Xue Fu thought that when her parents saw this line of text, they would definitely say a few words to her, saying that she was a leaky and tattered little cotton-padded jacket, not caring at all.
They stayed at the guesthouse for one night, and the two boarded the train on time the next morning.
Gu Chong bought two soft sleeper tickets, one for the upper berth and one for the lower berth.
Gu Chong let her sleep on the lower bunk because it was more convenient.
However, he didn't climb up to the top bunk; he stayed downstairs with her and talked to her.
Traveling in April is not like the Lunar New Year period in December; there aren't many people on the train, and their carriage is quiet.
There was no one on the bed opposite Xue Fu.
The train departed, its wheels clanging on the tracks, and the locomotive occasionally whistled.
As they got closer to Haicheng, Xue Fu thought about her parents, her job at the newspaper, the college entrance examination that would resume in a few months, and Gu Chong.
The work at the newspaper wasn't difficult at all, and she was just a temporary worker who wouldn't be responsible for any major tasks. Her job was mainly to be meticulous, patient, and proofread carefully.
The most important thing right now is the college entrance examination, which will be reinstated soon. She takes it very seriously, and her parents are keeping a close eye on it.
Now that she's back in Haicheng, right under their noses, they can tell at a glance whether she's focused on her studies or not, so Xue Fu won't have a chance to slack off.
Xue Fu didn't want to spend so much time preparing only to end up with nothing; that would be too embarrassing.
Xue Fu stared at the book cover beside her and sighed silently.
Gu Chong took this book out of her suitcase when he changed the sheets for the sleeper car. He even thoughtfully slipped it into her palm so she could open it with a flick of her fingers.
He sat down next to her and remained quiet, not disturbing her as he could tell she was lost in thought.
His gaze was focused, his dark pupils reflecting a world of stark black and white, in which only she stood.
Xue Fu's mind stirred, and her thoughts returned to him.
She started thinking about when and what the next time they would meet would be.
She hadn't asked Gu Chong this question yet, because she was afraid of putting pressure on him, like urging him to come to Haicheng from Qingtang Village as soon as possible.
The scenery outside the train window was rushing past, and it was still raining outside.
The rain wasn't heavy; a few streams of water meandered down from the top of the glass window, washing the glass very clean and clear, allowing a clear view outside.
The atmosphere of the environment definitely affects one's mood.
The continuous rain outside the window, and the train speeding away, taking her away, made Xue Fu lost in thought about him, her heart restless from the swaying.
"What's wrong?"
A pair of rough hands gently touched her forehead. His hands were warm, and his fingertips carefully and softly touched her forehead before moving down to her brow, smoothing out the furrows in her eyes little by little.
"What are you thinking about?"
Xue Fu made a careless move and didn't ask him about when they would come to Haicheng.
She smiled, her eyes narrowing, "I'm thinking about work. I'm afraid I won't do a good job."
"I can do it." Gu Chong slid his hand to her cheek and touched it, then rubbed her under-eye area twice with his fingertips.
Not wanting her to worry any longer, he turned to her and asked about Haicheng: "What are you planning to do for me, Afu? Do you have a plan?"
Xue Fu had actually made plans.
She perked up, tilted her head and rubbed against his palm, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "Of course I did my research! There's a park just four bus stops away from my house, it's huge. There's a lake inside, a really big lake, lots of birds by the lake, and you can even go boating on it."
Xue Fu spoke to him, glancing up to see his reaction.
Gu Chong smiled very gently, his tough guy softening into a puddle of soft water, nodding and agreeing to whatever she said.
"Hmm, this is very interesting."
Xue Fu, like a child going on a spring outing, gestured enthusiastically and gave examples: "We can bring some food to eat. Let me think... we can bring a lunchbox and buy some melon seeds. Oh! I'd like to eat roasted chestnuts, I wonder if they have any."
"Let's go on a sunny day, and sunbathe on the grass in the park. It will be very comfortable."
"......"
Xue Fu muttered to herself, which he found quite adorable.
Gu Chong sometimes couldn't quite understand what made Xue Fu happy.
For example, going to the park to sunbathe, as we've discussed so far.
When Xue Fu was working in Qingtang Village, wasn't she exposed to the sun enough? Every time the sun was blazing, she would carefully tie her straw hat so that her little face wouldn't be exposed to the sun.
She kept reminding him not to forget to wear a hat, saying things like to be careful to protect himself from the sun and not get sunburned.
He has thick skin and has never been sunburned despite working under the sun for so many years, but the girl feels sorry for him, so Gu Chong always obediently wears a straw hat.
Gu Chong was well aware of the difference in perception between him and Xue Fu. She was a carefree free bird in an ivory tower, while he was a farmer born and raised in the mud.
It's not about dragging her down from the sky into the mud, covering her in silt and sinking her into a swamp, to let her better understand his situation. It's about supporting her freely, allowing her to continue soaring freely.
Gu Chong grabbed her hand, held it tightly in his palm, and held each of her fingers firmly in his grasp.
"good."
It takes a day and a night for the train to reach Haicheng.
Unlike last time, Xue Fu slept soundly in the carriage this time.
Subconsciously, she knew that Gu Chong was right beside her, and that she was safe.
Her body was supple; she curled up into a ball, like a little dog, resting her head on her knees, and slept soundly, completely enveloped in the blankets.
Gu Chong sat on the lower bunk, watching over her as she breathed, observing the rise and fall of the blankets on her body.
After a while, fearing that she might suffocate under the covers, he half-squatted down beside her bed and pulled the blanket covering her head down.
She was fast asleep, and her little face had indeed turned a little rosy from being suffocated, like a peach blossom blooming in the deep forest behind his house in spring, soft and beautiful.
She pressed her cheek against the bed, making her cheeks look a bit plumper than usual. He felt a tickle in his heart as he looked at her, as if feathers were brushing against his palm.
In the end, he couldn't resist and reached out to pinch her lips, making them pout, which only made him more tempted to kiss her.
However, Gu Chong restrained his impulse, looked down at Xue Fu for a long time, and slowly exhaled.
Gu Chong didn't get much rest all night.
He wasn't thinking about many things.
He just couldn't sleep.
With his eyes closed for a long time, he could hear his own heartbeat amidst the sound of the wheels moving along the tracks.
When Xue Fu was woken up the next day, there was still an hour before she was to arrive in Haicheng.
Gu Chong told her to get up and eat something and drink some water.
Xue Fu took the water glass from his hand, and just as she touched it to her lips, she inadvertently lifted her eyelids and noticed his appearance.
Although he didn't have any dark circles under his eyes, Xue Fu didn't know why, but she still asked a question.
Didn't you sleep well?
"Hmm, I have trouble sleeping."
Xue Fu put down her water glass and leaned closer to look at him carefully.
Upon closer inspection, one could indeed see a few faint red veins in his eyes.
Did I disturb you?
Xue Fu could understand, after all, she had been through it too. When she went back to Haicheng for the holiday in December, she also didn't sleep a wink on the train.
Gu Chong smiled and nodded in agreement with her reason.
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