The holiday season was in full swing, and tickets were impossible to get. My colleague, Winston, had somehow managed to snag an overpriced train ticket from a scalper for me. But when we both finally boarded the train, he simply settled into my seat, refusing to budge. “My leg’s injured, and I can’t stand for over twenty hours,” he pleaded, his voice laced with an exaggerated whine. “So, can you please let me have the seat?” His brazen attempt to commandeer my berth left me standing for thirty-eight agonizing hours on a train that eventually stalled. The moment we finally disembarked, his injured leg gave out, and he stumbled onto the platform, nearly trampled by the surging crowd. As he scrambled back to his feet, his eyes burned with a malevolent glare. “Why didn’t you just spend an extra four hundred to buy a sleeper berth for me, Luca?” he snarled, rage contorting his face. “You’re such a tight-fisted cheapskate, you almost got me killed!” Then, with a furious shove, he sent me sprawling onto the train tracks just as an oncoming train roared into view, its massive steel frame bearing down on me. I gasped, my eyes snapping open. I was back. Back to the very moment I’d bought that standing ticket. 1 “Luca, I’ll introduce you to my ticket broker. You can pay an extra two hundred for a seat. Standing for over twenty hours is just ridiculous,” Winston said, his voice dripping with false concern, after realizing I’d only managed to get a standing ticket. “Who can stand for twenty hours? That’s too grueling. I’d hate to see you suffer like that.” “Just an extra two hundred, and you’ll have a proper seat. Send me your ID. Don’t hesitate.” Tickets for the peak holiday season were notoriously scarce. I’d spent days desperately trying to secure one, only to end up with a standing ticket. Even that had required an army of friends and relatives to help me snatch it. Seeing my hesitation, Winston, with his usual presumption, reached for my backpack, which was slung over my office chair. He was about to pull open the zipper when I snatched it back, a sharp reprimand escaping my lips. “That’s my bag! Don’t touch it.” Reborn into this moment, my mind cleared instantly, every detail of what was about to unfold rushing back to me. This seemingly warm and generous colleague, Winston, was, in reality, petty and cunning. I spoke, my voice unnaturally cold. “But even a seat for twenty-plus hours… that’s still uncomfortable.” At my words, he practically jumped with excitement, his mouth flapping incessantly. “Then spend an extra four hundred for a sleeper! The broker can get sleeper berths. If you’re willing to pay, you can lie down all the way home.” His eyes gleamed like welding sparks, a sight that left me utterly stunned. Even after my rebirth, his brazenness still made me cringe. In my previous life, he’d successfully conned me out of my seat. Now, merely a casual comment about the discomfort of a regular seat was enough for him to try and manipulate me into paying for a sleeper berth for his comfort? He wanted to reap all the benefits without lifting a finger. If that was his game, I certainly wouldn't play by his rules. I was going to ruin him. “You can get a sleeper berth too?” I feigned shock, my mouth slightly agape. Winston reached out, his hand imperiously demanding. “Give me your phone, quick. I’ll personally handle it right now. I’m confident he can get a sleeper. I just met this broker; he’s incredibly resourceful.” I simply smiled, observing his every move with a keen eye, and unhesitatingly handed him my phone. He grabbed it and scurried off towards the restroom, clearly intending some underhanded dealings. I wasn’t worried; I had one-click pay enabled. He could easily control my phone. But if I didn’t utterly ruin him this time, I’d be doing a disservice to the self he’d betrayed in my past life. Half an hour later, Winston returned, a smug grin plastered across his face, and tossed my phone back to me. “Luca, I spent an extra four hundred to get you a lower sleeper berth. You’ll be much more comfortable on the way home, no need to worry about swollen, aching legs.” Winston’s apparent consideration earned him praise from our surrounding colleagues, especially a woman named Chloe. She gushed about him, praising him to the heavens. “Winston, you’re so incredibly kind and generous! Tickets are impossible to get these days, yet you managed to buy one for Luca. Luca, how are you going to thank Winston?” Chloe, ostensibly just a colleague, was actually secretly involved with Winston. He’d recently injured his leg participating in a company sports event, leaving him with a persistent limp. Chloe had been diligently caring for him during that time, her devotion seemingly boundless. But deep down, they were both utterly fake, penny-pinching cheapskates. A truly despicable pair. Chloe would concoct the schemes, and Winston would shamelessly execute them. The reason was simple: they wanted to inflate my travel costs to save money for themselves. They’d unapologetically stoop to any level to squeeze even a dollar out of me. These particular trains traveled from south to north, and a regular seat or standing ticket cost two hundred and sixty. In my previous life, I’d let Winston spend an extra two hundred to buy me a seat ticket from the scalper. But Winston had then brazenly occupied my seat for nearly forty hours. That time, a snowstorm had damaged the tracks, causing the train to halt for over ten hours. I had stood for nearly forty hours, almost squeezed into a pancake by the crowd, suffering immensely. The moment we disembarked, Winston, with his limp, was jostled onto the platform and trampled a few times. I was so startled, I just stood there, watching him, unsure what to do. He turned his misery into anger, screaming at me, “It’s all your fault! You made me stand for nearly forty hours! My legs gave out, that’s why I fell. Why didn’t you buy a sleeper berth? If you had bought a sleeper, I wouldn’t have suffered like this. I could have used your sleeper!” I quickly tried to explain, “I didn’t… it wasn’t me.” I wanted to say more, but then Chloe emerged from the sleeper car. The two of them glared at me, a unified front of hostility. “Luca, you almost got me killed! You almost got me trampled to death!” It was Winston who had occupied my seat for nearly forty hours. He himself was exhausted and fell after being shoved, yet he blamed me for his misfortune. His audacity was truly boundless. Shamelessness, it seemed, was indeed an unstoppable force. Taking advantage of my momentary shock, Winston shoved me hard onto the tracks, right into the path of an oncoming train… Now, seeing Winston and Chloe’s duplicitous faces before me, I found it utterly ridiculous. I had been reborn at this crucial juncture, and they were simply asking for trouble. I turned to Chloe, a playful taunt in my voice. “Excuse me, did you buy a ticket?” Chloe faltered for a moment. “I bought a ticket home. You guys are going home, and I’m planning to go home too.” Her demeanor was unnatural, and she kept glancing nervously at a bewildered Winston while she spoke. They were truly something, each more selfish than the other. Chloe had secretly bought her own ticket, intending to visit Winston’s home. Yet, she didn’t want to share her sleeper berth with her limping boyfriend, so she kept it quiet. She wanted to be comfortable, leaving Winston, the poor cripple, to fight with me for a spot. Chloe refused to inconvenience herself in the slightest, even though Winston was her man and should have been her responsibility to care for. I calmly complimented them. “Right, so we should get ready to go home. Let’s pack our bags now.” I gave them a friendly smile, not forgetting to remind them. Both Winston and Chloe nodded. Back home, I opened my phone to check the ticketing system. Winston had indeed spent an extra four hundred with the scalper, who in turn had provided me with a three hundred and ninety lower sleeper berth ticket. My sleeper ticket cost a whopping seven hundred and ninety in total, incredibly expensive. Clearly, when it wasn’t his own money, he felt no pain. “But it’s okay,” I muttered. “I’ll get it back with interest. Tomorrow, the long-haul game officially begins, and I’ll play along to the very end.” I finished packing my luggage. The next morning, I rushed to the train station, laden with bags. Winston was shivering uncontrollably in the cold wind, his leg still limping. He looked… genuinely pathetic. The moment he spotted me, his eyes lit up, and he hurried over to exchange pleasantries. “Luca, can I talk to you about something?” I feigned ignorance. “What is it?” “Can I come with you? Can I sit in your sleeper berth for a bit? I’ll go back to my original spot soon, I promise I won’t bother you.” He tried desperately to appear honest. But his transparency was like waving a flag; I could see through his thinly veiled plot. I asked, feigning curiosity, “You, a standing ticket holder, trying to squeeze into my sleeper? Do you really think you can get in?” “What era do you think this is? Your carriage and seat are checked thoroughly. You can’t get into my sleeper carriage, understand?” Of course, he knew. And I knew he had a way. All he had to do was flash his injured leg, play the victim, and whine about not getting a sleeper ticket, and the conductor would likely make an exception. Conductors these days were generally understanding. Winston sighed dramatically. “I have a way to get in. Just let me follow you.” “Nonsense! You want to come in and take over my sleeper, then use your injury as emotional blackmail to force me into your standing-room-only carriage for dozens of hours? Winston, your calculations are far too precise.” I didn’t use my harshest tone to expose his lie. Instead, I wore a knowing smirk, making it seem almost like a joke. He froze for a moment, a hint of guilt flickering in his eyes. But a truly contemptible person is utterly shameless at their core. He quickly changed his tone, adopting a reproaching voice. “Luca, I didn’t mean that. I just want to sit in your spot for a bit. If you won’t let me, I can just sit by the window. Anything’s better than being crammed with people. There are too many, I can’t stand it. Please, I’m begging you.” In my past life, my constant softheartedness had led him to push me into my death. But this time, I found it hilarious. I jutted my chin towards Carriage 18. “Why don’t you go check out who’s in Carriage 18? Instead of begging me, you might as well beg that person.” Chloe was probably lounging comfortably in Carriage 18 right now, probably glued to her phone, head propped on a pillow, scrolling through pictures of guys with six-packs. She’d kept it a secret from him that she’d bought a train ticket to his hometown for the holidays, and here he was, shamelessly clinging to me. Winston looked confused, glancing in that direction for a moment before frowning. “What do you mean?” Everything was implied. For this entire charade, I had spent a considerable amount of money, but if it meant a good show, I was more than happy. “Nothing. I need to board the train. Time’s running out.” I made my way to Carriage 17. The moment I stepped inside, Winston hurried in after me. A conductor immediately stopped him. “Passenger, please show your ID.” Winston quickly pointed at me. “My ID is in his backpack! But he went ahead, so I’m just following him to get it. I’ll show it to you in a moment.” Oh, that bastard! I hadn’t anticipated such a low trick. He swiftly darted in, right behind me. The conductor, having to deal with other passengers first, was forced to let him slip into my carriage based on his audacity. “Lower Berth 22, this is it! Luca, my leg hurts, this spot is mine!” He rushed to claim my berth, even placing his carry-on luggage on the floor, making it clear he had no intention of letting me sit. I laughed, a humorless huff. This man was truly brazen, determined to bleed me dry. I crossed my arms, standing over him, looking down at Winston like he was a dog. Winston lay there for a moment, then met my gaze. “Why are you staring at me? I want to sleep for a bit; don’t disturb me.” I spoke, my voice cold. “Are you sure you want to usurp this spot? Are you sure you’ll just lie in my lower berth and not move?” Winston’s expression darkened, clearly annoyed. “Don’t say it like that. I have a limp, remember?” Without another word, I swiftly headed towards Carriage 18. Winston, if I let you lie there for another ten minutes, then I lose… I easily found a short-tempered male conductor. “Excuse me, my lower berth has been taken by a standing ticket passenger. He’s occupying my berth and refusing to move. Can standing ticket passengers really go into the sleeper carriage these days?” I deliberately spoke loudly in this carriage, hoping to pinpoint Chloe’s location. Soon enough, I saw her quickly pull a blanket over her head, as if trying to hide from me. I smiled inwardly, making a mental note of her spot. In a moment, I’d drag her out and add fuel to the fire. Hearing my words, the conductor rushed over. “A standing ticket passenger in the sleeper carriage? I’ll go check.” I triumphantly led the conductor to Winston, who was still lounging in my lower berth. Indeed, he’d been there for less than ten minutes. I wouldn’t let him be that comfortable. The conductor, a man with a fiery temper, looked at my ticket, then yanked Winston to his feet. “Sir, this is not your spot. You are in Carriage 8. Please leave immediately.” The conductor was clearly annoyed. The holiday travel season was already more difficult than usual, and many staff members harbored some resentment. Winston was creating unnecessary trouble, increasing the workload for this hardworking man, and the conductor was in no mood to indulge this idiot. Seeing the conductor’s irritation, Winston pointed to his leg. “No, wait. I know I have a standing ticket, but Luca is my colleague and from my hometown. I bought the ticket for him. Can’t I just stay in his spot?” “Besides, I’m injured. I’m practically disabled. Here’s my medical report; I had a fracture. Though the severe injury has healed quite a bit, I can’t stand over there.” “And it’s not that I didn’t want a sleeper ticket, but I couldn’t get one! I could only grab a standing ticket.” He was just as manipulative as he’d been in my past life. Even after everything, his brazenness still shocked me. I watched, curious, to see how the conductor would handle this.
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