[148] Moments Before a Maiden's Misstep

As they approached the urban area, Cong Rong could no longer hold it back and vomited due to motion sickness. Fang Chang’an quickly opened the window, handed his mother tissues to wipe herself clean, and apologized to the other passengers on the bus.

After chatting with Uncle Wang Ke along the way, the other passengers knew he was a high-achieving student and were exceptionally tolerant. No one complained. Even without that context, while people might naturally feel uncomfortable when someone vomits from motion sickness, few would openly criticize them; though, Fang Chang’an had never encountered such a situation before.

Uncle Wang Ke got off the bus shortly after entering the city. Before leaving, he warmly told Fang Chang’an, "When you have time, come visit our home with Wang Ke, and you can have a meal at your uncle's place then."

"Alright, I definitely will!" Fang Chang’an agreed with a smile.

The bus’s final destination was the Yunlong City West Station. People had been getting off throughout the journey, and by the time they pulled into the station, less than half the passengers remained. Cong Rong, still suffering from motion sickness, crouched down beside the bus after stepping off, then forced herself to stand up to retrieve their luggage.

Fang Chang’an quickly said, "Mom, you don't need to move; we’ll go get it."

Fang Changming also added, "Mom, just stay crouching here. Yanran, keep an eye on Mom."

He then followed his older brother to the luggage compartment. Fang Chang’an dragged out the heaviest suitcase and picked up two bags. Fang Changming took one, balanced it on the suitcase, and dragged it away, while Fang Chang’an carried the other, placing them all beside Cong Rong.

Those who have never experienced motion sickness find it hard to understand the feeling of just stepping off a vehicle. Seeing all three of her children being so sensible clearly touched Cong Rong, but she was too unwell to move, remaining crouched for a long while.

The three siblings stood guard beside her. People streamed through the station, and many passersby cast curious glances their way.

Fang Chang’an said, "There’s a restroom over there, Mom. Why don't you go wash your face?"

Cong Rong nodded. After resting a bit longer, she finally managed to stand up, washed her face and rinsed her mouth at the sink outside the restroom, and then returned.

Fang Chang’an had Fang Changming pull the suitcase while he carried the cloth bags. Fang Changming told him to put one on the suitcase, and Cong Rong took the other bag from Fang Chang’an. Seeing his mother’s expression ease significantly, Fang Chang’an picked up the bag from the suitcase, and the four of them walked out of the West Bus Station together.

The West Station was an older facility, yet many of its amenities already carried a sense of urban life. As they stepped out, rows of buses were parked neatly in the plaza. The clean bus bodies, gleaming windows, and bright, fashionable advertisements shining under the sun were a shock to Fang Changming and Fang Yanran, who were entering the city for the first time. They widened their eyes, observing everything with a mix of curiosity and shyness.

Fang Chang’an led Fang Changming to the front, placed their bags on a bus, and then turned to help his brother pull the suitcase. Cong Rong hurried over, reaching out to help her son lift the heavy luggage onto the bus.

A young man wearing glasses, who had just swiped his card to board, saw the brothers struggling with the suitcase. He reached out, grabbed the luggage, and hauled it onto the bus, smiling as he said, "This is quite heavy!"

It was past ten in the morning. Though not yet noon, the midsummer sun was already showing its full intensity. Having carried bags and struggled with the heavy suitcase, Fang Chang’an was sweating. As he felt the cool air conditioning inside the bus, he said sincerely, "Thank you, big brother."

The young man was slightly surprised by his composed and calm demeanor. He nodded with a smile, said "No problem," and went to find a seat.

Fang Chang’an glanced at the fare box, which had a yellow sign reading "Two Yuan Fare" with an additional note: "Air conditioning fee: one yuan." He pulled a five-yuan note and a one-yuan coin from his pocket, dropped them into the box, and said to the driver, who was watching him, "Uncle, there are four of us: three adults and one child."

The driver was also taken aback by his manner, then looked at Fang Changming and Fang Yanran, nodded, and said, "Go take a seat, and hold onto your things."

"Yes!"

Fang Chang’an and Fang Changming dragged the suitcase into the cabin to find seats. Cong Rong and Fang Yanran followed. Fang Chang’an said, "Mom, don't sit down. Standing will make you feel better; it’s less likely to cause motion sickness."

In Cong Rong’s mind, sitting was supposed to be better for motion sickness. Fang Chang’an hadn't studied the science behind it, but he remembered his mother telling him in his past life that standing helped. He assumed it was from her own experience.

Cong Rong trusted this son of hers. Having originally sat down, she stood up again upon hearing this, standing beside the luggage as she waited for the bus to start. After a while, she indeed felt much better.

Seeing his mother’s motion sickness subsiding, Fang Chang’an felt relieved.

For Fang Changming and Fang Yanran, this was their first time in the city. Even the automated bus announcements felt novel, and they were filled with curiosity—and a vague sense of longing and awe—toward the people coming and going on the bus.

Fang Chang’an understood this mindset very well; he had been the same in his previous life. Naturally, he no longer felt that way now. He listened to the announcements, watched the scenery outside, and explained to his younger siblings where they were and what things were for, casually mentioning anecdotes about landmarks he had learned about in his later life.

As for how he would answer if his mother questioned him later, he had a plan: he would just blame it on Shen Mo, saying she was the one who told him.

The bus drove into the downtown area, and the cabin became increasingly crowded. Many people were standing. As they passed "Yunlong University," Fang Chang’an was in the middle of telling his siblings about the school when the bus arrived at the next stop, and many more people boarded.

Fang Chang’an glanced at the electronic display in the front of the bus. Seeing an elderly woman boarding with a young boy and no empty seats available, he kept an eye on the situation, ready to give up his seat if no one else did—he didn't mind, as they would have other chances to sit later.

Just then, he heard a crisp, sweet girl’s voice say brightly, "There’s a seat here!"

Although civil courtesy was encouraged, giving up seats wasn't actually a very common occurrence. Hearing the voice, many people looked over, including Cong Rong, who was struggling to fight off motion sickness.

The bus seating was a three-section structure. The front entrance led to side-facing seats—four on each side—followed by the priority seats for the elderly, infirm, and disabled. This area was the most spacious, and those without seats usually stood here. Further back were rows of double seats.

The so-called priority seats didn't often serve their intended purpose, as they were mostly used for those looking after children or the elderly. Consequently, this was the area where people were most likely to give up their seats.

Because they had luggage, Fang Chang’an and his family had chosen this middle section. He followed the sound and saw a girl with a red backpack standing up from one of the side seats. She looked to be only thirteen or fourteen, wearing her hair in a long ponytail, dressed in light blue capris and a pale purple t-shirt. Her face still looked quite youthful, and she was smiling slightly, giving off a quiet, pure beauty.

The elderly woman hurriedly declined, "No, no, you just sit."

"I’m getting off soon anyway."

The girl gave a sweet smile and stepped down from the footrest with her backpack on. The elderly woman thanked her and sat down with her young grandson.

Perhaps worried that standing nearby would make the elderly woman feel uneasy, the girl stood for a few seconds, looked toward the back, and seeing that it was more spacious, began to walk over slowly. As she passed others, she would gently and softly say, "Excuse me, pardon me."

Because of the luggage, people had subconsciously avoided the area where Cong Rong was standing, so as the bus filled up, that spot actually remained relatively empty. The girl who had given up her seat walked over to Cong Rong, bowed slightly with a very polite, gentle smile as a greeting, and then stood still.

She noticed that many people on the bus were looking at her after she had given up her seat, which made her a bit shy, but she managed to keep her composure and didn't let it show.

With nothing to do while standing, she looked up at the bus route map and slowly relaxed, casually glancing at the people around her. Suddenly, she noticed a boy sitting in a nearby seat, who looked about her age, staring at her without blinking.

She had been pretty since childhood and had encountered many boys who would steal glances at her, but this boy’s gaze felt strange. It didn't look like the kind of gaze from someone thinking, "This girl is pretty"; instead, it looked as if he were staring at her, lost in thought, or researching something.

Their eyes met briefly. She couldn't discern much and didn't pay it any mind. What surprised her, however, was that upon realizing she had caught him staring, this boy—wearing slightly worn but clean and tidy clothes—did not look away in a flustered hurry like the other boys; instead, he smiled at her.

His smile was equally clean and bright, but his expression was peculiar. It wasn't lewd at all; it just made her feel... as if he knew her. The young girl felt her cheeks heat up for no reason. This wasn't surprising, as she was at an age and had a personality that made her prone to shyness.

She politely returned a gentle, sweet smile and looked away. But for