RotA – Chapter 7

Before deciding to sign the guarantee for Chu Ci, Chai Yuening had wanted to understand exactly what trouble the girl had gotten into to end up detained there.

Unfortunately, Ban Xiangming had been stationed in the Seventh District for too long, dealing daily with seasoned schemers until he’d become as slippery as an eel. No matter how Chai Yuening pressed him, he kept repeating the same line: “How should I know? Boss You brought her in. She caused some trouble and made Boss You furious. When upstanding citizens report something, can I just turn a blind eye?”

The phrase “upstanding citizens” made Chai Yuening roll her eyes on the spot.

A woman who ran a “bar” in the Seventh District—moving unknown quantities of black-market goods every month, wealthy enough to make peace officers look the other way, and capable of holding her own against local power brokers like Luo Kun for years—what kind of “upstanding citizen” was that?

But Chai Yuening wasn’t one to dig too deeply. Some things couldn’t be uncovered through questioning, and she had no interest in pursuing them further.

Nearby, Lao Xiang and Ren Dong took turns lecturing Lu Qi, while Chai Yuening followed absentmindedly, her thoughts wandering as they entered the train station. The girl named Chu Ci trailed silently behind her.

Silver-white hair cascaded softly over her shoulders as she kept her eyes lowered to the ground, hands clasped demurely before her. She looked quiet and well-behaved, nothing like a troubled youth just bailed out of detention.

The train lines to the Sixth and Ninth Districts were separate. When the Sixth District train arrived first, Chai Yuening boarded with her teammates—only to find the girl wordlessly following them aboard.

Lu Qi, already suffering a headache from being lectured by his older and younger teammates, spotted Chu Ci boarding and quickly changed the subject: “What a coincidence, you’re going our way? This train only stops at the Fourth and Sixth Districts—do you live in one of those?”

“I…” Caught off guard by the sudden friendliness, Chu Ci seemed at a loss, her gaze instinctively seeking Chai Yuening.

That look again—identical to the one from half a month ago. Undeniably hopeful, yet too afraid of rejection to voice what she wanted.

“Hey, why aren’t you answering?”

“Ever think maybe that ‘just-got-into-a-fight’ face of yours is scaring her off?” Chai Yuening teased casually. Lu Qi pursed his lips and muttered under his breath, “I’m a real upstanding citizen, you know.”

Ren Dong couldn’t suppress a sudden snort of laughter. Embarrassed, Lu Qi launched into earnest self-defense, his attention mercifully diverted from Chu Ci.

Now an unnoticed bystander again, Chu Ci visibly relaxed.

Chai Yuening wrestled with unspoken words before ultimately failing to ask: Should I take you back to the Ninth District later?

The train raced along the outer city tracks, intermittent lights from outside flashing across every face in the carriage. Whether resting with closed eyes or chatting and laughing, each passenger carried their own joys and sorrows.

After disembarking, Du Xia met them at the station entrance, pushing Ren Dong’s wheelchair ahead while teammates headed to their respective homes. Chai Yuening circled the station before buying a bottle of water and stopping at the Ninth District boarding area.

Chu Ci still followed behind, clearly recognizing what Chai Yuening’s position meant for her. The girl interlaced her fingers nervously, rubbing them together.

Chai Yuening unscrewed the water bottle cap and casually offered it to Chu Ci. “Want some water?”

After a long hesitation, Chu Ci accepted it with both hands, cradling it against her chest without drinking. The loose cap allowed chilled water to spill over her fingers—hands that had somehow acquired fresh scratches—as silence stretched between them.

Chai Yuening saw helplessness in the girl’s eyes, like every abandoned soul she’d encountered deep in the Fog Zone. Yet that gaze remained stubbornly proud, devoid of any groveling desperation.

The air itself seemed heavier in that moment.

Chai Yuening silently watched the digital clock present in every boarding area. The next train arrived in five minutes.

She should take her back to the Ninth District. Everyone had their own home and life—she wasn’t wealthy, and the world overflowed with people in need. She couldn’t possibly shelter every unfortunate soul.

Yet somehow, those five minutes felt interminable.

She didn’t know how this girl had offended You Lan. A Floating City amnesiac, alone here after crossing You Lan—life wouldn’t be easy for her.

The thought softened Chai Yuening’s resolve.

“Did you spend all the money I gave you last time?” she ventured.

“Almost,” Chu Ci whispered.

“You went to the Seventh District black market looking for work?”

“Mm.”

“Didn’t go well?”

“…Mm.”

Chai Yuening sighed softly. “You could’ve come to me if you needed help.”

Chu Ci stared as if wanting to speak, but the approaching train’s carriages flashed past, each carrying passengers who’d never intersect with their lives.

When the train stopped, the girl blinked uncertainly, words dying unspoken on her lips.

Passengers disembarked and boarded.

Chai Yuening took a deep breath. “Do you want to go back?”

Chu Ci lowered her eyes. “Do I get to choose?”

“Of course,” Chai Yuening affirmed. “But remember—some choices aren’t necessarily good ones.”

She tightened the bottle cap for the girl, then turned toward the exit without looking back.

Chu Ci stood frozen as countless passengers streamed past. When the departure announcement sounded, she instinctively boarded the Ninth District train as she had every day for weeks.

But the moment she stepped aboard, she turned back.

Chai Yuening’s already petite figure had nearly vanished into the crowd. At the last second before doors closed, Chu Ci leaped off and ran toward that disappearing silhouette.

Chai Yuening heard the frantic footsteps when the girl was still meters away. She turned to see Chu Ci halted mid-step, still clutching the water bottle while gazing at her.

This wasn’t an easy world to survive in. She hadn’t wanted this responsibility—could have pretended not to notice, treating the girl as just another stranger whose expectations she’d fail. Her conscience shouldn’t ache too much.

Yet every step away had felt leaden until she saw Chu Ci chasing after her—only then did she truly exhale.

So she waved. “Come on!” she called out, relief clear in her voice. “Let’s find you a new place to stay!”

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Author’s Notes:

I’ll say it first: What a short chapter from this hack author!