Chapter 140: Do You Have Something?

At that moment, the man seemed to have soothed the woman, then looked around warily.

He appeared to notice the subtle movements at Su Ruan's stall, but seeing her sound asleep and hearing no sound from Jiang Ran's side, he relaxed a bit, fished out a half‑crumpled pack of cigarettes from his coat, and rose toward the smoking area at the carriage connection.

Opportunity!

Jiang Ran acted on the spot, whispering in a very low voice to Su Ruan: "I'll go get the rail police; you stay careful, pretend to sleep, don't draw their attention."

After speaking, he slipped down from the stall without a sound, barefoot, pressed against the carriage wall, moving quickly and quietly toward the crew compartment.

Su Ruan's heart rose to her throat; she kept her eyes tightly shut yet could feel the uneasy movements and suppressed breathing of the woman opposite.

Time seemed to stretch; every second was unbearably long.

She worried about Jiang Ran, about startling the snake while beating the grass, and even more about the child who had been drugged into a deep, unending sleep.

She didn't know how long had passed—maybe only a few minutes—but to Su Ruan it felt like a century.

A slightly hurried yet deliberately softened footstep echoed from the other end of the carriage.

It's Jiang Ran returning!

Two uniformed rail police followed him, their expressions solemn.

Just as Jiang Ran and the police were about to reach the stall, the man who had gone to smoke happened to return!

He caught sight of the police and Jiang Ran, his face turning pale, and he suddenly tried to flee the other way, whistling sharply as if signaling his accomplices!

"Stop!" a police officer barked, lunging forward.

The carriage was instantly stirred; sleeping passengers jolted awake, staring bewildered and terrified at the sudden turn of events.

The woman in the lower berth opposite was also frozen with fear, clutching the child and trembling, at a loss.

Jiang Ran darted forward in a single stride, blocking the woman's path, his gaze icy: "What's wrong with the child?"

The woman burst into a wailing sob, incoherent: "It's not my fault… they forced me… the child… the child was brought by them… they gave it medicine…"

At this point, the officer had already subdued the fleeing man, finding suspicious drugs and a small amount of untraceable cash on him.

Another officer quickly used the intercom to contact colleagues in other carriages, sealing off both ends of the car and beginning a sweep for other accomplices.

The officer took the child from the woman's limp arms.

The child's pale face showed weak breathing, unresponsive to the surrounding clamor.

One of the officers, who had basic medical training, immediately administered first aid and alerted the next station to prepare for medical transport.

The whole capture unfolded swiftly and dramatically.

Only then did the passengers grasp what had happened, and they erupted in outrage, hurling curses at the subdued man and woman.

Su Ruan only at this point dared to fully relax her tense nerves; her legs went weak, and Jiang Ran, who had hurried back, firmly steadied her.

"It's okay now, daughter‑in‑law, it's okay."

Jiang Ran held her tightly, feeling her slight tremor; his own back broke out in a cold sweat.

It was close: had Su Ruan not been alert, or had he not acted decisively, those two traffickers likely would have vanished at the next station with the child.

After preliminary questioning and search, the officers confirmed it was a roaming gang of child traffickers; the child had been abducted near the previous station and drugged with a sleeping pill.

The woman had been forced to help transport, and the man was one of the main perpetrators.

They thanked Jiang Ran and Su Ruan for their vigilance and bravery, meticulously recording their information and testimony.

"Comrades, we really owe it to you! Otherwise this child… the consequences would have been unimaginable!" the officer said, shaking Jiang Ran's hand and repeatedly expressing thanks.

Jiang Ran shook his head: "It's only natural; anyone who sees something like this can't just ignore it."

He glanced at the child, whose complexion was slowly returning under the officer's careful watch, then at Su Ruan, still pale and shaken, feeling a surge of lingering fear but mostly relief and resolve.

After this ordeal, neither could sleep soundly through the latter half of the night.

Su Ruan leaned on Jiang Ran's shoulder, gazing at the heavy night outside, whispering, "Fortunately… fortunately we discovered it."

Jiang Ran squeezed her hand: "Hmm, out in the world there are all kinds of people; from now on we must be even more careful. I'll protect you, RuanRuan."

The train finally arrived at Guangzhou Station later that afternoon on the second day.

Stepping out of the carriage, the humid warm air hit them, starkly different from the dry cold of the northern town.

The platform teemed with crowds, a boiling clamor of assorted dialects, vendors balancing shoulder poles shouting loudly, massive billboards splashed with vivid graphics and traditional characters… everything pulsed with dazzling vitality.

"This is Guangzhou?" Su Ruan inhaled deeply, looking around with fresh curiosity.

The skyscrapers, though not numerous, were far more imposing than her hometown; pedestrians' attire was noticeably more fashionable and varied, even bright, novel dresses could be seen—rare back home.

"Alright, we've arrived!"

Jiang Ran hoisted his luggage, shielding Su Ruan as they moved with the crowd outward, excitement flashing in his eyes.

Last night's terrifying scene was temporarily washed away by the novel sights before them.

"Let's go, we'll find a place to settle first."

They followed the address they had gathered earlier and found a relatively clean state‑run guesthouse in Yuexiu District.

With the introduction letter from Jiang Jianguo, they smoothly checked in.

The room was small but tidy, with a private bathroom, which was quite good for the time.

After a brief rest, the two were eager to begin their exploration.

In the following days, they were like two dry sponges, greedily soaking up the bustling, fashionable atmosphere of this southern metropolis.

They toured Guangzhou's most famous department stores—the South Building and Dongshan Department Store—admiring the dazzling array of goods, especially the imported or foreign‑trade labeled clothing. Su Ruan examined fabrics, cuts, and color combinations carefully, occasionally jotting quick sketches in a small notebook, and sometimes whispering discussions with Jiang Ran.

They visited the famed Gaodi Street clothing market.

The place was crowded with stalls, displaying a plethora of trendy Ready‑made Clothing—bell‑bottom pants, floral shirts, Dress…

Prices were much more affordable than the department stores, styles updated faster, but quality varied.

Jiang Ran paid particular attention to the business model, foot traffic, and sourcing channels, occasionally chatting with stall owners and handing out a Chongsu business card.

They also deliberately visited several reputable old‑tailor shops and emerging fashion houses, sensing the décor, service, and product traits of differently positioned stores.

That was on the evening of their fourth day in Guangzhou.

The two of them came out of a tea house, discussing the Cantonese dim sum they had just tasted as they walked, preparing to return to the guesthouse.

To take a shortcut, they turned into a relatively quiet, dimly lit Alley.

In the middle of the Alley, three men in floral shirts, dashing, suddenly stepped out of the shadows and blocked their way.

Leading them was Dao Ba Lian, scarred face and fierce eyes, with the other two on the left and right, forming an encirclement.

Jiang Ran felt a chill in his heart, immediately pulled Su Ruan behind him, watching the others warily: "Excuse me, what's the matter?"