Shen Qi gazed at the rain outside, suddenly struck by inspiration. She spread the blueprints on the floor and sat down right there to start sketching.
Shen Wu and He Yining were lounging—one with a book on the sofa, the other at the bar with a laptop handling work. The three of them were each busy with their own tasks, creating a harmonious scene.
Just as Shen Qi finished her last stroke, pulled out her phone to take a photo, and sent the drawing to Charles, the car suddenly screeched to a halt.
"What's going on?" He Yining immediately looked toward Xiao Chun.
Xiao Chun quickly turned and headed to the driver's cabin, returning shortly to report, "There was a heavy rainstorm here a few days ago. It seems the roadbed ahead has been washed out, and the local villagers are repairing it."
Shen Qi also looked over. Sure enough, many people up ahead were working on the road in the rain. It looked like they wouldn't be able to pass today.
Just then, a villager came over to greet them: "This stretch of roadbed is destroyed. You can't get through today! It won't be ready until tomorrow after repairs!"
Xiao Chun smiled warmly and tried to get information: "Uncle, is there another road nearby?"
"No, this is the only way into the mountains," the uncle replied. "You folks are all from the city, right? Lots of city people come to the mountains for vacations this season. But you won't make it through today. Better find a place to rest for the night and wait until the roadbed is fixed tomorrow. Otherwise, it's too dangerous!"
Xiao Chun glanced at the road conditions on both sides—severe landslides indeed—and said to the uncle, "Thank you, Uncle. Is there somewhere nearby where we can stay?"
The uncle looked at the two RVs and said, "We're about to head home. Why don't you follow us to the village and rough it for the night?"
Xiao Chun thanked him, returned to report the situation, and He Yining turned to Shen Wu: "Are there really edible mushrooms here?"
"Of course there are. I've eaten them!" Shen Wu replied matter-of-factly. "My mom cooked them."
He Yining then looked at Shen Qi: "Xiao Qi, do you want to try some?"
Shen Qi smiled and nodded. "Sure. It's boring just waiting here anyway. We might as well wait in the village and maybe buy some things while we're at it."
Since Shen Qi agreed, they turned around and headed toward the nearby village.
Once off the main road, the surface became muddy. Fortunately, the vehicle's performance was top-notch, so they barely felt any bumps. The villagers led the way, and the two massive RVs followed unsteadily behind.
After nearly an hour, they reached the village. When Shen Qi got out of the car, she realized how wise her decision had been.
The mountain roads for hundreds of miles around were dotted with only a few scattered small villages. These people were responsible not just for maintaining the roads but also for local safety. It was the rainy season, when venomous snakes were active. Without enough repellent for snakes and insects, traveling in the mountains was dangerous. If they had chosen to wait on the main road, they'd be safe in the car, but stepping out could be risky.
The villagers were quite hospitable. Seeing such huge RVs arriving, many came out to gawk.
Shen Qi noticed something odd: there were no children in the village. Most residents looked over fifty, with a few younger women around forty. The rest were all men. For some reason, Shen Qi felt an inexplicable unease.
She tugged at He Yining's sleeve. "Don't you think this village is strange? Shouldn't there be old people and kids normally?"
He Yining had already noticed, but he didn't see it as a problem. They were only staying one night. Besides, it was raining, so camping wasn't an option—they'd sleep in the car. He patted Shen Qi's hand. "We'll leave once the road's fixed tomorrow. If they want money, we'll pay. Anything money can solve isn't a real problem. We'll keep a low profile. And even if they try to rob us, they probably can't stop us—we're fully equipped."
Reassured by his words, Shen Qi calmed down a bit.
Shen Wu ran back from outside, handed his umbrella to Xiao Chun, and said to He Yining and Shen Qi, "This village is really weird. I just visited their village chief. Guess what? She's a beautiful woman in her thirties."
He Yining frowned slightly. "We'll stay in the car. If we need mushrooms, we'll buy them."
Just then, a villager came over and knocked on the car door. Xiao Chun hurried over to handle it.
The villager grinned. "The chief heard we have guests and wants to invite you all for dinner."
Xiao Chun smiled politely. "No need to be so kind. We'll eat in the car."
The villager's cheerful expression instantly dropped into a long, sour face. "Are you guests looking down on us mountain folk?" His tone turned hostile.
Before Xiao Chun could explain, He Yining spoke up. "Alright, we'll be there shortly. Please tell the chief we'll definitely come."
With that, the men left satisfied.
Shen Qi looked at He Yining in surprise. "Didn't you say—"
"Since they've invited us, it wouldn't be right not to go," He Yining cut in, but Shen Wu, arms crossed, added, "But we can't all go."
He Yining nodded. "Right. Half of us will stay to guard the cars. The rest will go. Xiao Chun, you're with us. The other assistants and this car's guards stay behind."
Xiao Chun nodded. "Yes, President."
"Call me Second Young Master while we're out," He Yining said, his phoenix eyes peering deeply into the rain. "I have a feeling we'll see something interesting tonight."
After making arrangements, those staying in the car didn't cook, eating pre-prepared food instead. The car remained dark. No one knew anyone was inside, since they hadn't gotten out, and the villagers didn't know how many were on board.
Shen Qi followed He Yining and Shen Wu, holding an umbrella and trudging through the muddy rain toward the village center.
"Careful," He Yining said, shielding Shen Qi under his arm and tilting his umbrella toward her.
Feeling his thoughtfulness and care, warmth flooded Shen Qi's heart.
Shen Wu walked ahead, blocking her view. When he stopped, she realized they'd arrived.
Shen Qi closed her umbrella and looked up at the massive wooden house. It resembled a giant mushroom, over three meters tall. The cylindrical building was unlike anything she'd seen before. Smaller mushroom-shaped structures clustered around it, like stars around the moon.
The village was small, with only about a dozen such mushroom houses. As they approached the door, someone came out to greet them.
"Honored guests, what a delight! Please, come in," said a middle-aged woman with a beaming smile. Her eyes lit up when she saw Shen Wu. But when she spotted He Yining, her expression shifted entirely—her gaze glued to his face, unable to look away, and she forgot to finish her sentence.
Seeing the woman staring so rudely at He Yining, Shen Qi cleared her throat in displeasure.
Snapping back to reality, the woman cast a greedy glance at He Yining before adding, "The chief has been waiting inside for some time."
He Yining didn't spare her a glance, following Shen Wu further in. As he passed, the woman took a deep, covetous breath, as if the air around him was fragrant and sweet.
Shen Qi's dislike for the village grew. At first, it was just oddness; now, it was outright aversion.
Entering the house, she saw the cylindrical space had no rooms—just one empty hall. On the north side was a raised platform where a seductively dressed woman lounged against a large cushion, a cigar in her mouth, exuding a mix of wildness and coarseness. If Shen Qi had to guess, this was the village chief.
Before her was a long coffee table laden with fruits, snacks, and a jug of wine. The floor was covered in light-colored planks with a few cushions—presumably for guests.
"I never expected such distinguished guests to grace these deep mountains. What a rare treat," the chief said, rising slowly from the platform and walking down barefoot, each step swaying with allure.
He Yining watched her gait, his phoenix eyes narrowing. This woman was clearly...
He exchanged a quick glance with Shen Wu, who had obviously noticed something off too.
"So, Mr. Shen, you have more friends," the chief said, circling Shen Wu and He Yining before turning to Shen Qi. "A pretty girl like you is rare in these mountains."
Shen Qi forced a smile. "Thank you."
"We don't have much in the mountains—just simple fare. Please don't mind," the chief said, sitting on the floor. "Do you need lodging? We have plenty of rooms."
"No need to trouble you. We'll stay in the car," Shen Qi replied flatly.
"Oh, is that so?" The chief gave Shen Qi a meaningful look. "Then don't wander around at night. It's not safe here after dark."
Shen Qi smiled softly and nodded. "Thanks for the warning. We'll follow the rules and stay put."
"Please, sit," the chief gestured. "We mountain folk are poor, without the fine furniture of city dwellers, but our local cuisine is still good."
With that, the middle-aged woman who had greeted them at the door led others in carrying dish after dish. Shen Qi felt like they were having a picnic—except picnics were outdoors on the ground, and this was indoors on the floor.