On the other side, Peng Cuiying had already found her seat.

Her hard seat was a three-seater, and she was sandwiched in the middle. To her left was a woman of similar age, with broad shoulders and a thick waist, and to her right was an old man carrying a snakeskin bag, his face and hands covered in dirt.

Over the years, Peng Cuiying has relied on Jiang Jiahua's job to boast that she has been in contact with high-society people in Yun County.

The two men were dressed in clothes covered in patches, and they made no attempt to hide their disgust.

She waved her hand under her nose in disgust, then kicked the old man sitting outside, saying, "Old man, move aside."

"Oh, oh." The old man quickly moved the snakeskin bag aside and stepped aside to let her in. "Sorry, I was blocking your way."

Peng Cuiying rolled her eyes and completely ignored the old man.

The older woman on the other side couldn't stand it anymore, "What's so great about you? If you're so great, go sit in a sleeper car. We're all crammed into hard seats. Who's more noble than whom!"

When Jiang Jiahua was the deputy factory director, Peng Cuiying was always fawned over. But lately, she has been subjected to scorn and ridicule in the food factory's residential compound.

Those people know her inside and out, so they have the right to ridicule her.

But why is this country bumpkin, dressed in rags and smelling bad, mocking her?

She looked the old woman up and down with disdain, and snorted coldly, "Ha, who's like you? My daughter and son-in-law are sitting in the sleeper car! If there weren't no sleeper tickets left, who would squeeze into this dirty and smelly hard seat with you?"

Just as she finished speaking, a train conductor happened to walk by.

The train conductor kindly said to her, "Sir, someone just canceled their ticket over there. Would you like to buy a sleeper ticket?"

Peng Cuiying never expected that just because she was bragging, the train conductor would actually ask her about it.

Where would she get the money to buy a sleeper ticket?

She had been speaking too loudly, and now everyone in the carriage was staring at her.

Even with her thick skin, she felt incredibly embarrassed at this moment.

He quickly replied, "No...no need. I'll just sit in a hard seat and experience the life of ordinary people. It's fine."

The train conductor had seen many people, and seeing her embarrassed expression, he knew she was exaggerating.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "If you don't have money, just say so. Why pretend to be so high and mighty? You're wasting my time."

"Pfft!" The old lady sitting next to Peng Cuiying couldn't help but laugh out loud, giving the train conductor a thumbs up. "Comrade, what you said is so true!"

"Some people are just like toads trying to inflate their shells, pretending to be big shots. Experiencing the lives of ordinary people? Who do they think they are? The Empress Dowager?"

As the old woman spoke, she deliberately bumped into Peng Cuiying, using her size advantage to squeeze Peng Cuiying in the middle.

The train was crowded and smelly, and being squeezed by people made it even more uncomfortable.

Peng Cuiying angrily reached out to push the old woman away, "You old whore, get out of my way! Let me tell you, my eldest son is a high-ranking official in Beicheng, and my daughter is married into a wealthy family in Beicheng. If you dare to mess with me, when we get to Beicheng, see how I deal with you!"

"Hahaha..." As soon as she finished speaking, not only did the old woman laugh mercilessly, but everyone else in the carriage also burst into laughter.

"Oh my, so it really is the Empress Dowager on tour! Your son is a high-ranking official, and your daughter is married to a rich man, yet you can't even afford a sleeper ticket. I feel ashamed for you!"

"It's still broad daylight, and some people are already dreaming."

"Isn't broad daylight the perfect time to dream? Daydreaming, hahaha..."

...

Amidst the mocking voices around her, Peng Cuiying's face flushed red and then turned pale with embarrassment.

A young man sitting in the row opposite her, leaning against the window and reading a newspaper, lifted his eyelids and glanced at Peng Cuiying.

If Yang Qiaoqiao were here, she would definitely recognize that the young man reading the newspaper was none other than Zhang Wei, Jiang Yiran's second husband in her previous life.

Zhang Wei looked at Peng Cuiying, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. Then, he folded the newspaper and said to Peng Cuiying, "Auntie, come sit here with me. My seat is by the window, it's not so crowded."

Hearing this, Peng Cuiying looked at Zhang Wei, deeply moved, and said, "Young comrade, thank you, thank you so much!"

The elderly woman sitting next to Peng Cuiying, seeing this scene, said with some dissatisfaction, "Young man, you should consider your partner before doing a good deed. She's..."

Before the old woman could finish speaking, she met Zhang Wei's eyes and immediately shut her mouth.

*

When Yang Qiaoqiao woke up again, it was already dark outside.

She quickly sat up. "Brother Xiao, Peng Cuiying's ticket..."

"I've already paid for it for her, don't worry. I didn't buy her a ticket directly to Beicheng. She'll have to come back to us for another ticket before she gets there," Huo Beixiao said, gently and affectionately ruffling her hair.

"Are you hungry? I'll bring you some food," Huo Beixiao said, getting out of bed.

The food truck only serves boxed meals for a limited time; you can't always have food available. By this point, it was clearly past lunchtime.

Yang Qiaoqiao was wondering where the man was going to get the food at this time.

Then I saw the man take an aluminum lunchbox out of the basin.

The water in the basin was still steaming.

Clearly, the man kept her food warm by constantly changing the hot water in the basin.

The boxed meals on the train weren't very tasty, but when Yang Qiaoqiao ate the warm boxed meal, it tasted exceptionally delicious.

After she finished eating, Huo Beixiao took the lunchbox to the bathroom to wash it.

At this moment, the old lady sitting on the bed opposite them looked at her with a gentle smile and longing in her eyes and said, "Young lady, your man is so good to you, you are so lucky."

The two people sitting in the berth opposite them were also an elderly couple.

While the old lady was talking to Yang Qiaoqiao, the old man was stuffing a glass bottle filled with hot water into the old lady's bed.

In those days, heating methods were limited. Filling a glass bottle with hot water and stuffing it under the covers was the best hot water bottle available today.

"Old woman, come on, hurry up and put your feet under the covers. Don't let them get cold outside. The further north this train goes, the lower the temperature will be. Your legs will start to hurt again later."

After the old man stuffed the thermos into the bed, he urged the old woman to hurry up.

The old lady cooperated with the old man and quickly put her legs under the covers.

The warm bed made the old lady's youthful face flush with comfort.

The old man tucked the blanket around the old woman and said, "You lie down first, I'll go get a bottle of hot water."

After instructing his wife, the old man said to Yang Qiaoqiao, "Young lady, my wife is very talkative. If you have time, could you please keep her company? I'll just get a bottle of water and come right back."

After Yang Qiaoqiao agreed, the old man took the thermos and left the carriage.

Watching the old man's somewhat unsteady figure leave, Yang Qiaoqiao turned her gaze to the old lady and said, "Grandma, you are very fortunate, and Grandpa is good to you too."

The old lady smiled with the contentment and shyness of a young girl in love, "He doesn't have any other good points, except that he is considerate and knows how to care for people."

Yang Qiaoqiao couldn't help but raise the corners of her lips as well.