He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 750 Li Chuan’s Thoughts

Elsewhere, a speeding green train crisscrossed the vast plains, its wheels clanging against the rails with a rhythmic "clang clang" sound. He Yuzhu leaned against the window, his fingertips gently tapping the glass as he gazed at the fields and villages zipping by—vast expanses of wheat shimmering green and yellow, wisps of smoke drifting from scattered villages, and the occasional herd of cattle and sheep leisurely strolling along the ridges. But his peripheral vision never left the movements behind him.

At home, those stalkers hid like loaches, always taking cover in alley corners, shadows of trees, and walls, their shadows elusive and easily lost. But in this train car, with its crowded crowds and relatively enclosed space, their presence was noticeably greater. He Yuzhu silently scanned the seats diagonally behind him, mentally counting them—three men in gray cloth jackets. One always pretended to read a newspaper, but held it upside down; one frequently drank from an enamel pot, his eyes constantly glancing in his direction; and another, seemingly dozing, his ear quietly tilted in his direction.

He Yuzhu, however, pretended to be completely oblivious, still drinking tea from his thermos when he needed to, and looking at the scenery when he needed to. There was even a faint smile on his face, and he looked completely relaxed and at ease. He had bought a sleeper ticket, the upper berth next to the window, so he could curl up and rest when he felt tired. Beside him were the pickles and steamed buns he brought from home, so he could always fill his stomach when he felt hungry. He felt truly at ease.

The people following him were clearly less relaxed. Perhaps fearing exposure, they only dared to buy hard seats, perched far away in the aisle, next to the restroom. Several people took turns dozing off, but someone always stayed awake, their eyes glued to their sides, glancing at He Yuzhu from time to time. They were following closely, but the nervousness they were trying so hard to conceal was clearly written on their faces in He Yuzhu's eyes.

He Yuzhu hadn't intended to deliberately get rid of them. He'd have his own plans when he got there anyway, so there was no need to create unnecessary complications on the train. He'd only been lying on the bunk for less than half an hour when he felt truly bored, so he simply stood up, tugged at the corner of his clothes, and slowly strolled around the carriage. He deliberately slowed his pace, and as he passed by those people, he pretended to be captivated by the scenery outside the window, stopping to take a few more glances, and quietly observing the group's movements—the shape of their hands, with their protruding knuckles, suggested they'd been doing manual labor for years; and the few words they occasionally uttered in dialect, with their thick northern accents, suggested they were locals.

Ma Xiuxiu was sitting on the lower bunk, mending socks with needle and thread. She saw He Yuzhu walking back and forth in the aisle several times, his brow slightly furrowed, as if he was thinking about something. She stopped what she was doing and asked softly, "Brother Zhuzi, do you have something to do? You seem a little absent-minded after walking all this time. Are you tired from the car ride or feeling unwell?"

He Yuzhu looked down at her, the thought on his face instantly dissipated, replaced by a relaxed smile: "No, no, what could be the problem. This isn't the first time I've been on a train for such a long time, so I came out to take a look around and get some fresh air. I'm getting suffocated lying down all the time."

Ma Xiuxiu looked at him, her eyes filled with understanding. Although she didn't ask any more questions, she knew in her heart that He Yuzhu's appearance was definitely not as simple as he said. There must be something hidden, but he just didn't want to worry her and was deliberately hiding it. She quietly put the sewn socks into her bag and secretly made up her mind to pay more attention to it later and not let Brother Zhuzi carry the burden alone.

Ma Xiuxiu's mind was as clear as a mirror; she could guess most of what He Yuzhu was doing and thinking. She knew that everything this man did was for the sake of this family, to protect herself and the children. So she never asked any questions, but simply stood behind him, providing him with the utmost support. When he came home late, the living room was always lit with a warm yellow light, and the food was warm on the table. When he frowned in thought, she would promptly hand him a cup of warm tea. She took care of the daily necessities of the house, including the children's eating, drinking, and toileting, so that he could face the storms outside without any worries.

He Yuzhu stared out the window at the fields and trees speeding by, his eyes a bit unfocused, his mind long since drifting away from this train car and the journey ahead. He paid little attention to the spies following him from afar. Instead, he thought of Zhang Jue—the man who hid deeper than anyone else, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, always sending a chill down the back of his neck and a sense of trepidation. According to the news brought back by Lao Si and the others, Zhang Jue was most likely still recovering from his injuries, but as long as he couldn't find any trace of him, he would be worried. No one could tell when he would suddenly reappear and cause trouble.

He recalled what the Demon King of Chaos had said the last time he'd approached him—that Zhang Jue's shadow was vaguely behind that difficult situation. Though he'd never seen Zhang Jue in person, he'd been deeply impressed by the chilling aura he'd left on his weapon, and he was adamant he wouldn't be mistaken. He Yuzhu hadn't mentioned this to anyone, not even Elder Qingyi and the others. After all, there was no point in telling them. Given the current situation, even if they knew Zhang Jue was behind this, they wouldn't necessarily be able to catch him. Instead, it might alert him, forcing him to retreat even deeper.

The train swayed on the tracks, making a regular clanking sound. He Yuzhu leaned back in his chair and gradually closed his eyes, as if resting his mind, or perhaps pondering something. Ma Xiuxiu had wanted to tell him about the southern scenery he had seen along the way—the vast expanses of rice paddies and the villages with white walls and black tiles, so different from the scenery in the north. But seeing that he had fallen asleep, she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, gently pulled a thin blanket from her bag, and covered him with it. She leaned against the window, quietly watching the ever-changing scenery outside, her eyes full of tenderness.

Elsewhere, Li Chuan, in the hard-seat carriage, was seething with rage. Every time he'd been on a mission south, he'd flown comfortably. This time, to avoid exposing his whereabouts, he was forced to squeeze into a hard-seat carriage reeking of sweat and instant noodles, the ride jolting him to the bone. The thought of He Yuzhu and the others comfortably lounging in their berths while he suffered here, having to follow them around like a shadow day after day, only to feel even more irritated and seethed.

Suddenly, an idea popped up in his mind: Since the higher-ups were trying to figure out if He Yuzhu had any hidden abilities, why not find a few people to "test" him? He could deliberately pick a fight to see if he had any real skills, and save himself the trouble of wasting time like a fool, watching him every day.