A Different Path, No Way Back

The alarm rang throughout the house. Everything in sight was dark. Reluctantly, Ruan Xiuqi reached out and pressed the button. The harsh light jolted him awake. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, slipped on his slippers, and walked into the bathroom. His name was Ruan Xiuqi. He was twenty-four years old and a newly hired tour guide at Sanqi International Travel Agency. Today was his first time leading a tour to City X on his own. There were only nine tourists in his group, making eleven people altogether with him and the driver.