The two pretended not to hear. At noon, Wang Fushun took out two pancakes that his mother had made from his bundle and gave one to Shen Heng: "My mother said that even a poor family needs to be frugal on the road. This pancake has a layer of meat filling inside."

Shen Heng took the two lunchboxes and opened them: "Didn't you say you wanted to eat persimmon dumplings last night? Your sister-in-law asked me to bring you a portion too."

"You really do make these, sister-in-law."

Wang Fushun took it and thanked Bai Jiaojiao for her thoughtfulness, but he had a wry smile on his face.

Persimmon dumplings.

Unlike his brother Heng, who became indiscriminate after marriage, he's not like a dumpling wrapped in a persimmon—can you eat that?

It's inconvenient to even go to the toilet on a train these days.

But if I don't eat it, I can't save face.

The man who hadn't responded earlier scoffed when he heard Shen Heng give him a box of persimmon dumplings: "A poor bastard's creation. He can't even afford a hot meal."

With that, he got up and headed towards the dining car.

Shen Heng started eating first, one after another. Wang Fushun thought that marriage was really scary; he was afraid he would lose his sense of taste.

He steeled himself and decided to take it; as long as the medicine wouldn't kill him, it was fine. His sister-in-law was a good cook, so maybe a miracle would happen.

Wang Fushun picked up a dumpling and put it in his mouth, but didn't dare to bite it open much before trying to swallow it.

But his teeth broke the dumpling skin, and the tomato juice seeped into his mouth. The rich, fresh flavor instantly chased away the fatigue from a day of driving.

Wang Fushun quickly chewed the filling, the egg inside ensuring the dumplings' texture. He said, "Brother Heng, these are so delicious! How did your wife figure this out? Why didn't you tell me sooner? I'll ask my mom to make them like this when I get back."

Seeing Wang Fushun's spineless appearance, Shen Heng said, "Look at you, how could your sister-in-law's cooking be bad? Hurry up and eat yours."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Wang Fushun said that he still trusts his sister-in-law when it comes to food.

After the two finished eating, the person in the opposite bunk also returned. At this time, Wang Fushun took the two people's lunch boxes to wash, leaving only Chen Heng in the bunk.

The man scoffed at Shen Heng, then climbed onto his bunk with a burp.

Shen Heng didn't even look up as he rummaged through his bag and pulled out the cucumber that Bai Jiaojiao had brought for him.

They grew these cucumbers themselves in the yard. They grew four seedlings in total, enough for the two of them. They picked them when they were about the length of their hands. They were crisp, tender, and had a hint of sweetness.

Everyone started their journey in the morning, and even the sleeper berths were very cramped. Coupled with the lack of entertainment, everyone felt bored and annoyed.

As soon as Shen Heng bit into the cucumber, the aroma, which was usually not noticeable at home, spread rapidly and aggressively. Centered on Shen Heng, the foul air in the carriage seemed to be purified by the cucumber.

The person directly opposite him smelled the crisp, clean scent most noticeably. The food on the train was heavily oiled and salted, and although he felt full after eating, he still felt a tightness in his chest, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable.

The cucumber in Shen Heng's hand was emitting a refreshing aroma, and anyone could imagine how delightful it would be if this cucumber were in his mouth.

He had already turned his back to prepare for a nap, but he got up again, propping himself up: "Hey, little brother, can you give me a cucumber? I'll ask you to buy one."

Shen Heng wasn't satisfied with himself, so he completely ignored this person.

Just then, Wang Fushun returned. He could smell the aroma from afar, and when he saw that it was Shen Heng eating it, he immediately beamed with joy: "I thought it was someone else eating it, it's making me so hungry, Brother Heng."

Wang Fushun put down his lunchbox, and Shen Heng tossed him a cucumber. Wang Fushun caught it steadily and happily ate the cucumber with Shen Heng.

The two of them were snapping photos, making the passengers in the area very envious. When the vendors came by, they would stop them and ask if they had any cucumbers for sale.