Chapter 130: Shameless People Are Invincible
A month ago, Principal Chen would’ve felt terribly embarrassed in this situation.
But now? He was no longer the same man!
Even when facing that “Venerable One,” he could talk and laugh freely—what’s a little slip of the tongue compared to that?
Pretending nothing happened, he turned to Su He and asked, “I’ve been meaning to ask—don’t you feel awkward getting chummy with strangers like that?”
Su He replied with a famous line, “If I’m not embarrassed, then the embarrassment’s all yours.”
Principal Chen: “…”
Su He handed him a handful of hazelnuts. “Principal, remember this: if a tree loses its bark, it dies; if a person loses their shame, they become invincible. You’re coming with me to S City—you’ll have to learn from me.”
Principal Chen thought: What do you mean I’m going with you? Aren’t you coming with me?!
And besides, I still care about saving face!
Just as the two were chatting, four young people—two men and two women in their twenties—approached. The girls wore white and blue dresses with white leather shoes, while the guys were dressed in Chinese tunics, arms full of bags.
The girl in the white dress pointed to the ladder leading to the upper bunk and snapped, “This ladder is so narrow—how are we supposed to climb up?!”
“And Dandan and I are both wearing dresses—it’s inconvenient!”
“I told you to buy the lower bunks, but you still got the upper and middle ones! Can’t you even handle something that simple?!”
The taller guy smiled apologetically. “Li Xia, sleeper tickets are hard to get. I waited in line past midnight to buy these. Can’t you just make do?”
Li Xia scoffed and then noticed Su He and Principal Chen.
Seeing them seated on the lower bunks, she looked down at them from her standing position and said condescendingly, “Hey, five yuan each, give us your lower bunks and you take the uppers.”
Principal Chen smiled politely. “Sorry, young lady. I’m old. It’s more convenient for me to sleep down here.”
Su He just kept cracking hazelnuts, completely ignoring her like she wasn’t even there.
Li Xia sneered. “Oh, I get it—you think it’s not enough money, huh? I’ve met plenty like you. Just look at your shabby clothes—you must be from some backwater town. How about ten yuan each?”
This time, Principal Chen just smiled without replying.
Li Xia’s face darkened. “Still not enough? Wow, talk about greedy. Fine—twenty yuan each! Move it, or I’ll get nasty.”
But neither Su He nor Principal Chen said a word.
Enraged, Li Xia snapped, “Are you two deaf or mute?! I’m talking to you! Are you giving up the bunks or not—say something!”
The shorter guy added mockingly, “Come on, twenty yuan? That’s like a month’s salary for you people!”
The tall guy even started putting their luggage on Principal Chen’s bed, as if saying, You’re giving up the bed whether you like it or not.
Su He blinked. “Principal, why are there dogs barking on this train?”
Principal Chen: “…”
Savagery level: unmatched.
Still, he was also displeased with the group’s behavior and chose to remain silent.
Then the girl in the blue dress frowned and said, “Comrade, please be civil. If they won’t switch, that’s fine, but no need to insult them.”
Su He raised her brows at her. “Wow, now you speak up? Where were you when your friend called us deaf and blind?
And when your guy dumped his stuff on our bed, where was your voice then?
Now you pop out all righteous, just to make yourself look good?”
Yu Dandan’s face flushed red with anger. She pointed at Su He, stammering, “You, you—”
“What about me? We’re minding our own business and get attacked by a bunch of rabid dogs—can’t even vent about it?
You bought middle and upper bunks and wore dresses—that’s your brain failure!
If you want us to swap, ask nicely. Don’t act like you own the train!
Newsflash: the whole world isn’t your mom here to cater to you!
Listen up: no means no! Not for twenty, not even for twenty thousand!”
Principal Chen silently thought: Well… for twenty thousand, maybe I’d consider it…
The four of them were livid.
Yu Dandan’s eyes welled up with tears.
The two guys scowled darkly. The taller one even stepped forward as if ready to start a fight.
Principal Chen frowned and was about to stand up to protect Su He when she suddenly shouted, “Uncles! Aunties! Big brothers and sisters! I’m Little He—someone’s trying to hit me!”
Immediately, a crowd came charging over!
A shirtless, bearded man roared, “Little He, who’s trying to hit you? They tired of living?!”
A chubby auntie waved a rolling pin. “Who’s fighting on this train?! Is there no law anymore?!”
A little boy being held up even shook his tiny fists at the group. “Bad guys! I’ll punch you! Punch-punch-punch!”
Principal Chen: “…”
He was a scholar, but at this moment—he had no words.
Li Xia and the others were stunned, especially when they saw the bearded man looking ready to kill.
Yu Dandan tried to explain, but Su He’s eyes were already filling with tears. “It’s them! They wanted to beat me up! They forced us to switch bunks, and when we refused, they tried to take them by force. If you hadn’t come, I might’ve been beaten to death…”
Yu Dandan: You were the one shouting the loudest just now!
The chubby auntie screamed, “What is this, banditry?! You lay a finger on Little He, and I’ll bash your skull in!”
A bespectacled man shouted sternly, “What unit are you from? I’m reporting you to your supervisor!”
Li Xia opened her mouth to argue, but Yu Dandan quickly pulled her back and said, “This is our fault. We sincerely apologize to this young lady.”
The two guys chimed in quickly, “Big misunderstanding! We were just trying to mediate—not fight.”
“Yeah, yeah—we were totally in the wrong. Violence? No way!”
Su He wiped her tears and said to the crowd, “Since they know they were wrong, let’s just let it go. We’re all on the same train—no need to make a scene.
Besides, they look like they’re from good families—we can’t afford to offend them. Thank you all. If it weren’t for you…”
Her voice choked up as she bowed deeply to them.
That was the last straw—public anger boiled over.
Everyone pointed fingers at the four, accusing them of having poor conduct, even suggesting they were messing around with “improper relationships”…
The four nearly coughed up blood from rage.
Principal Chen, worried things were going too far, coughed twice. Su He said a few calming words, and the crowd finally dispersed.
Once they were gone, Li Xia tried to curse Su He, but Yu Dandan stopped her. “Xia, let’s just change clothes in the bathroom.”
Fuming, Li Xia followed her to the restroom.
When they returned, Li Xia climbed to the middle bunk while Yu Dandan sat near the aisle, looking out the window.
Li Xia, now lying on her bunk, began shifting around deliberately, causing the bed to creak loudly.
Su He, who had been reading, couldn’t concentrate anymore.
Li Xia said loudly, “Oops, sorry! I’m not used to sleeping on the middle bunk—need to toss and turn a bit.”
The two guys across from them grinned and exchanged smug looks.
