For ordinary students, the Japanese government encouraged them to travel and broaden their horizons. The Japan Railways Group issued a special ticket three times a year during spring, summer, and winter.
This ticket was called the "Seishun 18 Kippu." As long as you were a student—junior high, high school, or university—you could buy one for five thousand yen. Within its validity period, you could ride any local or rapid train line as far as you wanted, with no extra charge.
Given Japan's size, one "Seishun 18 Kippu" could basically take you from Okinawa to Aomori, spanning the entire country from south to north. And Le Zhengling was holding such a ticket, preparing to take the rapid train to Tokyo.
As he left his house, he noticed two police cars parked in front of a nearby residence. A housewife was tearfully explaining something to a police officer, while two other officers were questioning the neighbors. The local residents, especially the housewives who didn't have to work, had gathered and were whispering amongst themselves.
As Le Zhengling passed by the gossiping housewives, he overheard some information. Apparently, the man of that household had suddenly disappeared last night. Recalling Nrvnqsr Chaos's visit, he knew that man would probably never be seen again.
At that thought, his expression turned grim. A police officer noticed him and walked over. "Little girl, you don't look so well. It might be best not to wander around."
Hearing the term "little girl," he didn't bother to correct him. Not wanting any trouble, he replied to the officer, who looked to be in his forties, "Thank you for your concern, Officer. I'm actually on my way to the hospital for a check-up."
He took out the train ticket he had prepared and showed it to the officer.
"Oh, I see. Where's your guardian, then?" The middle-aged officer looked around but saw no accompanying adult.
Seeing this, Le Zhengling cursed inwardly: Oh no!
Sure enough, one of the three gossiping housewives nearby saw the situation and, after a moment's hesitation, spoke up. "He's the child from the Chinese restaurant down the street. His guardian passed away six months ago. I heard his new guardian works in Tokyo but has never shown up. The kid lives alone now."
Hearing her words, the middle-aged officer was first stunned, then became indignant. "Leaving a child this young all alone while they're off in Tokyo, never even showing up?! What kind of guardian is that! This is outrageous!"
Setting aside historical issues and his 21st-century perspective, the men of the Showa era had a strong sense of responsibility, especially those who became police officers. The man before him was one of the last of that generation.
(A side note: The Showa era ended in 1989. The Heisei era, which we are more familiar with, began in 1990 and is now also coming to an end.)
Le Zhengling looked at the righteous officer before him with mixed feelings. In his past life, Sino-Japanese relations were always fraught with friction. There was a common saying online in China: "Meiji raised scholars, Taisho raised the nation, Showa raised demons, and Heisei raised pigs."
The "Showa raising demons" part referred to that generation of Japanese people as seen from the firm standpoint of China, the nation that was invaded during the largest world war in modern history.
But having been reincarnated into this era of Japan, Le Zhengling had experienced more of the country's daily life. So he was more inclined to a slightly more favorable saying: "Showa men, Heisei weaklings." Or perhaps, "Showa men, Heisei otaku" would be a kinder way to put it?
Anyway, even though you're a good person, my political stance has to be correct, Le Zhengling thought to himself, trying to figure out a way to slip away.
He also regretted telling the truth just now. He should have just said he was going to a friend's house nearby.
"Little girl, are you heading to the station? How about I give you a ride?" the middle-aged officer asked with a concerned expression, after denouncing the guardian Le Zhengling had never even met.
"Um, no, thank you, Officer. I know the way," Le Zhengling said, quickly shaking his head.
"Alright then. But if anything happens or you need help, don't forget to go to the nearby police station," the officer said, not insisting after seeing Le Zhengling's reluctance. Then, as if remembering something, he took out a pen and paper from his pocket and wrote down a phone number.
"Here, this is the number for the local police box in this area. Keep it safe," he said, handing him the paper with a caring tone. The officer then watched as Le Zhengling walked away.
Once he was sure he was out of sight, Le Zhengling wiped the sweat from his forehead. That kind of well-intentioned enthusiasm was hard to handle. He looked at the note in his hand, thought for a moment, and put it in his pocket.
Treating it as a small interlude, he successfully boarded the train to Tokyo. The journey from Yamagata to Tokyo would take about three hours. The Yamagata Shinkansen would be at least twice as fast, but unfortunately, that line wouldn't open until 1992.
He wasn't wearing his glasses today. Since he would have to take them off for the hospital examination, and the lenses were custom-made, he didn't want to risk damaging them.
He wore a sky-blue collarless T-shirt with a thin white jacket over it, and a pair of form-fitting capri jeans that were uncommon for this era. He used three clips to pin the hair at his forehead to one side, and his long hair at the back was tied up at both the top and bottom, giving him an incredibly fresh look.
Sitting on the hard seat, Le Zhengling took out a small pocket novel to pass the time. Other passengers on the train smiled when they saw him.
A child who looked to be only twelve or thirteen, sitting quietly on the train and engrossed in a book, was a pleasant sight.
After all, it was rare to see such a cute child choosing to read a book at his age. Of course, if those people could see the title of the book, which was partially covered by his hand, they certainly wouldn't think so—
No Longer Human. This was not a book a child should be reading.
When speaking of Japanese trains, their most famous feature isn't their speed or safety, but the chikan—a subculture born out of the immense pressure of Japanese society.
In this country, the adult entertainment industry is legal, and the social atmosphere leads the entire nation to view certain behaviors as normal. Yes, they might find it disgusting, but it's seen as normal.
A small fraction of stressed-out office workers become train molesters, typically taking advantage of rush hour to grope others for a thrill. Japanese women, often having a submissive nature, would allow these molesters to succeed without crying out.
And habitual train molesters love to target female students.
One reason is that their uniforms are relatively easy to work with. Another is that they are inexperienced with the world and tend to panic, making them less likely to resist. Furthermore, with some parts of the adult industry using female students to attract customers, it signifies something more than just these two reasons. It should be understood that the female student herself symbolizes something.
And the person sitting next to Le Zhengling at this moment was exactly that kind of person.
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