Chapter 505: Chapter 173: An 80s Drama Queen Forced to Become a Top Student (8)

The main issue was that only two bus lines served this stop. Sheng Leyun had assumed that with so many people on the platform, she could just ask anyone for help, so she hadn’t bothered to memorize the station’s name—which, to her, was just a crude, five-character symbol.

The chances of the young man being on the same bus line as her were fifty-fifty, and her luck was usually pretty good.

The young man gave a slight nod. "My grandparents’ house isn’t too far from where you got off."

Sheng Leyun nodded happily. "Does that mean we’re getting off at the same stop?"

The young man’s brow furrowed for a moment. He nodded, then sat back in his seat and said no more.

Sheng Leyun didn’t seem to mind and just stood where she was, waiting quietly for the bus.

Buses on the weekend were always much busier than usual. This was the time of day when everyone was gradually heading home after a day of shopping in the city.

Not many people were waiting, and only five or six more came running up. However, the bus that arrived was already packed, the passengers crammed together to a ridiculous degree.

Both the young man and Sheng Leyun instinctively watched the first bus pull up. They saw the people next to them gritting their teeth, their faces contorted as they forcefully shoved their way onto the bus, while they themselves silently resolved to wait for the next one.

The sounds of pained yelps and curses from the passengers on board were endless. The spectacle made the two of them unable to resist turning to look at each other, their faces showing a mixture of horror and trepidation.

The next two buses were just as bad. When the third one arrived, Sheng Leyun gritted her teeth and squeezed aboard with the crowd. ’It’s only six stops,’ she thought. ’I can endure it.’

The young man sighed softly and followed her onto the bus. He instinctively pinned her against the wall of the bus, half-enveloping her in his arms to shield the poor girl from the surrounding crush.

"Thank you," Sheng Leyun said, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at his chin.

The young man didn’t respond. His eyes were unfocused as he gazed out the window, seemingly lost in the world of his music.

The bus swayed and lurched along. More passengers struggled to squeeze on, but very few got off.

After about two stops, someone in the bus suddenly shrieked in anger:

"There’s a pickpocket on the bus! Someone stole my wallet!"

"Everyone, check if you still have your things..."

"Driver, don’t stop the bus! Drive straight to the station! Let’s find out which one of these scumbags would rather steal other people’s hard-earned money than work for it..."

The bus instantly erupted into chaos, the noise and clamor becoming as intense as a pot of boiling water.

Overcome with curiosity, Sheng Leyun couldn’t help but grab the young man’s arm and stand on her tiptoes to peer over the crowd.

Some people were unhappy. For one, they hadn’t lost any money or belongings and didn’t want their time wasted. For another, they were afraid of retaliation and had no desire to get involved.

"This isn’t right. We can’t hold everyone up just because of one person, can we? My kids and parents are waiting for me at home. If we go to the station, it’ll be pitch black before this whole mess is sorted out, and probably for nothing."

"Right, right! The thief will probably just toss the stuff before we even get to the station..."

Pickpockets are often career criminals who work in mobile gangs.

Everyone on the bus was just an ordinary citizen. They had families they cared for and didn’t want to become one of the unlucky ones, targeted for retaliation. They weren’t willing to take that risk, not even if it was just one percent.

After all, turning a blind eye to things that didn’t directly concern them was a common way for people to deal with trouble.

However, it wasn’t just one person who had lost something. Most of the victims were in the back half of the bus, and among them were several strong, able-bodied young men!

They went straight to the front and back doors and blocked them, preventing anyone from getting in or out. Others stood guard by the windows, determined to get the culprits to the police station.

The arguing grew louder, the division among the passengers clear. Even the driver was unsure whether he should head to the station or not.

Just then, a clever glint appeared in Sheng Leyun’s eyes. She called out loudly, "Everyone, take a look down at your feet! Maybe your lost belongings have already been returned."

"These days, life is getting better for all of us. Anyone with a pair of hardworking hands wouldn’t need to go down this dead-end path. Besides, everyone knows the authorities have been cracking down hard on pickpockets lately."

"Life and freedom are priceless. No one would be willing to throw it all away for just a few bucks, would they?"

While everyone’s attention was on her, someone secretly gritted their teeth, and, swallowing their heartache, tossed the stolen goods onto the floor.

When the passengers followed Sheng Leyun’s suggestion and looked down, they indeed saw all sorts of makeshift wallets lying quietly on the floor.

There were bundles wrapped in paper, rolls of cash tucked into handkerchiefs, and even wads of money simply bound with rubber bands.

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