Chapter 42

They had made up their minds beforehand: if someone formidable came over, they would give up the seats. But if it was just a couple of youngsters, they would stubbornly stay put. After all, their son knew quite a few people in H City. When the time came, they could find a chance to blow things up. Even the police might not dare interfere, since there was a good chance their son was a deputy section chief.

They had counted on Xue Chen and Lin Ran being young, thin-skinned, and unwilling to make a scene, which was why they were so brazen.

"You... Xue Chen, what are you doing?" Lin Ran was about to step forward and argue when Xue Chen grabbed him by the collar, making him look completely put-upon.

Xue Chen put on an aggrieved expression. "Lin Ran, let's not argue with them. They're going to H City to see their son, after all. It wouldn't be right for us to make them move." By the end, the corners of his lips had curled upward.

Lin Ran did not understand at first, but when he heard Xue Chen emphasize "H City," he remembered the Peking University acceptance letter in his bag and immediately put on a wronged look as well. "Forget it. Let's just count it as doing a good deed."

"At least you two know what's good for you." The middle-aged woman grew even more smug.

"H City? The scenery there is nice. I was thinking of going there for a look, but unfortunately, we're headed to B City." The older woman sitting across from the middle-aged woman caught on immediately and spoke with exaggerated regret.

The other passengers also realized what was going on and quickly chimed in, their eyes filled with amusement as they looked at the middle-aged couple.

"Right, we still have work arrangements."

"H City is pretty close, but it still takes five or six hours. Still, there's nothing to worry about this trip—we're only going to B City."

"That's right, I just remembered we're on the train to B City."

Every word and action from the passengers fell into the couple's eyes. The middle-aged woman's expression changed drastically, and she shrieked in an ear-piercing voice, "What did you say? This train is going to B City?" She looked out the window in disbelief.

"Yeah. Did I say something wrong?" the older woman asked, pretending to be confused.

The middle-aged woman jumped up from her seat in a fury and pointed at everyone with both hands. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I thought you were planning to transfer in B City, so I didn't want to embarrass you by telling you," the older woman said with a knowing look.

The middle-aged woman nearly spat blood. How could she have imagined that, just to save a little money, she had gotten on the wrong train to B City? Worse, no one had bothered to remind her.

"I, I... you..." The middle-aged woman opened her mouth to argue, only to realize she had nothing to argue with. The middle-aged man began complaining as well. "I told you not to sit here, but you insisted. Now look at this—we'll have to waste even more money."

"You're blaming me now? Why didn't you say anything before?" the woman glared at her husband.

"Wasn't I afraid you wouldn't agree? Besides, we're going back this time to celebrate for our son," the man said self-righteously.

By then, the train had gone who knew where. Hoping there would be a stop along the way, the middle-aged woman gritted her teeth and shot the gawking passengers a vicious glare. Then she looked at Xue Chen and Lin Ran, about to start cursing.

"Who just said someone was riding without a ticket?" At that moment, a woman's voice came from ahead. A stern-faced woman in a black police uniform walked over.

A skinny, tall young man immediately stepped forward and pointed at the middle-aged couple. "It's them. They rode without tickets, stole seats, and cursed terribly. Those two young men were polite and well-mannered, though."

"Comrade, don't listen to his nonsense. We have tickets." Seeing the police uniform, the middle-aged woman hurriedly put away her earlier arrogance.

"You have tickets? Let me see them." The railway police officer spoke flatly.

After hesitating for a moment, the middle-aged woman took two tickets from her handbag and handed them over.

After inspecting and confirming them, the railway police officer's expression turned even uglier. "Not only do you have no valid tickets, you forged tickets too? These are only standing tickets as well. Comrade Xu Feng, arrest the two of them."

The middle-aged woman panicked. "Comrade, it's not like that. We do have tickets, it's just that earlier..."

"Shut up! This is not a place for you to argue. Take this couple away!" The railway police officer swept them a cold glance.

The middle-aged couple was flustered and at a loss. The man began shouting, "Why are you arresting us?!"

"Because these two tickets in my hand are fake. And if you're going to lie, at least be professional about it. From S City to H City, yet you boarded a train to B City? Do you take me for an idiot?" the railway police officer snapped.

The middle-aged couple was completely dumbfounded. How did they know about that?

Xue Chen walked over with a smile and said, "The officer is right. Not only did you steal someone's seats, you even used fake tickets. And I thought you were good people. Sigh, kindness really does get repaid with ingratitude."

"Xue Chen, none of this is your fault. You're just too kind." Lin Ran wore a pained expression, making the middle-aged couple so furious they nearly exploded.

"You little bastards..."

"Enough! You used fake tickets to steal other people's seats. They didn't hold it against you and even gave up their seats for you. Not only did you fail to thank them, you spat nothing but filth. If I don't deal with you this time, I'll take your surname!" the railway police officer shouted. She had heard the whole story from the surrounding passengers and despised the couple before her even more.

Seeing the anger in the railway police officer's eyes, the middle-aged woman grew even more enraged, and her tone hardened. "Listen here, don't you dare touch me. My son is Feng Aiguo, a deputy section chief in H City. If you dare lay a hand on me, you'll regret it!"

"Oh—no wonder you're so arrogant." Xue Chen and Lin Ran exchanged a glance and spoke in unison.

"Li Cuilan, shut up—" the middle-aged man growled, his face livid. He wanted nothing more than to tear her mouth apart, but unfortunately, now that she had said it, this matter could not end peacefully.

Sure enough, a mocking look appeared on the railway police officer's face. She snorted. "What an impressive display. Just because your son is a deputy section-level official in H City, he can bully people whenever he wants? I'll have my superior contact someone and find out exactly how he's been throwing his weight around."

As soon as those words fell, the couple both wilted.