Chapter 466: Arrival at Rong City

"Of course, if caught, getting beaten up is the least of worries. If things go south, you might end up in the cell, and it’s not a pleasant place to be. You’d get nothing but unsifted cornmeal dumplings for meals, often just salted vegetables or none at all. Cabbage and radish soup would be considered good food there, yet even then, it’s not guaranteed to fill you up..."

Thinking about those days, Houzi felt like wiping away his tear.

Seeing the conductor gone, Lin Chuxia teased Houzi, "Having food at all isn’t bad. What, did you expect the government to serve you well after committing a crime?"

Houzi quickly flashed a grin, "Indeed, indeed. That’s why one must stay on the right path. Whether swallowing bran or gnawing on vegetables, one must live uprightly, be worthy of the government above and deserving of one’s parents below..."

Lin Chuxia turned her head and saw, sure enough, Liu Guoqiang had come inside.

This Houzi.

This little episode gave Lin Chuxia and others a deeper understanding of Liu Guoqiang; having him on the journey added a layer of security.

The rest of the trip went smoothly. During the day, everyone played cards to pass the time, and at night they took turns napping or gathered around to chat quietly.

Lin Chuxia saw Wang Tianxue gazing distractedly at the twinkling lights outside the window and moved closer to ask, "Missing your child?"

Xiao Long was nine months old, at his cutest age.

Aunt Jia had been looking after him these days.

"A bit," Wang Tianxue didn’t hide it, "This is the first time I’ve been away from him for so long. I don’t know if he’ll fuss at night or if Aunt Jia can manage."

She looked at Lin Chuxia and suddenly asked, "Do you know why I insisted on making this trip despite leaving my child behind?"

Before Lin Chuxia could respond, she continued, "You should know why the Department Store’s apparel sells well. Many of their goods come from the south, they have new styles, and whether it’s the design, the fabric, or the price, it’s all better than what’s available at People’s Mall. Actually, their goods come from Rong City. Yang Rui became head of the purchasing department because of this."

By this point, Lin Chuxia had guessed what was going on.

Wang Tianxue smiled slightly. Speaking with smart people was straightforward, "You’re right, my maternal aunt in Rong City is in the clothing business. She has a wholesale stall and collaborates with several garment factories. Initially, Yang Rui came to Rong City to source goods through my aunt, and even now a significant portion of the Department Store’s supply comes from her stall, and some also through her recommendations."

Lin Chuxia gripped Wang Tianxue’s hand excitedly, "I support you, whatever you do, I’m behind you."

Wang Tianxue squeezed her hand in return, "Thank you, Chuxia."

"So, I originally viewed the Department Store as a prime business competitor, but with my aunt’s connection, surely we can quickly..."

She had already mentally prepared to open a clothing store opposite the Department Store and People’s Mall.

She knew the positions of those two malls were solid, especially the Department Store, which primarily supplied from the south, leaving them with little advantage in terms of products.

Originally, Lin Chuxia also thought about attracting customers with service, considering the haughty attitude of the state-owned store clerks. If she could implement modern service industry practices, she was sure to make her customers feel welcome, ensuring they’d prefer their clothing store.

But Wang Tianxue had just given her a pleasant surprise.

Given Wang Tianxue’s disposition, the supply at the Department Store might soon encounter problems, providing them a good opportunity to solidify their foothold.

The train clanked its way forward, stopping intermittently, and by the evening of the next day, the group finally arrived at Rongcheng Railway Station.

Deservingly one of the first cities to develop, the station was bustling even approaching midnight.

Street vendors shouted their wares, and the hot food on sale gave off an enticing aroma.

Hou Xiaobao, pulling Liu Na along, was the first to dart into the crowd and soon returned with several bags of delicious food, handing Lin Chuxia a portion first.

"Chuxia, have something to tide you over."

They hadn’t starved on the train, but they hadn’t eaten well either.

Lin Chuxia shared some items with Wang Tianxue who was beside her.

Hou Xiaobao handed a bag to Liu Na, and the remaining three men divided among themselves.

As Lin Chuxia ate, she walked and asked Wang Tianxue about the plans for the evening, "Are you staying with me tonight or going to your relative’s house?"

"I’ll stay with you all; it’s too late now. I’ll go to my cousin’s place tomorrow, and you guys can come with me then."

That sounds good.

Lin Chuxia nodded her head.

Meanwhile, someone approached Jia Liang and Hou Xiaobao to ask them something. Jia Liang shook his head, and Hou Xiaobao looked quite interested.

Liu Guoqiang, however, kept a vigilant watch around, particularly scrutinizing the person talking to Hou Xiaobao.

That person seemed to notice his gaze, quickly wrapped up his spread-out package, and walked away.

Hou Xiaobao looked puzzled, "Hey, why did he leave? I haven’t finished looking yet."

Lin Chuxia was curious, "What was he selling?"

Hou Xiaobao felt slightly embarrassed, but couldn’t help revealing, "He was selling cassette tapes."

Lin Chuxia instantly understood.

There were already projectors using cassette tapes at that time.

Such mysterious transactions at the train station must be related to those cassette tapes.

She glanced at Jia Liang, wondering if his situation was similar.

Jia Liang quickly explained, "He was asking if we needed lodging, probably at some nearby small inn, which I declined."

"Yeah, let’s find a car and go to the city to look for a regular guest house to stay."

As Lin Chuxia spoke, a few more people approached them asking if they needed lodging.

Some even tried to rub against the women holding bags, which Jia Liang and Liu Guoqiang promptly blocked.

"We already have a place to stay; no need, please keep away from us."

Liu Guoqiang carried an inherent righteousness in his voice, which was particularly clear, especially his eyes that normally felt spirited but now seemed rather intimidating.

As for Jia Liang, his glaring glance alone was enough to deter many from lingering around them.

Lin Chuxia once again silently admired, having these people with her on this trip was the right choice.

"I know a place to stay that’s nice, safe, and clean, and it’s not far from the wholesale market we’re going to tomorrow."

Wang Tianxue led them forward and hailed a minivan.

Seeing the direction of the van, Lin Chuxia knew where Wang Tianxue was taking them, as she had been to Rong City with her in her previous life too.

However, to others, it was Lin Chuxia’s first time in Rong City, so naturally, she had to be cautious with her reactions.

Sure enough, soon they arrived at the guest house, a three-story state-owned establishment.

After getting off, Hou Xiaobao admired the surrounding neon lights, "The south is really wealthy, aren’t they? All these bright lights? Must cost a lot of electricity, and the buildings are so tall. Even the People’s Mall in our area doesn’t have buildings this tall. There are so many cars on the road too; I even saw a Mercedes earlier, I heard that’s what rich people drive."