Chapter 7: Encountering a Strange Person on the Train

“That woman is going too far—what does it matter to her if someone else has a sleeper berth?”
“Exactly. She’s the one without manners, yet she criticizes others.”

Hearing the murmurs around her, the young woman felt even more humiliated. She glared fiercely at Shi Qingqian.

Just then, a young man walked over. The moment she saw him, the woman looked as if she had found her savior.

“Brother Fang, someone bullied me.”

The man, called Brother Fang, frowned slightly and cast an unhappy look at Shi Qingqian. Then he turned to the woman and said, with a hint of reproach, “Feifei, what happened? Didn’t I tell you not to cause trouble when we’re outside?”

Feifei immediately grew unhappy. Pointing at Shi Qingqian, she said, “Brother Fang, I wasn’t the one who started it—it was her! She was looking down on the sleeper berth, I just made a comment, and she started cursing me.”

The young man turned back to Shi Qingqian. She gave a cold laugh and said, “Why don’t you ask her exactly what she said first? I was lying on my own sleeper berth, minding my own business. She attacked me out of nowhere—am I not allowed to answer back? Since when does the world work that way?”

The young man was silent for a moment before saying, “Comrade, my name is Fang Yi, and this is Su Feifei. We are both educated youth sent to the countryside in response to the country’s call. Feifei is straightforward by nature, her words may have sounded unpleasant, but surely there must have been some reason. We’re all traveling, life isn’t easy—why not take a step back and let this matter go?”

“Some reason?” Shi Qingqian rolled her eyes without restraint. “Your precious little sister spoke nonsense and insulted me for no reason, yet somehow you make it sound like my fault? So what if you’re educated youth? The state sent you down to support rural construction, not to act like landlords lording over others, pointing fingers at whomever you please.”

The words landlord class fell like a bomb. If such an accusation stuck, an entire family could be dragged out, paraded, and publicly denounced. Fang Yi and Su Feifei’s faces instantly turned pale with fear.

Fang Yi quickly said, “Comrade, please don’t say that! We would never harbor such thoughts. Feifei only spoke recklessly in a moment of impulse—she absolutely didn’t mean to offend.”

“Hurry and apologize!”

Su Feifei panicked as well, tears welling in her eyes. “I really didn’t mean it, I’m sorry.”

Shi Qingqian found their frightened looks dull and uninteresting. “Just watch your words and actions from now on. Don’t be so reckless again.”

Fang Yi nodded repeatedly. “Of course, of course. We’ll be more careful in the future.”

The two of them shrank back onto their bunks.

Shi Qingqian, finally sleepy, drifted off.

---

She didn’t know how much time had passed. The train’s rumbling and gentle rocking woke her. She rubbed her eyes.

“You’re awake.” Xu Huai’an helped her sit up.

“When did you get here?” Shi Qingqian’s voice was soft and sticky with drowsiness. If they hadn’t been surrounded by other passengers, Xu Huai’an would have reached out to pinch her cheek. But there was no rush—he had plenty of time later.

“I’ve been here a little while. You were sleeping deeply, so I didn’t wake you. You must be hungry after sleeping so long. I’ll get you a meal.”

Before long, Xu Huai’an returned carrying a lunch box. He opened it, carefully laid out the chopsticks, and said, “This is my lunch box, but it’s been washed thoroughly. Eat quickly, or it won’t taste good once it’s cold.”

Shi Qingqian nodded, picked up her chopsticks, and took a bite. The food wasn’t exactly delicious, but the feeling of being cared for was quite nice.

“Have you eaten?”

“I have.”

“What did you eat?”

Xu Huai’an scratched his head. “Just some dry rations. I don’t like train meals. Don’t worry about me, just eat up—we still have two days before we arrive.”

Shi Qingqian frowned slightly. “How can you survive on just dry food? Eat with me.” She pushed the lunch box toward him.

“I’m not hungry, you eat.”

“Come on!”

Unable to resist her insistence, Xu Huai’an picked up his chopsticks and ate with her.

While they ate, Su Feifei stole glances at them. Watching Xu Huai’an’s gentle attentiveness toward Shi Qingqian, her heart filled with envy. She tugged lightly at Fang Yi’s sleeve and whispered, “Brother Fang, I’m hungry too. Go buy me a meal.”

Fang Yi frowned. He didn’t really want to indulge her, but remembering her father’s influence—his potential ticket back to the city—he sighed and stood up. “Alright. Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

Su Feifei’s eyes sparkled with delight. She even cast a smug look at Shi Qingqian.

Shi Qingqian noticed the glance, frowned faintly, but ignored it, focusing on eating quietly with Xu Huai’an.

Xu Huai’an noticed too. He gently held Shi Qingqian’s hand. “Don’t mind her. Just eat.”

Shi Qingqian nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

Soon, Fang Yi returned with a lunch box for Su Feifei. She accepted it but ate distractedly, her eyes darting toward Shi Qingqian and Xu Huai’an from time to time. Whenever Xu Huai’an did something thoughtful—passing food, pouring water—she immediately ordered Fang Yi to do the same.

“Brother Fang, give me some food.”
“Brother Fang, I’m thirsty, go get me water.”

Fang Yi’s face darkened, but he still went to fetch water for her.

Not until Xu Huai’an returned to the hard-seat carriage did Su Feifei finally quiet down. With her gone, the carriage settled into rare peace.

---

There was no signal, no phones to play with. Shi Qingqian pulled a copy of Quotations from Chairman Mao from her backpack. After reading a little, she got up to go to the restroom.

In the smoking area between carriages, she noticed a shifty-looking old woman clutching a child tightly to her chest.

Shi Qingqian found it odd—hugging so tightly, wasn’t she afraid the child might suffocate?

The old woman noticed Shi Qingqian’s gaze, and her eyes turned wary. She hugged the child closer and shuffled away.

An uneasy feeling rose in Shi Qingqian’s heart. She tested the waters: “Auntie, what’s wrong with the child? Is he sick?”

The old woman stammered, “N-no… nothing. The child just has a little fever. I’m bundling him up to sweat it out.” Then she hurried off in a fluster.

When Shi Qingqian came out of the restroom, she heard crying from the next carriage. Curious, she followed the sound.

The closer she got, the clearer the cries became, mixed with the voices of passengers murmuring:

“How pitiful… one moment the child was fine, the next he was gone.”
“Damn those traffickers, stealing other people’s children. Aren’t they afraid of divine retribution?”
“Shh! Don’t talk nonsense. If the wrong ears hear you, do you still want to live?”