Soon, two officers escorted Shi Hongmei over. She put on a pitiful look. “Sis, we’re family blood is thicker than water. We’re going so far away to the countryside, we need to look out for each other. Please tell the officers I’m not lying.”
Jiang Yan stood up. “Hello, Officers. I’m Jiang Yan, an educated youth responding to the country’s call. I did not board the train with her, so I don’t know if she bought a ticket or not.”
“I only know that she was forcibly sent to the countryside because she impersonated someone else and deceived the police at the household registration office.”
Hearing that she had already deceived authorities before, the officers ignored her protests and dragged her away.
That night, the carriage finally quieted down. But Jiang Yan couldn’t sleep a wink, her mind racing with worry her adoptive parents’ fate was unknown, and Huo Ying refused to let her go.
Meanwhile, in the Huo family compound in the capital, someone else was tossing and turning.
A slender, pale hand rested on his shoulder. A soft voice whispered, “Lao Huo, still worried about Huo Ying?”
Huo Zhenwei sounded annoyed. “No. It’s late, go to sleep.”
Click. A bedside lamp turned on. A woman in a silk nightgown sighed softly as she got up. She had a curvaceous figure and a mature charm about her. “It’s only natural to worry about your son. Why hide it from me?”
She walked to a cabinet covered with a lace doily, poured some hot water from a thermos, mixed it with cold water, and brought it over. “Here, drink some water.”
She gently wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Look at you, sweating so much. Did you forget what the doctor said? Your blood pressure is high and your heart isn’t well. You need to take it easy.”
“How can I take it easy?!” Huo Zhenwei took a sip of water angrily. “For three years, that boy has been gallivanting around outside! I called him back so I could train him properly by my side, but instead he insists on going to the border of Nan Province, saying he needs more ‘experience’!”
“He’s been there before! What more training does he need? Doesn’t he see that his old man isn’t getting any younger? Who else is going to pave the way for him like I do?”
“Who says you’re getting old?” The woman cooed. “You’re still as strong as ever! The children are grown now, they have their own minds. Talk to him nicely, he’ll understand.”
“Did he give me a chance to talk nicely?!” Huo Zhenwei almost smashed the cup. “This morning, he gave his report first. I told my guard to tell him to wait in my office, that I’d see him after the others finished.”
“He agreed! But when I got there, he was gone! I’d already arranged with Old Su and the others to have dinner together tonight, but I had to go alone. They all laughed at me!”
The woman quickly took the cup and placed it on the nightstand, patting his chest to calm him down. “Don’t be angry, think of your health. I really don’t know who Huo Ying takes after with that temper. You are always so reasonable and wise.”
“Who does he take after?!” Huo Zhenwei slammed his hand on the bed. “He takes after his damned mother! No matter how well you treat her, she never appreciates it! Fine, if that boy doesn’t want my care, I still have Xiangdong right here!”
After Huo Zhenwei took his medicine and fell asleep, the woman walked to another room. She crossed her arms, looking at the storm clouds gathering in the sky, a faint smile playing on her lips.
She had already found out. While Huo Ying was in the office, only Su Zhenzhen’s grandfather had visited.
Most likely, he told Huo Ying that his granddaughter was going to Nan Province. That was why Huo Ying had rushed off in such a hurry to chase after Su Zhenzhen.
Heh. So he likes that arrogant, brainless woman? Congratulations to him.
Rumor had it he even took a plane to get there faster.
A heavy storm was coming. Planes are prone to crashing in bad weather, you know.
Just like his mother. Never to return.
Then everything the old man has will belong to Xiangdong.
The next morning, Shi Hongmei stumbled back, looking like a beggar. She stretched her hand out toward Jiang Yan. “Sis, give me some food. I’m starving to death.”
The officers had checked she was indeed an educated youth, but she hadn’t bought a ticket. They made her pay for a standing-room ticket, gave her a lecture, and let her go.
Of course she came straight to Jiang Yan.
She remembered how this little sister had been bullied when she first came to the Shi family, often going hungry, yet still saving scraps to feed stray dogs. Now that she looked worse than a dog, surely Jiang Yan wouldn’t have the heart to refuse her?
If she gave her just one bite, Shi Hongmei knew how to cling on and leech off her for the whole trip.
It was what her father taught her: In this life, you have to be like a leech suck the blood out of others.
From across the aisle, Zheng Bin stood up and waved. “Hey, if you want food, come over here.”
She looked disgusting, but since she was a woman, he couldn’t exactly hit her. Giving her some food was the easiest way to stop her from bothering Jiang Yan.
But before he could say more, Jiang Yan suddenly shot up from her seat. She grabbed Shi Hongmei by the throat, and while the woman was gasping for air, she flipped her onto the floor face down.
The passengers were stunned. Jiang Yan pinned her down, twisted one arm behind her back, grabbed her hair, and slammed her forehead against the floor Bang! Bang! Bang! three times hard.
Some people, believing in helping the weak, shouted: “She just asked for food! If you don’t want to give it, fine! How can you hit her like that? I’m going to call the conductor!”
Stars were spinning in Shi Hongmei’s eyes, and a huge bruise was swelling on her head. But before she could scream, Jiang Yan’s cold voice rang out:
“Dare to bother me again, and I’ll tell the police exactly how involved you were in your father Shi Ronggui’s human trafficking business!”
The person who was about to go get help immediately sat back down. The look in their eyes shifted from disgust toward Jiang Yan to disgust toward Shi Hongmei.
An accomplice to human traffickers? She deserved worse!
Shi Hongmei shrank in fear. “I won’t bother you again! I promise!”
Truth be told, she only agreed to come to the countryside to lay low. Her own father, trying to save himself, had pinned many of his crimes on her.
Jiang Yan let go and stood up. “Get lost!”
Huo Ying had taught her: For leeches and scoundrels, words are useless. The only language they understand is force.
In her past life, she was too soft-hearted and didn’t listen. It wasn’t until she died once that she realized it was the absolute truth.
Shi Hongmei scrambled away.
Zheng Bin sat back down awkwardly, his eyes wide with shock.
Wait a minute… the moves she just used… weren’t those exactly what the Captain taught them?
The following morning, the train stopped at a major station. Jiang Yan got off immediately and ran toward the sleeper carriages. Suddenly she stopped and turned around, almost bumping into Zheng Bin.
He quickly stepped back, forcing an awkward smile. “My legs were getting stiff. Just getting off to stretch them a bit.”