Chapter 260: The Train Journey

Chapter 260 The Train Journey

"Train or should I arrange a car for you?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "I'll take the train - it's easier."

Driving's actually slower than the train, though less crowded.

"Watch your stuff - and watch yourself."

Even before Ye Xiaoxiao left, Ye Changning was already worried. His sister was such a pretty girl—he was afraid she might encounter traffickers just walking down the street.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Don’t worry, Third Brother. I got a soft sleeper. There are only four people inside."

Ye Changning: "...Still didn't feel right to him."

He wouldn't rest easy otherwise.

"I'm sending someone with you. You're only going home for four-five days anyway, and I’ll still be in the capital when you return."

"Who’s going with me?"

Ye Changning: "Jiangnan-ge will go with you. He’s been to our hometown before."

"Isn't he your bodyguard? What about you if he comes with me?"

"Your brother isn’t at the point of being hunted down yet. Besides, this is the capital, not the south. If we were down there, I really wouldn’t dare go out alone right now."

Ye Changning took care of everything and even bought the tickets for Ye Xiaoxiao.

Ye Xiaoxiao wasn't very familiar with Jiangnan.

He was the quiet, stoic type.

But judging by the muscles on his arms and his pronounced temples, the poetic name 'Jiangnan' didn't fit him at all.

When they got on the train, their compartment mates were a married couple.

The woman was cradling a baby.

Ye Xiaoxiao and Jiangnan took one side of the compartment. The privacy curtains were a nice touch.

The ride started off pretty boring, so Ye Xiaoxiao skimmed through a book from her bag.

In the evening, they hit the dining car for dinner.

When they returned, Jiangnan told Ye Xiaoxiao to take the top bunk.

Sure, climbing up sucked, but the top bunk was safer.

Any thief would have to work to reach it, and you wouldn't get randomly shanked.

Jiangnan clearly knew his protection stuff.

Ye Xiaoxiao asked curiously, "Jiangnan-ge, how did you and my Third Brother meet?"

Jiangnan: "Debt."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "What?"

Jiangnan had fled from Dongguan. At the time, he was nearly killed due to some trouble, and it was Ye Changning who paid off his debt for him. Repaying the debt was voluntary, so he had been following Ye Changning ever since.

Ye Xiaoxiao straightened her curtain, deciding it was best not to get involved in her brothers' business.

This Jiangnan didn’t seem to be the friend who had betrayed her third brother, as the original book never mentioned him at all.

With Jiangnan around, she believed her third brother would be safe.

There was a gap in the curtain, and through it, Ye Xiaoxiao could see the lower berth opposite.

The woman who had initially carried the child had now placed the baby aside and was leaning against the lower berth to rest.

Ye Xiaoxiao found it strange—the child in her arms was only about one or two years old but had been sleeping the entire time, making no sound since boarding at noon.

Ye Xiaoxiao felt a chill—could they really have encountered child traffickers?

She looked up at the man sleeping in the upper berth.

His curtain remained drawn, so she couldn’t see him.

The more she thought about it, the weirder it seemed. If it were just her, she’d probably have gotten out of there by now.

But with Jiangnan, who was good in a fight, by her side, Ye Xiaoxiao carefully climbed down from her berth.

"Brother Jiangnan, I want to get some hot water."

Jiangnan sat up and took her cup. "I’ll go."

Ye Xiaoxiao slung her bag over her shoulder and went along closely behind.

The woman in the lower berth opened her eyes briefly but said nothing.

Only when they reached the space between train cars did Ye Xiaoxiao speak up. "Brother Jiangnan, I think the two people in our compartment are acting suspicious. The child they’re holding has been sleeping the whole time."

Jiangnan had also noticed something off about them.

But he didn’t particularly care.

His job was to protect Ye Xiaoxiao. If she hadn’t brought it up, he would’ve stayed out of it.

"Let’s find the conductor. There are railway police onboard."

Directly grabbing the child would be awkward if it turned out to be a misunderstanding.

Ye Xiaoxiao nodded and went along with Jiangnan to find the conductor.

Upon hearing it might involve child traffickers, the conductor immediately contacted the railway police.

Using ticket inspection as cover, the conductor knocked on their door.

Ye Xiaoxiao and Jiangnan watched from nearby.

It was already dark, and most passengers were asleep. The conductor had to knock several times before someone finally opened the door.

It was the woman in the flower-print jacket.

"Tickets, please."

The woman began searching for her ticket.

The man sleeping on the upper bunk also woke up and rummaged for his ticket.

The conductor and the transit police entered the compartment.

Ye Xiaoxiao figured there wouldn’t be any trouble.

A minute later, the sound of a struggle erupted inside.

The man suddenly bolted from the compartment, attempting to flee elsewhere, and even tried to open the window to jump off the train.

Jumping from a moving train was practically suicidal—yet he was willing to try, clearly indicating he had committed a serious crime.

Inside the compartment, the conductor and the transit police had one person restraining the woman while the other held the child.

They called for backup over the radio.

Just as the man was about to leap out the window, Jiang Nan sprang into action. In just a few steps, he closed the gap and slammed the man hard against the window.

Though Jiang Nan looked lanky and unassuming, his face now bore a fierce expression, his eyes locking onto the man like a predator’s.

With a sickening *thud*, the man felt as if a boulder had crushed him. He struggled but couldn’t break free.

"The hell? Who asked you to butt in, kid?"

"Let you go?" Jiang Nan smirked and then hurled him with tremendous force. "Sure."

The man went flying, slamming hard onto the compartment floor right at the feet of the transit police.

"Don’t move!"

The officer, scrambling, snapped cuffs on him.

"Thanks, man. These two are likely child traffickers. We’ll take them in for questioning."

The transit police expressed their gratitude to Jiang Nan for his assistance in the arrest.

Jiang Nan nodded curtly before returning to the compartment with Ye Xiaoxiao.

The woman and the child were also taken away.

The compartment was a mess, but the conductor quickly tidied it up.

When Ye Xiaoxiao and Jiang Nan disembarked, the train staff specially informed them:

The two were indeed child traffickers, and the child had been taken from elsewhere. Authorities were already working to reunite the child with their family.

The conductor handed them two enamel mugs bearing the railway emblem.

"We really appreciate your help. We’ll do our best to find the child’s parents."

Ye Xiaoxiao took the hefty mug. "You’ve all done great."

The mug was sturdy and practical and had real sentimental value—Ye Xiaoxiao was genuinely touched.

She handed one to Jiangnan, but there was no change in his expression—he seemed a little put off by it.

When they got to the county town, Ye Xiaoxiao thought she would have to wait until returning home to see Miao Cuifang and Ye Jianguo.

Unexpectedly, they were already waiting at the train station exit.

The couple were scanning the crowd, and Ye Xiaoxiao immediately spotted them.

"There you are! Mom! Dad!"