Chapter 60: That Slap Must Have Hurt

“…Is the boss really going to take that man in?”

“No way. Someone who’d use their own child as collateral – how can we trust them?”

As Shen Yi’an approached the carriage connection area, she overheard two hushed voices discussing.

Though she didn’t catch the entire conversation, she had reason to believe they were talking about the person she was tailing.

Wanting to uncover the truth, she maneuvered her Space closer to the source of the voices.

As for why she was in the Space – it was because she’d discovered during her pursuit that aside from the lights at the carriage connections, the carriage interiors had no illumination.

This meant that aside from the dim yellow light at both ends of the carriage, the entire corridor was pitch black.

While not completely dark, it was effectively blind to anyone in the nighttime environment.

Since ordinary vision couldn’t detect movement in the corridor, she had slipped into her Space during that moment of concealment in the darkness.

This was why her entire tracking journey had been completely safe.

If not for overhearing the discussion, she might have already closed in on her target.

But it didn’t matter – gathering intelligence was her goal, and it made no difference where it came from.

Just as Shen Yi’an had this thought, the conversation resumed.

“You think the boss is stupid?”

“If that man wasn’t holding that exquisitely beautiful little girl, the boss would never have agreed to this worthless collateral deal.”

“Such a bad deal!”

Hearing this, the previously questioning voice spoke up again.

“Hey, we can never figure out the boss’s thinking.”

“But why does the boss like pretty little girls so much?”

“Also, earlier I saw the boss making the exact same expression toward the woman sitting across from her.”

“Can women and women actually… you know?”

Facing his companion’s teasing, the questioned man let out a lecherous laugh.

“That’s what you don’t understand!”

“Although our boss is female, which of her mannerisms resembles a woman’s?”

“Probably born in the wrong body – a woman’s form with a man’s heart.”

“Let me tell you…”

Shen Yi’an didn’t listen to what followed, mainly because it made her sick to her stomach.

So disgusting!

In her previous life, she had heard of homosexuality, mostly among men.

Lesbians existed too, but were less common.

Logically, knowing this background, she shouldn’t have prejudiced views about lesbians.

The key point was that what she was hearing now wasn’t about lesbianism – it was about perversion.

Being attracted to same-sex partners of similar age was understandable, but not sparing little girls? That was utterly despicable.

All that nonsense about “born in the wrong body, woman’s form with man’s heart” was complete bullshit!

If you’re morally corrupt, just say it – no need to find excuses to cover up.

Really, it made her skin crawl!

Remembering how the little girl had timidly tugged at her sleeve, Shen Yi’an wished she had a couple of handy weapons to mow down all these scum.

She struggled to suppress her rising anger.

No longer interested in the two guards’ murmuring at the carriage entrance, she controlled her Space and moved directly to the corridor connecting the carriages.

Compared to the carriage interior, the connection area was noticeably more spacious.

Just as I was about to move closer to check on the little girl, I heard the woman called “Boss” speak.

“…The girl isn’t bad, and I can agree to the price you mentioned.”

“But there’s one more question—why are you so insistent on following me?”

“You must know what kind of person I am, right?”

Hearing this, the man who had just stuffed a stack of banknotes into his pocket flashed an ingratiating smile.

“Of course, of course I know.”

“It’s precisely because I know who you are that I’m willing to work under you.”

After saying this, he nervously glanced around before continuing.

“I’ve always had a weakness for gambling.”

“I used to have some family savings, but now I’ve lost everything except this mother and daughter pair.”

“Since debt collectors will come knocking sooner or later anyway, I might as well follow you. At least I’ll have a meal to eat, right?”

His constant fidgeting with his clothes and shifty eyes seemed to confirm that he wasn’t lying.

Seeing him like this, the Female Boss leaning against the carriage wall tossed her cigarette butt to the ground and stepped on it to put it out.

“So you’re selling your own daughter just to escape your debts.”

“If you start working for me, do you still want your daughter back?”

“No!” The man answered without hesitation.

“It’s this girl’s good fortune to follow you—she should be grateful.”

“Besides, I’m sure you won’t treat her poorly.”

“When she makes something of herself someday, she’ll even be able to support you in your old age.”

This stream of flattery made the Female Boss break into silent laughter.

Support her in old age?

If that could be considered support, then so be it.

She sneered before turning her gaze to the mother and daughter huddled in the corner of the carriage.

After a long pause, she waved dismissively at the man.

“Take them back with you for now. You can follow me when we get off.”

She paused briefly before adding,

“Oh, and keep an eye on the person sitting back-to-back with you too.”

“Be gentler with them—don’t be as harsh as before.”

“I have a soft spot for delicate beauties and can’t stand seeing young girls trembling in fear.”

Hearing this, the man’s pupils contracted sharply for an instant.

To cover up his reaction, he immediately forced an awkward smile and asked for clarification.

“Has the Boss taken a liking to that girl?”

Without waiting for an answer, he continued sharing his opinion,

“Objectively speaking, she is quite pretty.”

“But she looks far too fragile—probably couldn’t handle much rough treatment.”

“If you bring her along, Boss, you’d basically be supporting a freeloader.”

“In my opinion, at the next station—”

“That’s none of your concern!” The Female Boss interrupted him impatiently.

Then she looked at him with a teasing half-smile, “What, have you taken a liking to her too?”

The man immediately panicked.

“No! No! No!”

“Boss, that’s not what I meant at all!”

“Don’t worry, this is my first task since joining you—I’ll make sure to complete it flawlessly.”

“Just wait and see!”

Watching the man’s terrified “mouse meeting a cat” expression, the Female Boss’s amused look deepened.

“I was just joking—why are you so scared?”

“With such a timid disposition, this won’t do after you’ve started following me. You need more practice.”

Perhaps feeling there was nothing more to say, she casually waved her hand.

“Alright, I’m heading back now!”

“Keep your woman and child in check. Don’t cause me any trouble.”

“If you bring unnecessary complications, those large-denomination bills in your arms won’t feel secure anymore.”

As the Female Boss departed, the hidden gazes lurking in the shadows receded like a retreating tide.

Though she was inside the Space, Shen Yi’an didn’t miss this shift in the atmosphere.

She couldn’t help but wonder: How many methods did this woman possess to command so many people’s willing service?

Was it collusion through interests?

Or perhaps an assembly of humanity’s darker nature?

Or maybe, something else entirely…

Before these thoughts could fully form, the man who should have been wearing a fawning expression instantly transformed into someone completely different.

“I’ve wronged you, my wife!”

As he spoke these words, his fingers trembled slightly where they touched the face of the woman holding their child in the corner of the carriage.

“I told you I could handle this alone, but you wouldn’t listen.”

“Did that slap hurt badly?”

Feeling the gentle caress of his fingertips on her cheek, the woman who had been hanging her head lifted her face.

“It doesn’t hurt!”

“For our son’s sake, what’s one slap?”

“But A-Xu, can we really find our son? Can we really?”

Her final words seemed directed both at the man and at herself.

“Absolutely!” The man’s response brimmed with conviction.

“To search for our son, we’ve already broken with the Song family.”

“Everyone has witnessed this reality. Even if they send people to investigate, they won’t find anything unusual.”

“Once we gain their trust, our next step will be to trace our son’s whereabouts.”

After this brief exchange,

judging the timing was right, the man straightened up and resumed his fierce expression.