Chapter 1: The Deceitful Little Nun

Summer of 1976 July.

The weather was stifling and hot. The green train was packed with people.

The smell of sweat, foot odor, and boiled eggs permeated the cramped space.

Several shirtless men were playing cards, occasionally spitting out curses.

Some were going home to visit their families, some were going out to find work, and some were college students returning home.

Su Xiaolo, with the help of the conductor, found her seat, placed her backpack on top, and politely thanked him.

The young girl had fair skin, like a freshly peeled egg. Her long, black curly hair was braided into two pigtails, her eyes were bright and lively, and her features were as delicate as a doll.

Even though the conductor had seen many beautiful girls while traveling, he had never seen a girl as beautiful and spirited as this one.

Since the girl was traveling alone, he couldn’t help but give her a few words of advice: “There are many bad people on the road, don’t talk to strangers. When you get to Weicheng, I’ll come and call you.”

The conductor was still a little worried. He didn’t know what the girl’s parents were thinking, letting her travel alone. Were they not afraid she would be bullied?

Su Xiaolo’s eyes lit up.

Bad people?

Were they worse than her?

She had lived in the mountains for fifteen years. Her master said that the worst person in the mountains was her, even the big white cat on the mountain would run away when it saw her.

She wondered what the bad people in the city were like.

She sweetly thanked him, “Thank you, conductor brother.”

The girl was beautiful and had a sweet voice. The “conductor brother” was very pleased. The conductor happily left.

Su Xiaolo looked out the window and couldn’t help but think of the scene when she said goodbye to her master. Her eyes turned red. Her master had found her by the river when she was three years old.

She picked up the big white bun in her hand and took a big bite. It was so delicious.

The food in the city was so delicious!

Along the way, she had bought three big buns, a bottle of soda, three popsicles, and a bag of Dabaitu milk candy.

The money her master had given her had visibly disappeared. But her master said that the family who was looking for her should be very wealthy, with meat to eat every meal.

Everything that could run on the mountain had been caught by her. The rest were too small, and even if she caught them, they wouldn’t weigh much.

She hadn’t eaten meat for a long time. If it wasn’t for this, she wouldn’t have left the mountain and her master. She had found her family, and she would definitely bring a whole truckload of meat back to the mountain to honor her master.

Soon, Su Xiaolo’s surroundings were filled with people.

“Little girl, are you alone?” the old lady sitting opposite Su Xiaolo asked enthusiastically.

Su Xiaolo glanced at her. Her eyes weren’t right, her brow bones were prominent, and her cheeks were thin.

Did all the bad people in the city look like this?

She didn’t look very good. Su Xiaolo frowned slightly, with a hint of disdain.

Seeing that Su Xiaolo didn’t speak, the old lady said regretfully, “She’s so pretty, it’s a pity she’s a mute.”

Su Xiaolo didn’t explain and shifted her gaze to the outside. Dark clouds were gathering outside, and a storm was about to come.

“Little girl, have an apple. It’s from my own garden, it’s very sweet!” The old lady handed a bright red apple to Su Xiaolo, her face filled with deliberate flattery.

Su Xiaolo unconsciously swallowed. The apple was evenly red and looked delicious.

Without thinking much, she took it and devoured it.

Was this person stupid? Her master said that apples could also be exchanged for money. To give it away for free like this, the bad people in the city were really stupid!

The old lady smiled happily as she watched Su Xiaolo eat the apple. She couldn’t help but like the girl. She was so beautiful. She even felt reluctant to hand the girl over to the human traffickers. She might as well take her home to be her granddaughter-in-law.

Thinking about this, she gave Su Xiaolo another apple.

Su Xiaolo smiled sweetly at her. The old lady’s heart almost melted. She even thought of the name for her great-grandson.

Outside, there was a “boom” and a flash of lightning, followed by rain hitting the ground. The stuffy car suddenly felt a little cooler.

The rain continued for a while. Su Xiaolo had been closing her eyes and resting, but suddenly she sensed a cold, sinister energy. She opened her eyes.

A man came in from the train door. He was wearing a raincoat and a straw hat. A flash of lightning illuminated his face, which was alternately bright and dark, making him look particularly eerie.

The man was in his forties. The raincoat was bulging, as if filled with something. A fishy smell mixed with an unknown stench wafted in, and everyone involuntarily covered their noses.

“Comrade, are you carrying stinky fish?” the conductor asked.

The man ignored her question and walked straight to the opposite side of Su Xiaolo, sitting beside the old lady.

The old lady jumped in surprise and grumbled, “You comrade, why don’t you take off your raincoat? What’s that smell?”

The man turned his head and glared at her, and she immediately shut her mouth. The man’s face was sallow, his eyes were fierce, and the scar above his eyebrow was particularly hideous.

Su Xiaolo was born with yin-yang eyes, and she saw two wisps of black energy swirling around his shoulders. This man was possessed by an evil spirit and would not live past midnight.

Su Xiaolo suddenly got up and got off the train. She went straight to the peanut stall and bought a bag of freshly roasted peanuts.

But this bag of roasted peanuts cost 1.2 yuan, which cost her one-third of her savings.

She was dejected, thinking that money really didn’t last long!

As she was thinking, a man suddenly ran over and bumped into Su Xiaolo. The peanuts scattered all over the ground, mixed with mud and soaked in rainwater.

“I’m sorry,” the man apologized, and was about to leave, but Su Xiaolo quickly grabbed him, her small white hand stretched out, and she frowned, “1.2 yuan!”

“We’re catching a thief, we’ll pay you back later,” the man was surprised that the little girl was so strong.

“No!” Su Xiaolo flatly refused, “You have a dark forehead, you will have a blood disaster, you won’t have a chance if you don’t pay!”

At this time, another figure passed them, dashing into the crowd.

“Shao Ting, I’ll leave him to you!” The man shouted, then looked at Su Xiaolo, “I see you’re a pretty little girl, I didn’t want to argue with you, but you’re cursing me to death? You’re cursing me, little girl? You’re so young and you don’t learn well, you’re scamming people here, do you believe I’ll take you to the police station to spend a few days?”

Seeing that he didn’t believe her, Su Xiaolo didn’t argue with him. She insisted on getting her money back for the peanuts. “1.2 yuan.”

The man couldn’t help but find it funny. If it wasn’t for the girl’s good looks, he would have taken her to the police station.

“Do you know who I am? You’re trying to cheat me?” The man couldn’t help but laugh.

“No matter who you are, you’ll die if you don’t buy this talisman!” Su Xiaolo said confidently.