“Do you always do things this way?”
Lin Leyan who was seated in the first passenger seat checked the rear-view mirror and saw that the other jeep was following at a distance. Then, she turned around to look at Chen Xiaolian.
Chen Xiaolian did not reply. He silently gazed at the front of the jeep.
“You are not old,” said Lin Leyan coolly. “Caucasians have a bit of a hard time discerning our Oriental people’s age… many of them thinks that our skin is better than theirs. However, I am the same as you. So, I can be certain that you are even younger than what Hans and the others believe. Did you know? They all think that you are over 20, but I know for sure that you are below 20 years old.”
“What if I just have a baby face?” Chen Xiaolian pursed his lips to the side.
“I have already considered that too. You look like a 15 or 16-year-old-youngster,” said Lin Leyan with a smile. “Although you purposely put paint on your face and dirtied it, you cannot hide it from me.”
With one hand on the steering wheel, Chen Xiaolian reached out with his other hand to pull out a piece of cigarette from his pocket. He lit it up.
Lin Leyan suddenly took the cigarette box from his hand and pulled out a piece. She then lit it up for herself after putting it into her mouth.
Chen Xiaolian looked at her with a surprised expression. He said, “You smoke? That is surprising.”
“What about it?” Lin Leyan smiled coolly. “Don’t you know? In the American universities, many of the youngsters there smoke weed.”
“Weed is weed, cigarette is cigarette.” Chen Xiaolian shook his head.
“I don’t usually smoke. Just, when I have too much to worry… I am talking about cigarettes.” Lin Leyan took in a drag and puffed out in a seemingly experienced way.
Chen Xiaolian was silent.
“Are you always like that?” Lin Leyan asked. “What I mean is… do you always use violence and killings to solve problems?”
“… … …” Chen Xiaolian entered a reflective state for a moment before replying, “Didn’t you say we are not going to ask about each other’s secrets?”
“My curiosity is piqued. I am a woman after all,” Lin Leyan spoke in a tone that seemingly put her on the moral high ground such that Chen Xiaolian was left speechless.
“In my world, this is something that I had to get used to,” Chen Xiaolian replied.
Lin Leyan was silent.
A moment later, she snuffed the cigarette and kept the cigarette butt into her pocket. She looked at Chen Xiaolian from the side and said, “You are making things difficult for us. In short… complicated.”
“Mm?”
“You saved us and got us these vehicles. However, you killed people in front of us, taking the lives of others… if the ones you killed were rebel soldiers, then it won’t be a problem. However, in order to get the vehicles, you killed those poachers…” Lin Leyan hesitated for a moment.
“Is that contrary to your image of me?” Chen Xiaolian asked lightly. “I never said I am a good person.”
“Can you tell me… if… if those fellows were not poachers and were just ordinary passers-by, would you, for the sake of obtaining their vehicles, kill them?” Lin Leyan asked calmly. However, Chen Xiaolian who gave her a brief glance saw that there was a trace of anxiousness in her eyes and also… a faint trace of expectation.
“… come on.” Chen Xiaolian sighed. “I am not a good person, but… I am not that bad.”
Lin Leyan sighed and revealed a smile.
The two of them fell silent for a bit. Then, Chen Xiaolian, too, snuffed out his cigarette. After that, he asked, “Why?”
“Why what?”
Chen Xiaolian continued looking forward and he spoke calmly. However, the words spoken were very frank. “Your attitude toward me.”
Pausing for a bit, Chen Xiaolian then continued, “Your companions now want to avoid me, but you came to ride in my jeep instead. You treat me in a friendly manner and show concern for me. This morning, you also gave me that chocolate…”
After saying that, Chen Xiaolian felt his face and smiled wryly before continuing, “Could it be you have fallen for me? Could it be due to what happened yesterday… something like a hero saving a damsel in distress? I don’t think that’s quite the same though.”
Lin Leyan froze for a moment before bursting out in a fit of laughter.
When she laughed, her only moderately pretty face became considerably prettier.
Lin Leyan looked at Chen Xiaolian and shook her head. “Don’t think too much. I am several years older than you. Besides… I am someone who is always adventuring in the wilderness. What have I not seen before? I am not like those young women who like romance novels and have their heads filled with thoughts of fantasy stories. To me, you are a bit too short and also a bit too young. If you are a bit older and have a slightly more angular face, I might actually have feelings for you.”
The two of them were unusually calm as they chatted about such a sensitive topic.
Chen Xiaolian very much liked such an atmosphere. Rather, he had a very good impression toward this frank manner shown by Lin Leyan – it was not ambiguous and hard to discern.
“You have a lot of secrets on you,” Lin Leyan whispered. “I can sense it. I have also seen it. Your abilities are simply too powerful. I have never seen anyone turn a vehicle upside down with their hands alone… at the very least, I have never seen anyone with your body shape do so. The only time I saw such a feat was on TV, during a world strength competition. Additionally… your expression when killing people is too cold. It feels as though killing is something you do a lot. But, your age… there is also the domestic situation in China, how could you…”
“Maybe I am an alien? An alien who have lived on Earth for 400 years.”
“Ha ha ha ha! But I don’t like watching Korean dramas.” Lin Leyan laughed.
“But you know which one I am talking about [1].”
Lin Leyan held back her laughter and said, “All right, all right. I did watch that one. That one is very famous.”
“Just tell me, why?” Chen Xiaolian’s smile faded and he asked, “Why do you treat me this way? Since it is not because of some emotions between the two sexes, then why?”
Lin Leyan quieted down and she turned to face the window.
After a while, Chen Xiaolian sighed and said, “All right. If you don’t feel like saying…”
“Because of my little brother.” Lin Leyan turned her head back. Both her tone and expression seemed very calm, however, Chen Xiaolian was able to detect hidden emotions roiling beneath the surface of calmness that she was showing.
“My little brother, he left this world when he was 13 years old. If he is still alive, he would be around your age… I mean, I think you should be around 18 years old, right?”
Lin Leyan slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a wallet. Opening it, she pulled out a picture from its contents.
In the picture was a shorthaired Lin Leyan who seemed much younger. She had her arms around a thin boy and they smiled at the camera.
Chen Xiaolian looked at it.
The boy was thin and had a fair face. His eyebrows, his disposition, they were about 50 to 60 per cent similar to Chen Xiaolian’s.
He noticed that the boy was bald and was wearing hospital patient clothes.
“My little brother. Three months before he passed away, we took this photo,” said Lin Leyan as she put away her wallet. “You look very much like him. The first time I laid my eyes on you yesterday, I had felt that way.”
Chen Xiaolian retracted his gaze and was silent for a moment before whispering, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right. It has been a few years now.” Lin Leyan shook her head and said, “His passing was a peaceful one and he did not have to suffer much.”
She exhaled. She felt the breeze from the wilderness and said softly, “He was a very inquisitive fellow and had wanted to travel around the world. For the past few years, I had travelled to many, many places, especially here in Africa. I have stayed here for quite some time… I often think to myself, if my little brother is still alive, he would certainly wish to come with me to this beautiful place.
“I really wish I could bring him go watch the great migration of the wildebeests, the grasslands…”
Chen Xiaolian did not say anything. He did not know what to say either.
Thankfully, Lin Leyan had a straightforward disposition and did not become dejected. She quickly took a deep breath and forced herself to smile. “All right! You can be at ease now, can’t you? I am not in love with you, little kid.”
“Ha ha ha ha.” Chen Xiaolian replied with a laugh.
“Don’t blame Hans and the others. Truth is, they are very grateful to you. However, your actions are contrary to their beliefs,” said Lin Leyan in a low tone. “They all believe in God. The matter of taking the lives of others is something difficult for them to accept.”
“Mm, I understand,” said Chen Xiaolian. He then glanced at Lin Leyan and asked, “What about you?”
“Me?” Lin Leyan shook her head and said, “Truth be told… I can be considered an atheist. Although I am following my family in practicing Buddhism, I don’t quite believe in it, ha ha.”
After a pause, Lin Leyan continued in a hushed tone, “If I had not become a volunteer, I might have become an adventurer.”
Chen Xiaolian looked at her. Coincidentally, she had also turned to look at him at the same time.
Chen Xiaolian smiled and said, “Mm… so, we’ve come to an understanding. That means… everything is ok, right?”
“Of course everything is ok.” Lin Leyan smiled.
Chen Xiaolian thought about it and asked, “Are we considered friends?”
Lin Leyan replied, “I’m personally ok with it, but what about you? Considering how mysterious you were being, I thought that someone like you would never casually make friends.”
“Then, we’re friends,” Chen Xiaolian said slowly. “Since we’re friends, can you do me a favour?”
“Tell me what you need.”
“When we reach Kabuka, I need a place to stay. I’ve heard that place is in chaos and ordinary hotels are not exactly peaceful.”
Lin Leyan thought about it and said, “I can introduce you the hotel that our organization are staying in. That place is a long-term site for our organization in Kabuka and there are soldiers posted there to guard it so it should be relatively safer.”
Chen Xiaolian pulled out something from his bosom and tossed it to Lin Leyan.
Lin Leyan accepted it and saw that it was a roll of US dollars. She then cast a puzzled look at Chen Xiaolian.
Chen Xiaolian said coolly, “Consider it as… room fee.”
“It’s not that expensive. You probably do not know the standard rates in Kabuka, right?”
“Then consider it a donation to your organization,” said Chen Xiaolian softly. “Although I am not a good person, I would sometimes do some good deeds. Your organization should be in need of donations, right?”
Lin Leyan pondered and kept the money without being hypocritical, Then she said, “I will help you with the room payment procedure – anonymous, right?”
“Yes, anonymous.”
Nothing unexpected happened on this trip of theirs.
In the evening of that very same day, the two jeeps finally arrived at the capital city of Kombia, Kabuka.
There was a charged atmosphere on the road just outside the city. A checkpoint had been set up on the road, probably a result of the rebellion that was going on. There, several government soldiers in uniform could be spotted.
Hans and the others produced the documents signed by Zayad and the two jeeps were soon allowed entry… that had helped relieve some issues for Chen Xiaolian.
Their jeeps entered the city of Kabuka.
This city was not that big, it was only the size of China’s county-level city – perhaps even smaller.
Almost no high-rise buildings could be seen. However, as their jeeps approached the east side of the city, the road became cleaner and no more dilapidated sheds could be seen by the roadsides. There were also no more African children in rags running around. Back when they had first entered the city, those two were a common sight.
They stopped beside a three-storey building with a somewhat Western architecture. The entrance was a large iron gate that actually had armed security guards.
Their jeeps then drove past the gate to find a courtyard inside. This was a ‘回’ shaped building. The courtyard lay in the middle while the surrounding was the three-storey building. There were also two little buildings inside the courtyard.
“This is our residential area and also the hotel with the best standard in Kabuka. The people staying here are all foreign businessmen, other volunteer organization members and some government officials. The owner of this hotel have some influence in Kombia as well. You will find it very, very hard to find a place better than this in Kabuka.”
After jumping down from the jeep, Lin Leyan walked to Chen Xiaolian’s side and pointed at a hall entrance in the distance. She said, “You can check in there. This place accepts US dollars and only US dollars. I’ll help you with the introductions and you will be able to check in.”
Chen Xiaolian turned his head and saw that Hans and the others had gotten off the other jeep. They walked over and gave Chen Xiaolian a nod. Hans appeared to be struggling for what to say, however Chen Xiaolian waved his hand. “There is no need to say anything.”
“All right, but still… thank you very much.”
Hans stated in a very serious manner. Winston and the others too, nodded toward Chen Xiaolian before taking their leave.
Before moving away, Winston turned to look at Lin Leyan and asked, “Lin?”
Lin Leyan smiled and said, “You all go up first, I’ll catch up soon.”
Lin Leyan walked to the side and found an African fellow that was walking pass them in the courtyard – he was wearing a suit typical of a hotel manager.
Lin Leyan spoke a few words to him and pointed at Chen Xiaolian. The manager nodded his head before turning around and going inside.
“All right, you can directly go stay inside now. Also, this place does not require identification documents.” Lin Leyan deliberately winked. “This place has everything, bread, clean food, hot bath water, clean room… ah, naturally, if you want women, this place doesn’t have them. However, you can give that manager a little tip and he might introduce some to you. Having said that, you had better be careful. We are in Africa; this place has a lot of HIVs.”
Chen Xiaolian laughed out and lightly patted Lin Leyan’s shoulder.
Lin Leyan looked at Chen Xiaolian and suddenly took a deep breath. Then, she whispered, “Mm, let’s do a final confirmation.”
“Confirm what?”
Lin Leyan gave a light laugh. Then, she suddenly stepped forward, leaned up and with one quick move, pecked Chen Xiaolian’s lips.
This is… a KISS?
Chen Xiaolian was momentarily shocked.
Lin Leyan was quick to step back. She looked at Chen Xiaolian, pursed her lips to the side and smiled a mischievous smile. “It seems there is still nothing. All right then, it’s settled. I have no feelings for you.”
Chen Xiaolian felt somewhat dumbfounded – this young woman had made quite the bold move.
Lin Leyan stepped forward again and hugged Chen Xiaolian. She whispered into his ear, “Thank you! Thank you for saving my life! I wish you good luck.”