The green-painted train was packed to the brim. Luggage and even live poultry filled the aisles, and those with standing-room tickets had nowhere to sit, forced to squeeze into the narrow passageways.
Zhou Wenfang pinched her nose. “It’s way too crowded. Good thing we bought sleeper berths.”
The four tickets weren’t originally together—only Shen Xunbao and Su Qingyue were seated next to each other.
Zhou Wenfang’s eyes flicked around, an idea forming. “Qianqian, why don’t we try to swap seats so we can sit together? That way we can look out for each other.”
Su Qianqian sneaked a glance at Shen Xunbao and nodded shyly.
The two of them bustled off noisily to look for people willing to change seats.
Su Qingyue gazed at the scenery racing past the window, her head bobbing like a pecking chick.
Shen Xunbao spoke gently. “If you’re sleepy, lie down and rest. I’ll be fine here.”
Su Qingyue yawned. “Then I’ll switch with you later.”
She turned inward and closed her eyes. Outsiders all said Shen Xunbao cherished her and treated her like a treasure, but only Su Qingyue knew that he didn’t truly love her at all.
Shen Xunbao was courteous, refined, and handsome—the man of many girls’ dreams.
Once, Su Qingyue had thought so too. Yet she always felt there was an invisible veil around him, something she couldn’t see or touch. Whenever she tried to get closer, he would impatiently push her away.
After several such instances, Su Qingyue realized that this man didn’t like her. She planned to talk to Shen Xunbao and make things clear—since there was no affection between them, it would be better to break off the engagement.
That time, while waiting for him in his study, she accidentally saw a letter.
Her pupils dilated as she froze, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
Only when footsteps sounded outside did she steady her breathing and put on her usual smiling, cheerful expression.
After that, she finally understood—Shen Xunbao was using her as a cover.
He needed this marriage. He needed an obedient wife.
But what Su Qingyue wanted was a pure, genuine love. She would never sacrifice her marriage for someone else’s interests.
So she would never marry Shen Xunbao.
When Su Qianqian returned to the city, Su Qingyue had said she was willing to withdraw from the engagement and let Su Qianqian marry into the Shen family.
“I’ve discussed it with your father,” Song Qingyan had refused at the time. “Shen Xunbao fancies you. Don’t bring this up again—it wouldn’t be easy to explain to the Shen family.”
Su Qingyue thought that this trip to the countryside might be a good chance to talk things through with Shen Xunbao.
Lost in thought, she drifted into sleep.
……
Su Qianqian went to other carriages to look for a seat swap, but the train was too crowded. She asked five or six people in a row, and none were willing.
The thought of Shen Xunbao and Su Qingyue alone together, chatting happily, only made her feel more stifled.
Just then, a girl standing in the aisle accidentally stepped on her foot. All the pent-up anger exploded at once.
“Hey! Why did you step on me?!” Su Qianqian screeched.
The girl with glasses looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, comrade. Someone just pulled my braid, and I turned around—I didn’t mean to step on you.”
Su Qianqian snapped angrily, “You’re so ugly—who would pull your braid?!
“And you think saying sorry is enough? These shoes cost sixty yuan! Can you afford to pay for them?”
Dai Xiaohong froze, her face flushing a deep purplish red. She had never even seen sixty yuan before. She stammered, “Are… are the shoes damaged?”
The onlookers looked down at Su Qianqian’s feet. They were dark red leather shoes, polished to a shine, with a clear footprint on the instep.
“They’re not even damaged. You want compensation just for being stepped on once?”
“And she already apologized—why be so unreasonable?”
The day before, Yuan Guang had carried out a secret mission with Pei Huaiye. Pei Huaiye had taken a knife for him, and with both old and new injuries combined, he was running a slight fever now.
Yuan Guang was on his way to get hot water so Pei Huaiye could take his medicine when he happened upon the scene.
Unable to stand it, Yuan Guang spoke up for the girl with glasses. “Comrade, please rein in your temper. Trains are crowded—it can’t be helped. Let’s be understanding of each other.”
Su Qianqian, being criticized by several people at once, grew even angrier. Her tone turned sharp and vicious. “Are you sleeping with her? Is that why you’re helping her speak?!”
Yuan Guang’s temper flared. “Comrade, you can eat carelessly, but you can’t talk carelessly!
“Most people on this train are educated youths going to the countryside. I assume you are too?
“Judging by how you dress, your family background should be decent, and you must have received some education—so why are your words so unpleasant?
“What’s your name? Which commune are you headed to?”
Surrounded by people pointing fingers at her, Su Qianqian flushed with shame and anger. She blurted out, “My name is Su Qingyue! I’m going to Shuangqiao Commune in Xichuan!” Then she hurried off.
Dai Xiaohong thanked everyone and Yuan Guang in particular. Yuan Guang waved it off.
He brought the water back to the carriage and, lowering his voice, recounted the incident to Pei Huaiye with lingering indignation.
Pei Huaiye tossed the medicine into his mouth, tilted his head back, and gulped down the water. “Isn’t Shuangqiao Commune our village?”
“That’s what makes me mad,” Yuan Guang said. “How did such an unreasonable, useless educated youth like Su Qingyue get assigned to our village? What rotten luck!”
Pei Huaiye grinned roguishly. “Go say a few words in front of the village head and have her assigned the hardest work.”
Yuan Guang chuckled. “That’s Brother Pei for you.”
Several carriages away, the real Su Qingyue sneezed twice in a row.
……
Dusk settled in as the train clattered onward.
It was dinnertime. People pulled out dry rations from their bags—most ate corn buns, while those better off had steamed buns, sponge cakes, biscuits, and other side foods.
In the end, Zhou Wenfang and Su Qianqian spent money to swap sleeper berths so they could sit opposite Su Qingyue and Shen Xunbao.
Su Qianqian sat up and took out White Rabbit milk candies and pastries to share with Zhou Wenfang.
Shen Xunbao returned with hot water. Summoning her courage, Zhou Wenfang asked, “Shen Xunbao, want some sponge cake?”
He shook his head. “I brought my own food. You eat.”
Zhou Wenfang and Su Qianqian whispered to each other, but their eyes couldn’t help drifting repeatedly toward the lower berth opposite them.
Su Qingyue was already awake on the upper berth. The sweet smell of bread and candy had made her a little hungry.
As soon as she sat up, Shen Xunbao handed her a cup of prepared malted milk drink and a piece of bread. “Drink this, then eat the bread to tide you over.”
Su Qingyue accepted them with a smile. “Thank you. Have you eaten?”
“I ate earlier.”
After Su Qingyue finished, Shen Xunbao took the cup away to wash it.
Zhou Wenfang spoke with a mocking edge. “Su Qingyue, Shen Xunbao treats you really well.”
Su Qianqian rolled her eyes. “He’s Su Qingyue’s fiancé. If he doesn’t treat her well, who should he treat well?”
Su Qingyue was undoing her braids. Her black hair spilled loose like seaweed, making her porcelain-like skin look even fairer.
She lifted the corner of her eyes, her tone innocent and sweet. “Yes. I’m really lucky to have met such a good man as Shen Xunbao.”
Zhou Wenfang choked on her words. Su Qianqian was furious. Neither of them spoke again, each turning over to sleep.
Where they couldn’t see, Su Qingyue’s lips curved into a faint smile, a hint of mischief hidden in her clear eyes.
With a full cup of hot water in hand, Shen Xunbao turned around and collided head-on with a man wearing a cap. When he saw the man’s face clearly, his expression instantly darkened.
Shen Xunbao growled, “What are you doing here?!”
Qiao Wang sneered. “What else? Your mother’s afraid Young Master Shen won’t adapt to the countryside, so she sent me to serve you like an ox or a horse.”
“I’m warning you—”
Qiao Wang casually yanked his collar free from Shen Xunbao’s grip. “Getting angry already? What I do for Young Master Shen isn’t limited to just this.
“I didn’t want to come either. But with your refined demeanor, can you weed fields or harvest wheat? Are you really planning to lie around and do no work every day? If Commander Shen finds out, do you think you’ll still get to be Young Master Shen?”
The barrage of questions left Shen Xunbao speechless. His shoulders slumped. “Then don’t cause trouble.”
Qiao Wang pulled his cap lower. “Once I’m settled, I’ll come find you.”