Morning came with a thin mist.
On the mountain road, mist drifted over the branches of the fir trees on either side, then scattered in the breeze stirred up by the passing car.
"Yeah, that's right. Turn right at the next entrance."
Inside the black sedan, Xia Lun sat in the passenger seat, studying a map as he directed White Line.
Warm air from the heater brushed his cheeks. He yawned, then glanced at the digital clock above the glove compartment. It was seven in the morning.
He and White Line had set off at six. They had been in the car for an hour now.
"Are we sure we're not lost?" White Line sounded uneasy. "There's a bus stop up ahead, but I don't remember it being there last time."
"That's Blue Creek Valley Station. The route opened three years ago." Xia Lun checked the map again. They were on the right road. "When was the last time you drove this way?"
"Um..." White Line pressed her lips together. "I can't quite remember, but it must be nearly ten years ago?"
"Well, there you go. You haven't driven along Creek Valley Road in ten years." Xia Lun smiled. "White Line, relax. We're here for a vacation and a date. You don't have to be so tense."
"..." White Line blinked. "Am I tense?"
"You've voiced a worry or warned me about a risk five times already." Xia Lun materialized a cup of coffee from his Personal Space and took a satisfied sip. "Honestly, you're more nervous than you are in the game."
"Xia Lun," White Line said suddenly.
He turned toward her. "What is it?"
"..." White Line fell silent for a moment, then said softly, "Nothing."
The engine hummed on. As the fog thickened, White Line switched on