“Good morning, Comrade Miao! How was your first trip? Did you manage to adapt? Did you run into any tricky problems?”
Suppressing her surprise, Miao Yunwei shook her head. “Captain Zhao, everything went fine. I just encountered a few passengers who got carsick and vomited all over the floor, but it wasn’t a big issue. I handled it.”
Zhao Qiming’s smile widened, and he nodded with satisfaction. “Good. I could tell from the careful way you loaded and unloaded luggage before that you’re reliable. Here’s your uniform—the logistics department delivered it yesterday. Since you were off duty, I kept it for you.”
Miao Yunwei “nervously” accepted it. “I’m so sorry to trouble you, Captain Zhao! Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”
Zhao Qiming’s eyes lit up, and he grew even more enthusiastic. “Ask away! As the team captain, I can handle most things for you all.”
Miao Yunwei looked a bit embarrassed. “Captain Zhao, it’s like this: the aunties and grannies in our compound asked me to inquire about something. They want me to help them buy some local specialties from other places, like sweet potatoes and taro. I know the station’s rules—no unrelated personal items are allowed in the luggage compartment or racks—so I didn’t dare agree. I wanted to ask if there’s any other solution for this kind of situation?”
“Ah! I thought it was something serious. The unit has that rule because they’re worried about taking up space and passengers not having room for their luggage. As long as it doesn’t affect passengers storing their belongings, you can bring personal items.
Your route goes to the provincial capital and passes through Quan City. The sweet potatoes there are indeed cheap. Every year around this time, Zhang Xiuqing brings back a batch.”
The information Zhao Qiming revealed shocked Miao Yunwei.
Seeing her expression, Zhao Qiming lowered his voice. “Everyone knows about this—it’s not really a secret. Zhang Xiuqing always brings things back every trip, sometimes one big bag, sometimes two. In short, she never returns empty-handed. She says she’s buying them for others, but who knows? Anyway, no passengers have complained.
Later, many ticket sellers followed her example, but I’ve never seen anyone push it as far as she does.
If the leadership wanted to crack down, Zhang Xiuqing would definitely be the first one called out. But the leadership doesn’t dare. If you want to help people bring things back, it’s fine. Just make sure you have an explanation ready.”
Miao Yunwei suddenly understood and quickly expressed her gratitude. “I’ll go back and ask my neighbors in the compound, then keep a notebook to record how much each person wants. That way, if anyone asks, I can explain it to the leadership.”
Zhao Qiming gave her a deep look. Seeing her clear eyes and guileless expression, he shook his head inwardly.
He had hinted so clearly, yet Miao Yunwei still didn’t catch on. Either she was genuinely naive or deeply calculating. Whichever it was, he now had a better sense of her.
After they parted, Miao Yunwei changed into her new uniform and boarded the bus with her luggage.
Drawing from her previous experience, she started by placing a bag behind every seat, ready in case anyone got carsick.
She also kept a trash bin beside her, ready to use at any moment.
Sure enough, less than half an hour into the journey, someone vomited. Fortunately, with the trash bags and bin, along with Miao Yunwei’s quick reaction, the floor remained completely unaffected.
She thought that would be the end of it, but just as the bus arrived at Xiamen Station, before all the passengers had disembarked, someone fell.
“Oh my goodness! Which wretched soul threw a banana peel on the floor, my back hurts!” A woman in her thirties lay in the aisle, blocking everyone’s path.
Miao Yunwei quickly squeezed through, “Sister, what happened?”
Seeing Miao Yunwei approach, Chen Aping shouted angrily, “Someone threw a banana peel and made me fall. Comrade conductor, you must help me catch the culprit, otherwise you’ll have to compensate me!”
As she spoke, she glared resentfully at a man not far away out of the corner of her eye.
Whether out of guilt or indifference, the man kept clutching his bag, his eyes fixed on the window.
Many people began to complain.
“It wasn’t us who threw the banana peel, hurry up and move aside, we still need to use the restroom!”
“That’s right, how are we supposed to leave if you keep blocking the way like this?”
…
Chen Aping scowled, “I don’t care. If you don’t find the person who threw the banana peel, no one can get off the bus. Everyone has to compensate me!”
Wow! She’s trying to extort money!
Everyone exchanged glances, worried about getting into trouble. Immediately, someone pointed at the man, “I saw it just now. He was the only one eating a banana on the bus. His seat is right here, it was him who threw it.”
“Yes, I saw it too!”
Once one person spoke up, others followed.
The man became the target of everyone’s accusations. Pale-faced and flustered, he retorted, “What does this have to do with me? Who can she blame if she doesn’t watch where she’s walking? Did I bother anyone by eating?”
Chen Aping was furious, tightly gripping Miao Yunwei’s hand, “Comrade, you must help me uphold justice!”
This was the first time Miao Yunwei had encountered such a situation, and her mind was in a mess. She hurriedly tried to soothe her gently, “Sister, in your condition, you should get off the bus first. Let the station staff take you for a check-up to avoid aggravating your injury. As for this gentleman, our staff will investigate thoroughly and give everyone an explanation.
The bus only stops for ten minutes. Please cooperate, everyone.”
Just then, Miao Pingkang boarded the bus with two security personnel. Both parties in the standoff immediately backed down and were escorted off the bus.
Miao Yunwei quickly fetched cleaning supplies and swiftly tidied up the trash on the bus.
When the passengers returned, they found the bus clean and tidy, with a faint, pleasant fragrance. Much of their irritation had dissipated.
Chen Aping and the man had not yet returned. Miao Yunwei informed Miao Pingkang and hurried to the mediation room to understand the situation.
As soon as she reached the door, she heard Chen Aping crying, “Comrade, it’s not easy for me. My husband died early, and I’m left alone to care for the whole family. I’m going to the provincial capital this time because my relatives are too busy and hired me to help. Twenty yuan a month—I have to grit my teeth and take the job. Now that I’m injured, I don’t even know if they’ll still want me. I don’t even have money for medical treatment.
That heartless wretch just casually threw it away, and it nearly cost me my life. How am I supposed to live? Wuwuwu…”
The man’s face turned beet red, “I didn’t know she would slip. Besides, the bus was moving, and the trash can was so far away from me. I couldn’t throw it there. What’s wrong with leaving it by my seat? She wasn’t watching where she was walking.”
The security personnel stared sternly at the man, “Comrade, littering is prohibited on the bus. We have trash cans and bags on board, and there’s even a conductor. You could have asked her for help.”
“I didn’t see any…” the man argued weakly, lacking conviction.
The security guards exchanged a glance, feeling a bit of a headache. Station regulations were regulations, but not every employee followed them. Indeed, many ticket sellers found it troublesome and didn’t use the supplies prepared in the carriages.
Chen Aping hurriedly retorted, “You’re talking nonsense! The ticket seller clearly handed out a trash bag for every seat and reminded everyone how to use it. Even those who got carsick and vomited all the way didn’t spit on the floor, yet you just toss a banana peel around after eating a banana!”
The security guards’ eyes lit up, instantly perking up. Looking up, they happened to see Miao Yunwei and quickly called her in to assist with the investigation.