The green-skinned train rumbled along, its noise accompanied by the pungent smell of fuel oil.
Xu Xiaoyue held her bundle with one hand while using the other to pull the gauze scarf lower over her face. She lifted her head, searching inch by inch for her seat.
The aisle was packed with people. Xu Xiaoyue’s cautious demeanor as she carried her luggage made her stand out like an unusual sight.
The driver sent by the Yan Family to pick her up had only dropped her off at the train station, claiming he had urgent matters to attend to and had to turn back. Xu Xiaoyue bought her own ticket and boarded the train to the capital.
She had barely sat down for two stops when she noticed a young woman leaning against the seat beside her.
She appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, with two dark braids and clearly visible dark circles under her eyes.
Before Xu Xiaoyue could speak, the young woman timidly said, “Sister, I’m sorry to bother you. I’ll just lean here for a while, just a little while.”
Xu Xiaoyue nodded, tucking the bundle she was holding under her feet to free up half the seat. “You can sit here for a bit.”
The man sitting across from them had been stealing glances at Xu Xiaoyue since she sat down. Seeing her offer half her seat, he looked up at the young woman and struck up a conversation.
“Young comrade, I’ve seen you standing all this way. It’s thanks to this kind-hearted comrade here that you have half a seat to sit on.”
“Yes, otherwise I’d have to stand all the way to the capital. My legs would be broken by then.”
“Are you going to the capital to visit relatives?”
Mention of the capital seemed to open the floodgates, and the two chattered away incessantly.
The train rumbled into a tunnel, blocking the light and plunging the entire carriage into darkness. Seizing the opportunity, Xu Xiaoyue discreetly observed the man across from her.
He wore a well-fitted green Zhongshan suit, with thick hair and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. In his right hand, he carried a black briefcase. His fluent Beijing accent suggested he was no ordinary person.
Noticing Xu Xiaoyue’s gaze, the man met her eyes in mid-air and offered a slight smile as a greeting.
Once they emerged from the tunnel, as if suddenly remembering something, he pulled a business card from his bag and placed it on the table. “It’s fate that we’ve met. I work at the Capital Steel Factory. The factory is still short a few female employees to receive leaders who come for inspections.”
“You have a good appearance, and your Mandarin is quite fluent. Would you be interested in coming for an interview? I can recommend you. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the young woman sitting beside Xu Xiaoyue lit up with excitement. She picked up the business card from the table and read the man’s name aloud.
Xu Xiaoyue turned her head, glanced at the man, and then at the card.
“Steel factory?” Her red lips moved slightly.
The man across from her eagerly explained, “Yes, would you be interested, comrade? The factory offers good benefits—meals and accommodation are provided, and the monthly salary is thirty to forty yuan.”
The people around them gasped in astonishment. This wasn’t just “good”—it was a dream opportunity.
Several people crowded around the man, chattering and asking how many positions were available.
Even the young woman with braids sitting beside Xu Xiaoyue turned to her, excitement in her voice. “Sister, you’re going to the capital too, right? We’ve really met a benefactor. We could go together…”
“I won’t join in on this excitement,” Xu Xiaoyue shook her head slightly, her voice soft but her refusal unmistakable.
Looking at the man surrounded across the way, she paused, then stood up and said to the person beside her, "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."
Xu Xiaoyue, clutching a handkerchief, appeared calm on the surface, but her heart was already pounding. She walked a few steps over to the train attendant and whispered almost breathlessly, "There’s a human trafficker on this train."
Before the attendant could even react, two people sitting in the corner with their eyes closed suddenly opened them.
"What nonsense are you talking about!" After a moment of processing, the attendant first glanced around to make sure no one else had noticed, then glared sternly at the woman in front of her.
Clearly, the attendant didn’t believe her.
Xu Xiaoyue didn’t bother explaining further. Instead, she pointed toward the carriage where she was seated and said, "Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you’ll know just by keeping an eye on that male comrade."
"If I’ve wronged him, I’ll gladly apologize."
Seeing how confident she seemed, the attendant walked over and pretended to glance casually at the man. Returning, she scolded in a low voice, "Look at his clothes and appearance—he’s clearly from a proper unit. I heard he even works at a steel factory."
After saying this, the attendant gave Xu Xiaoyue a once-over, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "That man looks like an honest fellow. Meanwhile, you’re dressed like this—are you trying to flirt with him and failing? I’ve seen plenty of women like you…"
Hearing this, Xu Xiaoyue really wanted to slap her twice.
To avoid drawing attention, she had deliberately bought a silk scarf to cover half her face before boarding the train, almost wrapping herself up from head to toe. Yet, somehow, she was still seen as suspicious.
What Xu Xiaoyue didn’t realize was that, compared to showing her full face, this "half-veiled" look—with only her eyes visible—combined with her overall aura, made people even more curious about the beauty hidden beneath the scarf.
"You’ve seen plenty like me, yet your brain still doesn’t work properly. Don’t you know that people who look like me aren’t to be messed with?"
"How dare you—"
Before the attendant could finish, Xu Xiaoyue shot a cold glance at the woman’s name tag and turned to leave.
"Tsk, that woman has quite the temper, but she’s really beautiful."
"Regiment Commander Yan, how credible do you think her words are?"
A deliberately lowered voice came from the corner, followed by a glance toward the man beside them.
The man wore a black jacket and black pants, his long legs seeming out of place in the cramped space. His short, dark hair was neat, and his eyes shone like cold stars, his eyebrows thick and dark as if painted. Even in silence, he had a presence that was impossible to ignore.
"Without investigation, there is no right to speak." With that, the man straightened up and walked toward the carriage.
Meanwhile, Xu Xiaoyue, having been rebuffed, had just sat down when her stomach began to growl. From the moment she boarded the train until now, she hadn’t eaten a single bite.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she placed a hand over her stomach. Just as she looked up, a misshapen pastry was offered to her. Its golden-brown crust, perhaps wrapped in too many layers, now looked crumpled and wrinkled, but a faint aroma still lingered.
"Sister, my mom made this for me. It’s the last one—let’s split it."
Before Xu Xiaoyue could refuse, half of the pastry was already pressed into her palm.
Food was especially precious in these times. Xu Xiaoyue could feel herself gradually slipping into hypoglycemia. Without thinking too much, she thanked the woman and washed down the pancake with water.
The green train rattled along, and Xu Xiaoyue grew increasingly drowsy as she leaned against the seatback. Her consciousness blurred, and just as she was about to fall asleep, her eyes snapped open.
Something was wrong. Even with low blood sugar, she shouldn’t feel this exhausted.
Not only was she tired, but her entire body felt weak and devoid of strength.
The first thought that flashed through Xu Xiaoyue’s mind was the man who claimed to be from the steel factory—the human trafficker. But she had been careful not to accept anything from him.
She dug her nails into her palm, pressing hard enough to draw blood, using the pain to stay alert. In that split second, Xu Xiaoyue realized the truth.
Damn it, this female comrade and the man across from her were in cahoots!
Xu Xiaoyue immediately tried to stand up and shout for help, but as she struggled to move, her sleeve was yanked forcefully, pinning her to her seat.
“Sister, are you feeling carsick?”
“We’ll be arriving soon. Just hold on a little longer, and I’ll take you out for some fresh air.” The woman with the braided hair spoke with concern, but her other hand, hidden from view, tightly covered Xu Xiaoyue’s mouth.
Once she had Xu Xiaoyue under control, the woman nodded. The man across from them, carrying a briefcase, stood up and pretended to stretch as he moved to block the aisle beside their seats.
The rumble of the green train grew softer as it slowly came to a stop.
The crowd surged forward, pushing and shoving to disembark. The man held Xu Xiaoyue under his left arm, using his briefcase to conceal her face.
On her right, the female comrade gripped Xu Xiaoyue’s arm, trapping her between them with no way to escape.
People were everywhere. Xu Xiaoyue wanted to cry out, but her voice was drowned out by the clamor of the crowd.
Step by step, she was forced toward the carriage exit. Just two more steps, and she would be taken off the train by these two.