That night, heavy rain continued to pour, causing a minor mudslide along the mountain tracks up ahead. The train came to a temporary halt at a regional station to allow maintenance crews to clear the debris safely.
Lu Jiansen stepped out to assist the railway crew with emergency clearance efforts. While he was away, Gu Xiaoxi sat by the window, watching the rain outside.
Through the window glass, she noticed a middle-aged man in a tailored jacket sitting under a wooden awning, smoking a cigarette from a fresh pack of premium “Peony” cigarettes. After finishing, he tossed the empty cigarette box into a nearby bush before walking away.
A moment later, a young couple walked over to the bush. The man crouched down to cover his partner’s movement while the woman quickly retrieved the discarded cigarette box, sliding it hidden into her sleeve before hurrying toward the middle-class berths.
Gu Xiaoxi blinked in surprise. Retrieving an empty cigarette box with such secretive coordination? Could they be pass-along informants?!
Determined to keep an eye on them, she noted which car the pair entered.
By late afternoon, the tracks were cleared, and the train resumed its journey. Lu Jiansen returned to the compartment, his uniform slightly damp from helping clear track debris.
Gu Xiaoxi pulled him close, leaning in to whisper near his ear about the suspicious couple and the cigarette box.
Lu Jiansen’s eyes darkened with sharp alertness. He squeezed her hand lightly. “Stay here. I’ll be back shortly.”
An hour later, Lu Jiansen returned accompanied by two railway security officers. He began gathering their luggage.
“Xiaoxi, we’re disembarking at the next station,” Lu Jiansen told her calmly.
“Are we not going straight to Qingbei City?” she asked softly.
“We have a brief official matter to assist with,” he replied. “We’ll take the morning train tomorrow.”
Gu Xiaoxi said a warm goodbye to Dr. Qi and Ding Lanyi before following Lu Jiansen and the security team off the train platform.