In the distance, the sunlight piercing out of the clouds eventually faded away. It wasn’t a sunny day people had expected, but that mattered little in a city where people headed to work regardless of the weather.
What can stop the routined lives of humanity? Nothing it seems.
Not disaster, nor accidents.
Carrying her backpack, she walked to the entrance of a hotel and found a place to sit. From her backpack she took out some meat buns which she just bought and were still warm. There was a famous meat bun store here, and Yan Huan had eaten there once when she visited Serene City. The taste left an impression on her, and she couldn’t find the same taste at any other store, despite the similarities they offered.
She bought five meat buns, which she began to eat in large bites. She wasn’t hungry, neither did she want to eat, but she knew she had to eat.
She checked the time. Almost noon. It’s coming.
She took out her phone and called a number.
“Hello?” Lu Jin’s voice came from the other end, unsurprisingly.
“It’s me, Dad,” said Yan Huan, taking a bite out of the meat bun, her eyes fixed on the hotel entrance. Some people were entering, some leaving, some checking out and checking in with luggage in hand. A hotel was always a hotel, never a home.
“So it’s Huanhuan,” said Lu Jin, delight filling his voice. “I heard from Lu Yi that you are in Serene City too.”
“Yes,” said Yan Huan with an air of affected breeziness. “I was hoping Dad would treat me to dinner!”
“Sure!” said Lu Jin. He checked the time. “How about tomorrow? Dad will take you to eat anything you want.”
“Thanks, Dad!” said Yan Huan, taking another bite out of her meat bun. “By the way, where are you staying right now?”
“I’m staying at…” Lu Yi pondered. “Hotel Magnifique, the one in the center of Serene City.” He had seen the name when he inspected the room card. “Room 603.”
Hotel Magnifique, room 603, the third room on the sixth floor. Yan Huan noted it down.
She stuffed down another meat bun. Her tummy was starting to hurt, even though she hadn’t eaten much. Five meat buns, each smaller than the size of her palm, wasn’t even enough for Lu Yi in one serving, but even one made her bloated.
She twisted open a bottle of water and took a gulp, trying to push down the meat bun remains in her throat. Then she realized it wasn’t the meat bun that was stuck, but her worry and fear that had lumped up.
She shoved the bottle back into her bag. The originally half-filled bag felt much lighter now. There weren’t many things in it in the first place—perhaps the meat buns had propped it up.
She hugged her bag tightly, pressing her face against it, waiting as time passed slowly and painfully. She wanted time to go faster, but at the same time, she prayed that the dreaded time never arrives.
She woke up when she felt a slight tremor in the ground. She quickly got up and checked the time. It was going to be four.
Serene City Large Earthquake had occurred at 4:10 pm.
How could she fall asleep? Damn it!
She quickly carried her backpack and raced forward, her heart racing as cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
Time passed, bringing them closer to the endpoint of their lives.
“Miss…Are you…” said the door boy when he saw Yan Huan. Before he could finish his question, Yan Huan had raced past him and pressed for the elevator. The elevator wasn’t moving. Someone on some level must be holding it open. She checked her watch again. Less than 7 minutes remain.
She turned and ran for the staircase.
First floor, second, third…
By the time she reached the sixth floor, Yan Huan was completely out of breath, but she dared not dally. No extra breaths, no breaks, no stopping. Only 6 minutes left.
603?
603….
Where is it? Where the hell is it? Her flustered heart was on the verge of leaping out of her chest. What if he wasn’t there? What if she searches the wrong place? What if he happened to be out?
<ol start=”603″>
She’s here.
Yan Huan rapped on the door.
Open it! Why wasn’t it opening? Why? She was on the verge of tears. Five minutes left. There’s no time left, for real. Why was she this useless? How could she have fallen asleep at a time like this? She felt like slapping herself.
Was the tragic history going to repeat itself? Now with the addition of her own life?
Not like this. She hadn’t repaid Ye Shuyun and Lu Yi yet. She hadn’t lived her second life to the fullest yet.
The door finally creaked open.
Lu Jin came out with a look of helplessness, a jacket loosely draped over him, his hair still wet, and a pair of trousers carelessly slipped on. He didn’t even have time to put on shoes.
“Dad…” whimpered Yan Huan. There was no time to explain—4 minutes left.
“Follow me, Dad,” said Yan Huan, dragging Lu Jin along before he could even put on her shoes.
“What’s happening?” asked Lu Jin, letting her drag him along. There wasn’t time to wait for the lift, so they took the stairs. “What’s wrong, Huanhuan?”
Yan Huan never stopped even after they reached the first floor.
Her chest hurt, but she dared not stop. No time. There really wasn’t any time left.
“I felt the ground shaking, Dad! Could be an earthquake!”
Suddenly, she shouted in the direction of the hotel. “Run! An earthquake’s coming!”
As she shouted, she ran out of the hotel while dragging Lu Jin behind. As they dashed out, the people in the lobby were left dumbfounded as a mass of people flooded out of the hotel.
“Are you alright, Huanhuan?” asked Lu Jin worriedly. He thought she might be having a fever, one that gave her hallucinations. The clamor had attracted a crowd, and people from within the hotel were still running out.
Yan Huan’s eyes were fixed on the hotel. At that time, no one saw the silence and despair within them.
