After hanging up the video call, Rosalind lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Suddenly devoid of her usual workload, she found the leisure to simply lie down somewhat unfamiliar. She reached for her phone, intending to check the latest financial news, only to notice an unread message. It was likely sent during her video call with Floyd, which she hadn’t checked after disconnecting.
The message from the Wayer City driver read: **”Hello, have you gone to sleep yet?”**
Rosalind remembered the many gifts he had given her last time-food, drinks, and supplements. Expecting he must need something to contact her this late, she felt obliged to reply. She sensed he was a good person, straightforward and not the type with ulterior motives. His words were always appropriate, never making her uncomfortable.
**”Not yet, what’s up?”** she typed back.
The driver from Wayer City replied: **”I heard you were going to Jingtown. I’m not familiar with the area and was thinking of traveling there. Could you tell me about some local features?”**
Jingtown… She was more than just familiar with it.
**”I’m from Jingtown. Can we talk over voice? I’ll explain it to you.”** She suggested, preferring voice communication after a long day at work over texting.
After sending the message, Rosalind wondered if she was being too forward. It was late at night, and despite the age difference, the fact that he was a man-and possibly married-could lead to misunderstandings.
Thinking to add **”If it’s inconvenient, never mind”** she hadn’t finished typing when his call came through. Hesitating only a moment, she accepted the call.
“Hello,” came his voice.
It sounded vaguely familiar. The last time they had met, she was in a rush to the night market and hadn’t paid much attention to his voice. Their interactions had been through text, and hearing his mature voice now was somewhat surprising.
“Hello, driver,” Rosalind responded with a smile.
“Are you traveling to Jingtown with your family?”
“Just me,” he answered.
Traveling alone? Rosalind was puzzled. If it were her, she’d prefer to relax alone, sleep, or just lie down.
Sensing her surprise due to her delayed response, he continued, “I have a friend in Jingtown looking to develop a convenient taxi app, and I want to check it out.”
“Really?” Rosalind became interested, a professional curiosity.
“Doesn’t Jingtown have a taxi app?”
“There’s a Quick Taxi app, but it’s not comprehensive and lacks wide coverage. The company hasn’t prioritized Jingtown, so there hasn’t been much promotion.”
“True, Jingtown’s mountainous roads and compact city layout make it hard to navigate. To get more people on board, you first need willing car owners and then a strong marketing push,” Rosalind mused, momentarily forgetting he had asked her for travel tips. She seriously contemplated the feasibility of the project.
“If I weren’t leaving the country, I’d actually like to get involved,” she admitted.
“It seems you have a good insight,” he noted.
Rosalind chuckled, “It’s just a thought!”
He asked, “Are you interested?”
“Yes, but… I’m moving abroad soon and won’t be living here anymore. I’m afraid I can’t be involved in this project.”