Chapter 11: How Do You Walk Like That?!

With no more obstacles in her way, Lu Youyou headed to the commune that very day.

Upon hearing that her intended spouse was Gu Qingye, Xue Mingliang was incredibly enthusiastic. Even a middle-aged cadre from the propaganda department personally arranged for someone to expedite her paperwork. He fussed over why she had decided to marry so suddenly, cautioned her to be safe on her journey, and even bought her train ticket. Only then did Lu Youyou realize she had "connections in high places," which left her feeling both amused and helpless. The secrets hidden within the tragic character from the original book were like opening a blind box now that she had arrived.

Lu Youyou moved quickly. The day after her paperwork was finalized, she packed her bags and headed to the station. A sallow-skinned woman in plain clothes appeared on the platform, drawing no one's attention. Drawing on her extensive experience from reading novels, Lu Youyou had put together an outfit as low-key as possible and rubbed a mixture of soot and clam-oil cream onto her face. She stuffed all her miscellaneous belongings into her villa space, carrying only the bare essentials for her long journey.

As she looked around the station with curiosity, a kindly-looking older woman approached her. "Young lady, are you by yourself?"

Lu Youyou desperately wanted to pretend she was mute, but knowing she couldn't keep that up for twenty hours, she just gave a shy nod. It was unclear whether this woman was naturally chatty or just bored, but once she started talking, she couldn't stop. "Listen to me, young lady—as soon as the train stops, you have to push your way on. Don't bother waiting in line properly, or your seat will definitely be snatched by someone else!"

The woman grabbed Lu Youyou, pulled her out of the disorganized line, and fought through the crowd to the very front. Lu Youyou quickly covered most of her face with a headscarf, terrified of rubbing off the soot. Before she could even speak, the train pulled slowly into the station, singing its rhythmic, chugging tune. It was the first time Lu Youyou had seen a 1970s internal combustion engine train, the nose of which looked like a giant firecracker.

She wanted to admire the antique a little longer, but the surging crowd didn't give her the chance—especially the enthusiastic older woman, who was pushing her forward from behind with all her might. Lu Youyou hadn't even experienced the morning rush on a subway, let alone a train crowded with people, chickens, ducks, and geese. By the time she finally made it onto the train, her headscarf was crooked, and a white feather was stuck to her shoulder.

The woman looked at her with a mix of pity and frustration. "Young lady, this won't do. Haven't you heard the slogan? Put in your best effort and strive for the top—you have to fight when it's time to fight!"

Lu Youyou couldn't help but laugh. "Thank you, ma'am!"

If it hadn't been for the woman's quick reflexes and immense strength, she would have been swept away by those cages of poultry.

"It's nothing. Helping each other when we're away from home is only right!"

The carriage was packed like a sardine can. Lu Youyou struggled to find her seat, only to discover the older woman sitting right across from her.

"Oh, what a coincidence! This is perfect," the woman said, her enthusiasm undiminished. "Where are you headed, young lady?"

"I'm going to Nancheng."

"The final stop? That’s going to be a long haul. Are you visiting relatives?"

Seeing that Lu Youyou didn't respond, the woman smiled. "Don't mind me. I work at the neighborhood office, so I'm used to managing everyone's business."

Lu Youyou offered an awkward but polite smile. She didn't consider herself socially anxious, but this woman was a social butterfly among social butterflies. Besides, she couldn't bring herself to speak.

In the height of summer, anyone who has ridden a green-skinned train knows exactly what it's like: the smell of sweat and feet, mixed with the faint stench of poultry droppings—every breath was an extreme sensory experience. Lu Youyou pulled out a simple mask she had fashioned from a frayed piece of cloth, determined to maintain her "poverty-stricken" disguise.

When the older woman looked at her with surprise, Lu Youyou whispered, "I had a cold that didn't quite go away, and the doctor told me to be careful."

"No wonder you don't like to talk—is your throat hurting? Do you want me to help you get some hot water?"

Lu Youyou shook her head quickly. She couldn't handle the woman's overwhelming kindness, so she chose to pretend to sleep. Since her bag only contained a few clothes for show, she wasn't worried about thieves.

The train started up again, chugging along with a rhythmic, swaying motion. Pretending to sleep, Lu Youyou soon drifted off for real. In her dream, she was skinning a handsome little turtle, but the turtle bit her back and laughed maniacally. As it laughed, its beady eyes transformed into a pair of dark, piercing pupils, morphing into Gu Qingye’s face. He cast a look of disdain at her and said, "You're courting death!"

Lu Youyou was so furious her lungs felt like they were about to explode. I kindly came to save you, and you dare to bite me and insult me! She started brawling with Gu Qingye in her dream, but she couldn't land a single hit. Exhausted, she woke up with a start.

Lu Youyou wiped the sweat from her forehead, but when she saw her fingers covered in black soot, she froze. She scanned her surroundings, and seeing that no one was paying attention, she pulled out the clam-oil cream and used her headscarf to hide her face while she surreptitiously "reapplied her makeup."

The carriage was filled with loud chatter and the sounds of livestock. Having grown accustomed to it, it no longer felt quite as unbearable. The older woman across from her was gone, likely having found someone else to talk to in the next car. Lu Youyou took out her enamel mug to get some hot water, following the directions the older woman had given her earlier.

She swayed her way through several carriages until she reached the tea room, where a line of seven or eight people had formed. Lu Youyou stood against the wall. The man in front of her was dressed in a crisp Zhongshan suit and was even carrying a leather briefcase while waiting for water.

Soon, a woman in her thirties joined the line behind her. She looked very ordinary, save for a pair of eyes that were exceptionally bright. Lu Youyou was lost in thought, contemplating her future at the military base, and only realized on her way back that she and the man in the Zhongshan suit were heading in the same direction.

Less than half a minute later, the woman caught up and quickly passed Lu Youyou. Lu Youyou glanced at her; the woman was walking fast with her mug, yet she barely swayed on the rocking train. She must have practiced martial arts; her balance was incredible.

Before she could finish the thought, reality struck. At the junction between the carriages, the woman suddenly tripped and bumped into the man in the Zhongshan suit.

Caught off guard, the man scalded his hand with the hot water, and as he jerked his arm, the leather briefcase flew out of his grip. Lu Youyou watched helplessly as the polished black bag flew toward her. She threw her mug as far away as possible and instinctively raised her other hand to block.

*Thud.* The bag hit the ground, accompanied by a cry of pain and tears. To be precise, Lu Youyou's hand had been "attacked." The bag must have weighed dozens of pounds; not only did she fail to catch it, but her finger bones ached from the impact.

The floor was covered in spilled hot water, and it was impossible to tell whose was whose. The man in the Zhongshan suit didn't even care about his soaked trousers and shoes; he lunged forward to scoop the briefcase into his arms.

"How are you walking?!"

The man was so anxious he wiped the water off with his sleeve, instinctively wanting to open the bag to check its contents, but as soon as his hand touched the zipper, he pulled it back. He glared at the woman, clearly wanting to tear her apart. As for Lu Youyou, who had been caught in the crossfire, he hadn't even noticed her.

The woman looked frantic, pulling out a handkerchief to help wipe the bag, but the man turned away abruptly to avoid her, refusing to let her get close.