Chapter 167: A Hair’s Breadth Away

The moment the falling rock shattered the window, Qin Yun, who had been staring blankly outside, suddenly turned her head, instinctively looking in Fang Zhou’s direction to see if he was alright.

The sound had come from that direction.

But it wasn’t Fang Zhou’s row; it was the row behind them.

When she first saw Chu Xinran clinging to Fang Zhou’s arm, Qin Yun couldn’t help but narrow her eyes slightly.

Her gaze lingered on Chu Xinran’s hands wrapped around Fang Zhou’s arm, and she suddenly smiled.

How glaring.

Fang Zhou, you tolerate your ex-girlfriend so much that you let her cling to your arm, yet why are you so repulsed by me?

Qin Yun felt really uncomfortable, her hands unconsciously clenching at her sides.

Recalling how Fang Zhou publicly chose Qiao Sisi yesterday only made her feel even worse, like she had swallowed something filthy.

Why? Why can they both do it, but I can’t?

Qin Yun’s mood was as gloomy as the rainy weather outside, shrouded in mist and pouring rain.

The driver at the front had no idea about the thoughts of the people on board. He gripped the steering wheel with full concentration, not daring to relax for a moment.

He had driven this road for over ten years and had encountered rainy days before, but this was his first landslide. He was very nervous.

Falling rocks constantly tumbled down ahead, big and small stones sliding past, always giving the feeling they might be hit at any moment.

Sitting at the back, Fang Zhou had the illusion of crossing a bombing zone in a game, feeling as if justice from the sky would strike at any moment.

Everyone was on edge, the tension and fear spreading, weaving a heavy net that enveloped them all.

Under this immense pressure, worry and anxiety could turn into a sharp knife ready to pierce the net at any moment.

And now, it was just barely maintaining calm.

This fragile calm was shattered as another rock hit the window.

“Ah!!!”

This time, the passengers weren’t so lucky.

Qi Le got hit by the shattered glass, injuring his arm. Though it wasn’t serious, the sight of blood flowing out acted like a signal, igniting everyone’s emotions.

“Stop the bus! It’s too dangerous! Don’t drive any further!”

Someone stood up and shouted, wanting the driver to stop the bus.

That sharp voice was like the first stone breaking the calm surface of the lake, revealing what lay beneath.

“Yes! Stop the bus, don’t drive any further! It’s too dangerous!”

“Waaah, why is this road so long? Why haven’t we reached a safe area yet?”

A young girl started crying out of fear, her unrestrained sobs igniting everyone’s emotions like fireworks.

More and more people began to speak up, saying they shouldn’t go any further.

The director, feeling helpless, had to ask the driver to stop.

“Stop for a moment!”

He was also under great pressure, regretting not waiting a couple of days. Rushing this one or two days, he had no idea what lay ahead.

Luckily, there was a doctor on board to bandage Qi Le.

“Open the door! I want to get out!”

Someone pounded on the door, asking the driver to open it, seemingly wanting to walk out.

Fang Zhou stood up, walked over quickly, and pulled the person back.

“Don’t get off the bus. Falling rocks don’t have eyes. If one hits your head, it’ll be disastrous.”

Fang Zhou’s harsh words were necessary; such mountain accidents were too frequent. On the bus, at least they had some protection. Outside, they’d be at the mercy of the falling rocks.

The person thought for a moment and found Fang Zhou’s words reasonable, retracting their hand and sighing deeply instead.

“So what should we do?”

Fang Zhou went to the back to check, seeing that the mud from the landslide had already moved some distance away, though the road was still muddy, it wasn’t life-threatening.

The yellow mud mixed with rainwater pounded on the roof, like a young beast anxious for milk, making everyone uneasy.

Looking at the side of the mountain, the rain was washing down, causing rocks to slide occasionally.

The entire mountain had no trees to cover it, and the top was out of sight, making it impossible to predict when danger might strike!

Fang Zhou made a decisive decision, running to the front to speak to the driver.

“Drive, sir, go through this section as fast as you can!”

His words coincided with the driver’s thoughts.

Based on his years of experience, staying here was the most dangerous.

With Fang Zhou’s encouragement, the driver floored the accelerator, and the bus sped off.

Due to inertia, everyone’s bodies leaned forward considerably, those without seat belts crashing into the front seats.

Luckily, the leather seats cushioned the impact.

However, this unconsulted action of driving off caused anger among the passengers.

Especially Qi Le, who was still being treated, the alcohol swab in the doctor’s hand stabbed into his flesh, causing him to inhale sharply in pain.

“Fang Zhou, what are you doing!”

Qi Le was so angry he reverted to his native dialect.

“Yeah! We said to stop, why are we suddenly driving off again? It’s dangerous!”

“Please, our lives matter too. What if we get hit again going forward?”

Complaints and grievances followed, while Fang Zhou stood by the driver, helping him bear the pressure.

He whispered to the driver, “Don’t mind them, just drive.”

“Fang Zhou! Are you even listening to us?”

“You’re too autocratic! Why should the driver listen to you? Damn it!”

Fang Zhou calmly observed the right-side mirror, his gaze fixed on the mountain behind them, ignoring the accusations.

In critical moments, equality is useless and only hinders judgment.

If they had discussed, most would have chosen to wait for rescue.

And they would have wasted time.

It was better to be the bad guy and act first, explain later!

“Yeah, why don’t we just wait until the rain stops? Why the rush…”

Before he could finish, a loud rumble drowned his voice.

The deafening sound echoed through the valley, like a thunderbolt striking the hearts of everyone, making their pulses race.

Everyone looked outside in panic and saw more mud and rocks suddenly appearing beside the bus!

Looking further back, they saw that the spot where they had just stopped had experienced another small collapse, right onto the road!

So this is what it means to be a hair’s breadth away!

Everyone turned pale, looking at Fang Zhou with gratitude. He had just saved them!