Wait, I Got in the Wrong Car (GL) - Chapter 5

The evening sky was awash with a deep crimson as the last rays of the sun painted half the heavens red. Outside the Fanxing Residential Area on the eastern outskirts, a girl with her hair tied in a ponytail, dressed like a university student, had no mood to admire the view. She stood anxiously under a broad laurel tree at the crossroads, glancing left and right. Her phone, whose casing was cracked, was taken out repeatedly. Each time her finger pressed three digits, she would hesitate and retreat. Biting her lip, she muttered, “If she doesn’t come back soon, I really will call the police.”

Ordinarily, the police only accepted missing person cases once more than twenty-four hours had passed.

Miao Jin had comforted herself the first two days she had waited under this tree, telling herself that the other girl might have missed the last bus, or perhaps returned home by another route. But this was already the third day, and still there was no sign of her. Miao Jin’s unease grew heavier with each passing hour.

She was so beautiful. What if she had been abducted by traffickers? Or targeted by a predator? Or worse, what if she had gotten into one of those black-market taxis that never returned?

Every grim headline about young women who met tragic ends flooded into Miao Jin’s mind. She had tossed and turned last night, tormented by red nightmares of being chased and hunted for two nights in a row. She wanted to call the police, but beyond knowing the girl’s name and the number of family members she had, she knew absolutely nothing else.

With regret and frustration twisting in her chest, Miao Jin came early again today to wait, fearing that the scatterbrained and naïve girl might even enter the wrong apartment complex.

She had waited from sunrise to sunset. Even the most glorious part of the sky was slowly swallowed by the darkness. At six o’clock sharp, the streetlamps flickered on, one by one, spreading in a soft arc along the road.

Then, in the dim glow, a tall familiar silhouette appeared, walking toward her as if treading on clouds.

Miao Jin instantly recognized the golden hair and aquamarine eyes glimmering in the fading light. Kicking off her ten-yuan flip-flops, she rushed forward in relief. What she saw made her heart ache. Mo Ying looked like a drowned kitten, her whole body soaked, her wet clothes clinging to her curves in a way that drew lecherous stares from passing strangers.

Panicked, Miao Jin hurriedly draped her sun jacket over Mo Ying’s shoulders and held her close, quickening her pace toward the complex. “Where on earth did you go? How does one leave just to eat noodles and end up missing for three whole days?”

Noodles.

That had been Mo Ying’s reason for going out in the first place.

Mentioning food made Mo Ying smack her lips involuntarily. Truthfully, she had been quite satisfied with her trip. At least her stomach had been filled, if only briefly.

Unfortunately, her differentiation period had struck. The food she had just eaten had been instantly consumed by her changing body. After lingering in the hotel’s large bathtub for a while, she had grown restless, missing the sea. She had left the hotel and, instead of heading back, slipped into a river she had chosen after much consideration. The water soothed her. Her adult legs adapted better than before. She no longer lost control like the previous day.

If not for her gnawing hunger, she would not have left the water at all.

“Hungry…”

Miao Jin’s anger melted at once. Her heart had been pounding from worry for two days, and here the girl came back with dripping hair and a torn dress, pouting pitifully.

Had she been attacked? Robbed? Or something worse?

“I will cook noodles for you.”

“I want spicy chicken wing noodles, with two eggs, three sausages, mushroom sauce, and also glutinous rice balls, cilantro, and mustard wontons…”

“…”

The list made Miao Jin recall the day they first met, half a month ago. In this shabby neighborhood, she had encountered two thugs who had robbed her. They had taken her money and phone, and still wanted to drag her away to “play.” Terrified, she had screamed for help. Then Mo Ying had appeared out of nowhere, striking them down like some invincible warrior. Through her tears, Miao Jin had not even seen what Mo Ying had used to knock them out.

When the two of them had still been debating what to do with the unconscious thugs, patrolling police arrived. Because Mo Ying had no ID card, they had both been taken to the station to make a report.

When they left the police station, Mo Ying had repeated the same action she was performing now, placing a hand on her stomach and sighing that she was starving. Miao Jin had felt sorry for her, bought her a meal, only to watch in shock as Mo Ying devoured everything in her refrigerator, the supplies meant to last her a whole month. She had nearly dragged the girl to the hospital.

“If I had not been caught up with work these two days, I should have gone with you. You did not run into anyone strange, did you?”

Mo Ying’s stomach was bottomless. She ate at lightning speed, all while struggling to recall Miao Jin’s question. A fish’s memory was not to be trusted. “I saw some people littering. I got angry at them.”

Littering. That was not so bad. Relieved, Miao Jin went to fetch a hairdryer to dry her golden curls, which gleamed like silk beneath her touch. But as she worked, she paused. “Wait, I remember you used to tie your hair with a string of beads. Where did that red string of beads go?”

On the third day after taking Mo Ying in, Miao Jin had received an extraordinary gift. Mo Ying had handed her a shining golden pearl, the size of an eyeball. Having only ever seen white pearls, she had been skeptical and taken it to a jeweler, only to learn it was genuine. The value was enough to buy a fifty-square-meter apartment in the suburbs.

Terrified by the treasure in her hands, Miao Jin had immediately returned it. Mo Ying, unconcerned, had called it rent and food money, even showing off her long pale legs with a glittering anklet of golden pearls.

Now Mo Ying chewed slower, propped her chin, and said, “It fell off.”

Miao Jin’s pupils widened. She shrieked, “It fell off!” Seeing Mo Ying startled by her outburst, she quickly softened her voice, though her trembling hands betrayed her panic. Setting down the hairdryer, she pleaded, “Think carefully where you dropped it. We can retrace your steps. Maybe no one has picked it up yet.”

Mo Ying looked at her strangely, unwilling to mention the beads. Pearls given away were like water spilled. They would not be taken back.

“It cannot be found.”

“How can you say that? We have not even started looking. Stop eating for now, we will go search right away.”

Yet the food gave her no joy. What Mo Ying truly craved was the red threads rising from within Miao Jin, their rich flavor so much more satisfying. “No. Are we livestreaming tonight?”

“Do you know how much those beads are worth? Forget livestreaming. What you earn in one night does not compare to a single pearl.”

Mo Ying blinked. Why did she need to earn money?

Because of the beads, they quarreled. Or rather, Miao Jin sulked alone. The thought of the jeweler’s valuation and then of the entire string of beads made her heart and body ache. It felt as though she had lost not a strand of beads but several apartments. That red string had over a hundred beads. If each pearl was worth the same…

She shivered at the thought. That was a hundred homes.

She had wanted to persuade Mo Ying further, but when she returned to the room, she found her blowing kisses at the air and slurping happily as if tasting invisible strands.

“…”

So she was the only one panicking.

Mo Ying sucked in two more strands of crimson, spicy and bitter, though still not as delicious as the emotions released by Lou Anran. She licked her lips and clapped her hands. “Livestream. I want to sing.”

Furious yet helpless, Miao Jin could never bring herself to refuse. Even if she was angry, she could not argue with money.

The livestream setup was simple. Miao Jin’s bedroom had a computer on the desk, with an extra condenser microphone, a sound card, and a rather plain-looking handheld mic for Mo Ying.

Miao Jin managed all the behind-the-scenes work. Mo Ying only needed to sing and occasionally answer questions from viewers.

While Mo Ying tested the microphone, Miao Jin suggested cautiously, “Should we turn on the camera this time? With your voice and your looks, you will be very popular. You could become a rising star quickly.”

Just yesterday, a supervisor from Youmei Live had contacted her. The company had been watching them for some time. With Mo Ying missing, Miao Jin had explained their absence. That had made the company rush to speak of a contract.

To her, this was a rare chance. She worked herself to the bone for a mere four or five thousand yuan a month. Rent, bills, and living expenses drained her dry, not to mention the trauma of that robbery. Yet Mo Ying only had to sing for a few hours to earn hundreds of thousands. And her popularity was only climbing.

Even after a fifty-fifty split with the platform, the money was more than enough to live comfortably. If things went as the supervisor said, Mo Ying could become a real online celebrity. Beyond streaming, endorsements and events would bring in millions annually. If her fame soared, even the entertainment industry might open its doors.

Mo Ying smiled sweetly. “Sure, I do not mind.”

Ten days earlier, a bored boy who called himself Octopus had stumbled into a livestream titled “Little Mermaid.” Amused that they shared the same oceanic nickname, he had reluctantly entered. The screen was pitch dark, no video, just audio. Maybe the streamer was too ugly to show her face. In this era, even a phone was enough to stream.

Octopus hated fake pretenses. He had left, mocking her on a forum. But an hour later, he returned in shame.

A cheerful song called “Little Whale Shark” had gone viral. The avatar was a silly fish icon, but the voice behind it, with soaring dolphin-like notes, had stunned everyone. Listeners gave up guessing her gender and simply bowed to the sound.

Through his premium headphones, Octopus felt his soul lifted, as if purified by the song. From that day, he became the most devoted fan of the Little Mermaid, showering her with rewards and clamoring that he wanted to give her children.

“I am a little whale shark.”

“One day I crashed into a wall.”

Octopus sang along at his desk, wiggling his hips to the beat, waiting eagerly for his mermaid to go live. His sister, Guan Xiuniang, handed him milk and laughed at his ridiculous dancing. “What nonsense are you singing? The final exams are coming. If you want your European trip this summer, you had better not let me down with your grades.”

Octopus, whose real name was Guan Miao, was seventeen and in full rebellion. But even he feared this smiling sister, who controlled all the money. “Sis, listen! I found a real singing talent. She is better than that Su Bai you like, so natural and spirited. Listen to this!”

He offered her one earbud. She ruffled his flashy hairstyle until it looked like a bird’s nest and gave him a tired smile. “As long as you are happy. Drink up. Play if you want, just do not stay up too late.”

True talent in singing was rare. Most just chased fame and spectacle. Any third-rate idol could claim to be a star.

She did not believe him, but humored him with a thumbs up before leaving. He scowled. “No taste at all.”

At eight o’clock sharp, the Little Mermaid’s stream began. Shooting stars flooded the screen, lagging the system until many were forced to reload. Only then did the video play smoothly.

Miao Jin gestured silently to Mo Ying, then peeled off the sticker that had covered the webcam.

Mo Ying puffed her cheeks nervously, staring wide-eyed into the camera. Under the glow of the spotlight, her emerald eyes shone like priceless jade. Curled up in the chair, she looked impossibly cute.

The viewers were caught off guard. They had grown used to the mystery, content with her voice alone. Even if she had been ugly, they would have forgiven it. They had been prepared for the worst.

No one expected this. Her face was ethereal, untouchable, so beautiful that no one dared disturb her. Looking at her through the screen was enough to feel complete.

Octopus let his milk dribble down his chin and stain his pants, too shocked to notice. He stared at the screen for ages before gasping, “My goddess… my goddess is a fairy.”

He clenched his fists and bounced in excitement, nearly overturning his desk.

Mo Ying’s smile grew sweeter, like she had tasted honey. Behind the scenes, colorful ribbons of emotion spilled into the room, wrapping her in sweetness.

“Hello everyone, I am the Little Mermaid.”

• Little Mermaid, look at me! I will give you children.
• So much talent and beauty, I am a fan for life.
• This face is perfection, her voice divine. I am in awe.

Yet the comments were not all kind.

• Got me hard.
• Sing me something dirty.
• How much for a night?

Octopus raged, blasting the offensive comments away with expensive gifts until Miao Jin kicked the trolls out. Peace returned.

Mo Ying reveled in the pink ribbons of joy flowing toward her. She was full, though the sweetness cloyed.

Elsewhere, her photos spread across forums, every angle of her face admired in collages.

• This sweet angel, I am in love.

Nine squares showed her cuteness, her feline curiosity, and her enchanting singing.

…

That day, Chu Shu had done nothing else but search for the missing little beauty. At her boss’s command, she had mobilized all her contacts but found no leads. Her only accomplishment that day was tracing back the group who had lured girls with the false promise of photo shoots, only to extort and humiliate them. She had “sent them on their way,” earning the police’s gratitude and a banner now hanging in her boss’s office.

Defeated, she sat outside her company, scrolling through social media. A trending topic caught her eye. She clicked and found herself staring at nine photos of the very girl her boss longed for.

She dashed upstairs, flung open the office door, and shouted with delight, “Boss, look, your little sweetheart has been found!”

Lou Anran turned her screen around. An entire table of international elites looked at her in silence.

Chu Shu froze.

She bowed a full ninety degrees, slipped back out, and quietly closed the door.