Mu Xi vaulted into the driver’s seat, her fingers trembling as she ignited the engine.
Through the rearview mirror, she caught a glimpse of Tuesday, still sprawled in that pathetic, crumpled heap.
A grim satisfaction curled her lips.
“Serves you right,” she muttered, stomping the accelerator.
The tires kicked up a cloud of dust, spraying Tuesday’s face as the car roared away.
“Wait! It’s dangerous out there…” Tuesday’s voice rose, desperate, as he tried to scramble to his feet, only to collapse again.
Mu Xi’s cold laugh echoed as she sped down the narrow path, flooring the gas pedal.
The night wind tore through her silver hair, carrying a thrill of defiance.
She’d had enough of lies, enough of being played.
It was time to trust no one but herself.
Her headlights sliced through the darkness, illuminating the road ahead.
Mu Xi gripped the steering wheel tightly, her resolve as unyielding as the asphalt beneath her.
She didn’t know where she was going—anywhere was better than staying with that liar.
Her palms grew slick with sweat as she clutched the wheel.
In her past life, she’d driven plenty, but this body?
This was its first time behind the wheel.
She took a deep breath, steadying herself, coaxing the familiar rhythm of driving back into her bones.
The car jolted along the muddy track, tires crunching over brittle twigs and fallen leaves.
Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows that danced across the path, forcing Mu Xi to sharpen her focus to dodge the ruts and potholes.
“Damn it, this road’s going to make me sick,” she grumbled, fumbling to adjust the seat height.
This petite frame felt alien—her feet barely reached the pedals.
Then, through the trees, a glimpse of salvation: a smooth, straight highway.
Her eyes lit up.
She yanked the wheel, guiding the car onto the blessedly even asphalt, a sigh of relief escaping her lips.
“Finally,” she breathed, brushing wind-tangled silver strands from her face.
“Another minute on that wretched path, and this jeep would’ve fallen apart.”
A glance at the fuel gauge showed more than half a tank—enough to ease her mind.
No breakdowns, not yet.
But she needed to get far from this place, far from those who might come after her.
As she drove, memories of her escape flashed through her mind, each one stoking her bitter amusement.
They’d treated her like a caged pet, force-feeding her those mind-dulling pills.
She was done with it.
This escape, however fleeting, was her small revenge.
“Though my driving’s a bit rusty,” she admitted with a wry chuckle, easing the accelerator to a safer speed.
“Let’s hope I find a safe place before dawn.”
The highway stretched endlessly into the distance, a ribbon of black under the starless sky.
Mu Xi had been driving all day—from night to dawn and back to dusk—without seeing a single soul, not even another car.
The scenery was maddeningly repetitive: shrubs, weeds, gnarled trees, looping like a broken record.
She rubbed her aching eyes, a nagging suspicion growing that she was going in circles.
“What is this cursed place?” she snapped, smacking the steering wheel.
“Not even a road sign.”
Her stomach growled, a sharp reminder of her hunger.
Back with Ye Lan, she’d been fed—treated like a pet, yes, but never starving.
Now, she hadn’t even thought to grab a bottle of water.
“Should’ve swiped some of that cake,” she muttered with a self-deprecating laugh.
“Though I’m sick of those cloying sweets.”
The night deepened, the roadside blurring into shadow.
A yawn escaped her, her tired eyes struggling to stay open.
This frail body wasn’t built for marathon drives her every muscle ached.
“I can’t keep going like this,” she said, tightening her grip on the wheel.
“I need to rest, or I’ll crash.”
Then, a strange clatter rattled from the hood.
Her heart sank.
She eased the car to the shoulder, dread pooling in her gut.
“Don’t you dare quit on me now,” she pleaded, tapping the dashboard.
“Just get me to civilization.”
The engine coughed ominously a few times before falling silent.
Mu Xi sighed, stranded in the middle of nowhere.
“Should’ve practiced driving more,” she muttered, slumping back in the seat.
“Now I’m stuck, no clue where I am, and no one to call.”
“Guess I’m sleeping in the car tonight.”
She curled up, feeling small in the oversized seat.
“Hope nothing weird finds me out here.”
The night grew colder, the car’s interior chilling around her.
Mu Xi rolled up the windows, exhaustion washing over her.
She leaned back, eyes fluttering shut.
A dream came, vivid and brutal.
She sat on icy ground, surrounded by sprawled corpses.
Blood pooled beneath her, the air thick with its coppery stench.
A familiar figure loomed—Ye Lan’s face, but twisted with a cruel smirk.
“Good little child,” the figure taunted.
“You’ll never escape me.”
Mu Xi jolted awake, heart pounding like a war drum.
The dream felt too real, less a nightmare than a memory etched into this body’s bones.
She tried to stretch her stiff limbs, only to freeze.
She wasn’t in the driver’s seat anymore—she was in the back, cradled in Ye Lan’s arms.
The woman gazed down at her, a gentle smile on her lips.
“This can’t be…” Mu Xi’s eyes widened.
She’d fallen asleep at the wheel—how was she here?
“Did you sleep well?” Ye Lan’s voice was soft, almost maternal, as if soothing a child.
“You must be exhausted after driving so long.”
Mu Xi’s body went rigid, instinct urging her to bolt.
But Ye Lan’s hand caught her hair—not harshly, but firmly enough to pin her in place.
“Master…” Mu Xi forced the word through gritted teeth.
“How did you find me?”
“Silly child,” Ye Lan chuckled, twirling a strand of Mu Xi’s silver hair.
“Did you think those pills were just to dull your mind?”
A chill ran through Mu Xi.
No wonder the roads had been empty, no wonder she’d driven for hours yet felt trapped in a loop.
Those pills—they weren’t just sedatives.
Hallucinogens, maybe worse.
“But I must say, driving this far? That surprised me.” Ye Lan’s tone held a note of admiration.
“My little pet is cleverer than I thought.”
Mu Xi’s stomach churned, memories of those sickly-sweet cakes and pills flooding back.
She was a puppet, strings pulled by Ye Lan’s every whim.
“Enough tantrums,” Ye Lan said, tightening her hold.
“Sleep now. When we’re home, I’ll have your favorite strawberry cake waiting.”
Mu Xi bit her lip, silent.
This escape hadn’t just failed—it would tighten Ye Lan’s grip on her.
Staring at that flawless face, questions burned in Mu Xi’s mind.
She hesitated, then asked, “How did you catch up to me?”
“Curious?” Ye Lan’s lips curved, her fingers brushing Mu Xi’s cheek.
“I was with you the whole time. In the trunk.”
“Impossible!” Mu Xi sat up, heart racing.
“I saw you in bed when I jumped out the window.”
“A dummy,” Ye Lan said with a light laugh.
“You were so frantic, so caught up in the dark, you didn’t notice the details. My sweet pet, did you really think you could slip from my grasp?”
Mu Xi’s lips tightened, her mind replaying that frantic escape.
She’d been too focused on running to question what she saw.
But one thing still nagged at her.
“You were in the trunk this whole time? Without food or water?”
Ye Lan’s smile widened, but she offered no answer, only a look that said Mu Xi’s questions were futile.
The truth, whatever it was, remained locked behind that perfect, unreadable face.