Chapter 190: Asking for Help

In the Capital City at night, the north wind howled, and the frozen people kept pulling their necks in.

As the train slowed, the locomotive's headlamp blazed with a harsh glare.

Lu Cheng was about to call Liu Jian'an and the others, who were warming themselves, back, when a dark figure leapt down from the train window.

Instead of waiting for the train to stop, the person jumped off early while the train was still slowing—clearly something was off.

As the train approached, a crew member crouched at the window and shouted, "Group Leader Lu, that person is a thief."

"Leave it to me," Lu Cheng hurried toward the fire, calling, "Jian'an, big guy, get on the train quickly, catch the thief."

The thief, clearly an experienced one, knew the platform was guarded by iron police, so he leapt off before the train fully entered and ran in the opposite direction.

His figure vanished quickly into the vast night.

Lu Cheng and his group all jumped into a Jeep and drove toward the direction the thief had fled.

The area near the Iron Rail was already open; how could two legs outrun four wheels? As they drew nearer, Chang Jinbu couldn't help saying, "Group Leader, let me get off and catch him."

"No rush!" Lu Cheng drove at a leisurely pace; it was the middle of the night and nothing was at stake, so he treated it like walking a dog for fun.

After about two kilometers, the thief's steps noticeably slowed; when he glanced back and saw the Jeep still following, he gritted his teeth and quickened his pace.

Lu Cheng also pressed the accelerator to speed up.

When the thief ran for a while and then slowed again, Lu Cheng didn't ease off; he revved the engine deliberately, forcing the thief to sprint once more.

After two or three back‑and‑forth chases, the thief truly couldn't run; even his walk became a limp, yet he still didn't stop.

Lu Cheng told Chang Jinbu to open the door and called, "Hey, if you're tired, hop in and rest a bit."

The thief was on the verge of tears, "If you want to catch me, just do it; why insult me like this?"

He gritted his teeth and ran again.

Lu Cheng wasn't in a hurry either, trailing slowly behind.

Seeing the thief run a bit more but truly unable to move, Lu Cheng floored the accelerator again.

"Come aboard, there's free food, steal a bit, it's not worth dying from running."

Seeing the thief's tear‑less, almost‑crying look, Lu Cheng realized his sincerity had moved him.

"Monkey, give me a hand."

Chang Jinbu smiled and extended his hand, and the thief obediently climbed aboard.

He then hauled the thief back to the Platform Duty Room and handed him over to the Station Chief.

At four o'clock in the morning, Lu Cheng drove Liu Jian'an and the others home first; by half past four, the Jeep was parked at Gan Yu Hu Tong.

Returning to the inner courtyard, he saw his sister already up, pouring warm water from a kettle into an enamel jar to brush her teeth, and Lu Cheng was a bit surprised.

"Yo, Director Lu, you're up so early! The sun's already shining in the west."

Lu Ying fiddled with her toothbrush: "You think I wanted to get up this early to receive a shipment? Annoying. It was supposed to arrive last night, but the train was delayed until the late night."

Lu Cheng couldn't help feeling sorry for his sister, but it was only for a moment.

As the future money‑making machine of the Lu family, this bit of hardship should be adapted to in advance; the four‑o'clock sunrise should become routine.

"Sis, keep it up, your little brother supports you; I'll always be your strongest backing."

Lu Ying rolled her eyes: "Your support is useless; this lousy director only sounds good. Actually I have to handle everything, can't even get sleep, it's exhausting, I don't want to work anymore."

Not working isn't an option; this is just the beginning, reforms haven't opened yet, it's the first step of the long‑distance talent recruitment.

Whether the Lu family can someday soar depends on financial backing.

Lu Cheng then said with vigor, "Sis, that mindset is wrong. Serving the people, you can't complain of fatigue; treat an ordinary post as an extraordinary duty—how great that is, the whole nation should thank you."

Lu Ying slowly turned her head: "The things I do… are they really that great?"

"Of course! Do you think the cotton‑padded jackets and hats you sell are just ordinary?"

Lu Ying, toothbrush clenched in her mouth, asked, "What else could they be?"

"It's warmth! Selling one jacket gives one person warmth; selling ten means ten people receive warmth.

You're sending warmth to the whole nation, serving the masses of our Capital City; someday the leaders will shake your hand and thank you."

Lu Ying grew more excited as she listened: "If that's the case, I'm actually pretty great."

"Definitely. The hardship is temporary; wait and see—sooner or later you'll be in the newspaper, and the 'Iron Girl' title will be yours too."

Lu Ying, hearing that, instantly felt a surge of vigor; even her brushing became energetic.

Qing'er was carried to Mom's room; Lu Cheng was about to knock the window to wake Lin Qingyan when a thought struck him.

He had only been pumping his sister up, and only now realized that she was going to receive a shipment, meaning Ding Yuanmin would be coming.

Since he had business with him, he decided not to sleep.

"Hey sis, let me take you to work."

Lu Ying, after brushing, began washing her face: "You're being so kind today? No need to drive me; I just finished the night shift, need to catch some sleep. I'll just ride dad's bike later."

"I also want to improve, to train my grit with you, and I happened to arrive in a Jeep, so I can haul cargo for you."

Hearing she could ride in a small car, Lu Ying finally agreed.

While his sister was getting ready, Lu Cheng started the car early; when she sat in the passenger seat, he shifted gears and said,

"How's it, sis? The little car is comfortable, right?"

No more freezing on a bike or crowding on a bus—of course it's comfortable.

Seeing Lu Ying applying Snowflake Ointment to her face while nodding, Lu Cheng leaned his head over.

"Since it's so comfortable, when you have money, buy me one, and I'll shuttle you home every day."

Lu Ying gave a sideways glance: "With your careless habit, you still want to drive a little car? You're only fit to ride a second‑hand bike!"

She screwed the Snowflake Ointment's cap, packed it into her satchel, and kept rubbing her face: "Besides, you overestimate me; I can't afford it."

"Don't mind, you still need dreams; what if they come true?"

"Heh, fine. When sis has money, I'll buy you a plane, a rocket, and send you straight to the sky…"

Before dawn, on the streets of Si Jiu Cheng, early sanitation workers were already sweeping the avenues, and there were people riding Three-wheeled Carts delivering vegetables, while the breakfast stalls along the road steamed with heat.

Hidden in the darkness, the train station square had many passengers coming and going.

After stopping the car, they saw Ding Yuanmin with two others already waiting in front of the Tea Stall, clearly unaccustomed to the northern bitter cold, shivering with frost.

When Lu Cheng got off the car, Ding Yuanmin excitedly stepped forward to shake hands: "Group Leader Lu? Why did you come?"

Lu Cheng waved his hand: "It's been a while since we last met, I've missed you. When I learned you were coming, I was so excited I didn't sleep all night, waiting especially for you."

Ding Yuanmin was deeply moved; this Tea Stall had good food, and he insisted on taking Lu Cheng to have breakfast together.

If it were before, Lu Cheng would certainly not be courteous, but this time he has something to ask for help with, so he'll treat this meal.

He specifically asked what they wanted to eat, and Ding Yuanmin and the others surprisingly wanted to try the old Capital City's specialty—bean juice.