Chapter 390: If You

"Alright, Chief Lu, that's what you said—if a fight breaks out later, you're good at fighting, so you hold the front and let Jiang and I run first."

Listening, Lu Cheng sat there, as steady as Mount Tai, and uttered two words: "Calm."

Usually Lu Cheng talks the most, but now he's like a senior leader, speaking as if each word were gold, which makes Lu Cheng visibly angry.

"Calm? Hell no, I'm so nervous my balls are aching."

Deng HaiRong only knows how to bluster; earlier on the train he swaggered about crushing those Educated Youth.

Now that we actually have to face these Educated Youth, he immediately gets cowardly.

Da Jia Gou wasn't far; driving a jeep we arrived after an hour, and from a distance we could already see many Educated Youth standing in small groups around the iron rail.

A rough estimate puts them at several hundred, all driven here from the nearby Communes.

This is only the first spot; further along the rail there will surely be more.

The two jeeps stopped; in the rear jeep sat Train Captain Yang Xing and a director of the Railway Branch, surname Song.

The doors of both vehicles opened simultaneously; Deng HaiRong got out and looked toward the back seat: "Chief Lu, we've arrived. Why are you still sitting? Get off quickly."

Lu Cheng, eyes closed as if meditating, slowly said: "Mind your words; from now on call me Minister Lu."

Deng HaiRong opened his mouth to say something, but swallowed his words.

The Train Captain had just instructed that, since there was no other solution, let Lu Cheng try his own plan; everyone must cooperate fully.

"Alright, Minister Lu, then get off the vehicle."

Lu Cheng didn't move: "You go negotiate first, probe the situation. As for me, big figures usually appear at the end."

Deng HaiRong was choked: "Alright, you old man, stay seated here, please don't get off."

It's not Chief Jiang; he's still getting worked up. I doubt his lousy scheme will work—really thinking those Knowledgeable Youth are easy to fool…

Jiang Yuanchao said nothing, and followed Train Captain Yang Xing and Director Song toward the group of Educated Youth ahead.

On the vehicle, Chang Jinbu, seeing everyone leave, couldn't help asking: "Chief, when do we get off?"

The train left Liu Jian'an and his team to maintain order; Lu Cheng only brought Chang Jinbu along.

"There's no rush; let them take the front line first. If a fight actually breaks out, we can drive away easily."

"……"

Chang Jinbu was speechless; he had thought the chief's calm meant confidence, but it turned out there was no confidence at all.

Indeed, judging by the situation on site, it's certainly not optimistic.

When Director Song led a few people over, the leading Educated Youth immediately shouted in protest.

"Who sent you? Let me tell you, your coming is useless."

"Right, we won't leave the iron rail."

"Exactly, nothing you say will work this time; either you drive the train and run it over us."

"All of us act…"

As a Youth shouted, dozens of people rushed onto the iron rail and lay down.

They adopted a stance like, "If you have the guts, run us over."

Seeing this, Director Song shook his head helplessly.

"Train Captain Yang, look, this time they refuse to communicate with us directly."

Yang Xing was also helpless; with this blockage, when can the train depart?

By then, the passengers on the train might start a riot; it's truly a headache.

Director Song, hands behind his back, looked at the leading Youth wearing a military cap and asked: "What's your name?"

The Educated Youth weren't old; the oldest were in their twenties, the youngest fifteen or sixteen—an age of hot‑blooded impulsiveness—so their tone was very aggressive.

"What do you think you can call me!"

Director Song was somewhat angry; no one in the bureau dared speak to him like that, yet these brash youths were so rude.

Director Song could only introduce himself: "I'm the director of the nearby Railway Bureau; my surname is Song…"

"I don't care what your surname is, and you being a director won't help. Let me make it clear: we're blocking the train not because of you, so you have no right to try to persuade us."

The cap‑wearing Youth shut him down, making Director Song so angry he wanted to turn around and leave, but since the railway's safety is at stake and he's the director, he had to restrain himself.

"I know you're not targeting us, but you are indeed affecting the railway transport line; there are many passengers on the platform waiting, and you're blocking us—how can we get through?"

"How to get through? Just run over us."

With the cap Youth's remark, the other Educated Youth joined in the heckling.

"Right, if you've got the guts, run us over; our lives don't give a damn."

"Exactly, the state doesn't care about us, thinks we're a burden, so we'll just die, and the saved food will all be yours."

Listening to the back‑and‑forth of the Youth, it was both infuriating and absurdly funny.

"But blocking like this isn't a solution. What are your demands? We can negotiate… I know you want to return to Hui Cheng; I'll represent the Railway Bureau and convey your demands upward. For now, clear the way."

The cap Youth sneered: "Stop trying to placate us with words; a few days ago you said the same, and no one from above ever came to talk to us."

"Exactly, you're just a little branch director; what effect can your words have? At most they get sent to the Commune and are pushed back. Rather than that, we'd rather cause a ruckus at the Commune."

Being despised like that by these young Educated Youth made Director Song's face turn green with anger.

He stopped being polite: "Then go cause trouble at the Commune; what are you doing to trouble our railway?"

The Youth want to return to Hui Cheng; they cause trouble wherever they go, but as long as they don't block the railway, Director Song doesn't bother with them.

But these Youth have already caused trouble at the Commune—no effect!

The Commune only uses words to placate, never truly cares.

So to attract attention, these Youth devised the tactic of lying on the tracks.

If you won't come down to talk, then let the nation's railway lines collapse; that will force the state to take notice.

As for Director Song, a petty official, the Youth see him as beneath contempt.

They think Director Song doesn't even have the qualification to talk to the higher‑ups.

The scene froze on the spot; the Educated Youth were all carrying Dry Rations, looking as if they were living on the Railway.

Let's see who can outlast whom.

Of course the Railway side can't afford to endure; not to mention whether passengers would riot. If it stays like this, the entire railway line would be paralyzed.

Actually, after exchanging a few words with these Educated Youth, although they spoke rather aggressively, Yang Xing still grasped their current demands.

That means there must be someone from above to communicate with them for it to be effective.

Sss… Yang Xing suddenly inhaled a cold breath, Lu Cheng assumed an elderly disguise, saying he would impersonate some high‑ranking leader; in doing so, it precisely satisfied the Educated Youth's current demand.

Huh? Yang Xing felt incredulous—did Lu Cheng anticipate the Educated Youth's demand in advance, or is it just a blind cat stumbling onto a dead mouse?