Chapter 42

Due to the upcoming Chinese New Year, every passenger had more or less a few packages, and the top of the bus canopy and the aisle were crammed with baggage’s of various sizes, making it extremely inconvenient for passengers to move around.

As Song Haowen’s packages primarily contained food items, he was reluctant to place them on the roof, fearing they might get damaged under the weight. Instead, he put them on the sleeper berth. This made the already narrow bed even smaller, making any movement quite challenging.

However, this time, Song Haowen had learned from experience and purchased a ticket for a single bunk, which improved the comfort significantly. Being a college student, he enjoyed a half-price discount on his round-trip tickets (both bus and train).

Even though it was the peak of winter, the inside of the carriage was surprisingly warm. Upon boarding, Song Haowen realized that this was the same bus he had taken on his last trip to Beijing. The two drivers were unchanged, two middle-aged men.

However, Song Haowen didn’t have a favorable impression of these two drivers. Faced with robbers, especially when the robbers threatened to harm Tian Yuxi, they remained indifferent.

If it weren’t for his intervention, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Although the drivers had to make a living by driving on this road every day and didn’t dare to offend robbers, as the individuals responsible for the safety of all passengers, their retreat and disregard for the passengers’ well-being in the face of danger were extremely wrong.

Therefore, after boarding, Song Haowen deliberately avoided looking at the two drivers, not wanting them to recognize him.

After the bus departed from Beijing, the heating filled the entire cabin. Thinking about spending two nights on the road, Song Haowen opened a second-hand single-card recorder he had salvaged, put on his headphones, listened to music, and closed his eyes to rest.

After leaving Beijing, the chubby driver sitting in the front passenger seat began checking tickets. When he came to Song Haowen, he hesitated for a moment, feeling a bit familiar but unable to recall where he had seen him. He asked, “Young man, have you traveled on our bus before?”

Song Haowen didn’t want to engage with him and shook his head deliberately, saying, “No. This is my first time.”

The chubby driver seemed a bit skeptical, stared at Song Haowen with a doubtful look, didn’t say anything more, and moved on to check the next passenger’s ticket. After checking the tickets, when he returned to his seat, he occasionally turned his head to scrutinize Song Haowen.

Song Haowen pretended not to notice. He enjoyed the snowscape outside the window, listened to music, and immersed himself in his own world.

During the lunch break, the two drivers gathered and whispered to each other. The chubby driver walked up to Song Haowen, trying to make conversation, and asked, “Young man, are you from Linshan?”

“Yes,” Song Haowen responded casually.

“I really feel like we’ve met somewhere before, just can’t recall where,” the chubby driver laughed awkwardly, revealing a set of uneven teeth. “Look at my memory. Young man, what’s your last name?”

“No need to be polite, my surname is Song,” Song Haowen replied, preparing to line up for food. “Master, are you going to have lunch too?”

“Yes, I’ll go first. You go ahead.” The chubby driver waved his hand and walked away.

In the afternoon, the two drivers switched positions. The chubby driver, focused on driving, didn’t bother with anything else. Song Haowen enjoyed the leisure, intermittently dozing off during the journey.

The next morning, during a break for passengers to stretch their legs and have breakfast, the two drivers approached Song Haowen with smiles. The chubby driver said, “Hello, Brother Song. We remembered. You’re the young hero who bravely took down four robbers by yourself during the summer vacation.”

“You’ve got the wrong person. I’ve never taken your bus before,” Song Haowen said, not wanting to admit it.

The skinny driver grabbed Song Haowen’s hand and said, “Brother Song, don’t deny it. We really appreciate what you did last time.” He looked guilty. “We, two grown men, actually didn’t dare to confront the robbers. It’s really embarrassing and derelict of duty.”

The chubby driver added, “In half a year, Brother Song has changed a lot, and with your current attire, I really couldn’t recognize you at first. I’m sorry.”

Realizing he couldn’t deny it any longer, Song Haowen could only admit with a smile.

“If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would’ve forgotten about that incident. Oh, by the way, those guys got sentenced, right?”

“Yep, they were sentenced. The one who tried to abduct the girl next to you got a life sentence, and the other three were sentenced to twenty years each,” the chubby driver quickly answered.

“In my opinion, that punishment is a bit light. All of them should have received life sentences or more for us to feel relieved,” Song Haowen commented.

“Yeah, they got lucky this time, not encountering a crackdown. Otherwise, they might have caught a bullet.”

“Unfortunately, this incident had a huge impact on us. We were terrified at the time and didn’t leave your contact information. Later, both the bus company and the police wanted to give you an award but couldn’t find a way to reach you.”

“Now, we can report to the company about it.”

“You’ve become a role model for all company employees. Your skills are impressive, and we all want to learn a few self-defense techniques from you. So, next time we encounter robbers, we won’t cower like bears, hesitant to take action.”

Seeing their perspective, Song Haowen forgave them a bit. As for awards and such, he didn’t want to cause trouble for others or burden himself.

Through their conversation, Song Haowen learned that the chubby driver’s name was Wei Da, and the skinny driver was named Han Dong.

Both were in their thirties and worked for the Linshan County Bus Company. They insisted Song Haowen not eat alone, stating that from now on, they would be responsible for his meals during the journey, and he should eat with them. Song Haowen couldn’t refuse and went along with them.