Xia Xiaolan felt quite unlucky that she could encounter a human trafficker just while getting hot water.

What did this woman want?

Xia Xiaolan had no patience to play along with her – she didn’t have time for that. She directly asked if the woman was a human trafficker. The fat woman became embarrassed and angry, trying to pull Xia Xiaolan aside, “Come on, let’s go find someone to settle this!”

“You are a human trafficker!”

Though physically weaker than the fat woman, Xia Xiaolan’s other hand had already reached for the electric shock device given by Zhou Cheng.

Just as she was preparing to give the fat woman a fierce shock, people around them started discussing, and some came forward to mediate.

“Sister, it seems the young lady doesn’t know you?”

“Why are you grabbing her arm…”

“Could she be a human trafficker? I heard there are traffickers on trains who specifically target children and women. They approach young women claiming they can make big money in the South, but end up selling them!”

“Where’s the train police? Quick, call them!”

Xia Xiaolan knew she couldn’t let herself be dragged away. She was also wary of these mediators, unsure if any might be the fat woman’s accomplices.

The fat woman didn’t address whether she knew Xia Xiaolan or not, just made a scene demanding an apology:

“Who are you calling a trafficker? You’re just a youngster randomly slandering people, you’re no good!”

Thoroughly annoyed, Xia Xiaolan didn’t take out the electric shock device in public but gave the fat woman’s shin a hard kick instead. The shin pain was intense, making the fat woman release her grip immediately. As she tried to grab Xia Xiaolan again, Xia Xiaolan shouted “Catch the trafficker!” while retreating from the crowd’s circle.

“Stop right there!”

The trained police arrived, brought by the bespectacled middle-aged man who hadn’t spoken to Xia Xiaolan before. With his hands behind his back, the middle-aged man spoke with particular dignity:

“Comrade, we bought sleeper tickets expecting peace. This woman making all this noise might be a trafficker.”

This was on a train – nowhere to run. The fat woman immediately lost her aggressive attitude.

However, she still tried to maintain a fierce exterior despite her inner fear: “Who are you calling a trafficker? You’re all in this together, slandering good people!”

Whether she was a trafficker or not could be verified easily. Xia Xiaolan first explained her situation and handed her introduction letter to the train police for verification.

“I met her this morning while getting hot water. She kept pestering me with questions, and just now she wouldn’t let go of me. Officer, I don’t know her and don’t want any interaction with her.”

The fat woman naturally defended herself.

Without much evidence, the train police could only criticize and educate the fat woman, warning her to stay away from Xia Xiaolan.

“What’s so great about you…”

The fat woman muttered, glaring at Xia Xiaolan before slinking back to her carriage dejectedly.

Under the train police’s close watch, the fat woman and her husband got off at the next station ahead of schedule.

This wasn’t Xia Xiaolan’s victory – she had merely escaped one crisis. But who knew if others might fall victim to the fat woman’s schemes?

“Thank you.”

Back in the sleeper carriage, Xia Xiaolan broke the silence to thank the bespectacled middle-aged man.

He nodded while holding his newspaper but didn’t say anything else.

They were just fellow travelers passing by, briefly sharing a train journey. Calling the train police showed his sense of justice. His bearing was different from ordinary people – he might be someone of status and position.

Since he didn’t want to chat more, Xia Xiaolan didn’t want to be annoying.

However, when she ate again, she placed all her food on the small table by the window:

“Would you like to try some?”

The middle-aged man completely ignored the fragrant braised meat, contentedly eating his train meal instead.

Xia Xiaolan was certain now – he didn’t want to interact with her… Well, she wasn’t a masochist.

After the incident with the fat woman, people from various walks of life in several carriages realized Xia Xiaolan’s capability and no similar incidents occurred. The next morning, she safely arrived at Yangcheng Railway Station.

A dark-skinned woman held up a wooden sign with ‘Xia Xiaolan’ written on it.

Xia Xiaolan squeezed through the crowd, “Hello comrade, I’m Xia Xiaolan.”

The woman broke into a smile, her white teeth striking: “My brother asked me to pick someone up, he said Zhou Cheng requested help.”

Xia Xiaolan asked a few more questions, and all the answers matched what she had agreed with Zhou Cheng. This woman was undoubtedly sent by Zhou Cheng.

“My surname is Bai, I’m called Bai Zhenzhu, born in ’62.”

So she was three years older than Xia Xiaolan, making her 21 this year? The contrast between her name and skin color left a deep impression on Xia Xiaolan. The strong sunlight in Yangcheng meant girls’ skin wasn’t as fair as in Yunan Province. Bai Zhenzhu looked older than her actual age.

But the person Zhou Cheng found had her strengths – she didn’t talk much but didn’t neglect Xia Xiaolan either.

Bai Zhenzhu had a somewhat boyish personality and was very strong. When Xia Xiaolan said she came to Yangcheng to wholesale women’s clothing, Bai Zhenzhu took her directly to the area near the train station.

Wholesale markets were always close to train stations – this followed market logic, as bulk goods needed rail transport.

In many years to come, Yangcheng’s clothing wholesale markets would control over 50% of the country’s goods volume. Clothing wholesale markets from various provinces would source from Yangcheng. However, the well-known clothing wholesale markets of the future weren’t yet under unified management – no tall buildings, no road signs. Bai Zhenzhu found Xia Xiaolan a guest house and took her to the famous Xihu Night Market and Huanghua Night Market in the afternoon.

Tent-style stalls had casual electric lighting, but most were roadside stands with oilcloth spread on the ground, and clothes piled up in heaps.

Wholesalers barely looked at the clothes, just grabbing them and stuffing them into snakeskin bags.

“All 5 yuan each, come choose, come look!”

“Suit pants 8 yuan!”

“Autumn jackets…”

The rising and falling voices were disturbing. Xia Xiaolan wasn’t in a hurry to buy, looking at each stall one by one, her bag still empty of clothes. Bai Zhenzhu followed closely, worried about locals taking advantage of her. Bai Zhenzhu had typical Yangcheng features, and her thick local accent meant no one could easily fool her.

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t interested in those particularly cheap clothes – if she wanted that stock, she needn’t have come so far.

After viewing all the stalls, Xia Xiaolan finally chose two. Though also wholesale, these stalls had clothes hung up properly instead of piled randomly. They seemed ironed, giving them a particularly good texture.

Xia Xiaolan gently touched the fabric:

“Boss, how much is this?”

“Are you buying retail or wholesale?”

“Wholesale! I want more than one.”

“Wholesale 13 yuan, retail 16 yuan.”

At other stalls, such a crew-neck sweater would only cost a few yuan, but this stall charged 13 yuan – double the wholesale price. Bai Zhenzhu held up the clothes, “Don’t try to cheat us outsiders!”

The boss chuckled, while Xia Xiaolan felt the sweater’s fabric. The yarn was softer, with lace trim around the neckline and colorful beads sewn with transparent thread… Women in Shangdu would like such sweaters, even at a higher price.

“What colors do you have? I’ll take two of each.”

Red, white, and black were the main colors. Xia Xiaolan liked this style so much that she even took two in mustard yellow. When she took out real money to stock up, the boss became all smiles, “You’re a straightforward girl, I have new stock too!”

The boss pulled out a large bag from under the stall, taking out the so-called new styles.

Xia Xiaolan spread the clothes flat – they were indeed beautiful, with maple leaf patterns knitted in white and green yarn, and a turndown collar instead of a crew neck. Such clothes could still be worn as autumn wear in Shangdu, or as an inner layer when it got colder.

It was a style that would sell.

Xia Xiaolan thought the green was the most beautiful, followed by sky blue. This watery blue was more delicate and lively, different from the dull “military green” and “blue ant.”

Women in the 80s didn’t prefer wearing worker and farmer colors – the market simply didn’t offer more choices. But Xia Xiaolan specifically chose bold, novel colors, believing such clothes would sell.

Bell bottoms were also considered exotic dress. In ’78, two Japanese films “Hometown” and “The Chase” swept through Hua Guo, bringing ‘bell-bottoms’ into young people’s vision. Bold and improper? Young people deeply yearned to be extraordinary, needing different attire to express themselves.

Some in Shangdu would accept these trendy styles.

Xia Xiaolan decisively bought several bell-bottom pants. Thanks to people generally being slim at this time, she only needed to bring two sizes for each style. Most customers could squeeze into small and medium-sized clothes and pants. Women wearing large sizes were considered plump. XL and above? Either wealthy enough to eat extravagantly or had a constitution that gained weight even drinking cold water.