Chapter 30: On the Bus
"I defend your right to express opinions with my life, so feel free to speak. However, I must say, you're equally opinionated. I must acknowledge, though, that you indeed have the capital for such assurance," Lan Chu dropped these words and walked away without bothering further.
"Hey, your suit," Lin Yu hurriedly followed from behind.
"It's a gift for you." Lan Chu entered the elevator, her voice fading away.
"Is this some kind of token of affection?" Lin Yu teased with a playful expression but halted his steps.
"What do you think? Don't forget, report on time tomorrow," Lan Chu vanished as the elevator descended, her melodious voice lingering in Lin Yu's ears.
"She's a peculiar woman," Lin Yu scratched his chin, muttered, and then walked off with the clothes from the other side.
Regarding Lan Chu's sudden appearance and disappearance, Lin Yu was quite puzzled. Could it be she had been following him all along? But why? Just because she hired him and needed to ensure his safety as an employee?
That sounded preposterous.
Firstly, Lin Yu hadn't deluded himself into thinking that he had truly enchanted Lan Chu and that she was actively seeking him out. Besides, it didn't seem plausible. Secondly, he didn't believe Lan Chu had such a strong sense of protection over a soon-to-be subordinate, so much that she'd pretend to be his girlfriend just to assert herself.
But if these assumptions weren't true, then why would Lan Chu act this way? His intuition told him that there was something fishy about this. It definitely wasn't as simple as it appeared on the surface, nor was it some spontaneous whim of that woman.
However, after pondering for a while, Lin Yu couldn't make heads or tails of it. He sighed, "Women's hearts are like hidden needles in the ocean. Oh well, whatever happens, happens. I'll find out when we meet tomorrow."
He swung the broken military bag over his shoulder and roamed around the mall, purchasing a leather bag for men. Finally, he tossed the old worn-out bag away.
At least now, as an aspiring teacher, he had to present himself decently. Otherwise, it wouldn't do justice to his role.
He managed a quick lunch outside, handling some matters over the phone. Once the appointments were made, he wiped his mouth, left his meal, and drowsed off for a while on a bench by the road. Glancing at the time on his newly acquired phone, it was nearly time. He slung the bag over his shoulder and boarded a public bus, following the plan he had just arranged to meet someone.
However, the journey was long, and it was scorching hot. He felt too lazy to walk, so taking the bus was just right.
Though it was only April, summer had arrived particularly early that year. The heat was intense; the entire bus felt suffocating, making it hard to stay awake. Some passengers even avoided opening their eyes.
But this was the characteristic of northern cities—distinct seasons; scorching hot felt like flipping a huge furnace, while cold felt like freezing the world.
The fierce sun cast a glaring, white light, doing its utmost to drain the last ounce of moisture from people's bodies. The streets were filled with people hurriedly walking, faces contorted in the sun's glare.
Lin Yu sat on Bus Route 31, feeling drowsy with his head drooping. This weather was unbearable.
The bus swayed like an old cow as it ambled along. At Taoyuan Road, it stopped. Lin Yu's destination was still about six or seven stops away.
An elderly man with a head of disheveled hair struggled as he dragged a snake-skinned bag filled with mineral water bottles onto the bus. The bag was full of trash and odds and ends; in local parlance, he was a scavenger. Despite his clean appearance, people pinched their noses and gave him disgusted looks, shifting away. Even in the packed bus, a miraculous alleyway suddenly appeared, leaving him an empty space.
The old man looked exhausted and sweaty, dragging the garbage bag. Even though some people made way, he could barely move. With eyes begging for mercy, he looked around, but no one offered their seat. Many young and able-bodied individuals acted as if they hadn't seen him.
The world was corrupt, morals were absent, values were skewed—it was hopeless. Despite three decades of reform and openness, while it had brought fresh air in, the flies deep within people's hearts buzzed louder with the changing times.
"Old sir, I'm getting off; come over here and sit!" Lin Yu, who seemed to have dozed off, lifted his head and waved at the old man, simultaneously standing up.
"Thank you, thank you!" The old man repeatedly expressed his gratitude, and Lin Yu smiled, saying nothing. He took a few steps forward to take the garbage bag from the old man's hand. However, as he turned, his clear eyes narrowed, a flash of anger visible — he hadn't realized that at some point, his seat had been occupied by a middle-aged, fat man wearing glasses and a white shirt.
This guy was shameless.
"I'll say this once: move." Lin Yu walked over, coldly staring him down.
The chubby man in the white shirt disdainfully scoffed, adjusting his glasses and turning his head away, showing a rather contemptuous expression.
Lin Yu shook his head. Suddenly, lightning-fast, he reached out, grabbed the man's chest, and flung him aside. He had gotten a little too accustomed to throwing people today; a minute without doing so felt somewhat itchy.
With a "smack," the chubby man was thrown out and landed in an awkward heap, his glasses falling off. He tried to brush off the dirt while getting up, angrily pointing at Lin Yu and shouting at everyone around him. His eyes seemed innocent, his attitude sincere, attempting to gain sympathy from the surrounding people, but as the matter didn't concern them, they remained aloof, pretending to be asleep.
Lin Yu stayed silent, simply standing tall and staring at the chubby man. His bright eyes seemed to penetrate into the depths of the man's heart, revealing a flicker of disdain. This made the chubby man furious, as he wanted to rush over and fight but reconsidered when he saw Lin Yu's tall and sturdy figure, despite being somewhat lean.