Chapter 1 The Beauty on the Train!

"Clang! Clang!" On the swaying green train, Arlo Johnson was curiously observing the scenery receding around him. At eighteen, it was his first time leaving home to head to Fleross to stay with his sister-in-law. Besides nervousness and excitement, curiosity filled his mind. At this age, always full of energy, the noisy sounds and unpleasant air on the green train couldn't deter his longing for the big city. However, even the most novel scenery became numb after a morning of observation. Arlo felt a bit sleepy and leaned against the window, drifting off to sleep. When he woke up, there were already two people sitting across from him. One was a sleazy-looking man with pockmarked face, and the other was a girl around twenty. The girl had delicate features, looking petite and fragile, yet with graceful curves. Arlo had only seen the most attractive woman in his school principal's wife, but compared to the girl in front of him, she seemed like a village girl. He felt a tingling sensation in his heart, wanting to get to know this petite and graceful girl. Just as Arlo was thinking about how to strike up a conversation, he suddenly noticed that the girl's expression was somewhat unnatural. Her fair and delicate face was slightly flushed, her eyebrows furrowed tightly, her white teeth lightly biting her red lips, as if enduring some pain. The girl noticed Arlo's gaze and couldn't help but cast a pleading look at him. Her pitiful appearance immediately struck Arlo's budding heart. After a moment of thought, Arlo asked softly, "Hello, are you feeling unwell?" The girl nodded slightly, gesturing towards the pockmarked man beside her. Following her gaze, Arlo was taken aback. The sleazy man with pockmarks was pressing close to the girl's thigh, his hand behind her making subtle movements, clearly up to no good. Just as Arlo was about to intervene, the sleazy man glared at him and lowered his voice menacingly, "Kid, don't you dare meddle in this shit!" As he spoke, the clothing draped over the sleazy man's leg slipped off, revealing a sharp spring knife. Arlo had always been robust since childhood, known as the king of the village kids, and he had been in plenty of fights since he was little. "In broad daylight, you dare do such things! Let go of her!" With a stern shout, Arlo stood up, glaring at the sleazy man. Seeing Arlo ruin his plans, the sleazy man, not hesitating, brandished the knife against the girl's cheek, "Kid, sit your ass down! Or I'll scar her face!" Thinking quickly, Arlo pointed towards the front of the carriage, "Police!" The sleazy man, falling for the ruse, quickly turned to look. In that moment of distraction, Arlo lunged forward. Not seeing any police upon turning, the sleazy man immediately realized he'd been tricked, his reaction swift. He swiftly slashed towards the girl's cheek, this one slash, if it landed, would disfigure her. In a split second, Arlo pushed the girl away, using his own arm to block the blade. His extensive fighting experience allowed Arlo to swiftly pull his arm back, the sharp edge of the spring knife leaving a shallow but bleeding wound on his arm. The pain and blood actually spurred Arlo on, and he grabbed the sleazy man's hair and smashed him onto the seat. Caught off guard, the sleazy man was thoroughly beaten, dazed against the seat. The girl screamed and immediately called for the train conductor. The conductor arrived quickly, sorted out the situation, and took the sleazy man away. After the conductor left, the girl suddenly threw herself into Arlo's arms, trembling. It could have been because of the bloodstains on his arm or the recent harassment that frightened her. Feeling the softness and fragrance of the girl's body in his arms, Arlo blushed. After a few minutes, the girl regained her composure, looked up at the wound on Arlo's arm, and blamed herself, "Is, is your arm okay?" Arlo had plenty of experience fighting with men, but this was the first time he had such close contact with a woman. He sniffed the faintly sweet scent coming from the girl's body and scratched his head. "It's no big deal, just a minor injury. It'll be better in a few days." "My name is Lydia May, thank you for saving me." Lydia linked her arm with his, her eyes curved as she looked at him. Seeing Arlo, who saved her, she couldn't help but feel a bit bashful and joyful inside. Amidst the swaying of the train, Arlo felt a softness brushing against his arm continuously with the train's movement. Being in the prime of youth, he felt a rush of blood, having to bow his head and sit down to conceal his embarrassment. "My name is Arlo Johnson, no need to thank me, just a small effort." As they conversed, the two became more acquainted. They found out Lydia was a sophomore at Fleross University, and Lydia learned that the one who saved her was indeed younger than her. After chatting for a while, Lydia eventually fell asleep leaning against Arlo. As the train swayed, Lydia gradually snuggled into his arms. The soft body and pleasant fragrance made Arlo both painful and happy, drifting off to sleep in endless fantasies. After a bumpy ride, they finally arrived at Fleross and got off the bus together. After exchanging WhatsApp and phone numbers, Lydia bid farewell to Arlo reluctantly. Arlo watched Lydia get into a taxi, then he pulled out the address and boarded a bus with his bags. Asking around along the way, Arlo found a distant relative's house near a second-hand furniture market in a shantytown. When he knocked on the door, a completely unfamiliar man answered. His sister-in-law had long moved away without a trace, and her phone was unreachable. With no education or skills, Arlo could only find a job as a mover in the furniture center. Spending all his money, Arlo rented a small room near the furniture center. Although the job of a mover was tiring, it was paid per piece, so he could earn two to three hundred dollars a day, plus two meals. For Arlo at the moment, this kind of work was undoubtedly the best choice. That night, after a day's work, Arlo returned to his rented room. Just as he finished showering and lay down, he heard a sound from the neighboring room that made his heart race. The sound of the woman next door was particularly clear due to the poor sound insulation of the partition. Arlo suddenly noticed a fine crack in the partition, hesitated for a moment, then got up and walked over. Leaning close to the wall towards the crack, he widened his eyes at the fair complexion before him.