The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

The three of them walked out of the train station, leaving the noisy crowd behind them.

Ye Shu turned her head and asked Tang Xiaotao, who was looking around, "..."

"What are the specific arrangements for your trip? If you don't have a place to stay, you can stay at my place. You can sleep in my room, and I'll sleep on the sofa."

His thinking was simple: after all, she was his own sister, and he couldn't let her wander the streets alone.

"You can sleep with me too."

On Ye Shu's other side, Xiao Nuan looked straight ahead and spoke, without any emotion.

Ye Shu turned to look at Xiao Nuan, her heart warming. She hadn't expected Xiao Nuan to be so considerate of Xiao Tao.

"No need. Xiao Tao has always been a sleepyhead since she was little. When she was little, she kicked me awake quite a few times. Let her sleep in my room by herself."

"I didn't mention her."

Xiao Nuan tilted her head slightly, her eyes focusing on Ye Shu's face, and stated her suggestion in a calm tone:

"I'm talking about you. My bed is two meters wide, which is enough for both of us. And you have very good sleeping habits; you don't snore, you don't move around, and you don't grind your teeth or talk in your sleep, so you don't have to worry about it affecting my sleep. Besides, my sleep quality is also very good, and I don't have any of those behaviors, so you can rest assured about your sleep quality as well."

The more Xiao Nuan spoke, the wider Ye Shu's eyes opened. He felt his face turn red, and finally, he couldn't hold back any longer:

"No, how do you know what I'm like when I sleep?"

"I went into your room to observe you while you were sleeping, but you have a habit of drooling in your sleep..."

Ye Shu quickly covered Xiao Nuan's mouth and gave a dry laugh:

"Haha... well, I'm fine sleeping on the sofa, okay?"

Xiao Nuan blinked, seemingly not quite understanding what Ye Shu was nervous about, but she still nodded and didn't insist any further. She simply turned back and continued looking at the road ahead.

Tang Xiaotao, who was standing next to her, had her mouth slightly open from the moment she said "I'm talking about you," her eyes darting back and forth between her older brother and her future sister-in-law, listening in a daze.

The expression on his face changed from initial shock to a complex mix of "I understand," "That's amazing," and "My sister-in-law is so cool."

That was fantastic! This trip was definitely worthwhile.

She coughed lightly, breaking the somewhat awkward atmosphere, and smiled again, waving her hand as she said:

"No need to bother, I booked a hotel online before I came. It's in the city center and the transportation is convenient. I don't want to be a third wheel next to you two; it's too bright and will affect my sleep."

After saying that, she winked at Ye Shu, giving him a "I know what I'm doing" look.

Ye Shu was at a loss for words to explain, so he could only glare at his younger sister before continuing to pull the incredibly heavy suitcase toward the taxi waiting area not far away.

The square in front of the train station is always chaotic.

There were pedestrians carrying large bags and pulling children along, rushing to catch the bus, and there were also travelers with clear goals and taking their time. There were people roasting sweet potatoes, making pancakes, pretending to be beggars for money, and holding up small signs to attract customers to their small inns.

There is another group of people, in small groups with sharp eyes. These are the legendary unlicensed taxi drivers who know everything from astronomy to geography, from trivial matters to the most mundane details. They are so knowledgeable that they dare to charge you fifty yuan for a single ride.

They roam the edges of the queues and near the exits year-round, like leopards in the animal kingdom ready to snatch a fat sheep. Their eyes scan the crowd, and they can always find those bewildered newcomers in the first place.

"Hey bro, where are you going? Taking a taxi or walking? Let's go now, it's faster than waiting in line!"

"Hey handsome, wanna go into the city? Cheap off!"

"Accommodation needed? Invoice provided!"

Ye Shu was a seasoned veteran in this kind of situation. He kept his eyes straight ahead, gripping tightly the handle of Xiao Tao's suitcase, his steps unwavering. He ignored the questions posed by those around him, only saying to Xiao Tao and Xiao Nuan:

"Hold on tight and ignore them."

At this point, if you show even the slightest hesitation, or politely reply "No need, thank you," the next step is likely that your suitcase will be "helpfully" taken from you, and then the other person's silver tongue will be like a machine gun, rattling off all sorts of "cheap, right away, no kidding, just ahead" rhetoric to lure you away. By the time you vaguely realize what's happening, you may already be sitting in an outrageously priced black cab, or being taken to the door of some remote hotel.

As for why Ye Shu knows so much about it, it's because he traded real money and his innocent youth for it.

Ye Shu still remembers that it was when he was admitted to university that he left the small county where he had lived for more than ten years and came to this relatively large city for the first time.

As soon as he stepped out of the train station, he was overwhelmed by the towering buildings and flashing neon lights. Ye Shu, a young man who was half excited and half confused about being in an unfamiliar place, was dazzled by the dazzling sights of the big city.

Not long after I exited the station, a middle-aged man with a kind and honest face approached me, looking very friendly.

"Young man, where are you going? Just arrived around here? No problem, I know this area like the back of my hand. Tell me, and I'll give you directions or take you there—cheap!"

At that time, Ye Shu was shy and hadn't yet learned to coldly refuse the "kindness" of strangers. She felt a little embarrassed by the other person's enthusiastic tone and subconsciously replied:

"I...I'm going to Nancheng University..."

Upon hearing this, the man's eyes lit up immediately; looking back now, it was a classic example of the look of someone spotting a fat sheep.

"Nancheng University! I know that so well, it's nearby, not far, just a short drive away! Come on, young man, your luggage must be heavy, let me help you carry it, come with me!"

As the man tried to get closer to Ye Shu, a large hand reached out and grabbed the handle of Ye Shu's suitcase without saying a word.

Before Ye Shu could react, the box suddenly went to someone else.

Back then, there was no high-speed rail from Ye Shu's hometown to this place; there was only a slow, green train. After sitting on the green train for more than ten hours and feeling lost as a newcomer, his mind was a little foggy. The man was extremely enthusiastic, leading the way and introducing Ye Shu to Nancheng, praising its beautiful mountains, rivers, and people.

Ye Shu followed in a daze, walking quite a distance before being led to a rather dilapidated-looking car, where he got in.

After getting on the bus, the man didn't drive off immediately. Instead, he told Ye Shu to "wait in the bus for a while, we'll be leaving soon," and then he turned around and went back to the vicinity of the exit.

Ye Shu waited in the stuffy car for more than ten minutes, watching the man repeat the same method, "picking up" several young people with clear eyes and a bit of naivety, filling the back seat of the car to the brim.

With everyone present, the car finally started moving.

Ye Shu still had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but looking at the unfamiliar street scene rushing past the window, she comforted herself that this was probably how carpooling was done.

As a result, the car made two turns, passed through two not-so-long streets, and drove for less than ten minutes before stopping on the side of the road.

"We're here, guys. Fifty each, thank you!"

The man turned his head, his smile unchanged, and extended his hand.

"Fifty?!"

Ye Shu and the other young people in the car were stunned. The distance... was clearly very close! Ye Shu just didn't know the place. If he had known where it was, he would have carried his suitcase and walked over by himself.

"We offer dedicated transportation, it's different! And it's already agreed, so hurry up, don't waste time!"

The man's smile faded, and he became a little impatient.

Seeing the other person's face change from its previous honest and simple appearance to a fierce and ruthless one, the teenagers looked at each other in dismay. They were afraid that if they didn't pay, a group of people might suddenly appear and rob them. In the end, they reluctantly and fearfully handed over their money.

Later, Ye Shu told some of her roommates about this, and Han Yang laughed after hearing it:

"Damn, these two trails cost fifty yuan each? Why don't we go drive unlicensed taxis after class tonight? We'll be rich by the time we graduate."

Whenever he thinks back to this incident, Ye Shu feels that he was incredibly stupid back then. Although fifty yuan wasn't a lot of money, it was still... embarrassing.

So at this moment, Ye Shu held onto his suitcase tightly, put on a sour face, and led Xiao Tao and Xiao Nuan through the crowd of touts, heading into the distance.