Today, I Have Yet to Become a Doll

A long time passed…

Shen Mo sighed softly, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

He walked to the bed and started tidying up. He gathered Bai Youwei's clothes, the tin can she used as a water glass, and the folding cane leaning against the corner of the bed. He put everything away, then reached out and pushed her wheelchair.

Bai Youwei grabbed his wrist and looked up at him, her clear black eyes filled with curiosity.

Shen Mo remained silent.

Her fingers slid down his hand, slipping into his palm. His hand was broad and warm, and her restless fingers traced the rough calluses on his fingertips.

"Hey, say something." She laughed innocently, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Do you need me to give you another chance?"

Shen Mo pulled his hand away, ignoring her teasing. He held the wheelchair steady and pushed her out.

This time, the usually short-tempered Bai Youwei didn't get angry. She just let out a cold snort.

Later, Shen Mo carried her into the passenger seat. Perhaps because she was truly tired, Bai Youwei fell asleep not long after the SUV started moving.

Tan Xiao and Teacher Cheng sat together in the back seat.

Behind them, the trunk was crammed full of luggage and food, along with two buckets filled to the brim with tap water. The cool motorcycle had been reluctantly left behind at the toll station by Tan Xiao.

And so, the group set off once more.

…

The journey from Zhenjiang to Yangzhou, crossing the Runyang Bridge, should only take about 30 minutes. But Shen Mo drove slower and slower.

Because along the way, they didn't see a single soul.

It was too quiet…

As if all living things had vanished into thin air.

A city shouldn't be like this.

The Yangtze River flowed beneath them, but there wasn't a single boat on the water. Only the wind whistled past their ears as they crossed the bridge.

The car continued onward. Occasionally, they would spot a few vehicles by the roadside, but there was no one inside, not even a doll.

The sun beat down from above, baking the earth below. Yet, everyone's heart felt like it was soaked in ice water, a chill creeping up their spines.

No one knew where the people in the city had gone.

Shen Mo, behind the wheel, grew increasingly cautious. He drove along the streets, carefully observing their surroundings. Even the usually lively Tan Xiao was staring out the window, holding her breath.

According to their original plan, they were supposed to take Teacher Cheng to Jiangyang Middle Road first.

However, as they neared their destination, they encountered a thick fog.

Yes, the kind of fog commonly seen in autumn and winter.

White, dense, and hazy, it appeared unseasonably in the middle of a sunny day, enveloping all the streets and buildings. They could no longer see the road ahead.

This fog was too strange. Shen Mo didn't dare to approach it directly. He changed routes, driving slowly along the edge of the white mist.

They circled around most of Yangzhou City, but they still didn't see a single person! The streets, shops, squares, parks, hospitals… every place they went, there was no one!

Where were all the people?

Could they all be hiding?

Hiding in the fog?

Should they go in too?

Would there be danger in the fog? And how did this fog even appear?

There were no answers.

Teacher Cheng thought of her elderly parents, both in their seventies. She wrung her hands together, her expression grave.

For the first time, Tan Xiao felt a flicker of panic. "What should we do?" she asked.

Shen Mo gripped the steering wheel, turning at the intersection ahead. "Let's go to the supermarket first," he said in a low voice.

Tan Xiao looked even more bewildered. "To find food? But the trunk is already full…"

"To find people," Bai Youwei said calmly, her eyes still closed as she leaned back in her seat. "Yangzhou is rumored to be one of the few safe cities. Not only do they need to settle their own residents, but they also need to accommodate a large number of people seeking refuge from other places. Logically speaking, it should be overcrowded, and food should be scarce. The supermarket is a place where people need to go frequently. Maybe we can find some clues there."

"Yes, let's go to the supermarket and see…" Teacher Cheng wiped the corner of her eyes and nodded firmly. "I know a big supermarket, it's not far ahead."

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