It was nearly one o'clock. Xiao Man had circled the area several times and returned to her spot, so tired she was practically dozing off in her seat. The people she was waiting for still hadn't arrived.
Zheng Shaolian, however, was sitting calmly. This was entirely thanks to Xiao Man, who had given him a set of *Spring and Autumn Annals* comic books. He was engrossed, telling Xiao Man, "Be patient. It's a long way from the provincial city to Wancheng. The bus takes six or seven hours. They're driving a military jeep, and my eldest cousin's men are all daredevils. They'd even race on these mountain roads, so they should be here in three or four hours."
He hadn't even finished his sentence when two identical military jeeps appeared in the distance. In the blink of an eye, they reached the large banyan tree and came to a steady halt by the curb.
Xiao Man shot to her feet, snatched the comic book from Zheng Shaolian's hands, and exclaimed, "Quick! They're here! They're here!"
