chapter 28
Jiang Li glanced at Xia Xiaoqiang, then at the Train Attendant.
Train Rules, Article Three:
[Each Carriage is staffed by one Train Attendant. Train Attendants wear a white shirt and a Black Vest. You can trust them completely.]
“Sister Jiang, my dad seems to know you. He told me to bring you along to upgrade to the Sleeper Carriage.”
Xia Xiaoqiang scratched her head, explaining her purpose.
“Who’s your dad?” Jiang Li asked.
“Xia Guofeng.”
When Jiang Li heard the name, she understood immediately.
The Intelligence Department Minister of Huaguo was a famous figure, after all.
So this Xia Xiaoqiang was Xia Guofeng’s daughter.
Jiang Li hadn’t expected it-Xia Guofeng looked nearly sixty years old.
Yet he had a daughter who looked only about twenty.
Jiang Li lowered her guard and went with Xia Xiaoqiang, following the Black-Vest Attendant.
To reach their Sleeper Carriage, they had to pass through Carriage No.09 Dining Car.
Right now, Carriage No. 09 felt eerie and chilling.
Every window by the dining tables was wide open, cold wind blowing in.
Xia Xiaoqiang was more timid, clutching Jiang Li’s arm in fear.
Jiang Li followed behind the Black-Vest Attendant.
As the three of them passed through Carriage No.09 Dining Car, Jiang Li nearly gagged from disgust!
Almost every dining table had a pig sprawled on it.
The pigs were dressed in human clothes.
Strangely, Jiang Li didn’t see any Migrant Workers, nor anyone in medical staff uniforms like those who’d come earlier.
She glanced toward the Kitchen, guessing that those she didn’t see had probably already been sent inside.
Inside the Kitchen, Staff Members from the Dining Car were boiling water and scalding pig bristles.
Some were sharpening knives, the blades gleaming.
So the Braised Pork Trotter Rice they sold during the day was actually…
Jiang Li looked away, fighting the urge to vomit.
She managed to hold it in.
Xia Xiaoqiang, following behind, couldn’t hold it at all.
The Braised Pork Trotter Rice she’d craved so much during the day was made like this…
Seeing the dead pigs on the tables, dressed in human clothes, Xia Xiaoqiang threw up all the snacks she’d eaten for dinner.
Luckily, they quickly passed through the Dining Car.
After Carriage No. 09 came the Hard Sleeper Carriage No. 10.
The Black-Vest Attendant led them to Lower Bunk No.15 and Lower Bunk No.16.
“Miss Xia, your bunk is Lower Bunk No.15.
Ms. Jiang, your bunk is Lower Bunk No.16.
Here are the notes for the Hard Sleeper Carriage. Please rest early.”
The Train Attendant handed each of them a slip of paper and turned to leave.
Jiang Li and Xia Xiaoqiang exchanged a glance.
The meaning was clear.
This was the second set of rules!
Jiang Li and Xia Xiaoqiang each sat down at their own bunks.
They turned on the bedside lamps and carefully read the text on the paper.
[Ghost Train – Hard Sleeper Rules]
[1. After lights out, if you hear the sound of slurping Chicken Feet, don’t panic. Just pull your feet back under the covers.]
[2. After midnight, do not use any lights. It will find you in the dark.]
[3. Don’t trust acquaintances. They will get you killed!]
[4. The Hard Sleeper Carriage provides free meals. There are more food options, and the ingredients are fresher. You can eat with confidence.]
[5. Don’t meddle in others’ affairs. Remember! Helping others is harming yourself.]
[6. If you see some Translucent People in the Carriage, don’t be afraid. They can’t see you.]
[7. After midnight, don’t go to the Restroom. It’s very dangerous there.]
[8. Without the Train Attendant’s permission, changing bunks in the Hard Sleeper Carriage is forbidden.]
After reading the rules, Jiang Li lay down to rest.
Across from her, Xia Xiaoqiang lay down for a while, clutching her stomach and a tissue, then went to the Toilet.
When Xia Xiaoqiang came back, just as she lifted her feet into the covers, the Trolley selling goods arrived.
“Honey Water, selling Honey Water~ Hot Honey Water~ Anyone want Honey Water? Last round for today!”
The Trolley slowly rolled to a stop in front of Jiang Li and Xia Xiaoqiang’s bunks.
Xia Xiaoqiang lay on her bed, scratching her arm incessantly.
She kept feeling an itch on her arm, as if some stiff hair was growing relentlessly.
Xia Xiaoqiang recalled the first cup of Honey Water she drank.
Back then, after drinking that water, she felt completely refreshed and clear-headed.
Thinking of this, Xia Xiaoqiang sat up abruptly.
She called out to the Vendor, “Boss, how much for the Honey Water? I want a cup.”
Xia Xiaoqiang opened her backpack and pulled out a Bank Card with a balance of two hundred thousand.
A shrewd glint flashed in the Vendor’s eyes.
He didn’t state the price directly, but instead handed over a cup of warm Honey Water, “Here, your Honey Water. Drink it while it’s hot.”
Xia Xiaoqiang had already handed her Bank Card to the Vendor.
She didn’t hesitate at all.
After all, her father had said she could spend the money in the card freely.
And no matter how expensive this Honey Water was, it couldn’t possibly cost more than twenty.
Thinking this, Xia Xiaoqiang took the Honey Water and brought it to her lips.
After drinking it, Xia Xiaoqiang felt much more comfortable.
The Vendor’s face bloomed with a wide smile.
He pulled out a POS Terminal, greed flickering in his eyes.
He then entered a string of numbers with a long, long, long string of zeros into the machine.
“Insufficient balance! Transaction failed.” The POS Terminal alerted.
Xia Xiaoqiang’s heart skipped a beat at the sound!
The smile froze on the Vendor’s face as well.
He bowed his head and tried several more times, but each time the alert was “Insufficient balance.”
After three attempts, the Vendor was thoroughly enraged.
Xia Xiaoqiang was stunned, holding the cup of Honey Water, unable to decide whether to drink or put it down.
Furious, the Vendor strode forward and grabbed Xia Xiaoqiang by the collar, “You dare scam me for a drink?!”
Xia Xiaoqiang stammered, “I… I didn’t. How could there be insufficient balance…”
She had checked the two hundred thousand in the card several times.
Her father couldn’t have lied to her.
Suddenly remembering something, Xia Xiaoqiang’s voice trembled as she asked, “How much is a cup of Honey Water?”
“Thirty million! It’s always been this price!” The Vendor spat, spraying saliva everywhere.
Xia Xiaoqiang was completely dumbfounded.
What kind of Honey Water costs thirty million per cup?!
“Even a boxed meal is only ten yuan, how can Honey Water be thirty million…” Xia Xiaoqiang’s voice grew weak.
Everything happening now was far beyond her expectations.
The Vendor’s eyes reddened with anger, “I never said I sold it for ten! You’ve drunk my water, now you want to skip out on the bill?”
The Vendor gripped Xia Xiaoqiang’s collar tightly, nearly choking her.
“No money, then pay with your fingers! I’ll take three fingers in total!”
Xia Xiaoqiang’s limbs instantly went limp.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked pleadingly at Jiang Li on the opposite bunk.
Jiang Li lay on her back, hands behind her head, eyes closed.
Hard Sleeper Rules, Article Five:
[Do not meddle in others’ affairs. Remember! Helping others is harming yourself.]
If Jiang Li intervened, she would be the one to die.
But if she didn’t, Xia Xiaoqiang would lose her fingers…
Jiang Li kept her eyes closed, brow furrowed, her right index finger twitching uncontrollably.
A stalemate… another stalemate!
Xia Xiaoqiang waited a few seconds, but Jiang Li didn’t move.
After much hesitation, Xia Xiaoqiang finally called out to Jiang Li.
“Sister Jiang… what should I do, wuwu…” Xia Xiaoqiang’s voice was thick with fear.
Right now, Jiang Li was the only one she could rely on.
Jiang Li’s mind raced, her brow gently knotted.
But she kept her eyes shut, ignoring Xia Xiaoqiang.
Xia Xiaoqiang bit her lower lip hard.
At this moment, her fear outweighed her pride.
She pleaded directly to Jiang Li:
“Sis, I helped you collect Honey Water! At least a dozen cups, can you help me out and pay him for one? This is the only way I have…”
Hearing this, Jiang Li finally opened her eyes and sat up.