"Miss, we only have a little money left, and it's all in our luggage," the woman choked out. "How about you come with us to get it? Our seats are just three carriages ahead."
As soon as the woman finished speaking, Wang Juan immediately wanted to follow them to get the money. "Let's go, Wanqiu. We'll go with them to get the money. We can't let them run off. Your pants cost over ten yuan!"
Song Fanghua sighed. One of them was a naive sweetheart, and the other had a bit of cunning but not much. They were about to foolishly follow these people away.
Although she didn't want to get involved, she also deeply despised human traffickers.
Back in the 21st century when she had just started her own business, she often heard older generations in the market talk about how, in their time, there were no surveillance cameras. Some children, especially girls, would be kidnapped and sold, never to be found again.
In better cases, boys might be sold to decent families. In worse cases, traffickers would deliberately break the children's limbs, crippling them to force them into begging.
Many girls were sold into remote mountain villages to bear children and continue family lines.
Thinking of this, Song Fanghua sighed inwardly and still stood up.
"Elder sister, you said your child is sick and you brought them here for treatment?" As soon as Song Fanghua spoke, she instantly captured everyone's attention.
The woman, who had been about to leave behind the man, tightened her grip on the child subconsciously, her heart clenching at Song Fanghua's words.
"Y-yes, the child is sick. We borrowed from all our relatives just to bring them here for treatment."
Wang Juan had been about to drag Xu Wanqiu along with her, but seeing them stopped by Song Fanghua, she immediately grew displeased. "If you want to chat, find someone else. We're still waiting for her to pay up. Don't get in the way here."
"Wang Juan," Xu Wanqiu whispered, tugging awkwardly at Wang Juan's sleeve.
Song Fanghua shot her a disdainful look and said, "Don't you know that impatience won't get you hot tofu? This elder sister says they're from the countryside and borrowed from all their relatives for medical treatment.
But they're eating instant noodles. Everyone knows how precious instant noodles are now—fifteen fen a pack, and you still need Liangpiao. But, elder sister, if you're really that tight on money, would you still be willing to eat this?"
Song Fanghua's words drew the attention of the surrounding passengers to their bowls.
"Indeed, instant noodles are a rarity nowadays. What ordinary family would be willing to eat them on a train? Don't most people just chew on dry rations or steamed buns?" a bystander remarked.
As the murmurs grew louder, sweat began to bead on the foreheads of both the man and the woman.
"We didn't want to either, but we had no choice. The child is sick and wanted something warm to eat. As parents, how could we deny them such a small request? The child is the treasure of our family. Even if we go hungry ourselves, we can't let the child suffer!"
The man spoke with heartfelt emotion, even wiping away nonexistent tears. Some soft-hearted passengers began to chime in again.
"Yes, how pitiful the hearts of parents are."
"Right, for the sake of the child, what does a little hardship matter? All the good food in our house is saved for our children."
"Alright, alright, never mind whether they're eating instant noodles or steamed buns. Just take us to get the money first," Wang Juan said, listening to the surrounding chatter and growing anxious that they might not get the money soon.
Although the money wouldn't end up in her own hands, once they went to the countryside, she naturally had ways to take advantage of Xu Wanqiu. Rounding it off, wasn't this money practically hers already?
"What's the rush? Your friend's leg is injured. Why don't you just wait here and let them go get it themselves?" Song Fanghua was almost amused by Wang Juan's foolishness. Who in their right mind would willingly follow human traffickers?
The man and woman exchanged glances, their expressions shifting slightly. "We're just worried the young lady might not feel at ease, so…"
"Exactly! If we let them go alone, what if they run off? Are you going to pay for it?" Wang Juan immediately chimed in after hearing the man's words.
At this moment, Song Fanghua felt an urge to slap someone. Some people were just impossible to work with—utterly hopeless.
"Then let the woman and child stay, and the man go get it," Song Fanghua's voice grew even colder. "It's just fetching money. Does it really require so many people?"
Upon hearing this, the human traffickers' hearts sank, as if they had been seen through.
"Maybe we should just give them the money and leave. Look, more and more people are gathering around. I'm feeling uneasy," the woman whispered into the man's ear.
The man's eyes flickered, and he nodded. "Miss, I remembered wrong. The money is in my pocket. I'll give it to you now."
As he spoke, the man pulled out a handful of scattered ten-yuan bills from his pocket and handed them over. "This is all we have. It's everything."
Wang Juan swiftly snatched the money and counted it. "Only ten yuan? My friend's pants cost over ten yuan, and they're clearly ruined now. This isn't enough."
"Miss, we… we only have this much. This is even the money we need for transportation once we arrive. If you want more, all we have left is our lives!" The woman holding the child choked back a sob and began to cry.
Faced with Wang Juan's relentless demands, a flash of ruthlessness crossed the man's eyes.
"Aren't you being too much? It's just hot water spilled on a leg. We've already given you the money, and you're still not letting it go?"
As soon as the voice rang out, Song Fanghua's heart sank. No matter how hard she tried to avoid it, she had still run into her.
The newcomer was none other than Song Lili, who was on her way to join the army on the island.
Song Lili had originally intended to buy some food at the dining car, but when she arrived, she found the path blocked.
What shocked her most was that she had actually spotted Song Fanghua. Instantly, Song Lili realized she hadn't been mistaken that morning—Song Fanghua, that wretched woman, had really boarded the train.
And this train was headed to Haidong, which made Song Lili suspect Song Fanghua's motives for being on board.
Could it be that Song Fanghua had also been reborn, just like her? Was she trying to steal her destined marriage on the island?
The more Song Lili thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. Coupled with seeing Song Fanghua "bullying others," she couldn't help but speak up.
After uttering those words of righteous indignation, Song Lili feigned surprise and covered her mouth, saying, "Sister, what are you doing here?"
Then she continued, "Sister, could it be that this poor girl's misfortune is because she sat next to you and was cursed by you?"
Cursed? The onlookers were puzzled by Song Lili's words.
"Oh dear, sister, you—you killed your own fiancé on your wedding day, and now instead of staying properly at your in-laws' home, you're on this train, still bringing misfortune to others." Song Lili's voice grew louder and louder, and the people around finally understood what was going on.
"This young girl is actually a husband-killer at such a tender age."
"Stay away quickly, don't let her bring me bad luck."
A chorus of murmurs arose, and the crowd stepped back one after another, as if genuinely afraid of being cursed by Song Fanghua.
Watching their reactions, Song Lili curled the corners of her lips in satisfaction. She was determined to ruin Song Fanghua's reputation, no matter where they were.
Song Lili looked triumphantly at Song Fanghua, imagining she would lash out like a shrew.
But instead of the rebuttal she expected, Song Fanghua's eyes reddened.
"Little sister, how could you say such things? You stole our parents from me for twenty years, and I suffered abuse at my adoptive parents' home for two decades.
And this marriage—it was originally arranged by Mom and Dad for you, but you insisted on swapping it with me. Little sister, did you already know he would die, so you made me the scapegoat?"
Song Fanghua's veiled words sent a jolt of shock through Song Lili's heart.
"You—what are you talking about? How could I possibly have known he would die? You're the one who killed him!" Song Lili gritted her teeth.
"Is that so?" Song Fanghua wiped the corner of her eye, her voice choked with emotion. "But you clearly said that family was well-off and that I would live in comfort if I married into it. And what happened? The groom died on the wedding day. Do you really think that's a coincidence?"
Idiot? Do you think I can't handle you? Song Fanghua was determined to walk the path of a green tea btch, leaving no room for the green tea btch herself.
The surrounding passengers, feasting on the drama between the two sisters, began whispering among themselves.
"This younger sister looks quite respectable, but her heart is truly venomous."
"Exactly, pushing her own sister into a pit of fire."
"Tsk tsk, you really see all kinds of people these days."
Song Lili trembled with rage.