Shu Yan happily agreed. If she could really go to the cultural troupe, she wouldn't just be relying on Xie Zhiyan. She had a good temperament and a good image, and she might be recommended to the army. That would be a glamorous job.
If she's lucky, she'll become a great artist, a world of difference from before. She'll be quite famous, making her the perfect wife for a military officer—both prestigious and glamorous.
She was initially worried that the Shu family had fallen on hard times and Xie Zhiyan would be unwilling to accept her, but now that she had a job and was a good match for Xie Zhiyan, no one could gossip about it. So she immediately made a decision to ask Cheng Shaoyuan for help no matter what.
When Cheng Shaoyuan returned, he saw that Shu Yan seemed very happy, and he handed her the lunchbox he was carrying like a treasure.
"Xiao Yan, the food on the dining car might not taste as good, but it's the best food on the train. Just make do with it for now, and when we get to the capital, I'll take you to eat something delicious."
Shu Yan is very particular about her food, clothing, and living conditions in the Shu family. Although she doesn't have much money now, she still has valuable jade, so she spends money without restraint.
"Thank you, Brother Shaoyuan."
She subtly enjoyed Cheng Shaoyuan's meticulous care for her, yet wanted to shake him off as soon as possible. To her, Cheng Shaoyuan was nothing more than a stepping stone, even if he was the bodyguard who escorted her safely to the capital.
He came from an ordinary family and had an average job. Even after arriving in the capital, he didn't have any special skills and could only do odd jobs to barely make ends meet.
Shu Yan used to live a glamorous life, but she was never satisfied with just enough to make ends meet.
She had already planned everything out. Xie Zhiyan was about to be promoted. He was still young, and he had already reached a position that others couldn't reach. His future prospects would only be brighter.
All she wanted was something Xie Zhiyan could provide.
While Cheng Shaoyuan went to the restroom, the woman in red handed him a glass of water and said with a smile, "Girl, you must be tired. Have some water first. We'll be at our stop soon."
Shu Yan glanced outside, a doubt in her mind. She waved her hand, picked up her thermos, and took a few sips. "No need, I have water here. Aren't we going to Beijing? There are still two stops left, right?"
Seeing that she had drunk water, the woman quickly brushed it off, "That's going to the city center. Our company has a shuttle bus, but the journey to the final stop is actually longer. The next stop is already in Beijing."
Shu Yan had no suspicions. The capital city was very large, and she had never been here before, so it was understandable that she was unfamiliar with the situation here.
But soon she felt something was wrong. Suddenly her vision went blurry, and she saw double. Her head was spinning, as if she had been drugged.
Upon seeing this, the woman immediately came over: "Girl, are you alright? Are you tired from the long ride? We're getting off soon, can you hang in there a little longer?"
After she finished speaking, she glanced at her companions, who consisted of two men and two women. The train was about to arrive at the station, and the man with a scar on his forehead went to the toilet and blocked Cheng Shaoyuan, intentionally delaying the train.
Seeing that most of the people around were asleep, the two women seized the opportunity to help her up, saying, "Let us take you to the toilet first, so you can catch your breath."
No one around noticed the commotion, and the group made it through without incident. When Cheng Shaoyuan returned from the restroom, he couldn't find her anymore.
Several days passed, and when Shu Yan woke up, she still felt aches all over her body. She rubbed her slightly throbbing temples and opened her eyes to see a middle-aged couple. She screamed in terror.
"What do you want? I don't have a single penny on me. Let me tell you, I'm going to the capital to find my relatives. If you dare to do anything to me, my fiancé will not let you off the hook."
Seeing that she was frightened, the couple quickly explained, "Young lady, don't be afraid, we won't hurt you. We just saw you lying unconscious on the roadside, and it looks like you have injuries. My husband and I were going to take you to the hospital. What happened to you? It's dangerous for a young lady to go out alone."
Shu Yan tightly covered the collar of her clothes, watching the two people warily. Only when the couple did she breathe a sigh of relief and burst into tears did she realize that they were not a threat.
“I was on my way to the capital to find my fiancé, but I encountered human traffickers on the way. They drugged my water, and I escaped with my life on the line.”
She didn't actually know what had happened, but she vaguely remembered people talking on the road, saying that he was good-looking but brainless and could be sold to the mountains to make a fortune.
At that time, the effects of the medication had not yet worn off, and she was thinking about how to save herself when she heard someone say that the police were looking for people and had photos or something like that.
Her eyelids were so heavy she couldn't open them; she felt as if they had rolled down from somewhere, and now she was opening her eyes.
She had no idea what had happened, only that her clothes were tattered. Shu Yan choked back tears, looking at her ragged appearance, and dared not think of anything worse.
The woman sighed with heartache: "So what are your plans next?"
Shu Yan's eyes were red, and tears fell. "I can only go find my fiancé first."
With tears in her eyes, she pleaded, "Big sister, could you lend me some clothes? And—money?"
Her voice trailed off. These people were stingy. Clothes might be okay, but money was their lifeblood.
The woman hesitated for a moment, then looked at the man beside her. In the end, she got her some clothes from home and took out some money from her own pocket. "Girl, this is all we have. Take this and use it to tide you over."
Shu Yan was deeply moved. "Thank you, elder sister. I will definitely repay you and elder brother when I have the chance in the future."
The woman waved and smiled, "It's nothing, don't worry about it. Be careful when you're out and about, and don't trust others too easily."
Shu Yan nodded emphatically, seeing hope for life once again.
The man pointed to the direction of the village entrance to the east, "Every day there are trucks carrying goods going to the capital from the village entrance. It only takes an hour to drive from here to the capital. We'll take you there, and they won't ask you for money."
Shu Yan thanked them profusely, and only felt a little more at ease after getting into the truck.
Along the way, she was covered in the stench of smoke, which was unpleasant and stinging to her eyes. When she finally arrived at the gate of the military base, she looked at her outfit and dared not go forward rashly.
She used to always appear glamorous and beautiful when she was by Xie Zhiyan's side, but now, seeing her like this, he'll probably be disillusioned with her.
She took a deep breath and thought of Shu Ying, who was suffering in the countryside. By now, Shu Ying should have been sent down to the countryside with her child. She had done nothing for the past twenty-odd years and didn't even know how to do simple housework. She was alone in the countryside with her child and had a bad class background. She didn't know how many people would look down on her.
Thinking of Shu Ying's miserable state, Shu Yan regained her confidence.
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