Chapter 85: The Commotion on the Train

Liu Yue was staring blankly at this man. But thinking carefully, all these appliances in the house were worth no less than a whole apartment; since Shen Guodong could afford to buy them so lavishly, paying for an apartment in full would hardly be a challenge for him. The price of a home in Fengcheng was just over a hundred yuan per square meter; a full apartment would cost a little over ten thousand yuan, which didn’t seem to be much pressure for Shen Guodong. At that moment, a smile appeared on his face.

“No need to worry. If anyone knows what your man is capable of, it’s you,” Shen Guodong said with a smile.

What Liu Yue didn’t know was that Shen Guodong wasn’t planning to buy a regular apartment, but rather a detached villa. In those days, anyone living in a villa was certainly no ordinary wealthy person; as for the so-called ‘ten-thousand-yuan households’ spoken of by many, to buy a villa was nothing short of wishful thinking. Compared to apartments, villas offered much greater privacy and were favored by the wealthy.

Shen Guodong definitely didn’t want to live in a crowded, busy place, especially since, soon enough, he would have all the cars and other amenities he needed. That was unquestionable. At most, by the end of this year, Shen Guodong would have everything prepared.

Five days later, news came from the factory: they were to go to Shen City for negotiations. If everything went smoothly, Shen Guodong’s future would be much easier, and his plans could proceed unhindered. If they failed, the impact on Shen Guodong would be considerable—this hardly needed saying. He wouldn’t even be able to stay at the factory, let alone anywhere else. Though he could break the contract, Director Xu wouldn’t fire him over this, but Shen Guodong would never forgive himself.

As a man, once you make a promise, no matter what obstacles arise, you must fulfill it. That’s absolute. So there was no need to say more; Shen Guodong would do as he promised—compensate Yuan Junfeng two thousand yuan and resign. Even though this would have a huge impact on his future, Shen Guodong would not hesitate. If you can’t accomplish something, you shouldn’t agree to it in the first place. Otherwise, people will only look down on you.

...

“Brother Shen, are you sure you won’t ride with me? I can have a few of my guys take the train and meet us in Shen City,” Baldy asked. Shen Guodong had already discussed this with him a few days ago, so Baldy had made preparations, thinking Shen Guodong would ride in his car. But unexpectedly, Shen Guodong chose the train.

“Thank you for your kindness, Baldy, but I won’t take your car. I already bought the train tickets, so it wouldn’t be right to waste them,” Shen Guodong replied with a smile, politely declining.

Seeing Shen Guodong insist, Baldy didn’t press further. After saying goodbye to Baldy, Shen Guodong headed straight for the train station.

In those days, trains were the common means for long-distance travel. There were few departures, they were slow, and journeys often lasted over ten hours. The trains were crowded. Later generations, with the spread of high-speed rail, airplanes, and cars, saw travel become more dispersed, making trains less crowded. But now, the crush of people was a daily reality.

Luckily, Shen Guodong wasn’t traveling on a weekend or holiday; though the train was packed, it wasn’t to the point of unbearable crowding. He and his companion only carried simple luggage, so the journey wasn’t too exhausting.

Noise, filth, and chaos were the norm. Yet, as Zhou Meiniang appeared, the commotion in the carriage gradually quieted. Countless eyes stared directly at her; for everyone present, such a woman was a rare sight indeed. For a moment, even conversation dwindled, and everyone’s gaze shifted to Zhou Meiniang, admiring her beauty.

Since ancient times, beautiful women have been the downfall of heroes. Bao Si, Su Daji, Yang Guifei, and so many others—each one a beauty to be coveted. If Zhou Meiniang had lived in those times, she would not have been far behind. She had encountered this situation often; once, she was anxious and always careful when traveling. But now, with Shen Guodong by her side, she felt completely at ease. With this man next to her, there was a mysterious sense of security.

“She’s really something, isn’t she?”

“That guy’s so lucky—taking a stunning beauty like her out with him. It’s hard to imagine.”

“If only I could have a woman like her, I’d be willing to die right now. Why am I not so fortunate?”

Whispers filled the air. Zhou Meiniang glanced furtively at the man beside her. Although Shen Guodong appeared calm, to be truthful, everyone has a sense of pride—Shen Guodong was no exception, and it showed. It’s been said that a man’s pride comes from his woman, and it’s true: when everyone else is coveting the woman at your side, as a man, Shen Guodong felt a deep sense of accomplishment that needed no words.

Instinctively, he took her hand and quickly found their seats. When buying tickets, he had purposely chosen a two-person seat to avoid any unexpected incidents. As Zhou Meiniang sat down, the people nearby seemed afraid to look directly at her; her beauty was such that even a glimpse could make one’s heart race.

“Are you feeling a little proud right now?” Zhou Meiniang asked softly, her head lowered. She had always known her own charm since she was young.

Shen Guodong smiled but said nothing. These men could only envy him; if they knew that at home he had another woman whose beauty was in no way inferior to Zhou Meiniang, they would probably go mad on the spot.

The train sped on, roaring as it went. Compared to other carriages, theirs was exceptionally quiet. But those seated nearby were going to the restroom far more often than usual.

Shen Guodong understood perfectly well what they were up to. He smiled and didn’t point it out. The more restless they became, the more cheerful he felt.

After all, Shen Guodong was just an ordinary man—no more, no less.