After finally finding her carriage, Wen Yu let out a quiet sigh of relief.
At the same time, an indescribable emotion lingered in her heart. Once she left, she and Shao Wenye would truly have no possibility anymore.
There was naturally disappointment.
After all, he was the first man she had ever liked, and they had been only one step away from becoming a real married couple.
But reason told her she had to stop the loss in time. If she kept going forward until she hit a wall, it would be too late to turn back.
Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself not to overthink, and not to look back.
When the time came, the train departed on schedule.
Wen Yu did not look out the window, so she did not see the military-green figure standing on the platform. Only when the train fully left the station did that tall, pine-like figure finally move.
He stood facing the direction the train had gone for a long time, until it was completely out of sight, before turning away.
After departure, Wen Yu did not see any other passengers and assumed she was alone in the compartment. Unexpectedly, more than ten minutes later, a man and a woman entered—one of them was the same elderly woman who had spoken to her at the train station.
The man was tall and muscular, carrying a large bamboo basket with both hands. It was a common rural tool used for transporting goods. A cloth covered the top, making it impossible to see what was inside.
Wen Yu’s gaze lingered on it thoughtfully.
“Oh my, little girl, we meet again!” the old woman greeted her warmly. “What a coincidence. Fate really brought us together—we’ve met twice in just a few minutes.”
Wen Yu was not close with strangers, so she merely nodded lightly and sat upright on her assigned berth, looking out the window.
The old woman exchanged a glance with the young man before they both sat on the lower berth opposite her.
Seeing Wen Yu’s indifference, they did not try to strike up conversation again.
After all, Wen Yu was only a twenty-year-old girl. Being in a closed compartment with strangers—and a tall, strong man at that—made her feel uncomfortable.
But there were six berths in this compartment. She could not occupy all of them alone, so she had to accept the situation.
Though exhausted, Wen Yu did not lie down. She just sat there quietly.
Half an hour later, the train slowly pulled into a station.
The two people opposite stood up. The old woman smiled at her.
“We’re getting off here, little girl. Wishing you a safe journey.”
A trace of confusion flashed through Wen Yu’s eyes.
Such a short ride… was there even a need to buy sleeper tickets?
Before she could think it through, a sudden force covered her mouth and nose.
A faint strange smell filled her nostrils.
Her heartbeat instantly accelerated.
A suffocating sensation surged through her entire body.
Very quickly, her consciousness faded.
The train stopped at the station. Passengers got off, and more people crowded on.
It was noisy and chaotic, and the tall man carrying the bamboo basket did not attract any attention.
Under the effect of the drug, Wen Yu remained unconscious for a long time.
When she woke again, she was in a small room.
Her head was dizzy and painful. Her throat felt blocked, as if something was stuck inside. Nausea and sharp discomfort lingered at the same time.
Wen Yu had never offended anyone. The only conclusion she could reach was that she had encountered human traffickers.
After the dizziness eased slightly, she forced herself to sit up and quietly moved to the door. She tried the handle.
As expected, it was locked from the outside.
Through the yellowed paper window, she could vaguely see the outside situation.
It was a small standalone courtyard. The sun had already begun to set. In the distance, she could faintly hear bicycle bells.
She forced herself to stay calm.
At least they had not thrown her into some remote, inaccessible wilderness.
Otherwise, she would truly be helpless—no heaven above, no earth below.
Wen Yu did not know what they planned to do with her.
She only knew she had to find a way to escape as soon as possible. The longer she stayed, the worse her situation would become.
“Mom, this woman definitely isn’t ordinary. She’s carrying two hundred yuan, plus ration coupons and a watch. Won’t kidnapping her bring trouble?”
“You little fool. The timid starve, the brave get rich. Since we’ve stepped onto this path, there’s no room for hesitation.”
Thinking of the unexpected fortune, the old woman smiled until her wrinkles deepened.
“She walked right into our carriage herself. Perfect timing. This girl is delicate—worth ten ordinary ones. After this job, I’ll take you to Hong Kong. We’ll start a new life, and I’ll even get you a wife and grandchildren. We’ll live peacefully from then on.”
“Hehe, Mom, she’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. How about I—”
“You don’t even think about it!”
The old woman immediately cut him off.
“We’re risking our lives for money. Some things are not for us to touch.”
Such a beautiful girl had to be sold for a good price. If she were sold to some remote mountain area, where buyers couldn’t pay much, it would be a waste.
Footsteps approached.
Wen Yu immediately lay back down and remained motionless.
“Mom, why hasn’t she woken up yet?”
“She probably hasn’t suffered much hardship before. She’s delicate. She should wake up by night.”
“Alright.”
The man’s gaze lingered on Wen Yu.
It swept over her slender neck, her chest, her waist… and finally paused at her delicate, fair ankle.
His eyes darkened slightly.
“You’d better not have any dirty thoughts. If you touch her, she won’t fetch a good price anymore.”
“Mom, I was just looking. I won’t touch her.”
Fearing his son would ruin everything, the old woman pushed him out and locked the door again.
“I’ll go arrange buyers. You go to the state-run restaurant and buy some food for later.”
“What if she wakes up and runs?”
“The door is locked, and the courtyard walls are high. That delicate girl can’t possibly escape. What, do you want to stay and watch her yourself?”
“Don’t even think about it!”
Seeing through his thoughts, the man scratched his head.
“Fine, I’ll go now.”
He took one last look at the room.
It was hard to let go of such a beautiful girl—but his mother was right. Making money came first.
“Creak—”
The courtyard gate closed. A lock clicked shut.
Moments later, the footsteps gradually faded away.