"My gun has no eyes," the driver said coldly.
At that moment, Tang Yi had another thought. Her mother was her only family in this world, and now she was gone. Tang Yi felt there was no point in living. Perhaps death would be a release for her.
Tang Yi's lips curved upward slightly. Looking at the driver, she spoke calmly and respectfully, "I have no money, nor anything valuable. My life is also insignificant. If you want me dead, then I shall die."
The driver was stunned. Normally, when he acted like this, girls would be terrified and beg for mercy. Over the years, he had used this method to threaten girls, and they would all cry and plead, eventually handing over everything valuable they had. Some girls, lacking money, would even lie to their families to get them to wire money. This was the first time the driver had encountered a girl who was not afraid of death. He suddenly felt at a loss.
Tang Yi glanced at the driver indifferently and said, "Then do it. What are you waiting for?"
This was the first time a hostage had actively urged the kidnapper to act. The driver didn't know what to do. Tang Yi was truly in a bad mood and had lost the courage to live. Her mother was dead, and she was being threatened. If she could end her life this way, it would indeed be a good thing for Tang Yi.
The other hostages were impressed by Tang Yi's bravery. They, as men, were terrified, but this "fairy sister" was not only fearless of death but also dared to confront the robber, buying them time to call the police.
Soon, plainclothes police officers arrived and surrounded the vehicle. The driver, seeing this, was initially startled. He then reacted, pointing his gun at Tang Yi and cursing, "Damn it, you bitch, did you call the police?"
Tang Yi didn't react immediately, but she wasn't afraid. She no longer feared death, so what else was there to fear? Tang Yi calmly explained, "Brother, you've been aiming your gun at me for a while. Have you seen me look at my phone once?"
The driver paused and then realized that Tang Yi indeed hadn't looked at her phone. However, he retorted, "How do I know you're not working with them? You're distracting me to let them call the police."
"If you have a good memory, you should know that I got into the car alone. And at the stop where I got on, I was the only one. Do you think I could coincidentally meet an acquaintance midway and without any prior arrangement, call the police so tacitly that you'd be caught?"
"Even if what you're saying is true, I still have to treat you as a hostage to escape. I don't care. It would be better if you killed me."
After speaking, Tang Yi returned to her seat. Even with the gun pointed at her, she remained calm, as if none of this concerned her.
Suddenly, the bus door was pushed open, and police officers entered, subduing the driver. The driver was astonished, not expecting them to get in despite the locked door, and without his knowledge. The driver was handcuffed and taken away, while everyone else on the bus was brought to the police station to give statements.
Everyone on the bus praised Tang Yi's courage. They said that if Tang Yi hadn't stalled the driver, they wouldn't have had the chance to call the police. After everyone had given their statements and left, a police officer looked at Tang Yi, finding her somewhat familiar but unable to recall where he had seen her before.
The officer asked her a few routine questions and then said, "Miss Tang, your bravery and wit this time were instrumental in apprehending the driver."
"Actually, I didn't do much," Tang Yi replied calmly. At the time, she hadn't thought that far ahead. She hadn't intended to stall for time; she simply no longer wanted to live and had no goal to strive for. She hadn't expected her actions to accidentally save so many people. Without further explanation to the police, Tang Yi left the station after her statement.
She had intended to leave Yan City quietly, but shortly after getting into a car, she encountered this ordeal. Tang Yi took a deep breath and walked out of the police station. It was already dark. She looked up at the sky, dotted with stars, one of which shone particularly brightly. "Mom, is that you? Are you saying hello to me?" Tang Yi asked silently in her heart.
"Accept what fate brings." Since Tang Yi had arrived in a village only two stops away from Yan City, she decided to stay. Tang Yi found a small inn and stayed for the night. The next morning, as she was preparing to rent a place, she unexpectedly discovered a special school nearby. The children here all suffered from congenital diseases or were diagnosed with Down syndrome. Looking at the innocent eyes of these children, Tang Yi resolved to stay and teach. Her mother had told her to study well and contribute to the country; it seemed her education was now useful.
Tang Yi went to the principal of the school and applied to be a teacher. The principal observed Tang Yi. She was dressed neatly, was beautiful, and young. He didn't think a girl like this would stay long. The principal's initial impression was not to hire her.
So, the principal said, "The teachers here are essentially volunteer teachers. There is no salary, only 300 yuan for meals per month, averaging ten yuan a day. Accommodation is provided in the staff dormitories arranged by the school. Can you manage?"
"Principal, I can," Tang Yi replied. She hadn't expected a salary. These were special children who required special education. Moreover, she was temporarily homeless. Being with these children, who knew nothing yet understood everything, she felt she wouldn't be threatened or looked at with strange eyes. Here, she could relax and be her true, comfortable self. This was why Tang Yi decided to stay.
However, the principal didn't think so. He suspected this girl had argued with her boyfriend and decided to become a teacher. If they reconciled, she would likely leave without a second thought. Although Tang Yi's presence would benefit the children, the principal had to weigh the pros and cons. If Tang Yi resigned, what would happen to these children?
Therefore, the principal examined Tang Yi again and said, "Although there's no salary for teachers here, we require a contract. The contract starts at five years. Can you commit to that?"
"Principal, if we are special teachers, why do we need to sign a contract?" Tang Yi was somewhat confused.