Jiang Lai spent an entire week training under Xu Hui, learning every aspect of the job.
Since Xu Hui had to teach her the workflow, both of them worked every shift together. On the night shift, they took turns sleeping while gradually getting used to the routine.
“Comrade, I’d like to rent a room.”
A knock on the reception window woke Jiang Lai from where she’d been resting on the desk.
She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the little green alarm clock on the table.
It was already three o’clock in the morning.
Another knock came.
“Comrade, could you please get us a room?”
This time even Xu Hui, who had been sleeping on the single bed, woke up.
Jiang Lai took a sip of the cool boiled water from her enamel mug, instantly shaking off the last traces of sleep.
“At your service. Please show me your introduction letter.”
A tall man bent down until his entire face was pressed against the reception window.
He was carrying a child of about three years old.
The child wore an oversized man’s jacket draped over his body and lay motionless against the man’s shoulder, seemingly in a deep sleep.
Hearing that an introduction letter was required, the man forced a flattering smile.
“Comrade, could you let us have a room first? We’re villagers who came to the provincial capital to seek medical treatment. It’s our first time riding a train, and we accidentally left our luggage on it. Tomorrow morning I’ll go to the station and retrieve it. Once I find it, I’ll bring the introduction letter over. Would that be alright?”
Xu Hui pulled on her coat, climbed down from the bed while yawning, and refused without hesitation.
“Comrade, staying at a guesthouse requires an introduction letter. If your luggage was left on the train, you can also present a certificate of lost property issued by the railway police.”
While Xu Hui negotiated with the man, Jiang Lai looked through the window.
Behind him stood another middle-aged man supporting a woman in his arms.
The woman’s long hair completely covered her face.
She wore a faded green military jacket with a patch sewn onto one shoulder. It was much too large, hanging to just above her knees.
Beneath it she wore close-fitting khaki trousers.
As she swayed slightly, Jiang Lai noticed the fabric of the trousers was soft—completely different from the coarse military jacket.
On her feet were a pair of black leather shoes.
The man supporting her was extremely vigilant.
The moment he noticed Jiang Lai looking over, he subtly guided the woman several steps closer to the wall, blocking Jiang Lai’s view.
Meanwhile, the man carrying the child continued pleading with Xu Hui.
“Comrade, please have mercy. We’re just country folk. We men can stay awake all night if we have to, but the child is sick and really needs a proper place to rest.”
“I’m sorry.”
Xu Hui shook her head firmly.
“Those are the regulations. You must have an introduction letter or an official certificate. If yours was truly lost, go to the railway station and get a replacement certificate.”
Jiang Lai had already begun sensing that something about these people wasn’t right.
She opened the registration book and interrupted with a sympathetic smile.
“You’ve certainly had a difficult journey, coming all this way for medical treatment. It’s very late, and it’ll be hard on the child and the woman if they have to keep traveling around tonight.”
“Why don’t you leave your information with us first? You can bring the introduction letter tomorrow.”
Xu Hui immediately became anxious.
“But…”
The man carrying the child quickly seized the opportunity.
“This young comrade is so understanding!”
“Tell us what information you need. We’ll cooperate.”
“As soon as we recover our luggage tomorrow, we’ll bring the introduction letter.”
Jiang Lai nodded as she held the registration book closer.
“What’s your name?”
“What’s your home address?”
“How are these three people related to you?”
“And what are each of their names?”
Identification cards were already in use, but that didn’t mean everyone could remember their ID numbers by heart.
Instead, Jiang Lai carefully recorded every detail they gave her—their names, address, relationships, and the purpose of their visit.
The man hesitated for just a moment before casually giving their names and claiming they came from a remote area in another province.
Jiang Lai put on an expression of concern.
“You’ve really traveled a long way.”
“What illness does the child have?”
“Which hospital are you planning to visit?”
“Epilepsy.”
“I heard there’s a famous specialist at the provincial hospital.”
Jiang Lai looked toward the silent woman again.
“Is she the child’s mother?”
“Why hasn’t she said a single word?”
She deliberately leaned farther out the window for another look.
The man immediately shifted to block her line of sight again.
“The child’s mother also suffers from epilepsy.”
“She’s having an episode.”
“It’s difficult for her to talk.”
Seeing his reaction, Jiang Lai stopped pressing the issue.
Instead, she sighed as though she were in a difficult position.
“You don’t have an introduction letter.”
“That puts us in a very awkward situation.”
“Please wait here a moment while we ask the duty supervisor whether an exception can be made.”
The instant he heard the word supervisor, alarm flashed across the man’s face.
He hurriedly tried to stop her.
“Comrade, please don’t!”
“We’re just ignorant country people.”
“Please let us have one room tonight.”
“I guarantee we’ll bring the introduction letter first thing tomorrow morning.”
As he spoke, he quietly pulled a ten-yuan note from inside his jacket.
“This is just a little token of appreciation for the two of you.”
Jiang Lai’s eyes flickered.
She turned to Xu Hui.
“Maybe…”
“…we should just help them out.”
“They really do seem pitiful.”
As she took Xu Hui’s hand, she lightly tapped her palm twice.
Xu Hui immediately understood.
Putting on a reluctant expression, she sighed at the man.
“We’re just ordinary employees.”
“We’ll make an exception this once.”
“But tomorrow morning you must bring your introduction letter.”
The man’s shoulders visibly relaxed.
“Don’t worry.”
“Country people are honest.”
Xu Hui forced a smile that looked more painful than crying.
“Then… you take them upstairs.”
Jiang Lai removed a key from the wall.
Thoughtfully, she asked,
“Men and women aren’t allowed to stay in the same room.”
“Would you like me to open another room for you?”
The man looked embarrassed.
“The child’s mother has frequent attacks.”
“Someone needs to stay with her.”
Jiang Lai didn’t press the issue.
Instead, she led them to a room with neither a window nor easy access to the staircase.
“Do you need any hot water?”
The man supporting the woman answered quietly.
“No.”
Only then did Jiang Lai notice a long scar running across the right side of his forehead.
His left thumb was flattened, as though it had once been crushed by something heavy.
His accent carried a faint local intonation.
Unlike the man carrying the child—who was obviously forcing an out-of-province accent—this man sounded like a local.
“Remember.”
“You must bring your introduction letter tomorrow when you check out.”
The man carrying the child looked around the room before frowning.
“Could you switch us to a room with a window?”
Jiang Lai spread her hands apologetically.
“All the other rooms are occupied.”
“This is the only one available.”
“Thank you.”
“We’ll make do.”
“Alright.”
“I’ll leave you to rest.”
She gently closed the door behind her.
After quickly returning downstairs, she paused to listen for any movement upstairs.
Only after hearing nothing did she return to the reception office.
Xu Hui was still standing exactly where she’d been before.
Her face was pale with fear.
“W-Who are those people?”
“I’m scared.”
“My legs are shaking so badly I can’t even move.”
Earlier that evening, the two of them had been chatting about secret recognition signals used by underground agents.
Just for fun, they’d invented their own little code.
One tap on the palm meant run.
Two taps meant emergency.
Three taps meant everything’s safe.
Neither of them had imagined they’d actually use it only a few hours later.
When Jiang Lai had quietly tapped Xu Hui’s palm twice, Xu Hui had frozen on the spot.
Her legs had felt as though they were glued to the floor.
She hadn’t dared move an inch.
Jiang Lai’s eyes shone with excitement.
She gulped down another mouthful of cold boiled water.
“I think they’re human traffickers.”
“I’m going to find the police.”
“You lock every window and door.”
“No matter what they say…”
“…don’t open the door.”
Xu Hui immediately collapsed onto the floor.
Grabbing Jiang Lai’s hand tightly, she cried,
“W-What?!”
“No…”
“I’m scared!”
“It’s alright.”
“I think there are police patrols nearby.”
“Otherwise they wouldn’t have tried checking into a guesthouse at this hour.”
“I’ll be back very soon.”
She glanced around the empty office.
“Of all nights…”
“…the duty supervisor just had to be absent tonight.”