Chapter 387: Find a Way

Upon hearing Lu Cheng's analysis, Yang Xing showed an approving look.

Based on just one sentence, he pierced straight to the core of the issue and identified the Educated Youths' motive for causing trouble.

It's not that he's praising Lu Cheng; when he and Captain Lei first heard about this, they instinctively thought these Educated Youth were idle and causing trouble on purpose.

After all, the Educated Youth, a thousand miles from home, couldn't blend with the local farmers, and incidents of petty theft, fights, and brawls were frequently heard.

"Lu Jingzhang, you're right. Last time Ding Jingzhang talked with them, they also revealed their purpose for the trouble: they want to force the state to agree to let them return to the city."

Lu Cheng nodded; he could understand the Educated Youth's feelings, as he also has an older brother who was an Educated Youth.

Back then, during the fervent down‑to‑the‑countryside movement, many people, unwilling to trouble the motherland or loaf in the city, went to the most remote and harsh places, cleared land, farmed, rooted themselves in the villages, and prepared to devote their whole lives to revolution.

At that time, they were filled with fighting spirit and a resolve to battle heaven and earth, taking pride in being sent down as a team.

But after several years of hard life, with no books, no entertainment, only day‑after‑day drudgery, enduring hunger, freezing cold, their original passion gradually wore away.

What remained was a single, urgent longing to return to the city, to be with family.

This feeling spread through the Educated Youth like a spark.

Whenever someone dared to raise an arm and call out, everyone would resolutely support and follow.

Only the methods were somewhat extreme, and facing such a group, to be honest, even Lu Cheng found it tricky.

Because their aim was simple: to return to the city. If that demand couldn't be met, any negotiation would be futile.

Yet this matter could only be addressed through communication.

Deng Hairong beside him, however, held a different opinion.

"Lu Jingzhang, this time Jiang Jingzhang and I are here to help you, and I've brought a few extra people; let's just round up all these trouble‑making Educated Youth and turn them over!"

Lu Cheng did not agree with that suggestion.

"No. If it's three or five, even ten or a dozen, we could still take them away and detain them.

But there are thousands of them; if a clash erupts, these hot‑blooded youths might even tear up the iron rail or overturn the train."

Deng Hairong was startled: "Hey, Lu Jingzhang, I recall you weren't this timid before; how did a few years of university grind your character down?"

Lu Cheng was about to retort, but Yang Xing instead began to explain for him.

"Actually, Lu Jingzhang is right; they're all fired up now. If two words are said wrong, they instantly want to fight. Can the few of us we have stand against thousands?"

That was exactly what Lu Cheng wanted to say, and Deng Hairong, upon hearing it, wisely fell silent.

A few thousand people are each a mouthful of spit, enough to drown the few of us.

Jiang Yuanchao also offered his thought at this point: "What if we capture the leader? They can organize, there must be a figurehead; capture the king first, as they say, catch the thief by catching the king."

Jiang Yuanchao's proposal was relatively sensible, and even Yang Xing seemed to approve.

But Lu Cheng still disagreed: "Useless. Their goal is unified; after we catch one leader, countless others are waiting."

Yang Xing nodded; Lu Cheng's point made sense.

Now the Educated Youth, united to return to the city, would only have tensions heightened if we arrested them.

Deng Hairong suggested another plan: "Then stop talking to them; have the department contact the army and suppress them. A group of unarmed intellectuals can't possibly hold out."

Not only did Lu Cheng disagree, even Train Captain Yang Xing shook his head.

Lu Cheng said, "They're not rioters, they haven't committed murder or arson; they just want to return to the city, albeit using extreme methods."

"So why bring in the army? Equip them with machine guns and cannons to slaughter everyone? It would be better to just drive the train through them, saving the cost of guns and artillery."

Yang Xing also found Deng Hairong's suggestion unreasonable; using the army to suppress could easily cause chaos and even become an internationally sensitive incident.

Being rejected repeatedly, Deng Hairong instantly grew dissatisfied.

"Lu Jingzhang, this won't work and that won't work; why don't you propose a solution?"

Lu Cheng truly had no good solution at the moment; he only knew that blocking was worse than easing, considering there are over ten million Educated Youth over the years.

Such a massive group, even the state must eventually adjust policies; it's not something a few police chiefs can confront.

It would take two or three days to reach the location, and as everyone grew emotionally charged over the Educated Youth issue, Lu Cheng simply lay down on his bunk and fell asleep.

Deng Hairong, seeing this, became even more displeased.

"Hey, he still has the mood to sleep!"

Lu Cheng turned over: "Sorry, Captain Deng, the past few days of school have exhausted me; tonight's Welcome Party had many female classmates clinging to me to dance, leaving me both tired and drowsy."

Lu Cheng wouldn't have said that, but now he's made Deng Hairong extremely angry.

"Look, you see? We usually work hard as dogs and have to stand guard for him, yet he's living it up at school, dancing with female classmates. If there's such a wonderful thing, why didn't you call me? I'd take the burden for you."

Lu Cheng laughed: "Alright, next time there's a chance, I'll call on you. Also thanks for standing guard for me; I'll treat you to breakfast tomorrow. Now I'll nap a bit to regain energy and think of a solution."

Seeing him so relaxed, Deng Hairong simply lay down to sleep as well.

"Fine, you're not in a hurry, so we're even less urgent. Anyway, this line is your responsibility; if it isn't solved, it doesn't concern us. Sleep, sleep."

Lu Cheng's claim of not being urgent was false; he said he was sleeping, yet his mind was filled with this matter.

After all, unlike others, he carries memories from a previous life and knows clearly that the Educated Youth's demands won't see policy changes until year‑end.

Thus, any confrontation with the Educated Youth now is unnecessary; he can only devise a way to stall them temporarily.

On the train, deep sleep is hard; the clatter of iron rails, children's cries, and passengers' chatter fill the air...

Lu Cheng slept in a daze; when he awoke, he couldn't tell the time, the window outside was pitch black, and the carriage was unusually quiet.

Train Captain Yang Xing wasn't in this carriage; Deng Hairong and Jiang Yuanchao were snoring loudly.

Feeling thirsty, Lu Cheng went to the carriage's Boiler area to get some water.

He happened upon Train Staff Xiao Ye, who had just fetched water.

"Yo, Comrade Xiao Ye is also fetching water; are you still awake or just woke up?"

Xiao Ye blushed the moment he spoke, especially at Lu Cheng's roguish tone.

"Hmm, I'm on duty tonight." Xiao Ye tried to leave from the side, but Lu Cheng blocked him, making his face even redder.

"Fetch me a cup of water, what are you running for? I'm not a wolf, I can't eat you."

"Oh."

Seeing Xiao Ye obediently take the cup, Lu Cheng leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her, his face red as an apple, making anyone who saw it want to bite it.

Duty on the train goes back and forth and often lasts many days; calculated, nearly half the year is spent on the train, so everyone gets along like family.

Most of the time is very dull; when Lu Cheng has nothing to do, he likes to tease the female Train Staff.

He tilted his head and looked again, then Lu Cheng teased, "Comrade Xiao Ye, you put on makeup; I have to say, why do you look so beautiful today?"

"I—I didn't put it on."

Nowadays girls feel a bit ashamed of makeup and dressing up, always fearing others will call them the petty‑bourgeois class.

Seeing her not admit it, Lu Cheng deliberately said, "But your eyebrows are a bit too thick."

"Ah, is that so? I didn't make them that dark," Xiao Ye panicked, touching her eyebrows with her fingers.

When she heard Lu Cheng laugh out loud, Xiao Ye realized he was being deliberate; she had indirectly admitted she wore makeup.

Xiao Ye didn't want to deal with him anymore; each time his teasing made her blush, she handed over the cup, turned her head, and left.

Lu Cheng stood there, holding the cup, smiling softly as he watched for a while; then, suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.

For a moment he lost the urge to drink, hurried forward, and, while Xiao Ye wore a look of embarrassment, Lu Cheng pinched her chin and stared seriously for a while.

"Hmm? I think I have a way now."