Jiang Yan’s expression remained calm. “Don’t worry! She’s the most suitable candidate.”
His men had been keeping an eye on Zhang Zhaodi and her husband. Before Su Nanyue arrived, they had already reported to him about her conversation with Zhang Zhaodi.
A woman traveling alone with two children, who could remain calm enough to extract information after encountering human traffickers, then seek help from train attendants.
Earlier when she spoke, her logic was clear and well-organized.
These qualities alone made her sufficiently competent.
After leaving the restroom, Su Nanyue took her two children to the toilet.
Coming out from the toilet, she looked down at the two little ones. “Da Bao, Xiao Bao, you heard what I said to that soldier uncle earlier, right?”
Xiao Bao nodded obediently.
Da Bao looked up at her. “Mom, was that little brother also sold by his mother?”
Su Nanyue knew that although she had explained to them the reasons why she had sold them before, this incident had still left shadows in their hearts.
Especially Da Bao, who was more sensitive than Xiao Bao.
She didn’t treat Da Bao like a child to be fooled, but seriously explained to him, “Of course not.”
“That brother looks fair and chubby, clearly well cared for by his family. His parents must love him very much, how could they bear to sell him?”
“So he must have been stolen by human traffickers.”
“What we need to do is cooperate with the soldier uncles to help him and other children like him who were stolen by traffickers return to their parents.”
Da Bao nodded vigorously. “Okay, let’s work together to help all those brothers return to their parents.”
Xiao Bao also spoke up beside them. “Mom, I’ll help too.”
Su Nanyue curved her lips into a smile and kissed each of their fair, clean little cheeks.
“Alright, then let’s work hard together.”
She further instructed the two children to pretend they didn’t know anything no matter what happened later, and to follow her cues.
Both children were very obedient.
When they returned, Zhang Zhaodi was saying something to the little boy, who looked terrified.
Seeing Su Nanyue, Zhang Zhaodi immediately stopped talking and smiled. “Sister, you’re finally back. Just now a man wanted to sit in your seat, but I chased him away.”
Knowing the other woman was deliberately seeking credit, Su Nanyue showed gratitude. “Thank you, elder sister. If it weren’t for you, our seats would have been taken.”
Satisfied with the response, Zhang Zhaodi waved her hand.
“Don’t mention it. It’s fate that we’re sitting together. Besides, you just gave me a piece of pastry earlier.”
Su Nanyue smiled innocently and took three more pieces of pastry from her bag, giving two to Zhang Zhaodi and one to the child.
Seeing the little boy looking like he wanted to take it but didn’t dare, she directly stuffed it into his hand.
“Take it! Your mother likes it too, try it if you don’t believe me.”
The little boy first looked at Zhang Zhaodi, and seeing she didn’t stop him, finally reached out to take it.
As soon as he got it, he began devouring it ravenously.
Eating too quickly, he accidentally choked.
Seeing this, Su Nanyue was startled.
Across from them, Zhang Zhaodi started scolding, “Are you a hungry ghost reborn? Eating so fast, why don’t you choke to death?”
While saying this, she raised her hand and slammed it hard on the little boy’s back – it was more like pounding than patting.
The little boy was struck into violent coughing.
A cold glint flashed in Su Nanyue’s eyes as her grip tightened on the bundle.
Yet she maintained a warm smile and said softly, “Elder sister, don’t be angry. All children are like this.”
Zhang Zhaodi still looked furious. “Younger sister, you don’t understand. This child has been like this since he was little.”
“He eats like a starving ghost reincarnated. It’s not like I’ve ever deprived him of food or drink, yet somehow he developed this temperament.”
Su Nanyue offered a few more comforting words.
The pastries were rather dry. After eating two more pieces, Zhang Zhaodi took out an enamel mug from her bundle and stood up to fetch water.
Before leaving, she kindly asked, “Younger sister, I’m going to get water. Should I fetch some for you too?”
Su Nanyue didn’t stand on ceremony and quickly opened her bundle, taking out a severely chipped ceramic mug. “That would be great. I’ll get it next time.”
Zhang Zhaodi took it with a simple, honest expression. “Alright.”
When she returned with the water, Su Nanyue reached out to take her mug.
Just as she brought it to her lips, she noticed Zhang Zhaodi staring intently at her.
She immediately understood—the water must have been drugged.
Seeing her hesitate, Zhang Zhaodi urged, “Younger sister, why aren’t you drinking?”
Su Nanyue gave her a shy smile. “It’s a bit hot.”
Disappointment flickered in Zhang Zhaodi’s eyes. “Then let it cool for a while.”
Su Nanyue nodded.
The train continued clattering along.
The two little ones had lost their initial excitement about being on the train and were now so tired they could barely keep their eyes open.
Su Nanyue adjusted their positions to help them sleep more comfortably.
She then picked up her ceramic mug. The little boy, seeing this, shook his head at her when Zhang Zhaodi wasn’t looking.
But Su Nanyue acted as if she hadn’t noticed and took two sips.
Only after seeing her drink did Zhang Zhaodi continue talking to her, though her excitement was barely contained.
When Su Nanyue closed her eyes, Zhang Zhaodi eagerly nudged the man beside her who also had his eyes closed.
“It’s done. Go tell Old Liu.”
The man stood up and headed to the next carriage, soon returning with a burly man.
Old Liu’s eyes lit up at the sight of Su Nanyue.
Exchanging a glance with the man, he whispered, “This one’s not bad. We’ll definitely get a good price for her. Alright, that’s enough for now.”
“I’ll take her. You take the three little ones and go straight there.”
Su Nanyue had been pretending to sleep the whole time. She hadn’t actually drunk the water, only pursed her lips and pretended to swallow twice.
Hearing they would take Da Bao and Xiao Bao with them, she felt relieved.
The next moment, she was lifted up.
Knowing they were being watched, she hadn’t brought her bundle.
The man’s hands were rough and wandered restlessly around her waist.
Su Nanyue cursed inwardly.
This was too great a sacrifice. If not for the bounty, she would have taught him a lesson right then.
After about three or four minutes, the man stopped.
Su Nanyue felt herself being roughly thrown to the ground.
Uncertain of her location, she didn’t dare open her eyes until she heard their voices. Then she cautiously cracked them open.
This appeared to be a cargo compartment filled with various wooden crates.
Da Bao and Xiao Bao were beside her. Besides them, there were five women and seven little boys aged three to five in the compartment, all unconscious.
The women varied in age, with the youngest looking about twenty and the oldest wearing a gray top.
She had an ordinary appearance and seemed around forty years old. Su Nanyue secretly glanced at the woman’s hands—they clearly had never done manual labor.
The man called Lao Liu was talking to Zhang Zhaodi, “Not bad! I thought we wouldn’t have enough people for this trip, but now we even have two extra youngsters.”
Zhang Zhaodi looked smug, “Of course. You should know who’s handling this.”
“But this woman is also foolish. I just said a few words to her, offered to fetch water for her, and she agreed. Serves her right to be sold.”
Besides Zhang Zhaodi, her husband, and the man named Lao Liu, there was another man and woman in their group.
The few of them huddled together, already calculating how to split the money after selling them off.
As Su Nanyue listened to their conversation, she noticed Da Bao stirring beside her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him squinting and peeking as well.
Seizing the moment when no one was paying attention, she grabbed Da Bao’s hand and gave it a light squeeze.
Silently, she mouthed, “Don’t move. Keep pretending to sleep.”
Da Bao obediently closed his eyes.
She closed her own eyes and pulled out a palm-sized knife from her pocket, gripping it tightly.
She had taken it when she left the Jiang family.
The train traveled for over another hour.
Outside, the sun had already set.
The train gradually slowed down.
Su Nanyue had maintained the same posture for so long that her body was nearly numb.
She inwardly regretted it—this money was truly hard to earn.
Just as she subtly shifted her leg, she heard Lao Liu speak, “The train is about to stop. They’ll be here soon. Let’s get everyone into the crates first.”