6 - A leader makes all the right decisions

The rumbling of the wheels was sometimes tired, bored and soporific, sometimes seemingly persistently frightening.

Usually, Wu Fegrong didn’t need ten minutes just to possibly fall asleep. Yet now his palms happened to sweat. Especially when recalling that close up photograph of human remains, his nerves became even more tense. This game, this roulette wheel grasping him, Zhou Yanling, the murderer, as well as all the passengers on the train, produced the same loud clanging and clattering noises as the train, bashing sideways and colliding straight on 1 towards an already fixed end.

A piece of oil field suddenly passed outside. As far as the eye could see 2 was a flat spread of white concealing a network of silver. Close examination showed densely packed petroleum pipelines, pipelines that crisscrossed horizontally and vertically,that were meticulously arrayed following a plan, resembling a cobweb from the ceiling coming to lay on the ground 3 , light as a feather falling down. To the left and right of the pipelines stood small short towers. On top of each tower was a red signal that displayed an extremely weak light, made even less vivid because of the light snowfall shrouding sight 4 .

The conductor’s seat was in car 8, Wu Fengrong decided to advance walking backwards from car 9, then return to car 10.

He had both hands inserted in his pockets, swaying a little while walking, resembling a young master strolling down the street. Not even having entered car 9, there was first a peal of feminine laughter, in a manner of sand exploding and sweeping everything away very vigorously. Face to face, four elderly ladies sat in a circle playing mahjong, one pair of hands lifting and waving around layered small banknotes, faces remaining covered by the back of a seat. That voice again shouted: “I said last time her hand was definitely only one small one. You don’t trust me. If she first played that three earlier, she would have won!”

Many passengers’ gazes were attracted. So much shouting and screaming definitely disturbed people, but not a one had the daring to speak out. Wu Fengrong, not urgently but not slowly, approached. He saw only short and small elderly ladies. One was wearing an aubergine-collared quilted jacket with peony flowers. She had pale eyebrows, triangular eyes, a shrewd mouth, and thin teeth. Her thick hair was tied up in a braided pigtail against the back of her skull and was covered with a hairnet. She reached out to fish up a mahjong tile. Her chest lowered and her shirt collar drooped down, exposing an unobtrusive dark scab on the side of her neck.

Wu Fengrong, with a polite air for the customers, knocked on the tabletop: “Lao ren jia 5 play mahjong quietly. Needless to say, others are resting.”

That elderly lady eyed him: “Involving yourself in this goddamn business? Do you not understand how to respect the elderly?”

Wu Fengrong chided: “Ma’am 6 you are making a loud racket and are seriously disturbing other travelers, meeting with many complaints. I as the conductor am reminding you that this is a public setting. I ask that you take note of your words and actions! If there’s a next time, it certainly won’t be me but the transit police who will come over to talk with you.”

The car was immediately quiet. The old woman was startled. Just a moment ago the flames of anger, that had wanted to go up towards the heavens, immediately disappeared. Her head swiveled back and forth, unwilling to withdraw but still wanting to say something. Beside her seat, one partner pulled her arm, indicating for her to shut up.

Wu Fengrong changed his face, seemingly transforming entirely into a tender and good-natured smiling expression, and pointed a finger to her collar: “It’s even more cold in the early morning, do not open the window so widely so as to avoid letting the cold air to come in and cause an illness. Ma’am should be even more careful with a wound on the body. Close your collar properly or you will start to cough.”

The elderly lady who was scolded by him had a red and purple face, resembling a young girl who had been taken advantage of a little. She closed her shirt collar and pulled at the window by herself. The window’s 7 glass was both thick and heavy. The young attendant had to use two hands to push down from above, brushing her hand across the ground, just to close it. Wu Fengrong asked to check her ticket. She didn’t delay much. The ticket’s surface read her name as “Liu Xiangqun”. The destination was Baihe but the seat number was wrong.

Originally, there were few people in the car. If the passengers themselves wanted to move to a comfortable seat, he was disinclined to control it. Yet since these several old and disrespectful 8 people had fallen into Wu Fengrong’s hands, so Wu Fengrong went to disturb the mahjong game, ostensibly for the purpose of having her take her seat according number on the ticket in her name. Skirting past the table, he was satisfied, eyes scanning, sweeping to and fro. Others believed he was merely a conductor making his rounds, looking over the car, and did not pay any mind.

In a moment, the inside of the car once again returned to a normal state.

Car 10 was completely full of students, the many people making the mood lively. The inside of the car was boiling, caused by six portable heaters. Compared to outside, the temperature was very hot. Most people had already taken off their coats, exposing the unlined garments inside. Wu Fengrong was lucky it was early October and that winter had not officially started. If it was a month later, it would be hard to keep the temperature in the car above 10ºC. At that time, people would be wrapped up, wearing four or five layers, and it’d be quite a strange thing if one could search and find anything.

Coming out of car 10, Wu Fengrong made a round trip walking towards the dining car. At breakfast time in the dining car there were many people. The cook saw him arrive and gave him a cup of soy milk, fresh and right off the stove, still emitting steam. He said thanks and held the cup, putting it in his hands. Seeing an attendant, Wu Fengrong 9 passed it over to the other person.

The attendant who had received the soy milk faced him, winking and pointing a finger behind him: “Go over there later, ba. Right there, over-the-top affection, ne.”

Wu Fengrong looked behind him. Where the dining car and car 6 connected was a pair of sweethearts kissing, positively loath to part. The boy held his small girlfriend, pushing her torso against the windshield, holding her as though wishing he could swallow her whole. Even in other areas, the car had many affectionate couples. Wu Fengrong had even seen people getting frisky in a bed in a sleeper car. However, the windshield in this area was extremely dangerous, not only was it likely to injure someone, but the unevenly distributed weight on the body of the box could easily cause the train connection to become unstable and, possibly, cause the two cars to disconnect. It wasn’t anything to joke about.

The crewman knew what he was thinking: “I urged them to go and they agreed nicely. I returned and they were wrapped up in each other again.”

Wu Fengrong sneered. He advanced two or three steps forward, focused on pulling the thirsty lovers apart. The girl saw this man appear and shyly hide in her boyfriend’s embrace, but Wu Fengrong clearly caught sight of her face, wet with tears, half hidden in the swaying dark gap. The boy was protecting her behind his body and apologized towards Wu Fengrong: “We will leave in just a little while. She’s in a bad mood, ne. I’m comforting her a little. I’m sorry, a.”

“ For the benefit of the young lady to wipe.” Wu Fengrong fished out a tissue: “Pretty girl, how unattractive to spend so many tears.”

“ Thank you. She’s feeling a little unwell. It’ll be alright.”

“ Should I call for the doctor to take a look?”

The girl steadily didn’t engage in the conversation. From her side of her boyfriend’s shoulder she shyly showed half of her face. She looked like she might be around the age of a university student. Her hair was permed so that the ends curled up and her face was painted, but the fake eyelashes on her left eye didn’t seem to be glued on well. Because of the tears diluting the glue, the eyelashes were falling off the eyelid. She probably also felt uncomfortable. She reached out with her hands as if to take hold of and remove the eyelashes, but who would have believed that her fingers would jab into the inside of her eyelids, taking hold of those eyelashes to stuff them back on again. Watching this action caused Wu Fengrong’s insides to jump in fear, fear that she would gouge out her eyeballs completely. He inwardly sighed. This girl was amazing; an enormous matter would not dare come second in importance compared to the makeup on her face.

This time the girl spoke: “Don’t blame him. It’s all my fault. We will leave immediately.” When she spoke she didn’t look at anyone, unhesitatingly lowering her eyes, not knowing from where she came to learn these manners. Wu Fengrong saw this appearance, his mind recalling Fan LiuYuan’s spoken sentence to Bai LiuSu: “You’re this person who’s good at bowing his head.” Which man wouldn’t be moved by a girl so accepting of compromise? Even Wu Fengrong felt moved to want to take pity on her.

Nevertheless, it was still important for the ticket to be checked. As the boy fished out his ticket stub, the four protruding joints on the back of his hand were wrapped in gauze. Wu Fengrong had barely taken the ticket when the boy 10 withdrew his hand, embarrassed, looking as though he had done some misdeed only for someone to discover.

“ This was a fight?”

“ Oh……en……”

Wu Fengrong chitchatted: “At you age, I also fought regularly, even if a fight had ended, I was concerned about making people change their minds. My girlfriend was so pretty, it was obviously worth it to fight twice.” Finished speaking, while facing the girl he whistled while he recorded their names “He Youan” and “Shi Xiaoran”.

Just as the young lovers left, the attendant caught up to Wu Fengrong and quietly whispered into his ear, “Rong ge’s soy milk is very fresh today. Why don’t you drink it?”

Wu Fengrong’s sight remained on back of the young lovers’ forms. He was not fond of soy milk. Just one cup of soy milk would cause pimples on his face. Even after thirty years, it was still like this. Barely after graduation, he was fucking mocked. Other girls who drank soy milk developed acne because of too much estrogen. What was his excuse? Wu Fengrong needed to save face. To do this, he actually went to the hospital to be examined. The doctor explained, ‘the estrogen you have is indeed a little bit high’. After this, Wu Fengrong swore off and gave up on all soy products.

He squinted his eyes a little and did not speak. Out of the corner of his eye, he swept the rows of the car. One man, bare to the waist, was lying on his side speaking into a cell phone pressed against his head. Placed under his feet were buckets of paint and packages of tools. He was possibly looking for work as a laborer. Seeing the conductor pass by, he took out his ticket and threw it at the attendant, full of impatience, complaining in a dialect into his phone. The other attendant also did not speak to ask to check his ticket. Wu Fengrong saw that lime was coated all over on top of his arms, that the skin on the back of his hands were scabbed over with small densely-packed wounds, and he couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of admiration.

Nowadays, seats on the green trains were filled mostly with contract workers, partly because the price for tickets was very low and they were already located remotely so their incomes wouldn’t cover the cost. The lines still continued to operate mostly in order to allow these contract workers to enjoy the conveniently low price.

While providing service, Wu Fengrong everyday came into a great amount of contact with these people, often listening to their stories. As time passed, it was quite difficult for cordial feelings not to arise.

Just as he was checking the ticket, the deputy conductor, Zhao Xintao, directly walked over. Wu Fengrong dispatched the attendant, spread both hands and showed a mischievous smile.

“ Sorry for arriving late and inconveniencing you. Still, how about I get you a hot cup of soy milk and you’ll let me off lightly.”

Zhao Xintao heaved a deep sigh: “Can I still have a great desire for some soy milk? How did you find things over there?”

Wu Fengrong knew what he wanted to say. He grabbed and pulled him to the side of the car, looking for a neat corner in which to speak. Zhao Xintao felt a great sense that this was far from good. Every time Wu Fengrong took care to resolve these mysterious events, it was never a happy occasion. The last time that he looked like a thief while dragging someone over to whisper, just like this, he urged Zhao Xintao to accept big interviews with the media. Originally, other people agreed to come and interview the heroic train conductor, but the train conductor himself did not wish to do so. He didn’t like showing his face in public, and also thought that being extremely high-profile would be likely to create difficulties, so he at once wanted to find someone to replace him. Zhao Xintao had allowed him to deceive and bewilder. Send an individual to deny compliments, did that sound simple? Naturally, the Central Propaganda Department coordinated requests to China Central Television to bring more than forty other local media outlets, making up a group of reporters. Each sharp tooth had a sharp mouth 11 , they were clever and dexterous 12 . According to the regular protocol, it should have been the bureau chief who went to receive them. After, when he returned, he was in a mood and tore into Wu Fengrong.

With only the two conductors remaining there, Zhao Xintao planned to strike first and gain the upper hand: “Don’t you make any devious plans. I won’t suffer to cover for you. Tell the truth.”

Wu Fengrong smiled demonically, lending him a sinister appearance. One hand propped him up against the wall, the other hand was propped against his waist, making him look like an evil tyrant who took liberties with young women. At this smile, Zhao Xintao was blushing. Wu Fengrong was good-looking. His one smile could make a person’s heart entirely heat up. How could a man smile like this, ne? How badly behaved!

“ Xintao, I don’t feel at ease with others. However, it’s not the same with you. I don’t dare speak a lie. You must believe me.” Wu Fengrong said.

Zhao Xintao shivered, the words he spoke unclear: “You say, if only…..if only you say, I’ll just trust.”

Wu Fengrong didn’t intend to really keep him in the dark: “There’s a little discrepancy in this matter. However, the discrepancy isn’t too much. The murderer is really aboard the train. But it wasn’t the man from the news, it was another. This case is a miscarriage of justice. The one with the surnamed Zhou was framed. I can allow you to look at the case information later so you can understand. At the moment I’m in the middle of inspecting the passengers, and I’ve already found some leads. In this matter, I would like you to help me. Only you can help me, too. Otherwise, I won’t be able to do it.” In a few words, he succinctly introduced engaging in the detective game, but he didn’t speak about the affair in the toilet.

Also, worried that Zhao Xintao had some misgivings, he explained in half-truths 13 : “At the moment, Zhou is in my car. If you must see to believe, I can bring you to go see. If you want to ask something, you can also ask without hesitating. I have personally treated his injury. Looking at that knife wound was certainly enough to scare someone. If the police are contacted, I’d worry that he wouldn’t arrive in police custody, that he would be stabbed again and his life would be no more. What would be the reason? When all is said and done, the manner of his fate should be delivered by the judge. The result shouldn’t comply with what Zhang and Li 14 decide to do. Just in case we really get it wrong and have wasted time, there would still be two criminals on this car. I won’t allow this to scare me.”

Just these words of his was enough to make Zhao Xintao frightened, and he was unable to grasp hold of any of the tens of thousands of thoughts that emerged. He blinked his eyes, his head was vastly empty and he restrained an ‘oh’ for half a day 15 until it did not exist. Wu Fengrong was actually patient. He simply drew out a cigarette and smoked while waiting for him. From the toilets next to them, two people emerged. Only then did the blood slowly return to Zhao Xintao’s complexion.

“ So, how many dangerous people do we have on this train?” Zhao Xintao swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Wu Fengrong gestured with three fingers: “Including Zhou, at most three.”

Zhao Xintao lost face: “RongRong, it’s not nice to joke. How much certainty do you have that what he’s saying is true? You don’t get confused, a. Who gets confused, not you, a. I know you don’t care about fame and fortune. You’re of noble character and unquestionable integrity. You don’t care about that golden-badge hero bullshit. But right now there are over three hundred people’s safety on the line; can you afford to play with that?” He waved a hand at the cigarette smoke to disperse it: “Don’t you blow smoke at me, ancestor (18)! Ai ya…..wait for me to finish speaking. If you want my help, no problem. I, Zhao Xintao, recognize that you are the head conductor of this train. You say to do something, and I’ll do something right away. I will absolutely not say no. But you must give me a guarantee that you know what you’re doing.”

Wu Fengrong held the lit cigarette and did not speak for a long time.

Zhao Xintao became aware of his pressure. Wu Fengrong wasn’t fond of talking when subjected to a lot of pressure. He had stayed working in this job for a while and hadn’t been promoted in a long time. The work of a train conductor was not easy to do: one was not regarded as a public official and it was a great responsibility to ensure a good trip with the train arriving smoothly, without any mishaps, at the destination. This winding and complicated song was only known by the crew members. If it was done well, others won’t realize, just as it should be. If a simple mishap occurred, even if it was just a disrespectful passenger groundlessly complaining, one’s bonus would be immediately deducted for no reason. It was an arduous and thankless job. It was only when Zhao Xintao became a deputy commander that he came to ponder over this.

Many years of experience as a subordinate informed Zhao Xintao that perhaps a conductor had to think it over as a conductor, and that he wouldn’t explain because, later, Zhao Xintao would also come to understand. In short, what the leader decided to do was always right.

“ Okay, you can give me the assignment, ba.” Zhao Zintao patted his shoulder. “I’ll ask no more questions.”

The author has something to say.

The first batch of suspects are already online~ My normal update frequency is already to update every other day. In the event there’s a reason I can’t update, I will be sure to say so ahead of time~

T/N: Hooray! It’s up! I’m sorry I’m late. A storm knocked a giant tree branch loose, hitting the house, and because my block lost power a few days later. Anyway, no one was hurt, which is the important thing. Hope you’ve enjoyed the chapter!

横冲直撞 : push one’s way through by shoving or bumping 极目 打下 迷眼 : literally lost eyes a polite term for old women and men polite you. Polite ‘you’s all throughout this paragraph added for clarity 为老不尊 : feeling that because one is old, one is allowed to act in a disrespectful manner to others. added for clarity added for clarity 牙尖嘴利 : person who is clever and eloquent 七窍玲珑 : the seven heart openings were clever 真真假假 : 张三李四 : every tom, dick and harry 好半天 : a very long time