Chapter 80: Please Pay the Ticket

The train started slowly, and Lu Feng ran after the train.

"Be sure to stay safe."

"Got it, big brother. You go back; there's still a long way to go."

Lu Cheng's words refer both to the road home and to his big brother's future path.

His big brother must also long to return to the Capital City, but he now has a home here and a responsibility on his shoulders.

The train accelerated, and the steam locomotive's whistle let out a long "whooo—".

Lu Feng gradually fell behind, but he hoarse‑shouted, "Lu Cheng, big brother thanks you. No matter what you need in the future, big brother will give you my full strength!"

Lu Cheng's eyes grew moist; he leaned at the window, waving his hand until his big brother's figure grew smaller and smaller.

Parting always brings melancholy; Lu Cheng lingered for a while, then leaned against the seat, cradling his bundle and slowly drifting to sleep.

"Give me back my leather shoes!"

"Throw it away!"

"You dare throw it away?" Jiang Mengmeng slapped, delivering a sharp slap.

"Hey, comrade, wake up, wake up…"

Lu Cheng slowly awoke as a Train Police officer gently patted his face.

Lu Cheng recognized the officer—it was the same Train Police who, when he showed his work badge at boarding, let him board the train directly.

"Have we arrived?" Lu Cheng rubbed his face, noticing the sun high overhead; if they had reached the Capital City, it would probably be dusk.

"Not yet. It's just that you might need…" the Train Police began, then stopped, leaving Lu Cheng looking puzzled.

At that moment, another officer in uniform stepped forward: "Hello, comrade. I am Jiang Yuanchao, the group leader of this unit. You need to pay the fare now."

Lu Cheng stepped forward and shook hands: "Hello, comrade. I am from the Beijing Station Railway Bureau; my name is Lu Cheng."

Jiang Yuanchao's voice was calm: "I understand, please pay the fare."

"I, Lu Cheng," Lu Cheng patted his chest.

"Pay the fare!"

"No, perhaps you don't know me. It's me, the Lu Cheng who just earned a Third-Class Merit, the one on the Commendation Order."

"Pay the fare!"

"Hiss! No, we're part of the same railway system; do we still need to buy tickets to ride?"

"Isn't this an unspoken rule that everyone tacitly accepts—just flash the work badge and board directly? What does Jiang Yuanchao mean by this?"

"I don't care who you are; even if the minister comes, he must buy a ticket," Jiang Yuanchao said coldly.

Seeing the other party's serious expression, not joking, Lu Cheng sighed, and noticed all the surrounding passengers turning to look.

"Alright, alright, I'll pay, I'll pay, I won't cause trouble for the organization."

Fortunately, his big brother had given him money in advance; otherwise, encountering such an unreasonable person today might have gotten him kicked off midway.

After paying, Jiang Yuanchao led a few people away.

Lu Cheng grabbed the Train Police he had just spoken to: "Hey, comrade, who is he? How can he show no humanity, knowing I'm from the Railway Bureau yet making me pay the fare?"

The Train Police showed an apologetic expression: "Sorry, Comrade Lu Cheng. Normally we don't make our own comrades buy tickets, but today you're unlucky and ran into our group leader."

"Group leader?"

"You haven't been on duty these past few days, have you?"

Nodding, Lu Cheng listened as the officer continued: "Here's the situation: Captain Lei has merged five small groups over the past few days, assigning them to various Train Service Lines. Today our group is maintaining order on the Beijing-Shanghai Line."

The groups Lei Zhan'ge integrated? Lu Cheng recalled that before his leave, Lei Zhan'ge had indeed mentioned this and even promised him a group leader position.

"Oh, I know about this: One Car One Police, small‑group assessments, next year's police‑chief election. Tell me the details—what's the current status of these groups?"

Lu Cheng wanted to learn more; he hadn't been on duty these days and was surprised by Lei Zhan'ge's swift efficiency, saying the groups had already been divided for assessment.

"Hmm, specifically, each small group earns points in monthly assessments over a ten‑month period, totaling ten points. Outstanding groups, after Party‑committee review, receive one point per month. The group with the highest cumulative score will have its leader promoted to police chief."

The Train Police recalled something else and added: "Each group has five members plus a group leader, six people in total. The leader isn't fixed; if the leader performs poorly during assessment, a member can replace them as the new leader."

"Also, if a group cracks a major case, it can earn an extra two to three points."

So that's the assessment mechanism; Lu Cheng seemed to understand: "So you, Group Leader Jiang, have already prepared for the assessment."

The Train Police gave a wry smile: "Yes, other groups handle the assessment by maintaining train security, but we, Group Leader Jiang, take a different route, starting with internal reform."

"You may not know, but these past few days, because of the fare issue, we've offended many railway system workers."

Lu Cheng could of course imagine how angry the workers were when Jiang Yuanchao made them pay the fare, cursing him for lacking humanity.

Nevertheless, Jiang Yuanchao didn't actually do anything wrong; this way railway workers have no privilege—if they need to buy a ticket, they must—so it standardizes internal procedures.

Lu Cheng shook his head helplessly, thinking Lei Zhan'ge's assessment method was indeed good.

To be promoted to police chief, each group will give its all, disciplining themselves and enforcing the law impartially.

Lu Cheng sat back down, his mind filled with thoughts of the small‑group assessments.

Now five groups have been formed, and a sixth group will be the one he is to lead.

Only one police chief can be chosen from the six groups, so the competition is fierce.

Thinking of that, Lu Cheng suddenly straightened his back.

Wait, wait, the groups are already set; Lei Zhan'ge promised him a group to lead—he can't have forgotten, can he?

No way; Lei Zhan'ge values him so much, he surely kept a group for him, and the members he kept are elite among elites, to help him become police chief.

Hmm, it must be so.

Jiang Yuanchao, Jiang Yuanchao, you surely don't know I'm also a group leader. I'll take a vacation first—why not give you a point?

At seven p. m., the train pulled into the station.

Lu Cheng stepped off the platform, intending to go straight home, but saw the Big Bowl Tea Stall still brightly lit.

Now the Big Bowl Tea Stall's business is booming; the original staff are insufficient, and Uncle Zhao Bin has recruited several returning Educated Youth, working three shifts—morning, noon, and night.

Although it is a despised collective unit, not comparable to a state‑owned big factory, being able to temporarily have a receiving unit Hui Cheng means many Educated Youth scramble to take the job.

Walking up to the Tea Stall, Lu Cheng, as if entering his own home, took a bowl of tea and began drinking it himself; his mouth was dry from gnawing on big biscuits all the way.

No one had time to pay him any attention; everyone was busy attending to customers, and Lin Qingyan was also cracking sunflower seeds for people.

Lu Cheng reached out and grabbed a handful, looking at Huang Chunjiao's broad, sturdy back and said, "Da Huang, let me tell you some good news: from now on I'll be officially working at Beijing Station, and we can continue being Revolutionary Comrades again."

Huang Chunjiao turned around, her shoulders slumping instantly: "It's over, this time the shop is going to be emptied."

Lu Cheng quickly waved his hand: "It's not that bad, not that bad. When there are new items, I can also bring you a taste. No need to thank me, we're all Revolutionary Comrades."

"Thanks a lot, you're kidding. Go, go, go, just keep cracking sunflower seeds, I'm busy."

"Alright, I'll give you the spot…"

Lin Qingyan has an early shift tomorrow, so she left early today; seeing Lu Cheng's foot, she asked, "Do you have a cast on your foot?"

Lu Cheng had almost forgotten about it, hurriedly lifted his right foot: "Oh, it was a bit cramped, I had it removed."

"Then don't move around, I'll carry you to the Platform."