The rain fell like threads, weaving a night of stifling heat. Jack sat in his Dongfeng minivan, staring at the flickering neon lights of the bar street, feeling just as suffocated as the weather.
"Jack, looks like it's a no-go tonight. I'm heading out," a fellow driver tapped on his window and said resignedly.
"Yeah, you go ahead. I'll wait a bit longer," Jack replied, though he knew in his heart that this night was likely a lost cause.
Just as he was about to start the engine and leave, a hurried figure burst out of the bar street, the sound of high heels clicking sharply in the rainy night. Before Jack could react, the figure had already yanked open the car door and jumped in.
"Drive! Don't look back!" The woman's voice was filled with urgency and fear.
Jack instinctively pressed down on the gas pedal, and the van surged forward. In the rearview mirror, he saw two figures halt in the rain, one seemingly reaching towards his waist.
"Who... who are they?" Jack asked nervously.
"Don't worry about it, just drive!" The woman's voice was laced with terror.
As the van sped through the rain, Jack's heart pounded faster. He hadn't expected that trying to make a little extra money would get him into such danger.
"Where are we going?" Jack asked.
"Just keep driving, don't stop!" The woman almost screamed.
However, just when they thought they had lost their pursuers, a sedan suddenly sped up from behind, clearly chasing them.
"They're catching up!" The woman's voice was filled with despair.
Jack gritted his teeth, knowing he had to make a decision. He sharply turned the steering wheel, and the van skidded through the rain onto a narrow, deserted road.
"Hold on tight!" Jack shouted, as the van raced down the slippery road, with the sedan hot on their heels.
Then Jack saw the T-junction ahead. He knew this was his last chance. He floored the gas pedal, and the van shot forward like an arrow.
"Bang!" A loud crash echoed as the sedan collided with the stone wall at the junction, flames erupting into the night.
Jack and the woman remained silent, both realizing they had just survived a life-and-death chase.
"Shengshi Huating," the woman finally spoke, her voice trembling.
The van stopped at the villa district, but Jack didn't leave immediately. He knew he might have gotten himself into serious trouble.
"Ten thousand," Jack said, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
"Alright, ten thousand it is," the woman nodded, then pointed to the dark villa. "Come up with me."
Jack hesitated for a moment but eventually followed the woman into the villa. He knew there was no turning back now.
Inside the villa, the woman handed Jack ten thousand yuan and then proposed a condition: be her driver until this ordeal blew over.
Jack looked at the woman he had just saved, feeling a mixture of emotions. He knew he had been drawn into an unknown world, but perhaps this was also a new beginning.
"Alright, I agree," Jack said, his voice carrying a note of resolve.
The woman nodded and extended her hand, "It's settled then, Jack."