"This..."
The buzz-cut man hesitated, instinctively patting his pockets. "I didn't bring that much cash. How about you give me 30,000 yuan, and you can go claim the prize?"
"I don't have that much either!" The pockmarked man frowned. "Look at me—do I look like someone who can pull out 30,000 yuan?"
"Teacher, please think of a solution for us. Neither of us has enough money," the pockmarked man pleaded, turning to the bespectacled man for help again.
The bespectacled man pondered for a moment before tentatively suggesting, "How about this: I'll give you each 30,000 yuan, and you give me the pull-tab. I'll go claim the prize."
The pockmarked man and the buzz-cut man exchanged glances. They figured that they would still walk away with 30,000 yuan each, so they agreed. "Alright, let's do it!"
The bespectacled man's face lit up with glee as he opened his briefcase to find the cash.
Initially, he seemed confident, but as his hands rummaged faster and faster, his expression turned darker, and beads of sweat began forming on his forehead.
Finally, with a sigh, he exclaimed, "Oh no! I must've left most of my money at home. I only have 30,000 yuan on me! You wouldn't sell it for that, would you? This is such bad luck—I was so close to grabbing this opportunity!"
"What?!"
Both the pockmarked man and the buzz-cut man were stunned. Without money, how could they split the prize?
The pockmarked man couldn't sit still anymore. "Teacher, you're educated and cultured. Please, think of another solution for us!"
"Well, let's ask around," the bespectacled man said, turning to Lin Yi, who was sitting nearby. "Young man, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Do you have the money to help? If you can lend us 60,000 yuan—30,000 for each of them—you can take the pull-tab and claim the prize yourself. It's a guaranteed profit of 20,000 yuan! If I had the cash, I wouldn't hesitate."
Lin Yi had been quietly observing the trio with a smirk. It was blatantly obvious that the three were in cahoots—the pockmarked man was the instigator, the buzz-cut man the accomplice, and the bespectacled man the persuader.
Although Lin Yi grew up in the mountains, he wasn't a fool. His modest attire might suggest simplicity, but few could match his intelligence, let alone these low-level con artists.
"Me?" Lin Yi feigned surprise, pointing at himself. "Can I?"
"Of course! This is your lucky day!"
Hearing Lin Yi's response, the bespectacled man's eyes sparkled with excitement. His assumption that Lin Yi had cash seemed validated.
Lin Yi was about to respond when he felt a gentle nudge against his leg.
He glanced sideways and noticed a beautiful young woman about his age sitting nearby. She had silky hair, fair skin, and, based on Lin Yi's estimate, a tall and slender frame of about 1.65 meters. She had been quietly listening to music on her phone since boarding the train.
Lin Yi had thought of striking up a conversation to pass the time, but her earphones had discouraged him.
Now, she was looking at him anxiously, seemingly trying to warn him.
Lin Yi's heart warmed. *So much for the stereotype that city folks are indifferent.*
Her attempt to warn him showed kindness, instantly elevating her image in Lin Yi's mind. For Lin Yi, a woman's kindness was just as important as her appearance.
However, the buzz-cut man across from her noticed her behavior and loudly cleared his throat, glaring at her fiercely.
The girl's face turned pale, and she lowered her head in fear.
These small details didn't escape Lin Yi's sharp eyes.
Feeling bored and still annoyed with the old man back home, Lin Yi decided to have some fun with these scammers.
Pretending not to notice the girl's warning, Lin Yi played along.
"I only have 49,000 yuan—not enough for the full amount," Lin Yi said sheepishly.
Hearing this, the pockmarked man and the buzz-cut man's eyes gleamed like hungry wolves.
Still, they maintained their act, looking dejected. "Only 49,000? How would we split that?"
"49,000 divided by two is 24,500," the buzz-cut man calculated.
"24,500? That's not bad. I agree. What about you?" the pockmarked man asked eagerly.
"Since you agree, I'm in too. Hand over the money," the buzz-cut man said.
Lin Yi opened his backpack and took out a small bundle wrapped in newspaper. Carefully unwrapping it, he revealed five stacks of neatly arranged bills.
"This is 49,000 yuan—take a look," Lin Yi said sincerely. "Now, give me the pull-tab."
The money was part of Lin Yi's living expenses for the coming years, given to him by Old Lin. Despite Lin Yi's life-threatening missions, his rewards seemed suspiciously low. Even his North Africa rescue mission, which should have fetched tens of thousands in international standards, yielded only this sum.
Still, Lin Yi handed over the money without hesitation.
"Thank you!"
The pockmarked man and buzz-cut man grabbed the cash eagerly, dividing it between themselves. Then, they handed the pull-tab to Lin Yi.
Lin Yi carefully pocketed the pull-tab as if it were a priceless treasure.
The girl sitting beside him sighed helplessly. Watching Lin Yi's ecstatic expression, she didn't know what to say.
Having secured the money, the three scammers reverted to acting as strangers, each minding their own business.
Lin Yi leaned back in his seat, a sly smile playing on his lips. *Let's see how long you three can keep up the charade.*