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Luo Luo sighed.
“We benefited from sharing a compartment with you. The scariest part of traveling is the train. On our way here, a child was stolen right on board. It was terrifying.”
Wang Junjie nodded.
“Exactly. The parents were frantic. It happened at night. They had dozed off, and when they woke up, the child was gone. They didn’t even know when it happened; there was no trace.”
They had traveled in a rush and hadn’t managed to get sleeper tickets. For three days, they had sat in hard seats, taking turns staying awake at night so at least one person could watch over them. After seeing such incidents, neither dared to close both eyes at the same time.
Momo looked at them seriously.
“From now on, when we need to use the restroom, let’s go together. I’ll ask Uncle Wang to arrange for a female attendant to accompany us.”
A man could look after himself. It was the women who were at risk. In the novels she had once read, kidnappers and traffickers often preyed on young women. She wasn’t some martial arts master, and no amount of basic self-defense could stop a handful of knockout drugs. This was her second chance at life; she wasn’t going to waste it.
Luo Luo quickly agreed. “Yes, let’s stick together.”
Wang Junjie added firmly,
“I’ll go with you, too. We’ll take turns if needed. As a man, I should help protect you both. That’s our responsibility.”
“Alright.”
That evening, after dinner, they locked the compartment door and headed out together. Uncle Wang had arranged for a female attendant to accompany them. Every time one of them went in, the others stayed outside. With three people watching, no trafficker could hope to lure them all away.
Still, after her first visit, Momo silently decided she’d drink as little water as possible. The toilets were just too filthy. For someone who had lived in the 21st century, the sight was unbearable.
Back in the sleeper, night was falling.
Wang Junjie spoke in a low voice.
“We should take turns keeping watch. Even in the sleeper cars, it’s best to be cautious.”
Both Momo and Luo Luo nodded. They all had watches, so checking the time was easy.
“I’ll take the first half. From nine until two in the morning. You two can take over from two until six.”
Momo volunteered right away.
“I’ll cover two to four. I’m used to staying up late.”
All those years studying medicine had made sleepless nights routine. Two hours was nothing.
Luo Luo added,
“Then I’ll take four to six. It wouldn’t be fair to let you shoulder the hardest part every night. We’ll rotate.”
Their shared sense of responsibility made the small space unexpectedly comfortable. No one treated another’s effort as something to take for granted.
That night passed without incident. The next morning, they stuck to their habit of going to the restroom together, then sat down to breakfast. Suddenly, noise erupted in the corridor outside.
They froze, not daring to open the door, only listening closely. Their compartment was near the end of the carriage, so they could hear everything.
Momo whispered,
“What’s going on? It sounds like crying.”
“No idea. Maybe something was stolen?” Luo Luo guessed.
“Probably money,” Wang Junjie said. “Every day there’s theft on trains. Stowaway thieves sneak on, grab what they can, then slip off at the next stop.”
People were so wary now that most sewed their money into hidden pockets or split it among several places. No one kept all their eggs in one basket.
A knock came at the door.
“Hello, I’m a train attendant.”
They opened it to see a young man in uniform.
“There was an incident in the front carriage. A child’s gone missing; most likely traffickers. The chief asked me to remind everyone: please stay inside and be careful.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
They nodded quickly. None of them was looking for trouble.
Three long days passed. Though the journey was tense, it was safe. When the train finally pulled into the station, Momo exhaled in relief.
“Finally. We made it.”
Luo Luo clutched her chest. “Three days of worry… it feels good to set foot on solid ground.”
Momo smiled. “Brother Wang, Sister Luo, I hope we’ll meet again someday.”
“Of course. You know our factory address. If you ever come by, just find us there.”
After saying their goodbyes, Momo stepped off the train. The bulky rice and flour she had cleverly stashed away in her hidden space. What she carried in her hands looked like a lot, but it was quite light.
Forcing her way through the crowd, she spotted two tall men in military uniforms waiting on the platform. One was her elder brother, Su Tingjie. The resemblance between them was clear at a glance. Beside him stood the man who would be her husband: Lin Xingchen.
The contrast between the two was striking. Su Tingjie was refined and scholarly, while Lin Xingchen was every inch a hardened soldier, stern, imposing, exuding strength.
At first sight, Momo’s heart settled. His looks matched her taste perfectly. Compared to him, the pampered “pretty boys” the original Momo had once fancied seemed laughably flimsy. Even the scar near his temple suited his face, adding to his air of toughness.
Momo lowered her head politely. “Big Brother. Comrade Lin.”
Lin Xingchen’s pulse raced faster than it ever had in battle.
Just a week ago, when Su Tingjie first told him about the arrangement, his only thought had been how nice it would be to finally have a family. As an orphan, he had never expected such a blessing. Seeing her photo, he had thought she was far too beautiful for someone like him; if not for her family’s troubles, she would never have been promised to him.
Back then, he had been expectant, but calm. Now, seeing her in person, just one glance struck him to the core. She had lodged herself deep in his heart, and he knew he would never pull her out.
Spotting the small girl struggling with her luggage, Lin Xingchen immediately strode forward, quickening his steps until he overtook even Su Tingjie.
“Comrade Su, let me carry that for you.”
His years of training had darkened his skin, hiding the blush on his cheeks. But his ears burned hot.
Su Tingjie added, “Momo, let us take those. The car’s waiting outside. We’ll head to eat first.”
They relieved her of her bags and loaded them into the waiting military jeep. Su Tingjie drove, while Lin Xingchen took the passenger seat.
On the way, Su Tingjie asked, “Momo, how’s everyone at home?”
“They’re well. Grandpa and Grandma are still working as usual. Everything has been arranged, so we don’t need to worry.”
It was telling that Su Tingjie would ask such questions openly, in front of Lin Xingchen; it showed how much he trusted the man.
Momo added softly, “Grandpa and Grandma said we shouldn’t contact them. When the time is right, they’ll reach out to us.”
Su Tingjie nodded. “Good. Grandma is cautious and wise. With her, there’s nothing to fear.”
Soon, they pulled up at a state-run restaurant. Today, they were lucky; the blackboard listed braised beef on the menu.
Lin Xingchen glanced at her, eager to please. “Comrade Su, what would you like for your main dish?”
Momo smiled.
“Rice, please. The rice here is delicious—you can’t get it anywhere else.”
“Alright.”