Chapter 135: Female Educated Youth¹ 5

Early the next morning, Ren Xin packed her things and set off with a light load.

To her surprise, she spotted the Ren family at the station. Weren’t they supposed to have taken yesterday’s train?

Ren Xin kept her distance, ducking away to observe them stealthily. Her own ticket was for 12:20 PM, so she still had plenty of time. She pulled out a bun she had tucked away and began munching on it.

As the aroma drifted through the air, everyone around looked at Ren Xin with envy.

Ren Xin remained unmoved. Even when an older woman sitting nearby tried to guilt-trip her, Ren Xin simply tuned her out. She opened her mouth wide, took a massive bite, and swallowed.

The old woman was so incensed she began spewing a string of “fragrant²” curses.

Ren Xin smacked her lips even louder. “Mmm, so delicious! It’s a shame some people can’t have any. I wonder who’s going to be randomly annoyed to death today?”

Everyone: “…”

The old woman was furious and was about to launch into a full tirade when Ren Xin pulled out a knife and performed a series of fluid, flashy flourishes. The kicker was that she did it while smiling cheerfully at the woman, looking for all the world like she might lunge forward and stab her the very next second.

The old woman muted herself. The world was finally quiet.

The Ren family was still on the other side of the station, looking miserable. Ren Xin poked around and asked a few questions, eventually piecing together the whole story.

Essentially, Ren Lili had been acting like a monster. She had been throwing a tantrum about not wanting to go and was nearly lured away by a human trafficker who had sweet-talked her. Fortunately, a bystander noticed something was wrong and alerted Father Ren and Mother Ren.

However, Ren Lili refused to believe the person was a trafficker. In her mind, the man was her benefactor!

After the police were called, everyone was taken in for questioning. By the time everything was cleared up, they had naturally missed their train. Fortunately, given the special circumstances, the authorities coordinated a ticket exchange for today. However, word was that Ren Lili was throwing another fit because there were no sleeper berths available.

What kind of princess did Ren Lili think she was? Which poisonous mushroom had she eaten to become this delusional?

Book Spirit Number One: “Shen Shen, if you like that kind of drama, I can arrange it for you!”

“I’ll pass, thanks!”

Ren Xin had a seat ticket. She went to find a staff member to ask if she could upgrade to a sleeper berth, claiming her health was poor.

Looking at Ren Xin’s pale face, the staff member felt a pang of sympathy. “I can only move you to the cadre carriage³, but it will be a bit more expensive. It’s quiet and safe there. Does that work for you?”

Ren Xin thanked them profusely, saying the price wasn’t an issue.

She returned to her original spot. The old woman was still there. Ren Xin pulled out another bun and ate it right in front of her. The woman’s young grandson started crying even louder.

The old woman: “…” Was this wretched girl’s train ever going to arrive?

It was almost time. Before leaving, Ren Xin ate an orange. The juice sprayed all over the old woman’s face. The woman opened her mouth to speak but ultimately didn’t dare say a word.

Ren Xin rudely ate another one. Only after she was full and satisfied did she pick up her luggage to leave.

The old woman breathed a sigh of relief. That plague of a girl was finally gone.

Ren Xin left, but it was a ruse.

She just went to the restroom and then circled back to the old woman’s side.

The old woman: “???” Why was she back?

Book Spirit Number One couldn’t take it anymore. “Can you stop farming the same NPC for reactions?”

“The old woman and I are kindred spirits. Looking at her makes me feel a sense of kinship. I must have personally slain her in a past life.”

Book Spirit Number One: “…”

“Auntie, where are you headed? Is it Qiong Province? I’m a Sent-down Youth going to the countryside.”

The old woman asked with a tremble in her voice, “May I ask which village you’ve been assigned to?”

“Haili Village!”

The old woman: “…” What kind of twisted fate was this!

Ren Xin understood immediately. This was a fellow villager. She enthusiastically declared that they must look out for one another from now on.

“So, Auntie, why are you traveling so far? Do you have some kind of unspeakable secret?”

The old woman remained silent, refusing to utter a single word. Back in the day, she had been the undisputed champion of arguments across ten miles and eight villages, yet today she had met her match in a young girl.

If word got out, it would be a goddamn joke

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Translator’s Notes

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1. Educated Youth: Refers to the ‘Zhiqing’ (知青), urban youth sent to rural areas to perform manual labor during the ‘Down to the Countryside Movement’ (1950s–1970s) to be ‘re-educated’ by the peasantry. ↩
2. fragrant: A sarcastic use of the word ‘fragrant’ (香) to describe foul language or profanity, often used in Chinese internet slang or literature to mock the intensity of an insult. ↩
3. cadre carriage: A higher-class train compartment reserved for government officials (cadres) or those with high social status, offering more privacy and comfort than standard seating. ↩