TBW - 3

Chapter 3: Clear and Foolish College Boy

The imagined pain of falling flat on her head never came. Just as she stumbled, a human wall appeared behind her. Her back fell into a firm chest, and the person steadied her wobbling form with precision. 

Letting out a long breath, Cheng Simin opened her eyes to find the aggressive parent’s wrist caught in another pale hand. The owner of the hand was none other than the human wall standing behind her. 

The newcomer towered over Cheng Simin by at least a head. His slim frame was accentuated by an oversized T-shirt and loose jeans. The cuffs fluttered with his movements, emphasizing his long limbs and straight posture, reminiscent of bamboo. 

Though his face was obscured by a mask, Cheng Simin surmised that this clean-cut young man was likely a college student enjoying summer vacation. 

Bending slightly, Cheng Simin thanked him and then slipped past under his arm to retreat to the aisle for safety. 

Fortunately, the “college student” not only physically restrained the man’s aggression but also brought along reinforcements whose mere presence commanded respect.

When the train police in uniform appeared, the fighting and shouting ceased. The couple immediately released the girl and began to complain to the officer: “Officer, this woman invaded our child’s privacy and insulted us! We demand that she delete the video from her phone!” 

“Yes, officer,” the wife added, pointing at her husband’s scratched face. “Look what she did to my husband’s face—he’s all bloodied up! We want to press charges for intentional harm!” 

“The train will arrive at Xicheng terminal in an hour. If you’re certain about filing a report, we can proceed to the police station together after arrival,” the officer said sternly, reciting the official protocol. 

“Of course, we absolutely want to file charges! She must compensate us for medical expenses! Look how much our child is crying—they need psychological counseling! And we’ll sue her in court so she has a permanent record!” 

At this moment, the train arrived at Banshan Station. The onboard announcement reminded passengers destined for Banshan to disembark promptly; the stop would last ten minutes. 

The couple, smooth-tongued as ever, flanked the officer on both sides, bombarding him with their grievances. The assaulted girl, tears streaming down her face, tried repeatedly to interject and defend herself but was ignored. In desperation, she grabbed Cheng Simin, who had returned to retrieve her luggage, pleading for her testimony. 

Passengers were boarding and alighting throughout the carriage. Cheng Simin glanced back and forth between the girl and her suitcase still stowed on the overhead rack, looking conflicted. “I’m sorry, but I’m not getting off at the final stop—I’m getting off here.” 

“But I can’t argue against them alone! You witnessed everything! They attacked me first—you have to tell the police what happened. You were watching the whole time—can’t you help me?” 

There were only a few minutes left before the doors closed. Passengers jostled past Cheng Simin, pushing her aside. Those who had eagerly filmed the altercation moments ago now hurried away, shouting in unison: “Move! Don’t block the aisle!” 

Cheng Simin swayed like a punching bag, pushed this way and that. Thinking of Beibei still locked in the cargo hold, she grew increasingly anxious. Balancing on tiptoe, she reached for her suitcase and said apologetically, “I’m afraid I can’t help you—I’ve got a pet in the freight compartment, and I need to pick it up right away. Don’t worry, there are cameras in the carriage. The police will gather evidence—they won’t just take their word for it.” 

“But I need witnesses! You’re a witness—you can’t just leave!” 

Cheng Simin’s verbal reassurance fell flat. The girl, panicked and desperate, clung to her lifeline, waving her arms to prevent Cheng Simin from retrieving her luggage. 

“We’re calling the police—you have to cooperate with the investigation! I can’t afford to be penalized—I’m preparing for...” 

She hesitated, then muttered under her breath, “My situation is important!” 

But Cheng Simin’s dog was equally important to her. Another shove from behind nearly knocked her over. Her patience exhausted, she frowned, ready to snap—when suddenly, her pink suitcase was handed down and placed beside her. 

The one who came to her rescue was none other than the “college student” who had earlier brought the train police to mediate the dispute. His calm demeanor remained unchanged. First, he turned to the crying girl and said, “I’ll testify on your behalf.” Then, glancing at Cheng Simin, he nodded gently, his tone warm and reassuring: “I’m also riding in this carriage. My testimony will suffice. If you’re in a hurry, you can go ahead.” 

Their eyes met briefly. Cheng Simin felt immense gratitude and thanked him again. Before the second “thank you” even left her lips, she was already dragging her suitcase out of the carriage as if fleeing for her life. 

No sooner had Cheng Simin stepped off the train than the doors emitted a sharp “beep,” signaling they were closing. Fortunately, she’d moved quickly—if not, Beibei might have waited even longer. 

Now that she wasn’t rushed, Cheng Simin slowed her pace. Standing still, she pulled the pet retrieval slip from her pocket and looked around for directions to the station hall. 

This was her first time back in Banshan in three years. The station had been renovated and no longer resembled its former self. 

As she scanned her surroundings, a faint gaze brushed against her cheek. Sensing it, Cheng Simin turned around. 

Sure enough, a few steps away, the “good Samaritan” from earlier was watching her through the window. The glass was spotlessly clean, and the setting sun illuminated his eyes perfectly. This time, Cheng Simin got a clear look at his face: phoenix-like eyes, long eyebrows, fair skin, and striking bone structure around his eye sockets and brow ridge—a breathtakingly handsome profile. 

Perhaps because he had helped her twice, Cheng Simin suddenly felt a sense of familiarity in his voice and features. But soon, the moving train carried him out of sight. Shaking off the strange sense of connection, she headed toward the elevator. 

How many years had it been since she graduated? She didn’t know any naive college boys anymore. Besides, during the pandemic, hadn’t public transportation been filled with mask-clad “handsome men”? Some looked like princes with masks on but turned into frogs once they took them off. With today’s advanced manufacturing, even middle-aged balding men could wear wigs to pose as fresh-faced youths. 

Modern women must never blindly fall for good looks. 

As the scorching heat of the sunset dissipated, moonlight bathed the world in cool serenity. 

When Shi Ying finally walked out of the police station in Mancheng North Street, he hadn’t expected the sky to be so completely dark. 

The mediation process for the earlier dispute had dragged on endlessly, with both parties stubbornly arguing their points. At first, Shi Ying managed to recount clearly what he had witnessed in Carriage 14 that afternoon, firmly refuting the couple’s false accusations. 

But he barely got a few words out before being rudely interrupted. His composure wavered, and eventually, he ran out of things to say. Even the girl he was testifying for began opposing his opposition. 

With multiple voices talking over each other, all spewing useless information, Shi Ying’s head spun. In the end, he shut off his ears and stared blankly at a stain on the white wall behind the two officers. 

Behind him, the red anti-fraud slogans on the electronic screen scrolled in real-time. Under the moonlight, Shi Ying glanced at his watch, realizing he’d spent over two hours in the station. 

It was now past nine o’clock—too late for high-speed rail tickets back to Banshan. Only two slow-moving green trains remained, each taking nearly three hours. To save time, he decided to check for buses at the nearby bus station instead.

Because he needed to check the departure schedule, Shi Ying stepped down from the station and stood under a tall poplar tree by the roadside to look at his phone. However, when Ma Fangfang emerged from the police station and saw him still lingering nearby, she mistakenly assumed he was waiting for her. After hesitating for a few seconds, she walked over with her luggage and struck up a conversation.

“Hello, I haven’t introduced myself yet. My name is Ma Fangfang. Thank you so much for accompanying me to the police station today.”

Above them, the leaves rustled softly; beneath their feet, shadows danced unevenly.

When Shi Ying lifted his lashes to glance at her, Ma Fangfang felt a bit shy and quickly shifted her gaze to the backpack on his shoulder. “To be honest, I’m not usually someone who gets into arguments like this. But because I’m preparing for an important exam, I had no choice but to accept mediation! Otherwise, I’d have made sure they paid for what they did. I definitely wouldn’t apologize to them. The officers just wanted to smooth things over—how could this be considered mutual assault? They were the ones who started it! If anyone should be detained, it’s them!”

The heated exchange earlier had ended with Ma Fangfang deleting the video from her phone in front of the officers, while the couple signed a statement promising not to pursue any further action against her. With that, the incident was resolved: no one sought medical verification, and no administrative penalties were issued.

After the initial anger subsided, everyone simply wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble in their daily lives.

Ma Fangfang was a recent graduate awaiting employment, and the upcoming political review process was crucial for her future. As for the couple, both formal employees of the local tax bureau, they too had reputations to protect—a single misstep could cost them their iron rice bowls.

As for the violent behavior that occurred on the train? Perhaps it could only be excused as temporary possession by some malevolent spirit.

Ten minutes later, the last bus from the station completed its final run. Shi Ying remained noncommittal about Ma Fangfang’s words, offering only a perfunctory response: “It’s resolved now—that’s good.”

He was tired. After speaking, he lowered his head again and opened a WeChat mini-program to search for transportation options in Xicheng.

Xicheng Travel was a new mode of transportation born out of necessity during the pandemic. Most vehicles were small vans, operating flexibly without fixed schedules or routes—similar to old-fashioned private carpooling. Once full, they departed. Unlike unlicensed taxis, however, this service was legitimate and offered official receipts at a much lower price.

Shi Ying rarely paid attention to such budget-friendly travel methods in the past, but these were different times. His family’s assets had rapidly diminished, and they were facing another wave of bank settlements. He was no longer the wealthy young master he once was and had to save money wherever possible.

After booking a ride through the app, Shi Ying put on his earphones, waved goodbye to Ma Fangfang, and prepared to leave. The pickup point wasn’t far from the police station entrance.

Despite his earlier kindness on the train, Shi Ying now appeared distant. Perplexed, Ma Fangfang chased after him and asked again, “Hey, you never told me your name! Which district do you live in—Old Town or New City? I feel really bad about taking up so much of your time. I hate owing people, so to thank you, let me treat you to dinner!”

“Thank you, but there’s no need. I’m heading back to Banshan—I’ve already booked a ride.”

“What? You were supposed to get off at Banshan? Wow, you even went out of your way for my sake. Then I feel even worse! Let’s add each other on WeChat. When I visit Banshan next time, we can meet up. The grapes on the mountain are almost ripe—I go to the vineyards every year with friends to pick them.”

Ma Fangfang’s eyes widened as she rambled on, astonished that this stranger had gone to such lengths for her. Her admiration for Shi Ying grew even stronger.

Her goodwill was understandable, but why had Shi Ying bothered to meddle in the first place? It certainly wasn’t to impress anyone. Why waste time coming all the way to the police station to help her? It made no sense—he’d never even helped an elderly woman cross the street in his life. He couldn’t exactly be called a kind-hearted person.

Caught off guard, Shi Ying struggled to explain his irrational behavior. He saw no reason to lie to someone he didn’t care about, nor did he want to add strangers on WeChat. Finally, he replied bluntly, “No need to feel sorry for me. Honestly, helping wasn’t my intention. Maybe... I just lost my mind for a moment this afternoon.”

As he spoke, he held up his phone screen, which displayed his WeChat payment QR code. With a polite smile, he added, “If you really feel uneasy, why don’t you reimburse me for my ride back to Banshan? It’s 42 yuan via Xicheng Travel. Do you need an invoice? I can provide one.”

Ten meters away, the van screeched to a halt at the pickup point. A call came in from an unknown number—it was the driver urging passengers to board.

Ma Fangfang froze, then blurted out instinctively, “Are you crazy? What does that have to do with anything? You’re obsessed with money!”

Bringing up money in a romantic context is offensive, and Shi Ying anticipated her reaction. Without hesitation, he pocketed his phone and strode toward the van.

Since he was the last to board, both the single seat in the front passenger area and the double seats in the middle section were occupied. Outside, Ma Fangfang lamented, “What a terrible day!” Inside, Shi Ying, squeezed into the rear three-person seat, shared the sentiment.

To save fuel, the air conditioning wasn’t turned on. As soon as the vehicle started moving, the strong wind blowing through the open windows carried waves of sweat odor from the man on his left directly into Shi Ying’s mask.

That alone would’ve been tolerable, but less than five minutes into the ride, the elderly man on his right—apparently oblivious to social cues—pulled out several boiled eggs from a plastic bag at his feet. These eggs, likely stored for hours, emitted an unbearable stench as he stuffed them into his mouth one after another.

This was a dual assault on both the senses and sanity. It was akin to watching someone eat instant noodles in a public restroom—an experience nearly impossible to endure comfortably.

Suppressing the urge to gag, Shi Ying pulled two additional masks from his backpack. He layered one over his existing mask to block the smell and used the second to cover his eyes entirely.

Closing his eyes, Jay Chou’s ”Common Jasmine Orange” played randomly in his earphones. But where was the fragrance? This was nothing short of Shi Ying’s personal stench-filled funeral. If not for the pain in his knee being pinched by his fingers, he might’ve thought he’d already descended into hell.

Indeed, the spirit of doing good deeds without expecting anything in return didn’t suit his cynical disposition. 

He shouldn’t have gone out of his way to help Cheng Simin—after all, she had bolted off the train so quickly that she hadn’t even recognized him.