Chapter 26 - 26: Being Followed
Shen MO was utterly stuck with this Tan Xiao.
Tan Xiao insisted on keeping watch over them during the latter half of the night, arguing determinedly that it was to prevent the same group from returning. Even if they didn’t hurt the people, secretly setting fire or puncturing a tire, would also be enough to irritate someone.
Shen MO wanted to say that given the injuries those guys had sustained, they would at least have to rest for a night before seeking revenge. However, he couldn’t stand Tan Xiao’s non-stop chattering, so he left him to it.
Early in the morning, everyone hit the road.
Tan Xiao had stayed up all night and surprisingly was still full of energy.
He dragged Teacher Chang out of someone else’s vehicle, insisting that the elderly man should ride his motorbike.
His motorbike was a mix of goth and punk style, with dangling tassels at the front, a skull sticker at the back, and metallic rivets for decoration on both sides.
Teacher Chang repeatedly waved his hands in embarrassment but Tan Xiao wouldn’t let him go no matter what.
Bai Youwei, who was not far away, watched them coldly.
She knew this silly boy’s good intentions and that his offer for the old man to ride his motorbike aimed to protect him. However, he didn’t consider that with his old broken motorbike, it would likely jostle him to death.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a faint smile playing at the corners of Shen Mo’s lips.
Bai Youwei furrowed her brows and asked irritably, “What are you smiling about?”
Shen MO, resting his hands on the steering wheel, shook his head indifferently, “Nothing. ”
After a while, he added, “Just wondering…whether there are more good people or bad people in this world.”
If there were more good people, when Bai Youwei was in trouble last night, the more than thirty people next door wouldn’t have pretended to be asleep.
However, if there were more bad people, a weak, thin old man and uneducated punks would not have stepped up either.
Bai Youwei scoffed, “How old are you to still be thinking about such naive questions?”
Shen MO, not taking it to heart, chuckled, “Perhaps all military men are inclined to be idealists.”
Bai Youwei frowned, turned her face away impatiently, and continued to watch the unlikely pair in the distance: A stern older teacher and a wayward young man. What an odd team they made.
Are there more good people or bad people in the world?
No, neither is more.
The majority are ordinary people, whose good and evil tendencies are determined in a moment. They’re not purely good, nor thoroughly bad.
“Let’s have the old man ride in our car,” Bai Youwei suggested.
Shen MO looked at her and eventually nodded gently, “Yes, to avoid any untoward incidents.”
He got out of the car and invited Teacher Chang to join them.
Tan Xiao, misunderstanding Shen Mo’s act of gratitude towards Teacher Chang for his righteous support the prior night as an act of “brotherly loyalty” was overly enthusiastic. He said to Shen MO, “Good man, you’re so loyal! Brother Xiao hasn’t seen wrong! Rest assured, I will keep an eye on those guys later. They won’t dare to pull any tricks while on the road!”
Shen Mo, having nothing to say to him, simply nodded indifferently and helped Teacher Chang get on their vehicle.
Teacher Chang was a gentle old man, whose words and demeanor showed the refinement and humility of a scholar.
After he got in the car, he thanked Shen MO and Bai Youwei politely and introduced himself, “… I’m a teacher at Nanjing No.13 Middle School, my name is Chang Weicai. I teach in the school that is currently closed, so I decided to go to Yangzhou to see my elderly parents who live on Jhor Middle Road. I don’t know where you’re going, and if it’s out of your way, you can drop me off anywhere nearby…”
Shen MO watched the road ahead and said casually, “We’re heading to Jiangnan
Road in Yangzhou.”
“That’s perfect!” Teacher Chang was delighted, “Jhor Middle Road isn’t far from there. It’s right on your way! Thank you so much!”
From the back seat, Bai Youwei gave a sneering laugh.
She thought to herself, not only was this military officer an idealist, but he also liked doing good deeds and made sure the beneficiaries didn’t feel any obligation. He was incredibly thoughtful.
They never intended to go to Jiangnan Road in Yangzhou.
However, given the chaos, it didn’t matter where they were headed next…..