Chapter 518: Chapter 517: Another Encounter with the Female Chauffeur
Lin Wanwan stood by the Yongjiang, looking at the Chinese sturgeon lingering by the shore, stirred the water, and said, "Go on, the wild ecosystem depends on your efforts."
The Chinese sturgeon circled several times in the water before it flicked its tail and swam away.
Lin Wanwan was in no mood to record a video to send to the police either; someone sharp-eyed would find it eventually, and even if not, it didnât matter. Her task was done.
Lin Wanwan sat down on the stone by the shore, feeling the river wind, watching the scenery for a while, with her German Shepherd, Fugui, squatting beside her.
This dog was very perceptive and could sense its ownerâs low spirits, quietly squatting by her side, accompanying her in the chilly wind.
Since last night Lin Wanwan had traveled back to the Great Tang to sleep, she spent a night there before waking up to catch fish, spending a total of eleven hours, while on the modern side, time passed only slightly more than two and a half hours; it was just midnight now.
She couldnât fall back asleep, so after enjoying the river breeze for a while, Lin Wanwan returned to her car parked by the roadside, deciding to set off early for Mian City.
If she drove now, without traffic, she could arrive by four in the morning; but given todayâs special occasion, it would likely be busy.
From New Yearâs Eve to the sixth day of the lunar new year, the highway is toll-free. Workers, aiming to save on tolls and get back home early for the new year, would choose to depart at midnight.
However, Lin Wanwan didnât mind. She was still in her probation period and couldnât drive on the highway alone, so she opted to book a driving service.
On New Yearâs Eve night, two types of people remain on duty: grassroots cultural workers within the system and those carrying heavy burdens for life.
The person who accepted Lin Wanwanâs driving request was a female driver. On the backseat of her folding electric bike sat a child, and Lin Wanwan found the female driver somewhat familiar.
The other party had a deeper impression of her, smiling upon meeting: "Happy New Year! I got your order again! Thank you so much for your generous tip last time. Iâm really grateful."
Lin Wanwan remembered; this was the single mother.
Her gaze fell on the little girl behind the female driver: "Is this your daughter?"
The female driver, a bit embarrassed, explained: "I usually donât bring her along, but today is New Yearâs Eve, and the elder who helps look after her at home has returned to their hometown, so... If you mind, I can cancel the order."
Lin Wanwan sighed silently and said, "I donât mind so much, but the child is still young, and I donât have a safety seat in my car. Itâs dangerous on the highway."
Hearing this, the female driverâs face dimmed. She didnât want to trouble others but Lin Wanwanâs order was a long-distance one, rare and lucrative, so she braced herself to take it.
"Iâm really sorry, your concerns are valid. Iâm truly embarrassed for the trouble; Iâll compensate you for the delay. Please do book another driver."
Lin Wanwanâs heart softened, "No need, itâs cold outside. Let the child get in the car first, we can find a 24-hour shop and Iâll buy a child safety seat."
"No need, no need, itâs too much trouble." The female driver was taken aback and quickly declined.
"Itâs fine, get in the car. You and your child sit in the backseat first, we can switch before hitting the highway." Lin Wanwan wasnât in the mood to drive on the highway today.
Lin Wanwan didnât refuse the female driver, not just out of sympathy, but also because since the driver dared to bring her daughter along, she would presumably be more cautious when driving, as the child was her treasure.
"Thank you, thank you, sorry for the trouble! Thereâs no need to buy a safety seat, Iâm a very steady driver." The female driver expressed her gratitude repeatedly.
Lin Wanwan opened the map to find repair shops and car dealerships still in operation.
At this hour, big supermarkets and malls wouldnât be open, but repair shops and car dealerships might be.
Indeed, Lin Wanwan soon found a nearby 24-hour repair shop and drove over immediately.
Fugui, the German Shepherd, sat in the front passenger seat, curiously watching the mother and daughter in the back seat.
The child seemed younger than Little Qingyu, probably around 4-5 years old, and at this time was drowsy and soon fell asleep in her motherâs arms.
At the repair shop, luck was on Lin Wanwanâs side as they had child safety seats available.
This was part of the storeâs initial setup, intended to be a high-end, all-in-one repair shop with well-reputed safety seats prepared.
However, it was never sold and had been sitting in the warehouse for over three years. On the last day of the year, it finally sold one, to the ownerâs delight.
The female driver hurried to pay, but Lin Wanwanâs phone was quicker, so she paid first.
The female driver then said, "How about this, Madam, on the return trip, donât make an order, Iâll drive you for free to make up for the safety seat cost. I also havenât bought one for my child yet; we need one at home."
The safety seat was priced at two thousand yuan, about the same as the driving service fee from Mian City to Yongcheng, including the holiday surcharge.
Since she insisted, Lin Wanwan didnât argue.
The safety seat was quickly installed, and after securing the sleeping child in it, they set off.
Lin Wanwan didnât leave right away but first dropped Fugui back at the small villa to guard the house.
Her community was not far from the highway entrance, and after dropping off the German Shepherd, she officially hit the road. This time, it wasnât just driving assistance, Lin Wanwan let the driver handle the whole highway drive.
Though not in the best of spirits, in the wee hours of New Yearâs Eve, with a sleeping child beside her in the backseat, watching her peaceful sleeping face under the flickering lights lifted Lin Wanwanâs mood.
Lin Wanwan was someone who liked children; otherwise, she wouldnât have opened a school at the Lin Family Manor as a teacher or decided to adopt Qingyu upon their first meeting.
Hence, with the female driver and child along for the ride, she didnât find it troublesome.
If life werenât difficult, what mother would want to wander with her child on New Yearâs Eve?
Lin Wanwan began to recall that this single motherâs child mentioned an illness.
Having some free time, Lin Wanwan took the childâs hand, hanging to the side, to feel her pulse.
After a moment, Lin Wanwan released her hand, understanding.
The child had some heart issues, presumably surgically treated. The pulse indicated minimal aftereffects, and as long as strenuous activity was avoided, she would be like any other child.
The female driver noticed Lin Wanwanâs action in the rearview mirror and curiously asked, "Madam, you can read a pulse?"
"Yes, Iâm studying for a TCM doctor license," Lin Wanwan replied. "I just checked your daughter; she had heart surgery, right?"