032 Dangerous situation

In the maiden's delicate utterance, the address of "Uncle Zhang" or "Uncle Wei" flowed smoothly from her lips, carrying a certain ease. Unbeknownst to Zhang Wei, the young girl harbored another appellation for him in her heart - "Strange Uncle."

Accepting his role as an uncle with resigned acquiescence, Zhang Wei couldn't help but feel a wave of helplessness wash over him. Naturally, he couldn't overtly request the maiden to address him as "elder brother."

Preferring not to dwell on the matter of address with the maiden, Zhang Wei smoothly inquired, "By the way, now that you know my name, what shall I call you?"

"I am called Xu Qianqian."

"Xu Qianqian..." Zhang Wei murmured softly to himself, then casually asked, "Judging by your school uniform, you are still in high school, I presume?"

"Yes, I'm in my final year."

"Final year? Speaking of which, it was quite late when you were on the subway before coming here. Where were you headed?"

As Zhang Wei posed this question, there was a tinge of resentment in his heart. If he hadn't been concerned about this young lady's safety in the subway car, he might have acted earlier. Considering the time now, he might have already finished and returned home for a good night's sleep.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qianqian sighed softly and said, "I was on my way home at that time. My residence is near Century Garden. With the college entrance exams looming in a few months, I attend evening self-study sessions at school every night before taking the subway home... I never expected such an incident tonight. Alas, I haven't made it home yet. My mother must be terribly worried."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wei thought to himself, "She lives near Century Garden? Well, that's quite a coincidence."

Feeling indebted to this peculiar uncle for saving her life, a hint of gratitude flickered in Xu Qianqian's eyes as she softly said, "Uncle, if it weren't for you tonight, I... I might not have survived. Thank you, Uncle."

Another "uncle"! Uttered so tenderly and sweetly. Zhang Wei instinctively touched his own face. Did he truly look so old? For a moment, he was at a loss for words.

After conversing with Zhang Wei for a while, Xu Qianqian felt much calmer. Knowing that she was safe now, she owed it all to this peculiar uncle. In Xu Qianqian's eyes, this strange uncle seemed rather amiable. Moreover, having both experienced being hostages, a subtle sense of dependence had unknowingly formed in the young girl's heart towards this peculiar uncle. As for the awkward incidents that occurred on the way, Xu Qianqian, feeling as if she had been granted a second lease on life, had long since let them fade into oblivion.

A gust of night wind drifted in through the broken window, causing the candlelight on the dilapidated table to flicker. As the candle dwindled to its end, casting elongated shadows of the two figures, the desolate warehouse evoked a sense of desolation and melancholy.

Xu Qianqian's school uniform was soaked through by the creek water, and the gentle night breeze couldn't help but send shivers down her spine.

Unable to contain her feelings, Xu Qianqian leaned closer to Zhang Wei and timidly asked, "Uncle, when will help arrive?"

Unable to provide an answer to her query, Zhang Wei, lacking a phone to notify the authorities, wondered if anyone would find them here.

Casting a glance at her trembling figure, Zhang Wei asked, "Are you still frightened?"

Shaking her head, Xu Qianqian replied in a trembling voice, "I... I'm just... cold..."

As she spoke, Xu Qianqian found herself involuntarily inching closer to Zhang Wei. When her arm brushed against his, the warmth exchanged between their skins was indescribably comforting. She almost felt like nestling into his embrace.

"If you're cold, why not wait in the car?" Zhang Wei suggested casually.

"I... I dare not. I'm afraid," Xu Qianqian said, casting a fearful glance towards the Mitsubishi SUV. A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered the two corpses in the rear compartment.

Seeing her fearful demeanor, Zhang Wei couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. However, considering that this girl was only in her teens, delicate and timid, her fear was understandable.

Initially considering accompanying her into the car, Zhang Wei had a change of heart. Realizing that they might not find a secluded spot anytime soon, he decided it was better to drive into the city. With this thought in mind, Zhang Wei walked to the back of the car and shoved the two bodies, their torsos and legs still exposed, into the compartment. With the rear compartment now vacant, he proceeded to hoist up the squat, stocky man lying on the ground and haphazardly shoved him inside as well.

The squat, pudgy man had already passed out from the pain, but Zhang Wei's rough handling, akin to loading cargo, inevitably caused his already shattered kneecap to suffer further trauma. Waking abruptly from the pain, the squat man's face contorted in agony, beads of sweat the size of peas forming on his forehead. However, his mouth was stuffed with a foul-smelling sock, rendering any attempt to cry out futile, leaving only a whimpering sound.

Watching from behind Zhang Wei, Xu Qianqian felt a pang of unease, but the heinous nature of the criminals erased any lingering traces of sympathy in her heart.

After securing the rear compartment, Zhang Wei proceeded straight to the driver's seat. Emboldened by Zhang Wei's presence, Xu Qianqian quickly made her way to the other side and opened the passenger door, settling into the seat.

With the car key inserted into the ignition, Zhang Wei suddenly had an idea. Remembering that Chen Dayou had mentioned a password-locked box, perhaps there was a phone inside.

Zhang Wei hadn't noticed the box outside the car earlier; it must be inside. Glancing through the rearview mirror, he spotted it on the back seat. Without delay, he reached over and placed the box on the steering wheel.

Upon closer inspection, Zhang Wei instinctively pressed his ear against the box and heard a faint ticking sound emanating from within. His senses heightened, Zhang Wei couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine; he was accustomed to such ticking sounds.

A timed bomb inside the box? Zhang Wei broke out in a cold sweat, cursing inwardly. Wasn't this just great? Fortunately, he had his wits about him; otherwise, he wouldn't even know how he'd meet his end.

Noticing Zhang Wei's unusual expression, Xu Qianqian couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety, but she remained silent, sensing the gravity of the situation.

The box was locked with a password, but Zhang Wei had no intention of asking the squat man in the rear compartment. For him, the three-digit password was child's play. Turning the dials on the lock, his fingers deftly manipulated them. In a matter of seconds, there was a soft click as the box opened.

Watching nervously from the sidelines, Xu Qianqian's eyes widened in amazement. She couldn't help but exclaim silently, "This strange uncle is so capable!"

Zhang Wei leaned closer again, and the ticking sound persisted. Turning to the girl beside him, he said, "You should get out of the car."

Xu Qianqian hesitated upon hearing this; it was pitch dark outside, and she didn't dare to leave alone.

Seeing her reluctance, Zhang Wei urged, "There might be a timed bomb inside this box. You should get out of the car and take cover. It wouldn't be fun if it exploded."

A timed bomb? Xu Qianqian was startled, but she couldn't muster the courage to stay alone outside in the desolate and eerie warehouse at this moment.

Xu Qianqian couldn't help but ask softly, "Uncle, what about you? Aren't you getting out of the car?"

"Why should I get out? I need to deal with this thing. Hey, get out of the car quickly," Zhang Wei urged again.

At this moment, Zhang Wei wasn't particularly worried about the suspected timed bomb in the box. Since these three fugitives dared to hide out in this abandoned warehouse for the night, the bomb probably wouldn't explode anytime soon.

As Zhang Wei continued to urge her, Xu Qianqian made up her mind and said, "Uncle, if you're not getting out, then I won't either. I... I'll stay here with you. If the bomb really explodes, then... we'll die together."

Zhang Wei was taken aback by her determination, looking at her with a hint of amusement. "You... you're not afraid?"

"N-no... I'm not afraid!" Xu Qianqian's voice trembled slightly, though she spoke bravely. While she might have felt uncertain inside, facing the eerie warehouse alone was even more daunting. 

Impressed by the girl's bravery, Zhang Wei couldn't help but give her a thumbs up and said with a grin, "Good! Courage is commendable. From now on, we're comrades in the trenches. In times of trouble, we stick together! Rest assured, with me here, you won't die!"

Zhang Wei's words were rather manly, eliciting a warm feeling in Xu Qianqian's heart.

Being comrades in the trenches, facing troubles together! Even a delicate flower like her felt a surge of passion upon hearing this. Coupled with the reassuring words from the strange uncle, her confidence grew even stronger.

Just then, in the distance, the sound of police sirens could be faintly heard...