Chapter 19: Severing Ties

“Comrades, please step aside. I need to pass something through the window.”

Song Yue turned to look.

A middle-aged man was rushing over, carrying a bag in one hand and a large backpack on his back.

Seeing this, Song Yue quickly retracted her head.

Yang Duo and her father heard the commotion and were about to step aside.

But before they could move, the man charged straight between them.

Fortunately, Yang Father reacted quickly, pulling Yang Duo aside just in time to avoid her getting knocked over.

The man didn’t seem to realize that he had almost run into someone. He rushed to the window without a second thought.

Yang Duo, nearly hit, glared at him in displeasure.

Yang Father comforted her, explaining that they were technically occupying the space, and since she wasn’t actually hit, there was no harm done.

After thinking about it for a moment, Yang Duo decided against demanding an apology.

The middle-aged man called out to the window, “Daughter, your things.”

With that, he shoved the bag in his hand through the window.

From behind Song Yue came a female voice. “Coming.”

As the words fell, a tall girl with an oval face squeezed in front of Song Yue and reached out to grab the bag.

With limited space, the girl had to lean forward to pull it inside.

Song Yue, seated in the corner, had no room to move back.

She did her best to dodge.

She managed to avoid her head and body, but her feet weren’t as lucky.

As expected, the girl stepped on her foot twice.

Yet, the girl acted as if she didn’t even notice, not sparing Song Yue a single glance. After securing the package, she simply turned and took a seat directly across from her.

Song Yue: “…”

Outside, the middle-aged man called out, “Liu Wei! Daughter, remember to write to your father when you arrive!”

“Got it!” Liu Wei responded. “If I write to you, you better send me money!”

The middle-aged man: “…”

Yang Duo also shouted, “Yueyue! Write to me as soon as you get there!”

Song Yue looked at her and replied, “I will!”

Just then—

A whistle blew, and a voice blared through a loudspeaker, instructing people on the platform to step back as the train was about to depart.

Yang Father pulled Yang Duo back.

Yang Duo’s eyes were red, tears welling up as she waved at Song Yue. “Safe travels!”

Song Yue waved back. “Alright!”

Liu Wei also waved impatiently at her father.

With the sound of the doors closing, the train started moving forward.

The scenery shifted.

Yang Father and Yang Duo, who had been standing on the platform, gradually disappeared from Song Yue’s view.

Once the train had left the station, Song Yue sat down and studied Liu Wei across from her.

Tall, oval face, single eyelids, and a few freckles on her face.

Liu Wei seemed slightly embarrassed under her gaze. She gave an awkward smile, about to say something.

But Song Yue spoke first. “You stepped on me twice just now. Are you going to apologize, or should I step on you in return?”

Liu Wei froze. “…”

A moment later, she responded with an apologetic expression, “Sorry, I meant to apologize after putting my stuff away, but I forgot.”

“By the time I remembered, you had already spoken up first.”

“Really, I’m sorry.”

Hmm.

What a convenient excuse.

From the moment she sat down until the train departed, at least five minutes had passed.

And now, another two minutes had gone by since they left the station.

Seven minutes total, yet she had just now remembered to apologize.

Hmm.

Song Yue smiled. “No need to be sorry. Since your memory isn’t great, next time you step on me, I’ll just step on you back.”

Liu Wei’s face stiffened awkwardly: “….”

Song Yue ended the conversation there, leaning back and closing her eyes.

Liu Wei opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but seeing Song Yue with her eyes closed, clearly uninterested in talking, she sighed.

She turned her head and looked around.

No one was beside her.

No one in front or behind either.

Liu Wei stood up to check.

Only then did she realize that besides herself and Song Yue, there were only five other passengers in the entire carriage.

And those five were sitting far away.

Liu Wei sighed again, sat down, and, having nothing else to do, let her gaze drift back to Song Yue.

Seeing that Song Yue still had her eyes shut, she could only turn to look out the window instead, watching the passing scenery.

Song Yue paid her no mind.

She was thinking—by now, that scumbag father should have been taken in, right?

First, the suspicion of selling his own daughter.

Then, undeniable proof of embezzlement.

No way he’d be getting out anytime soon. Maybe not ever.

Didn’t matter.

She was heading to the countryside, her household registration transferring with her.

As for whether his case would affect her, well, with human trafficking charges involved, she was the victim.

What kind of father sells his own daughter?

If worst came to worst, she’d just publish a notice to sever ties with him.

It didn’t matter.

She had plenty of time.

She didn’t know when she’d be able to return to the city.

If she remembered correctly, the policy for returning educated youths started rolling out next year, in ’76.

By 1978, full return policies would be in place.

In October 1977, the college entrance exam would be reinstated.

She’d just take the exam then.

After all, she had already stashed all the original host’s high school textbooks in her space.

The train rattled along, heading toward Heilongjiang.

—

Rong City.

Song Jianhua returned to the compound.

The elderly men and women basking in the sun greeted him warmly.

Though exhausted, Song Jianhua forced a smile and responded to each of them.

But as soon as he climbed the stairs, his expression darkened.

Last night, he had knocked on the door for half the night, but that money-losing brat refused to let him in.

He had to go sleep in another apartment, which had nothing in it. Sleeping there had been miserable…

All because of that wretched girl who refused to open the door!

If she still didn’t open up today, he’d break the door down!

Cursing inwardly, Song Jianhua reached the apartment door.

Seeing no lock on the door, he knew she was still inside.

He raised his hand, about to knock—

But the moment his fingers touched the door, before he even exerted any force—

The door suddenly fell backward with a loud bang, slamming onto the ground.

Song Jianhua was momentarily stunned.

Inside, the room was in utter disarray—clothes, broken chairs, everything scattered.

“AH!”

Snapping out of his shock, he rushed inside and headed straight for his room.

Only to find the door wide open.

The door itself—nowhere in sight.

Song Jianhua’s face turned pale, his legs trembling as he stepped inside.

Clothes littered the floor.

The wardrobe was gone.

The bed was overturned.

Song Jianhua trembled with rage, his face flushing red as he nearly choked from anger.

A moment later—

He howled, “Who the hell did this?!”

As he shouted, he frantically rummaged through the mess, searching for any remaining money.

While Song Jianhua was turning the place upside down—

A team of inspectors and police officers, responding to a report, arrived at his door.

When they saw the ransacked house, they paused in surprise.

Then one of them spoke. “Excuse me, is this the residence of Comrade Song Jianhua?”

Hearing voices, Song Jianhua stopped searching and turned to see the uniformed officers.

At once, he cried out,

“Officers! You got here just in time! My house has been robbed!”

One of the inspectors pulled out his credentials. “Comrade Song Jianhua, we received a report that you are suspected of embezzling and misappropriating state and collective property—”

A police officer also presented his badge. “Comrade Song Jianhua, Comrade Chen Yun has accused you of participating in the trafficking of your own biological daughter—”