Chapter 40: On the Train
Chapter 40: On the Train
When Lu Jiajin saw the door barred, he knew that the two had gone out. With a recent sweep of street delinquents, the city was now much safer. Knowing that Lu Jiaxin would always be accompanied by XUE Mao, he wasn't too worried.
Lu Jiajin was prone to sweating in the heat, and after running errands all afternoon, his clothes were already drenched. Fortunately, there was a place to change nearby, so he drew some water and took a quick bath in the courtyard.
As he changed into fresh clothes, he recalled Lu Jiaxin's previous words and smiled as he picked up the new set of clothes she had left for him. But as he lifted them, he noticed a piece of paper underneath. His expression changed as he read the note.
Lu Jiaguang was taken aback when he received Lu Jiajin's call and asked in surprise, "What did you say? Jiaxin went to the ancient capital? Why would she go there?"
Having calmed down from the initial shock, Lu Jiajin replied, "She left a message saying she wants to go to the ancient capital to find that human trafficker. Otherwise, she won't be able to rest easy for the rest of her life."
Lu Jiaguang was both angry and anxious. He asked, "Quickly ask the neighbors if they left yesterday or today. If they encounter someone with ill intentions, they may not be so lucky."
He regretted supporting Lu Jiaxin's decision to move out. If she had still been living at home, her sudden disappearance would have been noticed much sooner.
Lu Jiajin quickly reassured him, "Big brother, don't worry. Besides Xue Mao, she also found two other people to accompany her to the ancient capital. They were introduced by Madam Xie, and they have the skills to protect them."
Hearing this, Lu Jiaguang finally felt some relief. "Go find Su Heming first to understand the situation, then come to me," he instructed.
"Okay," Lu Jiajin agreed.
When the brothers met, Lu Jiajin handed over the note.
Lu Jiaguang read it carefully. It explained Jiaxin's decision to go to the ancient capital and why she had kept it a secret from them. She promised to return within two months and asked them not to worry.
Leaning back in his chair, Lu Jiajin said, "Big brother, I think Third Uncle really hurt Jiaxin's feelings. She didn't even bother to inform us about something as big as going to the ancient capital."
Normally, when faced with difficulties, one would seek help from their parents. But Jiaxin hadn't even mentioned it. Even when she needed bodyguards, she turned to the Xie family instead of their uncle.
Lu Jiaguang said, "If you were Jiaxin, would you feel hurt?"
Previously, he had slightly favored Ding Jing and her daughter, but that was for the sake of family harmony. However, ever since Jiaxin returned, Ding Jing had been comfortably settled as the Lu family's wife, and Zhao SiYi had happily gone off to university. In contrast, Jiaxin had endured so much injustice that she had moved out of the family home. If it weren't for Jiajin living there, those two half-grown children would have surely been bullied.
Lu Jiajin said, "Big brother, should we tell him about Jiaxin?"
Lu Jiaguang was also angry. He felt that Lu Hongjun failed to distinguish between close and distant relatives. But even in his anger, he knew that something this big shouldn't be kept secret. So, he immediately dialed Lu Hongjun's number, but no one answered.
The Xie family had arranged for people to accompany Lu Jiaxin to the ancient capital, so he wasn't too concerned about her safety. As for the human trafficker, he didn't think Lu Jiaxin would be able to catch them.
The local police station had followed up on Lu Jiaxin's provided leads but hadn't found anyone matching her description. This outcome was expected, as human traffickers often disguised themselves; there had been cases of young women posing as old ladies.
Lu Jiajin couldn't help but complain, "Things were so much better when Third Aunt was still around. Our weekends were spent enjoying delicious meals together as a family, and everyone envied us. Now, we can only turn to Third Uncle at his office when we need something."
In the past, visiting Third Uncle's place felt like coming home. But ever since Ding Jing entered the family, he always felt like a poor relative coming to scrounge a meal. He only endured it for Jiaxin's sake; otherwise, he wouldn't have set foot there. Now that his sister had moved out, he wouldn't go to the Baisheng Lou compound unless it was absolutely necessary.
Lu Jiaguang didn't want to discuss Lu Hongjun anymore, as he was still a senior family member. He changed the subject, "Your father-in-law and mother-in-law are planning to adopt your eldest aunt's child. You and LILI should buy a house and move out. If you need money, I can lend you some."
Lu Jiajin wouldn't hesitate to borrow money from his brother, "Brother, I'm currently looking for a house. We'll move out as soon as I find a suitable one."
Lu Jiaguang thought this was good news. In fact, he had wanted Lu Jiajin to move out for a while. A man living at his in-laws' couldn't hold his head high. "It all depends on whether you can convince her. But once you move out, you'll be the head of the household, and you'll have to shoulder that responsibility."
"I understand, big brother," Lu Jiajin sighed. "I wonder what Jiaxin is doing now."
At that moment, the object of his concern, Lu Jiaxin, was on a train, having dinner. People these days were more frugal, and many would bring their own food when traveling long distances. The pancakes that XUE Mao had made would only last for one meal, so they had to buy food on the train.
Lu Jiaxin bought two meat dishes and one vegetarian option, finding the food tasty and reasonably priced. It was a far cry from the expensive and unappetizing train food of the future.
Gu Wenfeng had a big appetite and asked for two extra portions of white rice. Watching him eat so heartily, Lu Jiaxin's own appetite improved.
An elderly man with half-white hair sat across from them. He had also bought a boxed meal but initially had no appetite. However, seeing Gu Wenfeng devour his food with such relish, the old man suddenly felt hungry.
After finishing their meal, the old man sighed, "Youth is truly enviable! When I was thirty, I could finish two aluminum boxes of food, but I'd be hungry again before the next meal."
Lu Jiaxin remained silent, thinking to herself that it was because their stomachs weren't lined with enough fat. If they had more money, they wouldn't even be able to finish one aluminum box of food.
Gu Wenfeng wasn't the type to enjoy idle chatter, but when the elderly man approached him with kindness, he responded politely, "We will all grow old one day, and none can escape it."
Lu Jiaxin glanced at him with a hint of surprise. Zhao Daju couldn't keep a secret to save his life, but Gu Wenfeng had kept everything to himself. She felt that Gu Wenfeng was a man with a story to tell.
The bunk beds they had purchased were in the lower and middle levels, which were excellent locations. When they first boarded the train, someone had tried to swap with them, but Lu Jiaxin had refused.
The lower bunk was more convenient for everything, and if it had been an elderly person with mobility issues or a parent with a child, she would have gladly offered a helping hand in the spirit of Lei Feng. However, their potential swap partner looked to be in their robust forties, and she wasn't about to put herself at a disadvantage.
Gu Wenfeng had a clear role in this trip—to ensure Lu Jiaxin's safety. He would remain vigilant against potential dangers and offer warnings, but he wouldn't meddle beyond that.
After dinner, the old man struck up a conversation with Lu Jiaxin. Older folks often liked to reminisce, and this gentleman was no exception. While she wouldn't have entertained such a chat in Siming City, the train ride was long, and listening to his stories helped pass the time.
As night fell, the lights in the carriage came on. The old man eventually tired of talking and went to fetch some water from the washroom.
Gu Wenfeng turned to Lu Jiaxin and suggested, "Why don't we swap? You can take the middle bunk."
He felt that sleeping in the lower bunk wasn't very safe. Many train passengers lost their valuables and money at night. While the hard-seat carriages were the most prone to theft, it wasn't unheard of in the sleeper carriages either. Earlier, Lu Jiaxin had mentioned bringing valuable items, and judging by the weight of her luggage and her visits to several banks, she was likely carrying a substantial amount of cash.
"Okay," Lu Jiaxin agreed.
After the lights in the carriage went out, a few passengers continued chatting. The air in the carriage carried a peculiar smell, and Lu Jiaxin tossed and turned in her bed until the wee hours of the morning before finally falling asleep.
"Ah..."
A startled cry jolted her awake, and she bumped her head on the metal frame as she sat up. Ignoring the throbbing in her forehead, she saw Gu Wenfeng holding a man in a military-green jacket by the wrist.
"Brother, what's going on?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
"He was trying to steal our luggage, but I caught him red-handed," Gu Wenfeng replied loudly.
Lu Jiaxin, aided by the faint light, spotted the military-green bag on the floor and felt her heart drop. However, she maintained a calm expression and asked, "Brother, did we lose anything?"
Her canvas bag contained 2,000 yuan, and the rest of her money was in the luggage. This money was meant for buying a house, and losing it would mean their trip would be in vain.
Gu Wenfeng gave her a glance and assured her, "Don't worry, nothing's missing."
Upon hearing that a thief had been caught, the passengers in the carriage quickly checked their belongings. One of the passengers near the door had lost over 500 yuan from their bag.
The train police arrived promptly and took the thief away in handcuffs. The stolen money was also recovered from the thief's possession and returned to its rightful owner.
The passenger who had lost the money specially thanked Gu Wenfeng. If not for his alertness and quick action, the money would have been gone for good.
Lu Jiajie and Lu Jiaguang had dinner at the Railway Bureau and then headed home. On their way, they came across a vendor selling tanghulu, candied hawthorn sticks, and bought three skewers.
Even though their relationship with their eldest aunt wasn't the best, they wouldn't hold a grudge against her children. More importantly, Lu Jiajie didn't want to start another argument over such a trivial matter. However, when they arrived home and saw that Ma Daji was there again, he took the tanghulu inside without a word.
Lu Jiajie didn't want to see his eldest aunt's unpleasant face, and he was about to say that he wouldn't be staying for dinner when Ma's mother emerged from the kitchen.
As soon as she spotted Lu Jiajie, she fixed her eyes on his clothes and demanded, "Jiajie, you weren't wearing this outfit when you left at noon. Where have you been?"
Ma Daji, like a cat that had smelled fish, exclaimed, "Jiajie, that's a new outfit, and it fits you well. Who bought it for you?"
If he had been asked politely, he would have explained, but her insinuating tone made it sound as if he had done something shady. With a cold expression, Lu Jiajie retorted, "Why does it matter who bought it? If you have the time to meddle in my business, you should pay more attention to your children and stop bringing home failing grades."
Ma Daji's face alternated between green and white. The fact that her two older sons weren't performing well in school was her Achilles' heel. "My son may not be doing well in school, but at least he's honest and aboveboard, unlike some people who sneak around."
Enraged, Lu Jiajie shot back, "What do you mean by that? Just because your husband likes to sneak around, you think all men are the same? I have to apologize, but I have a clean freak, unlike your husband, who doesn't seem to care if he's dirty or stinky."
He had learned the term "clean freak" from Lu Jiaxin.
Ma Daji was furious. "Lu Jiajie, what nonsense are you spouting? My husband is as clean as they come, and you dare to slander him!"
She could tolerate being mocked for her husband being a kept man, but accusing him of having an affair was something she wouldn't let slide. If she didn't defend him, the whole building would be buzzing with rumors of his infidelity by tomorrow.
"Whether he's clean or not, you know better than anyone, and we all know the truth," Lu Jiajie said.
(End of Chapter)
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