Since there were witnesses, the bear-like grandfather and grandson pair were clearly in the wrong, though they stubbornly refused to pay for the lunchbox. They squeezed their way off the train just as it arrived at the station.
"What a shame. A perfectly good lunchbox, barely touched, now spilled all over the place. And the attendants had to clean it up."
Yang Yufen nodded apologetically at the attendant and helped clean up the mess on the floor and seats.
"Grandma, you were amazing just now!" Li Wu's eyes sparkled as he eagerly spoke after Yang Yufen sat back down.
"You were amazing too, protecting Grandma right away. I saw it all. Remember, we don’t go looking for trouble, but we don’t back down from it either. When I’m not around, don’t let anyone take advantage of you. Your parents and I will always have your back—as long as you’re in the right, you don’t have to be afraid of anything."
Yang Yufen patted Li Wu’s head. After the earlier excitement, the boy’s boredom had vanished, and his appetite returned with a vengeance. He happily devoured three chicken drumsticks before finally leaning back with a satisfied grin.
Teacher Gao had returned to her seat after seeing that the two were unharmed, unaware that the grandmother’s words had just planted the seeds of a little troublemaker.
The train arrived at the station a little past eleven at night. Yang Yufen gently woke the sleeping Li Wu, who groggily held her hand as they stepped off the train.
"We’ll stay at a guesthouse tonight. It’s too late to travel back now."
Teacher Gao led the group to a nearby guesthouse by the station. Wanting the boy to rest comfortably, Yang Yufen paid for a separate room.
Li Wu nodded sleepily and collapsed onto the bed the moment they entered. The long train ride had left him exhausted, and the motion sickness toward the end hadn’t helped.
Yang Yufen shook her head fondly, removed his shoes, and tucked him under the covers. After tidying up briefly, she finally settled down to rest.
Early the next morning, Teacher Gao knocked on their door.
"I’m taking everyone for breakfast—local specialties. After that, we’ll board a bus. It’ll take about two hours to reach our destination."
Two hours. Yang Yufen frowned slightly. The trip back to their hometown was just as long, but she was used to it as an adult. Back in the day, she hadn’t even minded walking mountain roads.
But the thought of her grandson having to make such a long journey alone in the future made her heart ache.
During the train ride the day before, the children had been too shy to talk to one another. But now, over breakfast, they began introducing themselves. They were heading to an unfamiliar place together, and from what they’d heard, they wouldn’t be the only ones there. Since they came from the same area, they figured they should stick together in case anything happened.
"My name is Tang Sheng. I’m nine. How old are you? What grade are you in?"
The outgoing Tang Sheng spoke first, singling out Li Wu—the only child with a guardian present—as his first conversation partner.
"I’m Shen Li Wu. I’m seven, in third grade. I just skipped a grade!" Li Wu declared proudly.
"You were really tough in that fight yesterday. I can’t believe you’re only seven," Tang Sheng said, stunned. Third grade—the same as him.
"My dad and uncle are both soldiers. And I’ve got lots of grandpas who used to be in the army—they taught me."
Tang Sheng immediately understood that this chubby kid had some serious backing.
Yang Yufen didn’t stop Li Wu from mentioning it. When you were away from home, why not let people know you had powerful connections? It might make things easier for him when she wasn’t around.
Teacher Gao led them onto the bus. As time passed, the salty tang of sea air drifted in through the windows. When the ocean finally came into view, the children’s eyes widened in awe.
It was Yang Yufen’s first time seeing the sea, too.
"Our training base isn’t far from the shore. You’ll be able to see the ocean every day," Teacher Gao explained, pointing out landmarks.
Yang Yufen listened attentively, but her mind was already racing with plans. Since they were here, she should stock up on seafood—Sister Wang and Professor Wen both loved it. What a shame Niannian wasn’t home; she adored seafood too.
"Granny Yang, once the kids are settled, I’ll take you around. The seafood here is excellent and affordable. We can also check if the children need anything else while we’re out," Teacher Gao said, making a point to include Yang Yufen—after all, she was the only guardian who had come along.
"Wonderful! I was just thinking about that. I’ll trouble you then, Teacher Gao."
When they arrived, other children—already settled in—were waiting for them.
About sixty or seventy kids of various ages, all from different places.
Li Wu and the others from the capital were assigned to the same dorm room—bunk beds with standard-issue bedding, though it looked rather thin.
Without waiting for Yang Yufen to help, Li Wu made his own bed, choosing the top bunk. He used the provided bedding as padding, making the mattress softer and less creaky.
A mosquito landed on Li Wu’s arm. Yang Yufen smacked it dead with a swift slap. Staring at the crushed insect in her palm, she frowned. Even in October, the mosquitoes were still this active? They’d need mosquito nets.
Li Wu rubbed the swelling bite—his skin always reacted badly to mosquito bites.
"Grandma, it’s so itchy."
Yang Yufen took a look and winced. The boy had already scratched it raw.
"Don’t scratch. I’ll get you some ointment later. These mosquitoes are vicious."
She quickly wet a towel and pressed it to the bite. The coolness soothed the itch enough for Li Wu to resist scratching. He dug through his clothes and pulled out a long-sleeved shirt to change into.
"What happened to Li Wu?"
Teacher Gao hurried over after finishing her tasks and saw Yang Yufen pressing the damp towel to the boy’s neck.
"The mosquitoes here are terrible. The bites swell up and itch badly. I’d like to get him some menthol oil and a mosquito net."
As soon as Yang Yufen mentioned it, the other children started scratching too. Teacher Gao’s eyes widened in alarm.
"I’ll go get menthol oil and mosquito coils right away. The mosquitoes here really are different."
She rushed off and returned shortly with the supplies, handing the menthol oil to Yang Yufen before lighting the coils.
The smoke was pungent, but it worked wonders at keeping the mosquitoes away.
Still, in just that short time, several children had already been bitten multiple times.
Teacher Gao grew worried. Locals usually only got small red bumps, but these kids had huge welts. She quickly fetched a doctor to examine them.
"Nothing serious—just sensitive skin. Keep their meals light for a few days to avoid stomach issues. Hold off on seafood until they’ve adjusted. Stick to familiar foods for now."
