Chapter 22: Step Those Feet Back

Lin He ran over to swap seats with the people nearby, forcibly switching out five seats and bringing them over here.

Once the five of them had moved their seats and settled in, Lin He started up again. “Everyone, fate has brought us together, and it’s even more of a coincidence that we’ve been assigned to the same place. Who knows, we might even end up in the same brigade?”

“How about we introduce ourselves? I’ll go first.”

“My name is Lin He, I’m eighteen years old, from Beijing.”

After introducing himself, he pointed to the two people sitting across from Song Yue. “These two— the girl is Li Xinyue, the guy is Zhao Zirui. Like me, they’re also from Beijing.

“The girl is eighteen, the guy is twenty. The two of them are dating.”

When Li Xinyue was introduced, she lifted her chin proudly, while Zhao Zirui smiled faintly.

After Lin He finished, he looked at the others. “Alright, your turn.”

Liu Wei was the first to speak. “My name is Liu Wei, I’m eighteen, from Rong City.”

The others followed suit.

“My name is Liu Cheng, I’m nineteen, from Xishi.”

“My name is Zhang Shumin, I’m eighteen, from Shanshi.”

“……”

“……”

Among the five new arrivals, the remaining three were a girl named Li Mei and two guys, Ding Ping and Li Jun.

Once the introductions were done, only Song Yue hadn’t spoken.

Lin He squinted at her with a grin. “Comrade Song, you’re the only one left.”

Song Yue glanced at the sun, then at Lin He, the social butterfly. “Song Yue, eighteen, from Rong City.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Wei looked at her. “Song Yue, you’re from the same place as us, right? Since we’re all from the same city, if you weren’t, wouldn’t it be—”

Song Yue chuckled. “What? Are you about to kick me out of my seat?”

Liu Wei was caught off guard. “I was just thinking—”

Lin He rolled his eyes at her. “Liu Wei, are you dumb? If Song Yue weren’t from our city, she wouldn’t have joined us in the first place. She would’ve just refused.”

Liu Wei hadn’t expected Lin He to stand up for Song Yue and felt a little embarrassed. “Uh… really? I didn’t notice that.”

Feeling awkward, she turned back to Song Yue with a pitiful expression. “Song Yue, I was just asking casually. You didn’t have to—”

“I know stepping on your foot earlier was wrong, but I already apologized. It’s been a few days now, can’t you just let it go?”

Liu Wei’s words made the others frown and shift their gaze toward Song Yue.

Taking a deep breath, Liu Wei mustered up her courage and said, “If you really can’t let it go, then… step on me back.”

Song Yue immediately responded, “Alright.”

Liu Wei and the others were stunned.

Then Song Yue stomped on Liu Wei’s foot— twice.

“Ah!” Liu Wei cried out in pain.

Song Yue feigned a panicked look and adopted a sweet, innocent tone. “Oh no, I didn’t mean to. Comrade Liu, you’re so generous— you won’t hold it against me, right?”

Liu Wei was speechless, her anger bubbling inside, but she could only stare at Song Yue with a wronged expression.

Li Xinyue shuddered, glancing at Song Yue with a trace of fear.

Sure enough, this woman wasn’t afraid to get physical.

Zhao Zirui, on the other hand, looked at Song Yue with curiosity.

The five newcomers were all stunned, their expressions mixed.

Lin He burst into laughter. “Hahahaha!”

“Liu Wei, you really shot yourself in the foot!”

Liu Wei’s face turned bright red as she lowered her head in silence.

“…” Li Xinyue glared at Lin He. “Lin He, can you stop gloating?”

Lin He grinned. “Li Xinyue, if you got your foot stepped on, I’d laugh even harder.”

“You—” Li Xinyue couldn’t outtalk him, so she turned to Zhao Zirui for help. “Zirui, look at him!”

Zhao Zirui gazed at her affectionately. “Ignore him, he’s always like that.”

Lin He clicked his tongue and turned his attention to the bandage on Song Yue’s head. “By the way, Comrade Song, what happened to your head?”

Once again, everyone’s eyes landed on Song Yue.

Even Liu Wei, who had been keeping her head down, perked up. She had been curious about Song Yue’s head injury for days but was too embarrassed to ask. Others had asked before when they got on and off the train, but Song Yue never answered, so they didn’t press further.

Now that Lin He had brought it up, she wanted to see how Song Yue would respond.

Song Yue glanced at Lin He’s mischievous grin and said nonchalantly, “Talked too much, too loudly, got into an argument, and got hit.”

Lin He’s smile froze. “…”

He forced a chuckle. “No wonder you’re so quiet now.”

Song Yue’s tone was light. “Yeah, I used to be just like you and Comrade Liu Wei— talked too much. And then… well, here I am.”

Lin He: “…”

Liu Wei: “…”

Ignoring their reactions, Song Yue turned away and closed her eyes to rest.

Maybe her words had an effect, because afterward, Lin He and Liu Wei’s voices noticeably lowered.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was dinnertime.

Li Xinyue dragged Zhao Zirui to the train’s dining car for a meal, calling Lin He along as well.

Lin He agreed but turned to Song Yue. “Comrade Song, want to come?”

Without looking up, Song Yue replied, “Got food, not going.”

Li Xinyue frowned. “Lin He, why are you inviting her for no reason?”

Lin He shrugged. “We’re all comrades heading to the countryside. Just asked.”

“If she doesn’t want to go, that’s fine. Let’s go.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Li Xinyue shot a glance at Song Yue, pursed her lips, and dragged Zhao Zirui away.

Lin He followed behind them.

Liu Wei, meanwhile, lowered her head, her heart filled with resentment.

They were all sitting together!

Yet Lin He only invited Song Yue, not her— why?

What made Song Yue better than her?

As Liu Wei seethed internally, Song Yue’s voice suddenly sounded above her.

“Comrade Liu Wei, excuse me.”

Liu Wei looked up to see Song Yue holding a small cloth bag and a tea mug.

“Oh, sure.”

Liu Wei quickly shifted aside.

As Song Yue passed by, Liu Wei caught a whiff of something through the bag— the scent of peach crisps.

Peach crisps!

Song Yue actually had peach crisps! And she was sneaking off to eat them!

She didn’t even offer her a piece!

Liu Wei was so consumed with jealousy that even her steamed bun tasted bland.

Oblivious to Liu Wei’s thoughts, Song Yue fetched some hot water and stood by the train’s connector, watching the slowly changing scenery outside as she ate a few pieces of peach crisps with her tea.

Once she was about eighty percent full, she returned to her seat.

When she got back, Liu Wei was eating— still just a steamed bun.

Seeing Song Yue return, Liu Wei shifted to let her in.

Song Yue thanked her, then looked out the window.

The sky gradually darkened.

She soon noticed Liu Wei stealing glances at her.

Every time she looked back, Liu Wei quickly lowered her head.

After a few times, Song Yue couldn’t help but ask, “Do you need something?”

Liu Wei flinched, then shook her head.

Song Yue frowned but didn’t press further.

Thinking it was time to change her bandage, she took out a small mirror and placed it on the table in front of her.

Just as she was about to get the medicine—

A scream suddenly rang out from behind. “Ah!”

At the same time, a mechanical voice echoed in her ears.“System detected— the host has a patient in need of treatment…”