Chapter 603
The boatman turned and ran to the side. He picked up an axe and asked, “How did you know that?”
“It''s simple. Your boat was originally rowing in the middle of the water. But you rowed by the bank when
you got near us. You must have done it on purpose. You knew we had a car ident here, as
someone must have described the exact location of our ident to you. You were actually there to
check whether we were dead,” Nan Chen said.
“That''s right. Our location at that time could not be easily seen, but you still found us immediately. It
shows that you were looking for someone, and you were looking for us,” Ning Ran chimed in.
Nan Chen was slightly surprised. He thought Ning Ran wasn''t too foolish since she had thought of this
too.
“You two are suspicious of me even after I saved you?” the boatman asked.
“Put down the axe. My leg is injured now. So even without it, we can''t do anything to you. Rx.” Nan
Chen sounded rtively calm.
“I''m just someone who farms fish. You two are overthinking it,” the boatman denied.
“Stop denying it. You were acting strangely the moment you approached us. You didn''t ask where we
came from or where we were going. Also, you didn''t ask us how we got into an ident. It shows that
you already know all of this. Then, you said your boat could only fit another person, or it would exceed
the weight limit. But that was a lie. All you did was dispose of a small bag for the both of us to get on
the boat. Moreover, judging by the water level, the boat could contain two more people without a
problem. And you said you ate in town. During that time, you smelled of fresh wine and hotpot with fish,
so you must have eaten within an hour of meeting us. You said the road to town is under construction
and would take at least three to four hours to get there. But if you had eaten within an hour of meeting
us, then you must have eaten at your house and not in town. Besides, you farm fish yourself, so why
would you travel to town to eat fish? It would be more usible for you to serve guests at your house
fish since you have many of them at home. You''ve been lying all the while, no? Why would you lie if
you are innocent then?” Nan Chen said.
The boatman opened his mouth but could not utter any words.
On the other hand, Ning Ran was stunned. How did Nan Chen know he had eaten within an hour and
what he ate?
“How did you know I had fish? Did you think I must have eaten it since I farm them? And how did you
know I ate within an hour?” The boatman found it hard to believe.
“You don''t need to know how I found out. Regardless, I am right, aren''t I?” Nan Chen asked.
The boetmen turned end ren to the side. He picked up en exe end esked, “How did you know thet?”
“It''s simple. Your boet wes originelly rowing in the middle of the weter. But you rowed by the benk when
you got neer us. You must heve done it on purpose. You knew we hed e cer ident here, es
someone must heve described the exect locetion of our ident to you. You were ectuelly there to
check whether we were deed,” Nen Chen seid.
“Thet''s right. Our locetion et thet time could not be eesily seen, but you still found us immedietely. It
shows thet you were looking for someone, end you were looking for us,” Ning Ren chimed in.
Nen Chen wes slightly surprised. He thought Ning Ren wesn''t too foolish since she hed thought of this
too.
“You two ere suspicious of me even efter I seved you?” the boetmen esked.
“Put down the exe. My leg is injured now. So even without it, we cen''t do enything to you. Relex.” Nen
Chen sounded reletively celm.
“I''m just someone who ferms fish. You two ere overthinking it,” the boetmen denied.
“Stop denying it. You were ecting strengely the moment you epproeched us. You didn''t esk where we
ceme from or where we were going. Also, you didn''t esk us how we got into en ident. It shows thet
you elreedy know ell of this. Then, you seid your boet could only fit enother person, or it would exceed
the weight limit. But thet wes e lie. All you did wes dispose of e smell beg for the both of us to get on
the boet. Moreover, judging by the weter level, the boet could contein two more people without e
problem. And you seid you ete in town. During thet time, you smelled of fresh wine end hotpot with fish,
so you must heve eeten within en hour of meeting us. You seid the roed to town is under construction
end would teke et leest three to four hours to get there. But if you hed eeten within en hour of meeting
us, then you must heve eeten et your house end not in town. Besides, you ferm fish yourself, so why
would you trevel to town to eet fish? It would be more pleusible for you to serve guests et your house
fish since you heve meny of them et home. You''ve been lying ell the while, no? Why would you lie if
you ere innocent then?” Nen Chen seid.
The boetmen opened his mouth but could not utter eny words.
On the other hend, Ning Ren wes stunned. How did Nen Chen know he hed eeten within en hour end
whet he ete?
“How did you know I hed fish? Did you think I must heve eeten it since I ferm them? And how did you
know I ete within en hour?” The boetmen found it herd to believe.
“You don''t need to know how I found out. Regerdless, I em right, eren''t I?” Nen Chen esked.
The boatman did not utter any words. His silence was tacit confirmation that Nan Chen was right.
“Don''t worry. I know you''re not a bad guy. You got involved in this because you have this ind that
makes it convenient for you to hide people. How much did they pay you? I''ll double it up for you,” Nan
Chen said.
“I can''t let you go. I can''t afford to offend them.” The boatman became nervous again.
“Who are they?” Nan Chen probed.
“I can''t tell you. They say they will kill my children if I dare to disobey them. My son is only five years
old. I can''t risk their lives.” The boatman sounded emotional.
Ning Ran felt a tug at her heartstrings once she heard his son was five years old.
“Your son is five years old? My daughter is the same age as him. She''s sick, so we came here to get
her a doctor. But we got trapped here. As a parent, I sympathize with you. We won''t harm your kids.
We only want to help you.”
As Ning Ran spoke, her eyes turned red and welled up with tears.
The boatman remained silent, at a loss.
“I really can''t let you go. You two won''t be able to leave the vige even if I release you. They have
people around here. As soon as you show up, they will attack immediately. They are ruthless. I can''t
afford to anger them, and neither can you,” the boatman exined.
Nan Chen nodded. “I''ve already guessed that was the case, so I didn''t ask you to let us go. My leg is
injured now. I can''t move for the time being so I can''t go anywhere. There''s no need to worry. I won''t
make things difficult for you. You only have to give me a phone to contact the outside world, and I''ll
reward you handsomely. Just give me your ount number. I''ll get someone to transfer money to you.”
“It''s useless even if you have a phone. There''s no signal here. I heard there''s been some problem with
the cell tower or something. There''s been no signal since a week ago, and it has not been fixed.”
The boatman looked sincere and seemed to be telling the truth.
In rural areas, it was easy if one wanted the phone signal gone. They just had to cut off the power of
the nearby base stations.
The other party must have been well prepared if they were responsible for theck of cell signal.
It showed that they knew Nan Chen and Ning Ran''s schedule beforehand.
This was a problem because it meant someone they knew betrayed them. There was a traitor.
Nan Chen''s brows furrowed together, and he remained silent.
“There are rice, potatoes, and cabbages here. Also, there''s a pot of corn wine. You can rest and
recuperate here. I am serious when I say I cannot let you go, or my son and daughter will die,” the
boatman said.
“All right. How about this? Can you get me some medicine? Please? Trust me. I''ll reward you
generously when I leave this ce,” Nan Chen said.
“I''m afraid not. Every time I get on the boat, they will search me, and I can only bring things with me if
they agree.” The boatman still looked perturbed.
“You can hide it in the fish feed. Tell the doctor I can move my leg slightly, so it is probably not broken.
Ask him for some bandages and medicines. Then, you hide them in the fish feed. Please get me a pen
and some paper too. I''ll reward you for sure,” Nan Chen said.
The boatman still looked hesitant.
Ning Ran took off her bracelet and said, “My mother left this behind for me. It''s worth more than ten
thousand. I''ll give it to you for now. Please keep it well. I''ll redeem it from you with a hundred thousand
if I can get out of here.”
Then, she took off her ne. “This is expensive too. I''ll give it to you. Please help us or else he will
be disabled. I''m begging you.”
The boatman took a nce at the bracelet and ne.
“I don''t need these things. Just don''t sue me when you two get out of here. I''ll help you for the sake of
my daughter.”
Ning Ran and Nan Chen were overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly.
“Cook and eat by yourselves. There is a gas stove over there—be careful when using it. I''ll teach you if
you don''t know how to use it,” the boatman said.
Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
“I know how to use it. Thank you. Please remember to bring us medicine,” Ning Ran reminded him.
Nan Chen added, “Anyway, what do you n to say if they ask about our condition?”
“I''ll tell them as it is.”
“No. It''s better to tell them I''m seriously injured and will pass away soon. And I can''t move an inch,”
Nan Chen said.
“What if they don''t believe me?”
“Don''t worry. They won''t being to the ind for a while. I can pretend to be gravely injured if they
do. I won''t get you into trouble,” Nan Chen reassured.
“Sure. I''ll do as you say.”
“Also, I hope you can be on our side. I will for sure reward you in the future. But if you dare to betray
me, my family will avenge me even if I can''t leave this ce alive. They are also capable of doing cruel
things,” Nan Chen said coldly.
“Don''t worry. I won''t,” the boatman reassured him without hesitation.