The Wisteria Train 2

After reading the letter, Bai Ci fell silent for a moment.

As expected, there was definitely a hidden story behind a young lady like Lora traveling alone to find her fiancé in a remote town.

But even after reading the letter, her doubts remained unresolved. She only understood that this was not something that could be easily summarized in a few words.

The good news was that since Lora hadn't been raised by her parents' side since childhood, Bai Ci wouldn't have to worry too much about blowing her cover.

The bad news was that since she hadn't been raised by their side, she couldn't be sure if her parents' love was truly as deep as the letter claimed.

If it was, then what kind of situation would force a couple to make the decision to send away their beloved daughter?

In short, the Chaos family's situation was very tricky.

As Bai Ci mentally prepared herself to face the Chaos family, a doubt flashed through her mind.

If this instance was about the Chaos family, why was her starting scene on the platform of the departure station instead of the arrival station?

Surely something wasn't going to happen on this train, right?

Bai Ci folded the letter back up, placed it back into the suitcase, and carefully inspected her other belongings once more. She found nothing unusual and no other clues.

The train's whistle blew once more, longer and louder this time, announcing its imminent departure from the platform.

“Good afternoon, miss.”

At this moment, she was the sole passenger in the massive Carriage One.

The sudden voice interrupted Bai Ci's pretense of looking at the scenery outside the window. She quickly closed her Rain's Message panel, which she had just opened, without even getting a single glance at it.

Bai Ci looked toward the source of the voice and saw that it was actually the purple-eyed conductor from earlier.

He was still wearing his crisp uniform. With a calm expression and a polite smile on his face, he walked over to her seat and bowed slightly in an elegant and respectful manner.

“Would you like some tea, or perhaps coffee?”

“Just a glass of warm water, please,” Bai Ci replied with a polite smile, choosing the safest option.

The man nodded, his gentle smile still looking like a mask. “Certainly, miss. Please wait a moment.”

He paused, then added, “I am the trainmaster of the Mary, Wisteria. If you have any requests, you can let the crew know at any time, or find me directly.”

No wonder his uniform was slightly different; he was actually the trainmaster.

However...

“Thank you,” Bai Ci said, nodding slightly before taking the opportunity to ask, “But I do have a question, Mr. Trainmaster. Shouldn't you be in the driver's cab at this hour? After all, the train is about to depart.”

Under normal circumstances, the trainmaster's core duty was to direct the departure and oversee the overall safety of the train from the driver's cab. Inquiring about a passenger's needs was something that could be left to the attendants.

Hearing this, Wisteria's smile did not waver in the slightest. “You must be joking, miss. The deputy trainmaster is in charge of the driver's cab. He is highly experienced and more than capable of handling the departure.”

“My responsibility is to oversee all matters on the train, including the needs of our passengers, the scheduling of the crew, and the safety of the train. Naturally, I must walk through the carriages more often.”

“You are an important passenger of ours, miss. Understanding your needs and serving you well is my duty.”

His response sounded perfectly reasonable.

Anyone with the spare cash to buy a ticket for Carriage One was bound to be wealthy or influential. The trainmaster coming out in person was simply a gesture of goodwill.

Bai Ci did not press further. She simply nodded slightly, pretending to be casual as she turned her gaze back out the window.

This gesture was a silent way of saying, “I don't need anything else, you may leave.”

Yet, Wisteria stood there quietly, as if he hadn't noticed.

This made Bai Ci feel a bit awkward. Just as she was debating whether to speak up directly, an attendant in a standard uniform approached, carrying an exquisite white porcelain cup.

The attendant gently placed the cup on the small table in front of Bai Ci and said respectfully, “Your warm water, miss.”

Bai Ci offered a quick thank you. Her gaze fell upon the warm water, but she did not touch it immediately.

She felt a trace of doubt in her heart. How strange. She hadn't seen the trainmaster pass on the message to any attendant, so how did they know to bring warm water?

Or had their brief conversation been overheard by an attendant standing just out of her line of sight?

If that was the case, she would have to be much more careful about what she said here in the future.

Only then did Wisteria speak. “My apologies, miss. I just remembered I have some urgent matters to attend to. Please excuse me.”

With that, he turned and walked briskly toward the carriage door.

The attendant followed him out.

Out of caution, Bai Ci used Grow with Time to test the water, concealing her action behind her sleeve.

No issues. It was safe to drink.

She picked up the cup and prepared to open her Rain's Message panel for a second attempt.

Just then, accompanied by a soft coughing sound, someone entered Carriage One from the direction of Carriage Two.

Bai Ci set her cup down and looked back.

Since she hadn't had the chance to open the Rain's Message panel this time, she didn't need to go through the trouble of closing it.

Two people entered the carriage, one behind the other. Leading the way was a young man.

The young man's skin was pale, as if he hadn't seen the sun in years. Soft, long golden hair draped over his shoulders, and his slate-gray eyes were clear and deep.

Even more noticeable than his appearance was his physical condition.

He sat in an exquisite wooden wheelchair, a thick woolen blanket draped over his lap. Every cough seemed to drain his entire strength, leaving his face even paler.

Pushing his wheelchair from behind was a neatly dressed middle-aged man who looked quite energetic. Judging by the undisguised respect in his expression, he was not a relative, but rather a servant.

If divided like modern high-speed rail seats, Carriage One was business class, Carriages Two and Three were first class, Carriage Four was the dining car, and the subsequent carriages were all second class.

This was information Bai Ci had read on the back of her ticket.

Hearing the young man cough so violently as if his lungs were about to give out, Bai Ci remembered the cup of warm water on her table. After a brief hesitation, she picked up the cup, stood up, and walked toward him.

“Excuse me, sir,” she said, approaching the young man. “The attendant just brought this cup of warm water. I haven't touched it yet. It might help soothe your throat.”

The servant standing nearby cast a wary glance at Bai Ci. Instead of taking the cup immediately, he looked at the young man, waiting for his instruction.

Hearing her voice, the young man forced himself to suppress his cough for a brief moment. His slate-gray eyes looked at Bai Ci, seemingly assessing her.

“Thank you, miss. I appreciate your kindness.”

Only after he spoke did the servant step forward, take the cup from her, and place it in his hands.

The young man took the cup and took a small sip. As the warm water trickled down his throat, his coughing fit seemed to ease slightly.

He looked up at Bai Ci, a faint smile gracing his lips as a hint of color finally returned to his pale face. “Thank you once again, miss. I am Violita, and this is my servant, Marg.”