The green train rattled and clattered through the night.

The scenery outside the window gradually changed from the skyscrapers of Shanghai to plains.

According to the itinerary, it will take at least three days and three nights to reach the capital of Heilongjiang Province.

Jiang Linchuan had arranged for a soft sleeper compartment to be booked well in advance. He reserved the last of the four berths so that no one would bother him.

Xu Xinghe lay on the lower bunk, flipping through the cultivation notes given to him by the expert.

Jiang Linchuan sat next to her and helped her sort the packaging bags of medicinal herb seeds.

Lian Xiao leaned against the upper bunk, flipping through the newspaper idly.

The only sounds in the carriage were the rustling of papers and the soft hum of the train, creating an exceptionally peaceful atmosphere.

After a long time, as it grew darker and darker, Xu Xinghe put down her notebook and gradually fell asleep to the swaying of the train.

Suddenly, a sharp noise pierced through the carriage, mixed with the sound of a child crying, waking all three of them up.

"What happened?" Lian Xiao sat up abruptly and rubbed his eyes.

Xu Xinghe immediately sat up and quickly put on her coat. "It sounds like something happened. The sound is coming from the front carriage."

Jiang Linchuan frowned, and as he stood up, he instinctively shielded Xu Xinghe behind him, giving Lian Xiao a look, "Let's go check it out, be careful."

The three walked along the aisle, and the closer they got to the front hard-seat carriage, the clearer the noise became.

The connecting area between the carriages was crowded with people, all craning their necks to look inside, and whispers rose and fell.

Jiang Linchuan pushed through the crowd to the front and finally saw what was happening inside.

Several men were standing in the middle of the aisle, trying to persuade them.

Across from them, a man was tightly holding a five- or six-year-old boy.

The man held a knife to the child's neck; the child cried with tears streaming down his face and trembled all over.

"Don't come any closer!" the man with the knife roared, his voice trembling with tension. "Make us two brothers get out of the car right now, or I'll make things difficult for this kid!"

A plainclothes officer standing nearby, his face ashen, explained to the train conductor in a low voice, “We are escorting a suspect. This is his accomplice. We don’t know how he got on the train. He suddenly rushed out and snatched the child as a hostage.”

Xu Xinghe's heart clenched as she looked at the child's red face from crying. She instinctively tried to step forward, but Jiang Linchuan held her shoulders firmly.

He leaned close to her ear and said in a low voice, "Don't be impulsive. Observe the situation first. This person is emotionally agitated and very dangerous."

Lian Xiao was quietly surveying his surroundings.

The train aisle was narrow, and the kidnapper had his back against the window with no way to retreat. The only way to break through was the gap beside him.

But if the child is in the middle, they could easily get hurt.

The situation is really dangerous right now!

The man was too agitated; the knife in his hand trembled, and the sharp blade accidentally made a small red cut on the child's neck. As soon as the blood seeped out, he wiped it away haphazardly with his rough thumb.

The child winced in pain, and his cries suddenly rose, like a needle piercing everyone's heart.

"My son!" The child's mother broke down instantly, breaking free from the plainclothes officer's obstruction and rushing forward, only to be pulled back by another plainclothes officer. She knelt straight down on the ground, her forehead repeatedly hitting the ground. "Please, please stop the car and let them go! My child can't die! I beg you, officers!"

Both the flight attendants and plainclothes officers were covered in sweat.

"Sir, please don't be impulsive. We can't contact anyone right now, and trains can't just stop suddenly. There's another train behind us, and it's getting dark. If they can't see us and we crash into it, we'll all be in danger!"

"Enough with the nonsense!" The man with the knife had a bloodshot eye, and he pressed the tip of the knife deeper into the child's skin. "Don't think I don't know. Stopping for a while is fine, ten minutes, just ten minutes! If we don't stop by then, I'll kill this little one first, and then grab everyone else! There are plenty of hostages in this carriage; I'll kill until you agree!"

The passengers were so frightened that they pushed back into the aisle.

The plainclothes officers formed a perimeter to prevent him from running away in a frenzy.

Just then, Xu Xinghe suddenly walked out from the crowd. Jiang Linchuan reached out to pull her, but she gently broke free.

"Don't hurt the child, I'll take his place." Her voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear it clearly.

The kidnapper sized her up, then sneered, "Who do you think you are? What right do you have to exchange this brat for me?"

“I’m worth more than him.” Xu Xinghe quickly turned her head and looked at Lian Xiao. “He’s my husband. My family runs a silk business in Shanghai. We’re not short of money. If you arrest me, you can get off the train safely and get a ransom. It’s a hundred times better than arresting a penniless kid.”

Lian Xiao's expression changed drastically. He couldn't help but take half a step forward and reach out to support Xu Xinghe's arm. "No! You can't go. Even if our family is rich, we can't risk our lives!"

Jiang Linchuan stood there, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times, but ultimately he remained silent.

He knew Xu Xinghe's personality and was even more aware that arguing at this moment would only ruin her plans.

He could only use the people in front of him as cover to hold Xu Xinghe's hand and apply slight pressure to change her mind.

Xu Xinghe glanced at him sideways but said nothing.

She's not some saint; she just has confidence in herself, which is why she came up with this idea.

She was able to fight back when she faced the kidnappers last time, and she can do it again this time.

The man carefully examined her and Lian Xiao.

Xu Xinghe's cotton-padded jacket was made of fine cotton, and Lian Xiao's trousers were made of crisp khaki. They both exuded a clean and noble air, and were indeed unlike ordinary people.

A calculating glint flashed in his eyes. "Really rich? You're not lying to me?"

"What's the point of lying to you?" Xu Xinghe said gently. "Well, have you thought it through? If you have, then I'll come over, and you can release the child."

The man was clearly tempted.

They are indeed short of money.

If you can escape and even pull off a heist to make some money, that would indeed be a good thing.

He hesitated for a few seconds, then suddenly pressed the knife against the child's chin. "Fine, switch!"

"Wait!" Lian Xiao suddenly spoke up, "I want to be with my wife. Actually, my family is the one with the money. My parents have never liked her as their daughter-in-law. If you just try to force her into marriage, my family won't give you any money."

The kidnappers hesitated, but Lian Xiao looked like a rich young master and shouldn't pose much of a threat, plus he genuinely wanted the money...

"Fine, you come over here too, but I'm warning you, don't try anything funny, or I'll kill this kid right now, even if I die, I'll take him down with me! Also, turn your pockets out, I want to see if you have anything!"

The plainclothes officer looked at the two men, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Are you saying they don't need to do that?

What about the child?

The suspect they were with was still properly tied up, but the matter of this accomplice was truly beyond their expectations.

The mother, kneeling on the ground, repeatedly kowtowed to Xu Xinghe, saying, "Thank you, thank you!"

Xu Xinghe didn't say anything and walked forward.

Lian Xiao quickly followed, glancing back at Jiang Linchuan and giving him a meaningful look.

With him by her side, Xu Xinghe will be safe!