"I don't like eating it that way. I'll just have pancakes. They won't get hard even when they're cold. Do you want to soak them in water?"

"No need, I just love cold pancakes, and if I were at home I could also have a scallion."

"Eat a piece of fish while it's still cold, and eat a little bit. It'll be fine once you get home."

"You can eat whatever you want, don't worry about me. I don't like cold fish, you can eat it yourself."

"I don't like it either."

"Then we'll keep it to make braised fish chunks when we get back."

"Then I'll put it away. I'll make you a tortilla with meat sauce."

"Okay, as long as I'm full and not hungry, that's fine."

The young man opposite him, overhearing their conversation, became even more furious. This guy didn't like this food, that guy didn't like that food. He was definitely showing off.

The two finished their meal quickly, and Liu Jingze went to get a cup of hot water and took out some milk powder. "I'll make you a cup of milk."

"Hmm, I want it thicker."

The aroma of milk immediately filled the air, and some children hummed and whimpered.

Zhang Hongmei leaned closer to Liu Jingze and said, "I won't drink next time. I can't help it, it's just too embarrassing."

"Okay, I won't drink anymore." Liu Jingze also felt uncomfortable; he would have to sneak some food home to eat.

Go to sleep. I'll wake you up when we get to the provincial capital. You can go for a stroll, but be careful.

"Okay." Zhang Hongmei leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, but couldn't fall asleep. The hard chair was too uncomfortable.

"Hongmei, take your coat off. It will be much more comfortable to sit on it."

Zhang Hongmei stood up and watched Liu Jingze help her set up a chair. To be honest, at least it wasn't so uncomfortable anymore.

Swaying unsteadily, Zhang Hongmei perhaps had truly gotten used to the clanging sound, or perhaps she was genuinely sleepy. Soon, she fell asleep.

Liu Jingze covered Zhang Hongmei with the overcoat he was wearing, so she wouldn't get cold.

Actually, the temperature inside the carriage wasn't very high, but because there were many people and the space was small, it didn't feel cold.

"Dude, is this your wife?"

Liu Jingze glanced at the young man opposite him but didn't say anything.

"Tch. What's so great about it?"

Liu Jingze didn't care about him at all; people like him weren't worth paying attention to. The more you talked to him, the more arrogant he became.

Thinking about things in the capital makes my head ache slightly; I really don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

Liu Jingze vaguely felt the person opposite him stand up. He opened his eyes, then closed them again.

When they arrived at the station at 2 a.m., Liu Jingze woke up Zhang Hongmei.

"Hongmei has arrived at the station. Wake up! Do you want to stretch your legs a bit?"

"Go away, my legs feel numb."

"Be careful. Put on your coat, don't get cold."

Zhang Hongmei put on her coat, stood on the platform, and stretched.

Although it was late at night, it was still the provincial capital, so there was a lot of people getting on and off the bus.

There were people selling goods on the platform, but under the dim streetlights, Zhang Hongmei walked around and found nothing she needed.

The train stops at this station for forty minutes, and Zhang Hongmei boarded the train about twenty minutes later.

"Jingze, why don't you go down for a stroll too? I can stay in the car."

Liu Jingze also put on his coat and got off the train. He walked around the platform once, but worried about Zhang Hongmei, so he hurriedly got on the train.

There were many people getting on the train, so the seats couldn't be taken up by those who were lying down and sleeping. As a result, the carriage was noisy and there were even some conflicts.

Zhang Hongmei was sitting inside, with Liu Jingze blocking her view from the outside, so she was not affected.

They left the province the next morning. In the next province, the number of passengers increased, and some, lacking seats, sat on their luggage in the aisle. Even when Liu Jingze asked Zhang Hongmei to get off, she didn't want to go.

It's not easy to go down there; you have to cross mountains and valleys.

The two ate peach shortbread and drank hot water for breakfast. They didn't dare make milk powder to avoid attracting attention. Zhang Hongmei didn't seem to mind, but it made Liu Jingze extremely irritable.

Things he didn't care about when he was riding in the car now seem irritating to him.

Around noon, another large group of people arrived, so many that it was practically shoulder to shoulder.

The crying of children, in particular, is a truly maddening sound.

But that's reality, an unavoidable reality.

For some reason, Zhang Hongmei suddenly calmed down.

It's as if I am extraordinary and detached from the world.

Liu Jingze was startled when he saw Zhang Hongmei smiling with her eyes closed.

"Hongmei, what's wrong?" Has this girl been traumatized?

Zhang Hongmei didn't even open her eyes, but she suddenly felt enlightened, and all her entanglements and fears dissipated.

"Hongmei, what's wrong with you?"

"Jingze, I'm fine, don't worry. You should rest too."

Finally, night fell, and the carriage finally quieted down.

Liu Jingze took down a pancake, and Zhang Hongmei only ate a few bites.

"Why aren't you eating? It's bad for your health."

"I won't eat or drink much water until I get off the bus, to avoid any trouble."

Liu Jingze immediately understood; he really couldn't understand how this girl could have such a germaphobia.

However, no one advised against it, saying that it wouldn't matter if they skipped one or two meals.

Finally, it was time to get off the bus. Liu Jingze breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't had so many thoughts while riding the bus.

There are a lot of people getting off in the capital. The stop is forty minutes, so the two of us aren't in a hurry and don't have much luggage, so there's no need to squeeze around.

"Hongmei, I'd like to invite you to eat Peking duck."

"No, I just want to go home, take a shower, and have a good night's sleep."

"Then let's go home and take the bus."

"Sure, I feel it's even more tiring than farm work. Just for this reason, I have to be successful, have a job, and be able to travel by sleeper berth in the future."

"Your ambition is great. I admire you."

"No need, I'm someone people look up to. Hehe."

"Haha, you must stick to your ideals."

"Forget it, I just want to live a life where I can eat and drink whatever I want."

The two arrived at the bus station, boarded the bus, and Zhang Hongmei looked out curiously. This was the capital city.

After changing buses again, we arrived twenty minutes later.

"Jingze, this is a good spot. It's convenient to take the bus."

"If you like it, that's good. Look, that's Capital University. How about it? Aren't you excited?"

"The thing I'm most excited about right now is that I'm going home soon."

Liu Jingze walked ahead and stopped in front of a house. "We're home."

Zhang Hongmei followed excitedly behind. Because it was a courtyard house, the yard wasn't big, and you could see everything at a glance.

There are four main rooms in the courtyard, three side rooms on the right, and on the left there is probably a storeroom, a kitchen, and a bathroom.

"How is it? Is it alright?"

"Yes, absolutely! I'll definitely buy from any house I sell in the future. I love this building so much. I love the roof tiles."

"Alright, the second one from the left is the room I prepared for you. This room is the biggest, and there's a small cubicle inside. Go take a look, and I'll go boil some water for you."

"What are you burning?"