come along..."

"If you're scared, just say so. No need to bring up whether she's a woman or not. Men and women are equal; we must treat everyone the same. Besides," Hou San rolled his eyes, "that woman doesn't look like a professional trucker. Look at her clothes—does she look like someone struggling? She probably has something valuable hidden in that truck, something that required her to make the trip herself. We've been here for hours and haven't seen a soul. Since she’s the one who stumbled into our trap, that’s just her bad luck!"

"Brother San, she does look a bit like she's struggling..." Zhu Dachang poked his fingers together. "Her eye sockets are dark; she’s probably been pulling all-nighters. How hard that must be. And she looks like such a young girl. Isn't it wrong to bully someone younger?"

"That’s not from staying up late; that’s just her natural complexion!" Hou San pushed Zhu Dachang forward while making things up as he went. "As for her age... some people just have baby faces. They look like children even when they’re eighty. Think about it: if she were just a little girl, how could she drive a large cargo truck? Who but an experienced driver could handle a semi-trailer? Don't overthink it. Let's go test her. If she’s really broke, we won't charge her the toll."

Zhu Dachang scratched his head, feeling that Hou San made some sense. Bemused, he stood in the middle of the road with Hou San, put on his white gloves, and puffed out his watermelon belly as he faced the approaching truck.

Hou San breathed a sigh of relief and muttered, "I went through so much trouble to get this equipment; it would be like wearing fine clothes in the dark if I didn't use it!" He cleared his throat, raised his right hand, palm forward, and shouted at the truck, "Pull over! Submit to an inspection!"

In the truck, Sun Tiantian let out a long yawn. She thought about peeling a lollipop to freshen up. Since there wouldn't be anyone on this road anyway, she held the steering wheel with one hand and rummaged through her pocket with the other. When she finally pulled out a lollipop, her grip slipped, and it fell under the driver's seat.

Sighing, Sun Tiantian leaned over to pick it up. As soon as she looked up, she saw two figures standing in the middle of the road, already dangerously close. She panicked, slammed on the brake pedal, closed her eyes, and screamed, "Get out of the way! I can't stop!"

Hou San saw the truck barreling straight toward him. His eyelids twitched, and he cursed under his breath. He shoved Zhu Dachang aside, dove to the side, and rolled onto the shoulder.

The truck left long black streaks on the road, sliding for seventy-eight meters before finally coming to a halt.

Hou San scrambled up from the ground, clutched his backside, and beckoned to Zhu Dachang. He hobbled toward the truck and reached up to knock on the cabin window, but realized he couldn't reach even on his tiptoes. He gave a look to Zhu Dachang, who was standing behind him. "You do it!"

Zhu Dachang gave a soft "oh," curled his index finger, and rapped on the window, signaling Sun Tiantian to kill the engine and get out.

Sun Tiantian, still shaken, nodded blankly. She turned the key, and the engine’s roar died away. She exhaled a long breath, steadied herself, and pushed the door open to step out.

"Thud!"

Hou San’s face slammed into the edge of the cabin door. He saw stars instantly, and two little red rivers began to trickle from his nostrils.

Zhu Dachang stood stunned for a moment before rushing over to steady the swaying Hou San. "Brother San, are you okay? Should we go to the hospital? You’re bleeding so much—could it be massive blood loss, like from your backside..."

"It’s just a little nosebleed. Think of it as releasing some inner heat..." Hou San waved him off, pulled a tissue from his pocket to wipe the blood, and turned to Sun Tiantian with a dark expression. "What do you think you're doing? Attacking an officer?"

"I'm so sorry," Sun Tiantian stuck out her tongue and gestured toward Hou San's height. "You aren't very visible. I didn't see you when I opened the door..."

Hou San froze, veins bulging on his forehead. He took a few deep breaths, trying to stay calm. He cleared his throat and asked sharply, "Is this truck yours? Why are you driving so fast? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"

"The truck isn't mine," Sun Tiantian explained awkwardly. "A friend lent it to me... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that." She took the lollipop out of her mouth. "I wanted a treat, but it fell under the seat. When I reached for it and sat back up, I saw you standing there in the middle of the road..."

"So, according to you, it's all our fault?" Hou San narrowed his eyes. "We shouldn't have been standing in the road? We blocked your way, is that it? And you were messing around with a lollipop—is a lollipop more important than a life? If we weren't so quick on our feet, you would have caused a catastrophe!"

Sun Tiantian’s eyes crinkled into crescents. "I'm sorry, I'll be more careful next time. Safety first, lollipops second." She fished a handful of lollipops from her pocket and smiled sweetly. "Want one? They’re delicious. I have all sorts of flavors."

Hou San’s expression softened slightly. He shook his head. "No, no. I'm an adult. I only endure bitterness; I don't eat candy..."

"Um..." Zhu Dachang gulped, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the lollipops in Sun Tiantian's hand. "Can I have one? Just one? The green apple one—the sweet and sour ones are the best..."

Sun Tiantian giggled. "Of course!" She picked out all the green apple lollipops and stuffed them into Zhu Dachang's hand. "They're all yours!"

"Thank you!" Zhu Dachang took the candy, blushing. "When we get back to City A, I'll treat you to some gaga!"

Hou San glared at Zhu Dachang and coughed heavily. "We'll talk about the gaga later. Let's focus on the business at hand..." He held out his right hand to Sun Tiantian. "Please present your driver's license and vehicle registration!"

Sun Tiantian pulled her license from her pocket and handed it to Hou San, pouting. "The registration is in the truck, but I don't know where my friend put it..."

"The registration will do for now..." Hou San glanced briefly at the license, handed it back, and tilted his head. "This should be an 'A' license, right?"

Sun Tiantian looked down at her leather jacket, which formed a straight line from her collar to the hem. She pouted and said, "Nonsense, I'm a 'C'."

"A 'C' isn't right," Hou San sneered. "You must have an 'A' license!"

"Your eyes are broken!" Sun Tiantian retorted angrily. "Even if I'm not a 'C', at the very least I'm a 'B'. It can't be an 'A'!"

"A 'B' isn't right either," Hou San frowned. "It can't be anything other than an 'A'. I have an 'A' license myself, so I know exactly what it looks like!"

Sun Tiantian glanced at Hou San’s flat chest and curled her lip. "Yours is an 'A' too?"

Hou San said proudly, "I used to drive cargo trucks for people, so of course I have an 'A' license."

"What does that have to do with driving trucks?" Sun Tiantian asked, looking completely bewildered. "Are you saying everyone who drives a truck is an 'A'?"

"Of course, isn't that obvious?" Hou San pointed at the license in her hand. "To drive a cargo truck, especially a semi-trailer like this, you have to have an 'A' license. You can't drive it with anything else. You didn't even know that?"

Sun Tiantian’s face stiffened. She opened her mouth and said, embarrassed, "Oh... so that's what it means..."

"Since you have a 'C' license, you are only permitted to drive small passenger vehicles," Hou San coughed lightly. "Driving a vehicle that doesn't match your license class carries a nine-point penalty and a fine between two hundred and two thousand yuan. Seeing as you're just a young girl, I'll waive the points. Just pay the two-thousand-yuan fine, and consider it a lesson learned!"

Sun Tiantian bit her lip, her brows furrowed. After hesitating for a few seconds, she sighed and pulled her wallet from her pocket. Just as she was about to take out the two thousand yuan to give to Hou San, four black sedans came speeding toward them—cars that looked strangely familiar.

The four sedans pulled to a sharp stop, surrounding Hou San and Zhu Dachang. A man in sunglasses stepped out of one of the cars. He stared at the two with a malicious glint in his eyes and said, "Well, well, the world is small, isn't it? We meet again. What a pleasure!"