Shen Mo had been completely stuck with this Tan Xiao character.

In the latter half of the night, Tan Xiao insisted on keeping watch for them, claiming with righteous conviction that they needed to prevent those thugs from returning. Even if they didn’t hurt anyone, sneaking around to pour gasoline or puncture tires would still be annoying enough.

Shen Mo wanted to say that given the extent of those guys’ injuries, they would need at least a night’s rest before seeking revenge, but he really couldn’t stand Tan Xiao’s motormouth tendencies, so he just let him do as he pleased.

Early the next morning, everyone hit the road together.

Tan Xiao had stayed up all night without sleep, yet remained full of energy.

He pulled Teacher Cheng out of someone else’s car, insisting that the elderly man ride on his motorcycle.

His motorcycle had a Gothic-punk fusion style, with tassels dangling from the front, skull decals stuck on the back, and metal studs decorating both sides.

Teacher Cheng awkwardly waved his hands repeatedly, but no matter how he tried to refuse, Tan Xiao wouldn’t let him go.

Bai Youwei watched from a distance with a cold gaze.

She knew this foolish kid was warm-hearted, wanting to protect the old man by having him ride the motorcycle, but he didn’t consider that with his beat-up bike, the old man would be jolted to death.

Her eyes inadvertently swept past and caught a faint smile playing at the corner of Shen Mo’s mouth.

Bai Youwei frowned, her tone unfriendly: “What are you smiling at?”

Shen Mo rested his hand on the steering wheel and shook his head indifferently. “Nothing.”

After a moment, he added: “Just thinking… are there more good people or bad people in this world?”

If you said there were more good people, last night when Bai Youwei was in trouble, all thirty-plus people next door pretended to be asleep.

If you said there were more bad people, even the frail, thin old man and the uneducated hoodlum could step up to help.

Bai Youwei sneered coldly: “How old are you to still be thinking about such naive questions?”

Shen Mo smiled nonchalantly, his tone mild: “Perhaps all soldiers tend toward idealism.”

Bai Youwei wrinkled her brow, impatiently turning her face away to continue watching the odd pair in the distance: the rigid elderly teacher and the scatterbrained street youth, truly a bizarre duo.

Are there really more good people or bad people in this world?

No, neither was abundant.

Most abundant were ordinary people, with good and evil both hinging on a single thought, neither purely good nor thoroughly bad.

“Let’s have the old man ride in our car,” Bai Youwei said.

Shen Mo glanced at her, then finally gave a slight nod. “True, to avoid causing a fatality.”

He got out of the car and invited Teacher Cheng to join them.

Though it was clearly out of gratitude for Teacher Cheng’s righteous words last night, Tan Xiao thought it was because of “brotherly loyalty.”

Tan Xiao said to Shen Mo with particular enthusiasm: “Good brother, truly honorable and loyal! Brother Xiao really didn’t misjudge you! Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on those punks in a bit. They won’t get away with any tricks on the road!”

Shen Mo really had nothing to say to him. He gave a cool nod and brought Teacher Cheng back to the car.

Teacher Cheng was a refined old man who gave off a kind and generous impression, his conversation revealing the dignity and modesty of a scholar.

After getting in the car, he politely thanked Shen Mo and Bai Youwei, introducing himself courteously: “…I’m a teacher at Nanjing No. 13 Middle School, my name is Cheng Weicai. Classes have been suspended at school, so I want to go to Yangzhou to check on my elderly parents. They live on Jiangyang Middle Road. I don’t know where you’re headed, but if it’s not on your way, just drop me off somewhere nearby…”

Shen Mo kept his eyes on the road ahead, saying flatly: “We’re going to Yangzi River South Road.”

“That’s perfect!” Teacher Cheng’s face lit up with joy. “Jiangyang Middle Road isn’t far from there, it’s right on the way! Oh, I really must thank you both!”

Bai Youwei in the back seat let out a mocking laugh.

She thought to herself, this military officer is not only an idealist, he also likes doing good deeds, and makes sure to do them in a way that leaves the other person with no psychological burden. How painstakingly thoughtful.

They hadn’t actually planned to go to Yangzi River South Road.

However, with things in such chaos now, she didn’t care where their destination was anymore.

…