Comrade Zhou Cheng was playing a little dirty today.

The hand-holding. The surprise hug.

Neither seemed awkward in the slightest.

The train whistle blared. Zhou Cheng followed the crowd for a few steps before gradually disappearing from sight as the train pulled away. When he was around, his cocky grin was almost irritating. Now that he was gone, Xia Xiaolan felt unexpectedly empty.

Kang Wei had managed to get her a lower berth, sparing her the trouble of climbing up and down. It was the most comfortable option available.

Upgrading from a hard seat to a sleeper berth solved a lot of problems.

In those days, anyone who could get a sleeper ticket usually had some connections. Train staff also paid closer attention to the sleeper cars. For a young, attractive woman traveling alone, safety was the first priority.

Besides, sleeper berths were practically luxury by train standards. Xia Xiaolan had no complaints.

Only after her train had long since departed did Zhou Cheng leave the platform. On the way out, he began sorting through his contacts, trying to think of someone trustworthy in Guangzhou.

Eventually, he remembered an old army comrade who was from there. Maybe he could help. By the time Zhou Cheng finished making arrangements, it was already nine o'clock at night.

Kang Wei was squatting beside the truck, yawning. The moment he saw Zhou Cheng, he jumped up.

" Cheng-ge, all set with sister-in-law's business? " Zhou Cheng nodded.

" Thanks for your help. Whose connection did you use today? "

" My Aunt's classmate works for the Henan Railway Bureau. One word from her and it was done. No big deal. "

Kang Wei didn't think much of it. Zhou Cheng did.

As the posthumous son of a martyr, Kang Wei occupied a unique position within the Kang family. His grandparents doted on him, which made his relationships with other relatives somewhat complicated. Though his Uncles and Aunts all held respectable jobs, Kang Wei rarely asked them for favors.

" When we get back to Beijing, thank your Aunt properly. The favor may be small, but she still cares about you. " Kang Wei looked reluctant, but he trusted Zhou Cheng's judgment.

" Fine. " Zhou Cheng slapped him on the shoulder.

" Let's grab some food and hit the road. We're heading to Guangzhou this time. Tight schedule. It'll be a tough run. " 

Originally, they had planned to travel between Beijing and Shanghai— a route Zhou Cheng knew inside and out.

Loading points. Unloading points. Supply stops. Everything was familiar. Guangzhou was different.

The profits in this business were enormous, but so were the risks. Zhou Cheng had already established himself on the Beijing-Shanghai line, but Guangzhou was still someone else's territory.

Kang Wei hesitated. " Going down there... aren't we stepping on somebody's turf? "

" If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. " Zhou Cheng smiled.

" Besides, Guangzhou has its own opportunities. Your sister-in-law's biggest limitations are capital and connections. Her business instincts are better than yours. "

Kang Wei didn't believe that for a second. Zhou Cheng didn't bother explaining. 

Some things only became obvious over time.

He thought Xia Xiaolan was exceptionally intelligent. Intelligence and cunning were different things. The first earned admiration. The second earned resentment.

Give a smart person a stage, and who knows how far she could go? The thought filled Zhou Cheng with anticipation. And pressure.

From the moment he'd first seen her, he'd decided she was his woman. A man should always be stronger than the woman he loved, strong enough to shield her from the wind and rain.

If Xia Xiaolan was going to grow, then he needed to become even better.

— — —

Meanwhile, Xia Xiaolan's move from hard seat to sleeper berth hadn't gone unnoticed.

The sleeper car was quiet. 

Passengers minded their own business.

Across from her sat a middle-aged man with glasses who looked like an intellectual. He spent most of his time reading newspapers. Even though Xia Xiaolan was beautiful, he only glanced at her a few times before returning to his paper.

The first night passed peacefully. The next morning, she ran out of drinking water. There was a hot-water station on the train, and while refilling her thermos, she was approached by a plump middle-aged woman.

The woman looked friendly enough. She wore a burgundy wool coat. Her face was heavily powdered, her cheeks rosy, her eyebrows carefully drawn.

At first she seemed half-asleep. Then she spotted Xia Xiaolan. Instantly, she woke up.

Beautiful.

Pretty girls weren't uncommon. But truly exceptional beauty was rare.

Many women relied on clothes and makeup. Xia Xiaolan didn't.

Her face alone was enough. Delicate features. Seductive eyes. And beneath her modest clothes… a figure that turned heads.

The woman was stunned. How had she missed someone like this earlier?

" Little sister, couldn't get any hot water? " the woman said warmly. 

" Why don't we try another car? I feel an instant connection with you. Train rides are so boring, come chat with your big sister. " She sounded incredibly friendly.

Xia Xiaolan looked ordinary enough in her clothing. The woman guessed she was a young girl traveling alone for the first time.

The important question was: Was she really alone?

That was the first thing the woman needed to find out. No hurry. Once they started talking, she could gradually extract all the information she needed.

People who were overly friendly usually wanted something. If a man acted that way, maybe he was after her looks.

But a middle-aged woman? Xia Xiaolan immediately declined.

" No thanks. I'll come back later. "

" Hey, little sister— "

The woman followed her for several steps before realizing Xia Xiaolan had returned to the sleeper car. Standing there, she stamped her foot in frustration.

Dressed like a poor country girl, yet somehow able to afford a sleeper ticket. The woman herself wouldn't have minded paying extra for one. Too bad she lacked the connections. 

Carrying her empty thermos, she squeezed back into her seat. A skinny man nearby immediately snapped:

" Where the hell have you been? I'm starving. Give me some money so I can buy breakfast. "

" Eat, eat, eat! That's all you ever think about! "

Unlike the quiet sleeper car, this carriage was noisy. The plump woman and skinny man looked like an ordinary bickering couple. Nobody paid attention to them.

The woman slammed the thermos onto the table.

" Deadbeat, I just found the prettiest young girl. " The man's eyes lit up.

" Where? Is it convenient? "

Was she traveling alone? Did she have any strong male companions? Could they trick her into following them willingly? If not, could they overpower her?

As long as she was alone, there was always a way.

The woman frowned. " She's cautious. Looked at me like I was dog shit. "

Her expression darkened. Once that girl fell into her hands, she'd learn her lesson. 

The woman wasn't about to give up after one failure. Since Xia Xiaolan ignored her, she cleaned herself up carefully.

Fresh makeup. 

Perfectly combed hair. 

A gold necklace. 

At a glance, she looked like a wealthy, respectable woman.

Then she stationed herself between two train cars. Sooner or later, Xia Xiaolan would need water or the restroom. She couldn't stay hidden forever.

Near noon, after standing so long her legs had gone numb, the woman finally saw Xia Xiaolan heading toward the restroom.

Immediately she rushed forward and grabbed her arm.

" Hey, girl. Even if I said something wrong earlier, there's no need to be angry. Come on, let's sit down somewhere and clear up the misunderstanding. "

This tactic was one she had perfected. If bystanders believed they knew each other, everything would become much easier. The wording was deliberately vague.

Most people would struggle to explain. Young girls especially were often thrown off balance by this kind of aggressive friendliness. But Xia Xiaolan instantly noticed how hard the woman was gripping her arm.

Without hesitation, she raised her voice: 

" I don't know you! You've been trying to get close to me all day— "

Her eyes narrowed. 

" You're not a human trafficker, are you?! "