Chapter 2

The trip was aimed at adventure-loving young people, hence all the extreme activities. Right away someone looked at Xiao Chen: “Why don’t we go take a look?”
Xiao Chen raised his eyebrows and said nothing on purpose.
Someone else said: “Yeah! We’ll know once we go.”
These days the bold got rich and the timid starved. What if there really was something good on that mountain? And if not, they’d lose nothing. They were here to have fun—one more stop, no big deal.
Xiao Chen saw his bait taken and played it up: “You all really want to go? It’s getting dark. If too few people sign up, forget it…”
Right away someone raised a hand: “I’m in.”
Others chimed in. They’d come this far; no one wanted to miss out.
Xiao Chen’s eyes flickered with a smile, but he cleared his throat: “Anyone who wants to go, register with me before six. 150 per person for the guide. Cash, Alipay, WeChat—no waiting after the deadline.”
To the steady ping of payment notifications, Xiao Chen smiled, then caught sight of Jiang Shan sitting alone in a corner.
The girl was right in front of a huge recess; the shadow hid her thin frame, and she’d been silent the whole time. You could easily miss her.
His smile faded a little.
As a guide, he’d finally met his least favourite kind of guest.
Most people travelled in small groups. This Jiang Shan had signed up alone. At every stop she hung back by herself—no camera, no photos, just sitting there in a daze.
He had no idea what she was zoning out about. At first he’d tried to look after the lone girl, but Jiang Shan didn’t play along. He’d worked so hard the whole trip, and she’d skipped almost every paid activity. By the second half he’d given up on her.
If you’re that broke, why travel? Xiao Chen was cursing her in his head.
But it was the last day; no need to make a scene. He put on a professional smile and said insincerely, “Everyone else has signed up. You really won’t go? We leave tomorrow. Such a shame to miss it.”
Jiang Shan’s face was a bit pale; she still clutched the booklet. “Sorry… I’m tired. I want to rest early.”
Xiao Chen gritted his teeth and forced a smile. “Then take care, staying here alone.”
Jiang Shan pressed her pale lips together and nodded slightly.
He wasn’t really worried about her—he was glad to leave her behind. As soon as she nodded, he turned and beamed at his real cash cows.
…
Jiang Shan went back to her room and locked the door.
Xiao Chen led the restless tourists around to the back of the hotel and up the mountain in secret. Getting caught didn’t matter to them; they were leaving tomorrow anyway.
Money-obsessed Xiao Chen and those carefree tourists had never once noticed that Jiang Shan was sick. When she slowed the group down they’d been sharp and mean, mocking her for being “naturally fragile.”
Jiang Shan had joined this tour to see the world in her last days.
The cold looks and the guide’s annoyance meant nothing to someone who was already dying.
She took her pill bottle from the inner pocket of her backpack, shook the tablets into her palm, and counted: three left. After today, she’d be ready to meet death.
She swallowed the pills and lay down on the bed.
The red booklet lay on the nightstand, last page open: Please lock your door at night. Have a good sleep and a pleasant journey.
She thought she heard the old wind-up clock on the wall—tick, tock—as if it were ten at night.
Xiao Chen and the others still hadn’t returned. The whole hotel was as quiet as an empty city.