* Rebel *
Zhang Xiaoxi also saw this news. She was in extreme fear and regret, but even so, she still forced herself to come to Lu Jia's house and helped Zhou Xiuli, who was also in a daze, to the police station where they reported the case last time.
In fact, they knew that it was useless to go to the police station because Lu Jia was on the other side of the world and only went there to confirm the information.
The news from the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles basically confirmed that it was Lu Jia. She was indeed in a state of loss of contact at this time.
Perhaps she was mentally prepared. After the dust settled, Zhou Xiuli only held Zhang Xiaoxi's hand tightly this time. She could barely maintain her dignity, but she kept gasping for air.
But Zhang Xiaoxi was unwilling to wait. At this time, time was money.
Even if they flew to the western part of the United States right now, it would still take more than ten hours. If they waited for another ten hours, it was very likely that things would be pushed to a completely irreversible point.
Thinking of this, after Zhou Xiuli's consent, Zhang Xiaoxi immediately logged into all her social media accounts with red eyes and decided to ask for help from Chinese compatriots in the United States on the Internet to see if she could provide some clues to them and the local police.
However, Zhang Xiaoxi's request for help was sent out on the whole network for less than an hour. There were not many Chinese compatriots who provided information. On the contrary, some media contacted them faster.
Zhang Xiaoxi originally planned to ignore them. After all, they were very pressed for time now.
However, Zhou Xiuli changed her mind. She looked at Zhang Xiaoxi as if she had grabbed a life-saving straw." If I accept the media interview, will it let more people know about this matter?"
Zhang Xiaoxi hesitated. As a young person, she knew better about the current online atmosphere. A matter that was taken for granted according to normal people's three views would be interpreted by some people as having another layer of false meaning.
For a moment, she couldn't help but wonder if everyone knew that she was going to America with Lu Jia, but she canceled it for some unknown reason. Would those people jump out and criticize her?
However, this thought came and went quickly because Zhang Xiaoxi knew that the most important thing now was to find Lu Jia as soon as possible. Otherwise, she might really be killed because of her mistake!
Therefore, Zhang Xiaoxi agreed to the media interview on behalf of Zhou Xiuli in a private letter on Social networks.
Two hours later, Zhou Xiuli and Zhang Xiaoxi sat in front of the fastest group of media.
*
Lu Jia was so tired that on the fifth day of meeting Phoenix, she was almost exhausted.
Lu Jia was in a daze the whole way, especially when the car was shaking due to the bumps. If she didn't always remember that she had to get off the bus in Los Angeles and return home, Lu Jia felt that she would really be able to sleep until the end of time.
The sun outside the window had become dazzling and hot at some point. It happened to hit Lu Jia's hungry arm through the window. Although the air conditioner was on, the temperature in the car was still rising steadily. She vaguely remembered that they didn't wake up late this morning. They left an hour after breakfast.
Lu Jia opened her eyes in a daze and vaguely noticed that the shadow of the object outside the window only dragged a short tail.
Is it almost noon, or is it already 1:00 or 2:00?
She suddenly had a thought. Las Vegas was about a four-hour drive from Los Angeles. If it was already afternoon, they should be arriving soon.
Luka's cell phone was off, so she couldn't tell the time, but if they were close, they would be heading west from the San Bernardino junction; if not, they would be heading southwest along the highway.
The sun in the Northern Hemisphere always rose in the east and set in the west. This was the law of nature, especially since it was July now. The sun's direct point was near the Tropic of Cancer. Even Lu Jia, who had just woken up, quickly realized that they were not walking along or against the shadow. Instead, they were moving forward almost perpendicular to the shadow.
... is the South.
He wasn't headed for Los Angeles!
Realizing this, Lu Jia's mind went blank, and the remaining sleepiness completely dissipated. Lu Jia tried her best to slow down her breathing, hiding all her emotions deeply within it. She carefully turned her head to look at Phoenix, who was driving beside her, trying not to show any abnormality.
"You're awake?"
Her eyes had just touched Phoenix's side profile, and she did not expect him to notice her little move so quickly. She was shocked.
"Your stomach was growling just now."
Only then did Lu Jia realize that Phoenix had turned off the stereo at some point. In the car, only the roar of the car engine and the wind of the air conditioner could be heard.
She swallowed subconsciously, perhaps because the air conditioner had been blowing for a long time. There was almost no saliva in her dry mouth, and it even felt a little dry.
Perhaps sensing Lu Jia's nervousness, Phoenix said indifferently," Just bear with it a little longer. We're almost there."
Hearing him say that, Lu Jia was immediately a little angry. She took a deep breath and kept telling herself to calm down.
She couldn't wait for death, but she couldn't let the other party discover anything.
"I have to go to the bathroom. Can you stop the car?"
His eyes paused and then slowly moved to Lu Jia's seemingly natural face.
Lu Jia, on the other hand, tried her best to maintain the subtle expressions on her face and suppress the guilt in her heart.
However, very soon, Lu Jia realized that her lips were pressed too tightly, which might make her appear very nervous. She quickly lowered her head to hide the expression on her face, and at the same time, she tightly covered her lower abdomen." I want to go to the toilet!"
Phoenix's gaze quickly turned to the front again. Her pretty eyebrows raised slightly, and the corners of her lips curled into a smile." Do you mind going to the toilet in the wild this time?"
Since they were driving on a busy road and the surroundings were mostly wilderness, if Lu Jia wanted to go to the toilet, she only had one choice: the wilderness.
And just two days ago, Lu Jia was still a little reluctant to go to the toilet in the wild.
"…After experiencing so much, I naturally won't be as delicate as before."
"I understand."
- Understand what?
To be honest, Lu Jia was very worried that Phoenix might have realized that he was lying. Although he only spoke in a long and meaningful tone, Lu Jia could not help but think of those vicious big cats. These animals always liked to play with their prey and watched their prey think that they could escape and struggle desperately.
No, no, no. Lu Jia didn't show any abnormality from the beginning. He might not have noticed Donnie.
Phoenix wouldn't let her go to the bathroom, right?
After getting out of the car, Lu Jia would think of a way to escape.
It didn't matter if she didn't have enough money on her. Since Phoenix's video of her kidnapping had already spread in the United States, she could definitely think of a way to go to the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles to beg for help.
However, just as Lu Jia had an idea, she heard Phoenix say expressionlessly," There are a lot of cars on this highway. We'll reach San Diego in ten minutes. Just bear with it."
--!!!
Lu Jia turned her head in disbelief and looked at Phoenix, who was sitting in the driver's seat. She did not expect that he would directly expose her second deception and act so unscrupulously.
" You promised to send me to Los Angeles!"
“……”
Phoenix did not speak.
"…Are you sure I won't ask passers-by or the police for help?!"
She was furious. She straightened her body and faced him tensely. If it weren't for her basic rationality and politeness, Lu Jia really didn't know what she would do to Phoenix, who was driving.
“……”
Phoenix's long eyelashes quivered slightly, her eyes drooped, her lips pursed downward, a standard look of shame in microexpressions.
"Lou, I'm sorry to lie to you again, but yes, my destination is San Diego, on the border with Mexico, and then from San Diego to Tijuana, Mexico. If I had to detour to Los Angeles, it would take me an extra hour and a half. Time is very tight. I can't do it."
" The video you recorded earlier should have been discovered and located by them, but that won't fool them for long. When we reach the border, I'll find someone to secretly send you to Los Angeles."
However, Lu Jia had enough of Phoenix's lies." Caspar Phoenix, I really want to believe you, but how can I believe you after what you've done?!"
Lu Jia's eyes had already turned red unconsciously. She realized that this man in front of her was a complete liar and a fugitive lunatic. She only felt that her future was uncertain, and her fate was as fragile as duckweed in the storm.
Thinking of this, Lu Jia couldn't help but breathe rapidly. She raised her arm to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eyes and softened her tone weakly.
"I beg you, Phoenix, please let me leave. Why must you bring me with you? My presence around you will only increase your suspicion, won't it?"
Lu Jia seemed to have a breakdown, but to be honest, anyone who experienced such a thing would have a breakdown.
Seeing that Phoenix didn't respond, she quickly retracted her expression of weakness and tried to bargain with him." Caspar Phoenix, I know where you're going. If you let me go now, I promise I won't tell them!"
Vaguely, Lu Jia seemed to hear Phoenix sigh softly beside her. Then, the car that was driving suddenly changed course and drove to the emergency lane beside her. Then, the car slowed down rapidly, and Lu Jia rushed forward because of inertia.
The car stopped at the side of the road.
"…Lu."
Phoenix's slender fingers gently tapped the top edge of the steering wheel. His lips softly called Lu Jia's surname, then he turned around and looked at her seriously.
" Once you fall into their hands, they will do everything they can to make you talk. You don't understand what methods they will use to force you now. You shouldn't have to suffer that kind of pain."
" But what I can guarantee is that I have an informant in San Diego that I have known for many years. Hector has always been wandering in the gray area. As long as I give him enough money, he will help me send you to Los Angeles Airport safely and watch you leave smoothly."
However, Lu Jia had had enough of all this. No matter how good her temper was, there was a limit to her patience. Her brain had never been so clear-headed, because Lu Jia knew very well that it was impossible to fight him head-on. She had to find another way to counterattack.
Therefore, Lu Jia's attitude softened slightly, as if she had finally calmed down.
Even though she was still expressing her anger at him, she deliberately added a bit of grievance and helplessness to her tone. Tears started to accumulate in her misty black eyes unconsciously. As she spoke, she slowly moved closer to him, trying to block Phoenix's vision.
"Really? Mr. Phoenix, I'm sorry I yelled at you just now. I was just…too scared…"
Silence.
"But, are you really not going to lie to me again this time?"
She didn't know how her tone changed or if it was too stiff, but in such a tense atmosphere, Lu Jia couldn't care less. She quietly put her hand into her pants pocket. Although her phone was out of battery, it was a long-standing habit for Lu Jia to carry her phone with her.
This was the hardest thing Lu Jia had, but she felt that perhaps it was not hard enough. It seemed that she had to hit Phoenix's head a few more times.
Yes, she wanted to take advantage of his unpreparedness to smash Phoenix's head with her phone, knocking him unconscious and taking the opportunity to escape.
Thinking that Phoenix's head might be torn open later, Lu Jia's expectant expression became even more vivid. She looked at Phoenix affectionately and clenched her hand tightly on her phone.
Unknowingly, they were already close enough. In the narrow car, there was only about ten centimeters between the tips of their noses, and their breaths were constantly intertwined.
Under Lu Jia's deliberate manipulation, the atmosphere suddenly turned warm.
However, Lu Jia pretended to be friendly with Phoenix on the surface, but she couldn't help but sneer in her heart. She was thinking…
- Son of a bitch, believe his nonsense again and she will take his last name!
" I know it's hard for me to gain your trust again, but Lu, this time it's true. We're going to part soon."
Phoenix sighed softly. His hot breath touched Lu Jia's fine fur as he spoke, making her even more nervous.
However, Lu Jia didn't take Phoenix's nonsense to heart at all. Instead, she carefully took out the phone in her hand bit by bit, intending to teach him a lesson. She wanted him to understand that rabbits would bite even if they were cornered.
However, Lu Jia's hand suddenly froze at this moment because she suddenly felt a familiar palm quietly pressing down on her hand that was holding the phone in her pocket. The force was so strong that she could not struggle at all.
……？!
Lu Jia, who was feeling guilty, was shocked. All her attention was shifted to Phoenix's hand, which was placed on the back of her hand through the cloth. For a moment, she even forgot how to think.
However, almost at the same time, a huge force struck her. She had no choice but to lean back because of his sudden attack. Her back was firmly pressed against the hard door, and the irregular protruding handle of the door instantly pressed down on her spine.
Her vision seemed to be obscured by darkness. She suddenly felt a slight tingling sensation on her lips as she fell into a daze. Her familiar and slightly cool lips and teeth bit lightly, gradually increasing their strength.
"Hiss!"
Lu Jia gasped in pain. Her mouth was filled with a faint rust smell, but the numbness spread again like an electric shock. The man's strong body and the car door formed an even narrower space. Lu Jia was forced to bend into a very uncomfortable posture, and at the same time, she couldn't help but tremble because of what he did.
"Bad girl."
He murmured and sighed.
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