"Don't you men have any backbone? You see a woman and don't offer help, just standing there like you're waiting for an award? What kind of people are you, encountering such cold-blooded beings!"
The middle-aged woman's scolding was so fluent, one might think Chi Ge and the others had actually wronged her.
Chi Ge and the others were completely bewildered by her words. They couldn't understand what they had done wrong to deserve such a tirade.
At this moment, people from the surrounding berths were already peeking at Su Xiaotian and her group, some even pointing and whispering.
Chi Ge was a man who valued his reputation. He had never been so humiliated. He wanted to resolve this matter quickly.
Just then, the child the middle-aged woman was holding had already climbed onto the berth, intending to lie down.
"Grandma, can we sleep here?" the child asked.
"Of course, my good grandson has suffered so much on this journey. Fortunately, Grandma found this berth for you, so you can rest comfortably!"
The old woman's attitude towards her grandson was very kind, even affectionately patting his head.
"Please excuse us, this is our berth!" Su Xiaotian said, looking with disdain at the child who had climbed onto the berth without even taking off his shoes.
"Comrade, if you want a sleeper berth, please buy your own ticket!"
Chi Ge was a civilized person and tried to speak politely. However, when civilized people meet uncivilized ones, things become difficult. It's like a scholar meeting a soldier; reason often fails. Chi Ge was in such a situation now.
"What's wrong with you? You're a man, arguing with a woman? Are you even a man? Besides, you look much younger than me, can't you show some respect for the elderly?"
Chi Ge was no longer young, and the burdens he had carried in the Hongxin Brigade over the years had taken a toll. At first glance, he certainly appeared older than this old woman. Yet, she was clearly lying.
"Respect the elderly?" Su Xiaotian scoffed softly.
"Everyone has a hard time when traveling. Why can't you help someone? Don't you have any public spirit?" the middle-aged woman continued incessantly, "My mother is already this old, what's wrong with you giving up a seat? Are you looking down on us poor folks?"
It was truly impossible to reason with them. Su Xiaotian almost wanted to cover her forehead. This was a classic case of someone who, whether right or wrong, would argue to the end, proud of being the weaker party. How could she encounter such people on a simple trip? Had people's character deteriorated so much?
Su Xiaotian suddenly wondered why these two women were so insistent on occupying their lower berth when there was another berth opposite them. With this thought, she subtly glanced sideways.
On the other bed sat a tall, young man, watching the scene unfold with a cold expression. His features were even more stern than her uncle's, and he looked like someone not to be trifled with. It was no wonder the two women didn't dare to target his berth. They had clearly spotted their group, with the old and the young, and thought they would be easy to bully.
Su Xiaotian couldn't help but sneer. Easy to bully, were they? They could certainly try!
"Madam, please move, we need to rest!" Su Xiaotian said with a cold expression to the woman sprawled on the bed.
The old woman snorted, clearly unimpressed by such a young girl.
"As I said before, if you claim this is your spot, just say so. If the spot agrees, then I'll acknowledge it as yours!"
Su Xiaotian was so angry she almost laughed. Was there really such a shameless person? Occupying someone else's spot and then saying such outrageous things!
"Comrade, you can't be so unreasonable. How can a berth talk?" Su Xiao Si said patiently. Su Xiao Si had lived in the Hongxin Brigade and later studied in the county town, encountering only simple people. He had never met anyone like this.
The old woman's eyes widened, and she snapped at Su Xiao Si, "What are you saying, you unkempt brat? What are you saying? How am I unreasonable? Don't you know about respecting the old and loving the young? Clearly, the upper beam is crooked, so the lower beam is bound to be crooked! Why doesn't God strike you dead with lightning?"
Unreasonable, cursing people at the drop of a hat – how could one communicate with such a person? Su Xiao Si rubbed his slightly aching head and looked at Su Xiaotian. His meaning was clear: he was helpless and it was up to her now.
Su Xiaotian rolled her eyes. These two women were too unreasonable; arguing with them verbally might not be effective.
"I'll ask again, are you going to move?" Su Xiaotian asked in a cold voice.
The old woman grinned triumphantly. She didn't believe that an old man and three children could deal with her. If the old man or the two boys dared to touch her, she would shout "molester!" As for this young girl, she seemed troublesome. But she was just a greenhorn, what could she do? She had been troublesome her whole life, how could she be afraid of a little girl?
Seeing that the old woman had no intention of moving, Su Xiaotian decided not to prolong the argument. Continuing to bicker with such a person would be of no benefit to her. Therefore, Su Xiaotian turned and walked away.
"Xiaotian, where are you going?" Su Xiao Si and Chi Yi Yuan called out in unison. Why was she leaving in the middle of a confrontation? Neither of them understood.
"I'm going to find the train attendant!" Su Xiaotian said indifferently.
The old woman clearly heard Su Xiaotian, but she didn't take it to heart. What could the train attendant do? She had learned one thing over the years: when she was shameless, others had to be decent. She was determined to have this berth today. She had already suffered on the train for a day and a night, and while her old bones could endure it, her grandson couldn't. Having finally found such a berth, she certainly wouldn't give it up. Humph, anyone who could afford a sleeper berth must be rich; let them buy another one!
Chi Ge and Su Xiao Si stood watching the old woman's antics, while Chi Yi Yuan had followed Su Xiaotian to find the train attendant.
"Old man, you'd better hurry and find another berth, this one is mine now," the old woman said smugly, not forgetting to boast. Chi Ge was speechless!
Soon, Su Xiaotian and Chi Yi Yuan returned, followed by a young train attendant.
"Comrade attendant, this is our berth, but this old comrade refuses to give it up!" Su Xiaotian patiently explained to the attendant.
The attendant looked at the old woman. He had been on trains for several years and had seen all sorts of people. He recognized this type of old woman instantly. With just one glance, he knew she was a troublemaker, and he might get into trouble himself.
As expected, after the attendant uttered a few platitudes, the old woman's insults escalated. The middle-aged woman chimed in, and neither of them was easy to deal with. Seeing that the old woman and the middle-aged woman were impervious to reason, the attendant began to back down. He turned his gaze to Su Xiaotian.
Su Xiaotian was not disappointed by the attendant's behavior. She had expected this outcome earlier, so there was nothing to be disappointed about. She had only sought out the attendant to have a witness.
"Young lady, you're young, why don't you give up your seat to the elder?" the attendant said hesitantly.
Su Xiaotian looked coldly at the attendant, who intended to mediate the situation, and calmly replied, "We paid for our tickets, not to serve others!"
"Young lady, serving the people is also not wrong!" the attendant surprisingly added, seizing the opportunity.
Su Xiaotian smiled, but her smile was tinged with coldness and mockery. Meanwhile, the man on the lower berth, comfortably lying down, watched the farce unfold with a half-smile.
The train began to accelerate. Su Xiaotian felt the swaying made her uncomfortable. If she, being young, couldn't stand it, then Grandpa Chi, whose health had always been poor, would surely suffer even more. Therefore, Su Xiaotian didn't want to continue arguing. She spoke to the attendant less politely.
"Since this comrade said they want to serve the people, why don't you buy sleeper tickets for these two women yourself!"
The price of sleeper berths was high during this era, and not everyone was willing to spend money on them. The attendant's salary was not high, and he would certainly not be willing to spend a significant amount of money to serve others. A sleeper ticket to Beijing would likely cost him more than half a month's salary.
Indeed, the attendant's expression turned unpleasant. "Young lady, what kind of talk is that? I'm not related to them..."
"Since you're unwilling to help because you're not related to them, why should you ask me to help? I'm also a stranger to them!" Su Xiaotian smiled. "Do you think I'm foolish because I'm young? Or do you think my money comes from the wind, that I'd buy sleeper tickets for others to rest on?"
"Comrade, our seats have been taken, and you have such an attitude towards handling this matter. I question your work. Later, I will definitely report this issue to your superiors." Su Xiaotian's words were very impolite.
The attendant's expression grew increasingly displeased. He hadn't expected such a young girl to be so capable and speak so sharply. However, the attendant didn't want to be wronged himself. He was a train attendant; how could he be cornered by a passenger like this? Therefore, he said with a cold face, "Since you say so, you can negotiate this matter yourselves. I'm not getting involved!"
Saying this, the attendant immediately turned to leave. Su Xiaotian signaled Chi Yi Yuan and Su Xiao Si to block the attendant. The attendant, caught off guard, was blocked by the two in the narrow aisle. He looked at Su Xiaotian in anger.
"What do you mean by this?"
"Nothing much, I just feel that since you're not involved, I'll handle it myself!" Su Xiaotian snorted, her tone not overly agitated. The attendant sensed that Su Xiaotian's method might not be a good one. However, he didn't take Su Xiaotian, a young girl, too seriously. If a little girl could really handle such a stubborn person, she wouldn't have come to him for help.
"You yourselves coordinate. I don't need to stay here!" the attendant still wanted to leave.
"Comrade attendant, you need to stay and be a witness!"
A witness? The attendant clearly hadn't grasped the meaning of the word "witness." But Su Xiaotian quickly showed him what it meant to need a witness. Su Xiaotian's lips curved slightly, and then she directly grabbed the old woman's collar and, with a strong pull, lifted her into the air.
The old woman let out a bloodcurdling scream. Anyone hearing it would think Su Xiaotian had stabbed her heart with a knife. The attendant, the middle-aged woman, and the child were all stunned! How could this young girl have such strength? She could lift a person with one hand?
"What are you doing? You shameless bitch, put me down quickly!"
Even while being held in the air, the old woman was still abusive and started cursing.
"Are you sure you want me to put you down?" Su Xiaotian asked, lifting her effortlessly. She even swung the old woman slightly. She looked as if she were holding a ball of cotton, not a person, so light was her grip.
The old woman, suspended in the air, was terrified to death. When she was swung again, she instinctively thought she was about to be thrown to her death! The man beside them continued to watch the show with amusement. This little girl had surprised him; she was clearly a practitioner, and one with natural strength. He wondered if such a young girl would be interested in training with him for a few years.
"You, you put me down!" The old woman, having been swung halfway around by Su Xiaotian, was trembling with fear, almost wetting herself, but she still managed to utter this sentence. Su Xiaotian was just about to put her down, but she did so ungracefully, directly throwing the old woman onto the ground. Even worse, after throwing her down, she said with a half-smile, "Oops, my hand slipped!"
Slipped? What a load of nonsense! The old woman wished she could curse aloud, but at that moment, she was still touching her sore backside and groaning.
"Mom, are you alright?" the middle-aged woman rushed over to help the old woman.
Su Xiaotian, however, turned her clear eyes towards the child still lying on the lower berth. The child flinched but stubbornly said, "My grandma said I should sleep here!"
"Your grandma said? What does your grandma matter?" Su Xiao Si snorted. He never expected his little sister to be so cool, throwing the old witch onto the ground. He thought this brat didn't need his little sister to dirty her hands. He could handle him. He looked intently at the boy occupying the berth.
The old woman, still yelling in the aisle, couldn't understand how this seemingly delicate little girl had so much strength. She even suspected she had seen wrong, but that couldn't be right. With the girl's small arms and legs, she couldn't possibly have thrown her. Su Xiaotian ignored all this; she just wanted to throw them out and get some rest.
"Get up yourself, or should I throw you next to your grandma?" Su Xiaotian had no intention of indulging this spoiled brat any further. Although the brat's spoiled behavior was mainly due to his parents, if these two women continued to raise him, even if he wasn't crooked now, he certainly would be in the future.
"I, I..." The child, perhaps frightened by Su Xiaotian, started crying loudly. Su Xiaotian clearly hadn't expected a boy to cry so easily!
[Author's Note]
Babies, don't forget your votes! Chinese New Year is just a few days away. Have you prepared your New Year's goods?