Chapter 7: Fifty Cents Each, Arrival in City D

The older woman, even angrier, lifted her bare foot towards the woman with the child. “My feet don’t stink! Your nose must be clogged with shit! Smell! Smell!”

The woman’s face turned pale. She quickly turned her child’s face away. The woman’s feet were dirty and dusty, and she feared it would get on her child.

The woman’s husband couldn’t stand it. He stood up, grabbed the older woman by the collar, and pulled her away. “If you’re uncivilized, stay home! My child doesn’t want to smell your stinky feet!”

The carriage passengers nodded in agreement.

Zhang Meili and Guo Jingyi, seeing everyone condemning the older woman, looked at Wang Shuning with shining eyes—her legs were long and beautiful.

The train attendant, hearing the commotion, came to ask what happened.

The woman’s husband explained, while the older woman tugged at the attendant’s arm, demanding justice.

The attendant finally led the older woman back to her seat.

The five’s gazes fell on the attendant’s innocent and bewildered face.

Lü Beichu said, “She was barefoot on the seat, and it smelled bad, so we opened the window.”

Guo Jingyi added, “Then she said she was cold, so I told her to put on her shoes, and she started yelling and insulting our friend.”

The older woman grumbled, “Girl, I’m old; you should give way to me. I’ve always been barefoot on trains; why are you so fussy?”

The attendant’s face stiffened. “Auntie, getting the seat dirty is punishable. I’ll find the conductor to check for damage.”

The older woman hesitated, then waved her hands and pulled the attendant’s arm. She lifted the seat cover. “It’s not damaged! There’s no dirt! Don’t slander me and make me pay!”

Wang Shuning saw a snag in the fabric and pointed. “Sister, her toenails scratched it.”

The older woman argued, “It was already torn! Who can prove I did it? Don’t slander me!”

The attendant didn’t intend to pursue it; she just wanted to scare her into stopping.

Forty minutes later, the older woman, grumbling, got off the train, unwilling to stay a moment longer.

The next passenger was a silent, bespectacled old man.

The temperature rose, and the sun became harsh.

Wang Shuning took out her remaining pancake and put it in the sun. Maybe it would be warm by noon.

After the incident, the five became more familiar, talking more.

Wang Shuning sat in the corner. Since they were going to the same place, she couldn’t avoid Lü Beichu and Guo Jingyi. She occasionally joined the conversation, avoiding seeming cold or unfriendly.

Perhaps because of the older woman, Zhao Heping and Guo Jingyi simultaneously got motion sickness.

They felt nauseous, then vomited, rushing to the restroom.

Lü Beichu worriedly waited outside.

Guo Jingyi occupied the restroom in their carriage, so Zhao Heping went to another.

When they returned, Zhao Heping looked fine, but Guo Jingyi looked terrible.

Her face was pale, her eyelashes and eyes wet from crying.

They sat silently. When the attendant came to sell food, they quickly got hot water and sipped it slowly.

Then they vomited again.

Zhang Meili, about to bite into her bun, lost her appetite. “They’re so weak. What will they do in the countryside? They’ll fall into the mud and not be able to get up.”

Wang Shuning covered her chest. The vomiting made her nauseous too.

She put down her lunch. She couldn’t vomit; there were no restrooms nearby.

She reached into her bag and took out two oranges from the space, peeling them and smelling the rind to ease her nausea.

Lü Beichu couldn’t follow Guo Jingyi constantly but kept glancing towards the restroom.

Seeing Wang Shuning eating oranges, he asked, “Wang Shuning, do you have extra oranges?”

Wang Shuning looked at him and held up five fingers. “Fifty cents each.”

Zhang Meili stopped chewing. Fifty cents was expensive, but fruit was costly, especially oranges that size.

Lü Beichu immediately gave Wang Shuning a dollar. “I’ll take two.”

Wang Shuning took the money and put it in her pocket, giving Lü Beichu two oranges.

Zhao Heping and Guo Jingyi returned around the same time.

Lü Beichu immediately offered Guo Jingyi the oranges. “Eat some sour things to ease the motion sickness.”

Guo Jingyi hesitated but took one. She could return the favor later. “Thank you.”

Zhao Heping saw Guo Jingyi with two oranges and none for himself. He sighed silently.

An orange was offered to him. “The last one. Fifty cents.”

Zhao Heping’s smile froze. He looked at Wang Shuning, who raised an eyebrow. He felt like crying. “No, I can handle it.”

“Oh…”

Wang Shuning took back the orange, putting the peel in front of Zhao Heping, then ate the orange quickly.

Zhao Heping held the peel, free, so he couldn’t complain.

Zhang Meili swallowed the last bit of her bun, drank water, and burped. “Looks like I’m the healthiest.”

Almost thirty hours had passed since boarding. Wang Shuning’s bottom was numb and sore; she stood up periodically to stretch.

Another night passed, and the train reached City D on the third morning.

The five, carrying their luggage, were jostled by the crowd as they exited the station.

They still needed to take a bus to Chaoyang County; someone from the town would pick them up there.

They looked for the bus.

“Chaoyang County bus leaving now!”

A driver shouted.

The five rushed over, fearing they’d miss the bus.