Yu Sheng realized at once that his earlier guess had been too optimistic.
Yes, Irene was small and didn’t take up much room. But the instant all of them squeezed into the car, it became obvious that space was still a problem. In truth, it was less about how many people they had and more about the size of the car itself. Just thinking about how Xu Jiali, who was nearly two meters tall, managed to wedge himself behind the steering wheel made it seem all the more astonishing.
How on earth could a man thatrge choose such a tiny car?
Yu Sheng and Foxy were pressed close together in the cramped back seat. Meanwhile, the front passenger seat waspletely taken over by tworge cardboard boxes, piled so high that there wasn’t even a corner of seat left open. Atst, the engine started up with a shaky rattle. After they finally bumped and rolled their way out of the neighborhood, Yu Sheng couldn’t keep quiet any longer. He leaned forward and asked Xu Jiali, who was driving, “Is this your side job? You know, after work?”
“Yep,” replied Xu Jiali with easy cheer. “When I’m not traveling on assignments, I’ve got loads of free time. I like driving around the city, so I thought, why not make a bit of extra money while I’m at it?”
Yu Sheng’s face twisted oddly. He eyed the little, rumbling car, then looked again at the huge man hunched over the steering wheel. This was a senior agent of the Special Affairs Bureau, and here he was, driving a nearly ancient ride-hailing car after hours. Did the people at the Special Affairs Bureau have it that tough?
The more he thought about it, the more something seemed off. Still, Yu Sheng was too polite to pry directly, so he swallowed down his questions. A prickle of uneasy doubt rose inside him. Luckily, someone else in the car had fewer qualms about asking what was on her mind. Around friends, the little doll never bothered to “act normal.”
Irene’s eyes shone brightly as she wriggled free from Foxy’s embrace. Then, leaning forward between the two front seats, she peered at Xu Jiali with keen interest. Her voice glimmered with its usual lively tone as she said, “Your car’s got a lot of… character, doesn’t it? Don’t they pay you well at the Special Affairs Bureau?”
Xu Jiali let out a lightugh, shaking his head. “Oh, they pay just fine,” he said. “But this car has sentimental value. It’s the first one I bought after I got my job. Even back then, it was secondhand. It’s been with me all these years, and I just can’t bear to rece it.”With onerge hand, he affectionately patted the gear stick. “And don’t let its looks deceive you. This old buddy of mine has never let me down, not once in all these years. Isn’t that right, my friend?”
The moment he said this, Yu Sheng suddenly heard a deep, confident roar from the engine, immediately followed by two short, cheerful honks. The sound came so suddenly and naturally that it took Yu Sheng several seconds to realize something was very odd.
A chill of surprise crept through him as it slowly dawned on him: Xu Jiali hadn’t reached over to press the horn at all. The car had answered him on its own.
“Did… did your car just answer you?” Yu Sheng asked, sitting up straight and staring at Xu Jiali with disbelief.
At once, Yu Sheng’s mind leapt to wild conclusions. Maybe this battered old vehicle had been secretly fitted with a top-notch AI system by elite government agents. Maybe the engine sounds were artificial, and at a moment’s notice, it could sprout hidden wings or unleash missileunchers from its wheels. Perhaps the exhaust pipe had secret weapons tucked away inside it…
But Xu Jiali only chuckled, as if amused by Yu Sheng’s shock. “Nah, nothing like that,” he said easily. “It’s just a machine soul.”
“A… a what?” Yu Sheng managed to say,pletely thrown off. This was even stranger than anything he’d just imagined.
Xu Jiali went on, “That’s why a lot of people at the Bureau are jealous of me. High-tech gear ismon enough when you’ve got the budget, but a machine soul is a true rarity. There are only a few pieces of equipment with souls at the Bureau, and when they’re not out on missions, folks treat them like precious treasures. My captain tried to buy this car off me a few times. Gave up after a while, though. The old buddy got annoyed and chased him around the parking lot three times.” He paused, then raised his eyebrows at the sudden hush in the car. “Why so quiet all of a sudden?”
Yu Sheng still felt stunned.
Yet, from Xu Jiali’s voice, it sounded like this was all perfectly normal—at least among their own circles. Struggling to mask his astonishment, Yu Sheng tried to force out a suitable response, “That’s… that’s pretty impressive.”
“Right?” said Xu Jiali, sounding quite pleased. “A lot of people at the Bureau try to do what I did—keeping old cars or phones, hoping that if they use them long enough, they’ll be alive too.”
Yu Sheng murmured, “So if you use something long enough, it just bes sentient?” He sounded both curious and uneasy.
Xu Jiali, still watching the road, didn’t catch the strange look on Yu Sheng’s face. After a brief silence, he said casually, “It’ste. The address you gave me doesn’t look like it’s near any supermarket or mall. Heading to a night market, maybe?”
As he spoke, he nced into the rearview mirror, eyeing the little doll perched between Yu Sheng and Foxy. “And you’re bringing a doll along for the ride—that’s a clever idea. Quite the travelingpanion.”
Yu Sheng opened his mouth to answer, but Irene was quicker. “We’re heading out for work!” she announced proudly.
Then, as if remembering something, she turned to Yu Sheng and asked, “Is it okay to say that?”
Yu Sheng shrugged. “Sure. It’s not some top-secret mission or anything. Besides, he’s one of the government’s own.”
The look on Xu Jiali’s face grew serious. “Work, huh?” he said quietly. After a short pause, he asked, “Need any help?”
“Nah,” said Yu Sheng, waving his hand dismissively. “Nothing serious.”
Xu Jiali nodded but couldn’t resist cautioning them a bit more after a moment’s thought. “It’s all legal, right?” he asked with a hint of concern. “I don’t mean to be rude…” Ｒ
“It’s set up by Little Red Riding Hood,” Yu Sheng replied matter-of-factly.
“Then it should be fine. Fairy Tale’s got a solid reputation—ys by the rules,” Xu Jiali said, rxing at once. Still, he felt the need to give a small lecture. “Just be careful, you three. I know you’re involved with that ‘Hotel’ project. The Bordend’s chaotic, and no matter how many watchful eyes we have, there are always ces no one’s looking. Don’t let yourselves get tricked. If anything—or anyone—seems suspicious, don’t hesitate to report it. Reporting is a virtue.”
For some reason, when Xu Jiali uttered “reporting is a virtue,” his tone took on a serious weight, as though he were reciting an old motto.
“Don’t worry, we understand,” Irene said, sounding a bit impatient. She leaned forward, her small figure trying to peer at the road ahead. “By the way, can you drive any faster? It feels like this car’s struggling.”
“Yeah, it’s feeling a bit tense today,” Xu Jiali admitted, scratching his head as if embarrassed. “It even stalled once near your neighborhood earlier. That’s never happened before.”
Yu Sheng felt a slight tug on his sleeve. Turning, he saw Foxy looking up at him with earnest eyes. “Benefactor,” she whispered, “Would you like me to tie one of my tails to the car and give it a push?”
He almostughed, shaking his head instantly. Absolutely not. He could imagine how ridiculous that would look: a fox demon tugging a car down the nighttime streets at high speed. That might cause more trouble than it solved—possibly making headlines by morning. Xu Jiali might even lose his license over something so absurd.
In the end, despite the slow going—nearly taking a quarter longer than an ordinary trip—they arrived near the spot Little Red Riding Hood had directed them to. Through the window, Yu Sheng caught sight of a quiet, dimly lit street and, at its far end, arge building looming silently.
“We’ll get off here,” he told Xu Jiali. “The road ahead’s too narrow for you to turn around.”
“Understood,” said Xu Jiali, waving a hand in farewell. “Gather your things—and remember, if anything goes wrong, give me a call.”
Yu Sheng and the others climbed out of the cramped car.
Standing on that lightly illuminated street, they watched as Xu Jiali’s tiny car slowly pulled away. Inside, Xu Jiali leaned back, releasing the steering wheel. He looked more at ease now that his tall frame was no longer quite so cramped. The car, moving on its own, drifted gently to the side of the road. Its engine let out a quiet, purring sound that almost felt like a sigh.
Xu Jiali nced at the dashboard with a faint, knowing smile. “A bit scared back there, huh, old buddy?”
The engine gave a low grumble in reply.
Smiling, Xu Jiali stretched as best he could in that tight space, ced his hand affectionately on the wheel, and said, “Don’t worry. You did great today. Let’s treat you to some premium fuel next time.”
Meanwhile, Yu Sheng turned his head and looked back over his shoulder.
In the distance, he could just make out the faint lights of the little car as it moved off, twisting around a corner and vanishing from view. Irene’s voice echoed softly in his mind, “Do you think that was just a coincidence?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Yu Sheng said, waving off the idea.
“It doesn’t matter?” Irene repeated, puzzled.
“A ride’s a ride,” Yu Sheng said lightly. “No big deal. Though, if we keep running into Li Lin ‘identally’ offering us rides near our ce, I hope he picks a bigger car next time. If we end up seeing him a lot, maybe I can even skip paying fare. The Bureau might just foot the bill, who knows?”
Irene gave him a look that said she was a bit impressed with his easygoing nature. “You’re handling this awfully well,” she remarked.
Yu Sheng only smiled, reaching out to give Irene’s head a gentle pat. Then he turned his attention forward again.
Beneath a faintly flickering streemp stood a small, slender girl in a dark red coat. She waited there quietly, as if she had been waiting a long time.
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