Chapter 56: If you cheat me today, you'll spit it out for me later

Whether it was in 2022 or 1981, the train station before the Spring Festival was a battlefield that returning travelers hated deeply, yet had to face.

Especially in 1981, although the floating population was small, there were even fewer train schedules.

Without self-driving, and with a lack of supplementary transportation tools like automobiles and aviation, all the passenger flow pressure was squeezed onto rail transport.

Li Ye stood on the high platform outside the provincial train station, looking at the boundless, dense crowd of heads beneath his feet, feeling like his claustrophobia was about to act up.

This was just the provincial capital of Dongshan Province. If it were a railway hub city like the provincial capital of Henan, it would be even more deadly.

Because at that time, many trains in the country couldn't go directly and had to transfer in such hub cities.

In his previous life, Li Ye had heard from his father's military friend that seven or eight young men returning home to visit relatives couldn't even squeeze into the transfer window at the Henan provincial capital.

Having no other choice, they had to throw a comrade through the air across the railing, and he had to step on people's heads to grab the window.

But just looking at the "not-so-crowded" scene before him, Li Ye deeply doubted whether an elegant, solitary woman like Teacher Ke could handle this harsh environment where "both feet leave the ground but you stand without falling."

However, Li Dayong and Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng beside Li Ye didn't feel "claustrophobic" at all; instead, they were a bit excited.

Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng said, "Xiao Ye, do you know? If you take a train from here, you can reach Yangcheng in two days and two nights. There is 'golden fertilizer' everywhere there. You can just fill a sack and bring it back to get rich..."

Li Dayong looked at the high roof of the train station and said longingly, "I wonder if we can take a train from here next year to go to a distant place for university..."

People in the eighties had too few opportunities to leave their hometowns. Many people might be trapped within a county of a few dozen miles for decades. (Many of the author's female relatives in their hometown are like this.)

Therefore, good men with ambitions in all four directions were full of longing for distant places and full of expectations for the unknown.

Li Ye took a puff of his cigarette: "Next year! Next year, you and Hao Jian discuss it and see who can make a trip to Yangcheng to see the situation."

Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng's eyes lit up, looking at Li Ye: "Really?"

Li Ye nodded: "Really. Go explore the path first. It doesn't matter if you make money or not; just see the world and broaden your horizons."

Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng nodded: "Good."

He had always been smart, didn't talk much, and understood as long as he knew.

Li Dayong's eyes also lit up, saying, "It's not safe for Brother Peng to roam the Jianghu alone. Can I ask for leave and go with you?"

Li Ye said without thinking: "You stay home honestly."

Li Dayong was stunned for a moment, quietly moved closer to Li Ye, pulled his sleeve, and his burning eyes were full of ingratiation.

Every boy has a dream of roaming the Jianghu. Now, telling them how many train bandits and road tyrants are on the road, they don't feel any danger; instead, they feel it's very exciting.

Li Ye said coldly: "If you don't want to repeat a grade by yourself next year, don't go anywhere and honestly review for me."

"........."

"*Pfft~*"

Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng laughed directly, but he didn't comfort this little junior brother; instead, he added insult to injury: "Dayong, do you think we are short of people now?"

"Er Gou and San Shui have been pestering me all day to follow us. I don't know how many times they've begged. You're a material for school, yet you're competing with us for food instead of studying hard?"

Li Dayong moved to the side in a huff and squatted down. He felt that this senior brother Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng was not authentic and didn't help his brother at a critical moment.

Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng smiled and ignored him, suddenly looking into the distance, and said in a low voice: "They're here."

Then, Li Ye saw the man with the side-part who made his teeth itch, and the bald man who was taciturn but sharp as a blade.

Li Ye couldn't imagine that he would witness a strange person who could bend and stretch today.

That man with the side-part, named Ma Rui, had been full of banditry and bullying the market a moment ago, but the next moment he became incredibly slick and smooth.

Not only did he not "fight" with Li Ye and the others, but he instead climbed onto Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng's shoulder and became a "friend."

The business was naturally done. One jin of grain coupons for six mao five, which was actually more expensive than the normal market price.

Li Ye directly believed his evil. That eloquence, that tongue, was more powerful than a crosstalk performer. Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng, Li Ye, and Li Dayong combined were not his match.

Li Dayong looked down on this kind of bully who feared the strong and bullied the weak, but Li Ye didn't mind, letting him help get some high-end cigarettes and liquor, and also a sleeper ticket to the capital.

This guy patted his chest and took on the whole thing, saying he had relatives in the local products company and the railway department, and there was nothing that couldn't be done as long as there was money.

Li Ye gave him a deposit of fifty yuan, agreeing to meet at the station two hours later.

Now it seemed that at least this guy wasn't short-sighted and hadn't swallowed Li Ye's fifty yuan.

"Three brothers, sorry to keep you waiting. It's the New Year holiday, and it's really hard to find people. I finally managed to gather the things you wanted.

It's just that my second aunt on the railway is off duty today, so I can only help you buy three platform tickets..."

Ma Rui opened two bulging bags, which contained four cartons of cigarettes, more than a dozen bottles of liquor, and some processed foods.

The cigarettes were filter-tipped Peony, known as "Little Chunghwa," and the liquor was not bad—six bottles of Moutai, and the rest were "Xifeng."

Li Ye was barely satisfied with the things, but he was very disappointed that he hadn't bought the sleeper tickets.

But they were blind in the provincial capital. If they bought tickets at the station now, even platform tickets would require a long wait in line.

"Alright then! You calculate how much money it is in total."

"Alright, brother, you only want the cartons for Peony cigarettes, eight yuan five per carton. We don't have tickets for Moutai, fifteen per bottle..."

Li Ye: "........."

If it weren't for the people coming and going at the station, Li Ye would have really performed a bare-handed brick-splitting for this grandson.

Peony cigarettes were five mao a pack, and he had raised the price by 60% for himself. If there were tickets for Moutai, it would be eight yuan a bottle; this had almost doubled.

Ma Rui was very observant. Seeing Li Ye was unhappy, he immediately said: "Brother, don't complain about the price. I told the others that if they couldn't sell it, they could send it back that day."

Li Ye glanced at him and paid the money without saying a word.

The speculators of this era were all like this. If their hearts weren't black enough, how could they get rich?

Money and goods were cleared. Li Ye and Li Dayong took the things and went to the station entrance to wait for Teacher Ke.

Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng climbed onto Ma Rui's shoulder and chatted happily for a long while.

After Ma Rui left, Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng came back and said to Li Ye: "Don't worry, I'll make him spit out how he earned our money."

Li Ye: "We are out seeking wealth. Don't get blood on your hands unless it's a last resort."

Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng laughed: "How could that be! That Ma Rui is interested in our malt sugar business. Once he's in our trap, won't we be leading him by the nose?"

Alright! When it comes to roaming the Jianghu, Li Ye admits he is not as good as Watching Watching Watching Jin Peng.

Teacher Ke got off the bus from Qingshui County to the provincial capital, ran all the way to the train station, and then secretly complained.

A few days ago, when she walked half the night and came early in the morning to line up for tickets, the provincial train station wasn't this crowded!

Approaching the Spring Festival, the train station became more congested with each passing day. This was something that couldn't be helped.

"Please let me through, please let me through, my train is arriving soon, the ten-thirty train..."

Teacher Ke couldn't care about her demeanor anymore, shouting while squeezing forward. Whether it was an old person or a child in front of her, she couldn't care.

But Teacher Ke was holding a small bag in her arms, a large bag on her shoulder, and a bundle on her back, bloated like a little bear. How could she squeeze through the sea of people?

"Let me through, my ten-thirty train..."

Teacher Ke was anxious, her voice hoarse from shouting.

The earliest bus from Qingshui County was at eight o'clock. Walking fast and slow, it was almost ten o'clock when she arrived at the provincial capital. How could the remaining half hour be enough?

"Stop shouting, big sister. I've been squeezing for half a day and can't move either. Even if you shout until your throat breaks, there's no way. Maybe if you throw away the things on your body, you can squeeze in..." A thin man next to her stared at Teacher Ke and said.

Teacher Ke glanced at him and held the small bag in her arms tighter.

Inside were the manuscript of *The Deserter in the Flames of War* and the introduction letter for going out. These two things were her life!

As for the change of clothes in the shoulder bag and the twenty large steamed buns in the bundle, they were all chicken ribs at this moment—not worth keeping, but not worth throwing away either.

The change of clothes was fine, but she didn't have many grain coupons on her. What would she eat when she got to the capital?

Although the hardship of so many years had "wilded" Teacher Ke, she could survive by eating grass, but she definitely couldn't survive without anything to eat.

But if she missed the train and couldn't get to the capital, then... what about her husband? What about her son?

Recalling the helplessness of so many times over the years, Teacher Ke's eyes became blurred, and she couldn't see things clearly.

No matter how tough you are, no matter how strong you are, what can you do?

What can you change?

"Teacher Ke, Teacher Ke... Teacher Ke..."

Suddenly, a loud, clear call approached without stopping.

Teacher Ke wiped her face, stood on tiptoe hard, and then saw Li Ye's handsome face, as well as Li Dayong's bear-like bulk.

"I'm here, here."

Teacher Ke sniffed, waved her thin arms hard, like wild grass about to die of thirst in the dry season, welcoming the fine rain about to fall. ===== CHAPTER 57 =====