The car could finally get back on the road. The driver looked at him like a brother, what a good man!
Xie Sui concealed his achievements and fame. His lifetime of experience from his past life taught him to plant more flowers and fewer thorns, meaning to be kind to others and you wouldn't suffer.
Back in the car, Xie Sui found his original seat occupied by a middle-aged woman with dark skin and sharp eyes. She stared out the window, pretending to be oblivious.
While there was no rule stating those two seats belonged to Xie Sui, the unwritten rule was that whoever occupied a seat, if they weren't getting off, would stay there for the entire journey unless they voluntarily gave it up.
Lin Wanwan said, "Sister, these are our seats. Please move."
The woman pretended not to hear. Xie Sui's temper flared, and he was about to act. Lin Wanwan stopped him and suddenly leaned forward, shouting, "Sister, these are our seats. Please move."
"What are you yelling about?"
The woman's ears buzzed, and she glared at her.
"Sorry, I thought you were deaf. You couldn't hear me when I spoke politely, so I had to raise my voice. Move, these are our seats. Don't make me say it a third time!"
Lin Wanwan rolled up her sleeves, her eyes dark and imposing.
"You, you think they're yours just because you say so? I bought a ticket too, paid the same amount. You've already been sitting here for half the journey, it's my turn now."
"Are you being unreasonable? Will you move or not? Don't force me to get rough. Are you playing dumb? I've seen plenty of women like you. Let's go fight, and see if I dare to rip all your hair out!"
Xie Sui was no longer angry. This was the first time he'd seen such a feisty Lin Wanwan, and he found it incredibly amusing.
Lin Wanwan reached out to grab her. The woman, seeing that she wasn't to be trifled with, reluctantly got up, muttering curses under her breath.
"Shut up. Dare to curse me again, and I'll slap you!"
Lin Wanwan raised her hand. Her slender arm was surprisingly strong, making her look even more formidable. With Xie Sui by her side, the woman dared not make another sound, squeezing to the back, seething with anger.
"Let's go. Is everyone on board?"
The driver started the car. Xie Sui grinned and said, "Wife, I never knew you were so fierce! You've truly impressed your husband!"
Lin Wanwan replied proudly, "Didn't I tell you? When you used to get into trouble, people from the village would come to me. I had to argue with them. If I wasn't tough, I would have been bullied to death long ago. This side of me is all thanks to you."
It was all driven by necessity. A mother's strength knew no bounds. Lin Wanwan forced herself to be sharp and fierce for her child. Deep down, she wanted to be a gentle woman, but a gentle woman needed a strong man to protect her. Though men and women were equal, sometimes a woman's happiness depended on a man's responsibility.
"It's all my fault. I swear, I'll never do that again."
Xie Sui promised again. Lin Wanwan nodded, she saw it.
The conversation between the two people behind them reached Xie Sui. "That man looks like a kept man, letting his wife handle things. Someone is married to him? It's like a delicate flower stuck in cow dung."
Xie Sui: "..."
He was being called a kept man for the first time?
Lin Wanwan suppressed a smile, her eyes sparkling like stars, immensely amused and wondering how Xie Sui would react.
She had stepped in because they were both women, and Xie Sui, being a man, couldn't be too harsh with such a shrew. She hadn't expected to be misunderstood.
Xie Sui paused for a moment, then suddenly stopped being angry. "So what if I'm cow dung? I have the flower. They're just jealous, jealous."
After comforting himself, he said to Lin Wanwan, "Wife, you have to earn more money and support me and the child. Our family depends on you."
The two people in the back row: "..."
He really is a man who lives off his wife. This is truly eye-opening.
Lin Wanwan laughed all the way. Xie Sui continued to sleep. When he woke again, they had arrived. They squeezed out of the station with the crowd. People were everywhere, making it hard to tell which way to go.
Tricycle rickshaws lined the roadside, soliciting passengers. Some even placed their luggage on their vehicles before they had agreed on a price, it was utter chaos.
Xie Sui and his wife didn't have much luggage, just one bag. He held it tightly to his chest and held Lin Wanwan's hand firmly. Xie Sui said sternly, "Stick close to me. This is the most chaotic place. Let's find a guesthouse to stay in first."
Feeling the warmth of his large hand, Lin Wanwan also gripped his hand tightly. Surrounded by countless strangers, having him hold her hand brought a sense of peace.
Xie Sui didn't notice her gaze. He waved away the solicitations and only relaxed a bit when they reached a less crowded area. Going out felt like going to war.
"Tricycle, how much to the guesthouse?"
Xie Sui spoke in standard Mandarin, without any local dialect. He was dressed cleanly and tidily. The tricycle driver dared not overcharge him, and for fifty cents, they were taken to the guesthouse.
"Brother, you're an honest man. I have to go out again tomorrow. Come wait for me here early in the morning. I'll hire you for the whole day. How much do you want?"
Xie Sui offered him a cigarette. The driver smiled honestly, "At least ten yuan."
After all, this was a city. When business was good, a driver could earn three to four hundred yuan a month, more than factory workers. However, the job wasn't very respectable, and no young people wanted to do it.
"Alright, I'll provide you with two meals. Come early."
The driver left happily. He had met a big client. Two meals alone would be over a yuan.
Using a letter of introduction and their marriage certificate, they secured a room. The room was simple and not exactly clean, but at least it had hot water. They could make do.
"Wanwan, you sit down first. I'll tidy up. For now, as long as the guesthouse is safe, when we have money, we'll open five-star hotels all over the country and get presidential suites. It'll be more convenient for us to stay."
Xie Sui was a bit of a dandy and had a slight潔癖 (cleanliness obsession). He wasn't as slovenly as ordinary men, which Lin Wanwan admired.
He had even brought a clean bedsheet and his own towel. Lin Wanwan was surprised, "I thought your bag was full of clothes. You actually brought these things."
"Hehe, this is called planning ahead. Sleep soundly. I'll go get hot water to wash my face. Then we'll go eat, and get some rest early today."
Xie Sui's meticulousness impressed Lin Wanwan, and she blushed, perhaps thinking of something.
He gave the service attendant a yuan for unlimited hot water for the next three days. Xie Sui carried two tin thermoses upstairs. As he passed a room, someone inside peeked out. Xie Sui caught a glimpse of a prominent scar on the person's left eye, making them look fierce.
Xie Sui's expression remained unchanged. He returned to his room and locked the door tightly.
"What's wrong? Your face looks a bit pale."
"It's nothing. Let's wash up."
Xie Sui remembered seeing such a scar in newspapers during his past life. It belonged to a leader of a notorious gang named Hu Yaohui, who was executed.
How had he encountered these desperados here?