Chapter 40
Nothing happened in the latter half of the night.
As dawn broke, Gu Xi sat up, looking unwell and pale, her face even paler than the day before.
It could also be because of her fair skin; if she doesn't get enough rest and is feeling down, she will appear pale and give off a very frail impression.
As she stood up, Shen Mingzheng across from her also sat up, his eyes clear, as if he hadn't slept much either.
He asked with concern, "Aren't you going to sleep?"
"I'm not going to sleep, I can't sleep." Gu Xi yawned, feeling that she hadn't slept much at all last night.
The two took turns going to the restroom to wash up, but one of them always had to stay in the carriage to watch the luggage to prevent it from being stolen.
This kind of thing is quite common. After all, surveillance isn't very advanced these days, and with all sorts of people coming and going on trains, it's better to be careful. Otherwise, having your luggage stolen would be a huge loss.
When Gu Xi returned after washing up, she had only been sitting for a short while when Shen Mingzheng brought back breakfast.
Breakfast included steamed buns and dumplings. The freshly cooked, plump, white dumplings looked incredibly tempting, which even whetted Gu Xi's appetite, which she hadn't had much to eat before.
"Are there dumplings on the train too?" she asked, somewhat surprised.
Shen Mingzheng placed the aluminum lunchbox containing dumplings on the table, handed her a pair of chopsticks, and said, "The train conductor had this made."
Last night, after handing the thief over to the train conductor, he told the conductor that she wasn't feeling well and had a poor appetite. The conductor was a smart man, and since Gu Xi had caught human traffickers and thieves, he had a good impression of them, so he asked the train's chef to make dumplings for her.
Gu Xi was only stunned for a moment before she understood what he meant.
This must be something he said to the train conductor that made him take special care of them.
My feelings are complicated; I'm deeply moved.
Perhaps it's because she has received so little care in her life that even the slightest bit of concern from others touches her deeply, let alone the unreserved care and love shown by the Shen family, which is hard to resist.
Gu Xi took a bite of the dumpling and suddenly said, "Big brother, yesterday... why did you believe me?"
If the woman wasn't a human trafficker and had simply misunderstood, it could have a very negative impact on him. A soldier like him should have been skeptical from the start, rather than immediately siding with her without a second thought.
This makes it seem like he can't distinguish between close and distant relationships.
Shen Mingzheng was slightly taken aback, but quickly realized what she meant.
I didn't expect her to ask this suddenly. I didn't see her ask anything yesterday, so I thought she didn't care.
He looked at her tired, pale face, his voice steady: "I know you're not one to make baseless accusations. If you think she's a human trafficker, you must have your reasons. If I'm wrong, I'm willing to take responsibility! I won't wrong any innocent person, but I also can't let any crime go unpunished—that's my duty!"
In fact, he knew her better than she imagined, and knew that she was not the kind of person who would act without evidence.
However, he is also willing to bear the consequences of her mistakes, which is what he, as her husband, must do. He should trust her no matter what.
As long as she doesn't make a fundamental mistake, he should stand by her side immediately.
Gu Xi stared at him blankly, then lowered her head, a blush spreading from her cheeks to her ears.
It feels so wonderful to be trusted so firmly!
It feels so good to have a reliable person backing her up, someone she's willing to take responsibility for no matter what she does!
"Thank you," she said softly. "I'll be more careful in the future, and I won't... implicate you."
He trusts her, so she should be more careful not to cause him trouble or affect him.
He loved his military uniform, and she admired these lovely people.
Shen Mingzheng noticed her bright red earlobes. Her skin was so fair that the slight redness on her face was easily noticeable, making her look incredibly cute.
Are all lesbians this cute?
He reached out and patted her head, his voice gentle: "Gu Xi, you never need to thank me."
**
Gu Xi didn't have a big appetite; she only ate seven dumplings, and gave him the rest.
"Are you really not going to eat anymore?" Shen Mingzheng frowned, feeling that she hadn't eaten enough. The dumplings weren't actually big enough; after all, they weren't homemade, so they weren't intentionally made to be large. In his opinion, they were quite small.
She shook her head and touched her stomach. "That's enough. I can't eat too much, or I'll throw up."
Hearing her say that, Shen Mingzheng stopped forcing her and ate the rest of the dumplings, as well as three steamed buns.
He's a man, and it's normal for him to have a big appetite since he's physically active.
The train stopped when they finished breakfast.
We arrived at the provincial capital here.
The two sat in the carriage, watching people get off and get on one after another.
Shen Mingzheng said, "After the train passes through the provincial capital, it will continue on its way and arrive at Yucheng Station around 7 p.m. We will stay at a guesthouse in the city for the night, and we can take the military vehicle back tomorrow at noon. It will take about two to three hours to get to the military base."
Gu Xi responded with an "oh," feeling somewhat expectant as she thought about arriving at her destination that evening.
Not to mention that she couldn't rest well in the car, the weather was so hot that she felt extremely uncomfortable if she didn't shower for a day. Before going to bed yesterday, she only wiped her body with a damp towel in the car bathroom, and by the end of the night, she was covered in sweat again.
When the train started moving again, two passengers boarded their carriage.
It was a man and a woman, around twenty years old, carrying large and small bags into the car.
After a friendly exchange, Gu Xi learned that they were educated youth sent to the countryside. A few days ago, they went back to the provincial capital to visit their relatives and attend their elder brother's wedding. After their visit, they continued to go to the countryside.
It just so happens that everyone's destination is the same: they all get off at Yucheng Station, and the place they are going to is a farm near the military base.
These two educated youths, the male one named Gan Dongliang, wore glasses, was very refined, and looked like the kind of intellectual.
The female educated youth was named Cheng Yuanyuan. She had a round face and was the type of cute girl.
Both of their parents were staff members at a machinery factory in the provincial capital. They grew up in the same residential compound and were so familiar with each other that their relationship was like that of siblings. They also took care of each other after being sent to the countryside.
Cheng Yuanyuan is a very warm and cheerful girl. You can tell at a glance that she has never suffered since childhood. Even after going to the countryside, she did not lose her temper. This is probably also related to Gan Dongliang's care for her.
Ever since entering the carriage and seeing the man and woman sitting together, Cheng Yuanyuan had inwardly exclaimed in surprise.
The handsome men and beautiful women are such a feast for the eyes.
Upon learning that the two were a married couple, her face flushed red, and she kept glancing at them.
Seeing her like this, Gan Dongliang secretly thought, "Oh no!"
The man named Shen Mingzheng in the carriage was tall and strong, with a cold and hard demeanor. He was clearly not someone to be trifled with. Her furtive appearance could easily lead to misunderstandings. What if she was misunderstood?
Cheng Yuanyuan tried to strike up a conversation with Gu Xi and found that the seemingly aloof beauty was actually quite good-tempered. No matter what she said, Gu Xi would respond, which instantly emboldened Cheng Yuanyuan.
"Are you a newlywed couple? Hmm, you look like you just turned eighteen, not like you've been married for a long time, so I guessed you were newlyweds... Oh, your husband is in the military? That's great! We have a saying here that marrying a soldier and becoming a military wife is the most honorable thing..."
Gu Xi didn't dislike Cheng Yuanyuan's enthusiasm. She felt that Cheng Yuanyuan was somewhat similar to Shen Mingrong, both of them having a puppy-like personality, being very friendly to people, and knowing how to enjoy themselves.
Of course, this is also related to Cheng Yuanyuan's good sense of propriety, which shows that she has good family upbringing.
The car ride was rather boring, so it would be nice to have someone to talk to. Shen Mingzheng was clearly not a good conversationalist, although he would answer whatever she asked.
Cheng Yuanyuan took out all the snacks that her family had prepared for her and put them on the table for them to eat. Among them was a kind of pickled sweet plum that was unique to this provincial capital, which was very much to Gu Xi's liking. It was sweet with a slight sourness, which was very refreshing and made her more energetic after eating it.
Gu Xi also offered them candy, fruit, and snacks.
Shen Mingzheng sat beside her, listening to the two women chat. He noticed that Gu Xi's complexion improved considerably when she ate the sweet plum, and her gaze towards Cheng Yuanyuan softened a lot.
Gan Dongliang noticed the change in his expression and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He was almost startled by Cheng Yuanyuan's bluntness, worried that her questions might offend others. Although people are generally honest these days, and most people are willing to make friends when they're out and about, some people don't like strangers asking questions, and there should still be some boundaries between people.
Fortunately, the woman didn't mind. This soldier cared a lot about his wife, and seeing that she was happy, he didn't say anything.
Cheng Yuanyuan was someone who couldn't keep a secret. During their conversation, she learned exactly how many people were in Gu Xi's family and what they did for a living.
Their families were relatively well-off; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to afford sleeper berths.
Time flies when you're chatting with someone.
Around 7 p.m., the train finally arrived at the station.
Cheng Yuanyuan and Gan Dongliang didn't have much luggage, and they warmly asked if they needed help with it.
Gu Xi thanked them, "No need, we don't have much luggage, we can carry it ourselves."
Shen Mingzheng could carry both duffel bags by herself; she only needed to take the remaining food.
After getting off the train, the four parted ways in front of the station.
Cheng Yuanyuan and Gan Dongliang have relatives in the city, so they can stay at their relatives' house tonight and go to the farm tomorrow morning.
Gu Xi and Shen Mingzheng went to a nearby guesthouse.
Upon arriving at the guesthouse, as soon as I entered, the older woman guarding the guesthouse looked over with delight.
"It's Comrade Shen! You're back from visiting your family?" The older sister had a square face and wasn't particularly beautiful, but she was a straightforward person. She clearly knew Shen Mingzheng. When she saw Gu Xi with Shen Mingzheng, she smiled warmly and said, "Is this your newlywed wife? What a beautiful young lady."
Shen Mingzheng called her "Sister Zhong" and introduced her, "This is my wife, Gu Xi." Then he said to Gu Xi, "Gu Xi, this is Sister Zhong."
Gu Xi obediently greeted her, "Sister Zhong."
Sister Zhong didn't look at their letters of introduction or marriage certificate; she simply led them to a room upstairs with great enthusiasm.
The room was clean and had two single beds.
Sister Zhong went to get a thermos full of water and brought it over to them, saying, "Comrade Gu, would you like to take a shower? There's a bathroom downstairs with hot water."
Guesthouses usually don't provide hot water for showers, so Sister Zhong specially prepared this for them.
Shen Mingzheng thanked her and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Sister Zhong."
Sister Zhong laughed and said, "What trouble is there? Just tell me if you need anything, don't be shy. Comrade Shen is a soldier, we should give priority to soldiers."
That's not actually the case; it's just an excuse to take special care of them.
Gu Xi could easily see that Sister Zhong and Shen Mingzheng had a different relationship; she treated him like one of her own.
Then Sister Zhong brought them dinner.
There were two bowls of homemade noodles with some minced meat, greens, and scallions, topped with a poached egg. Although the noodles were dried noodles, the soup base was bone broth, which was very rich and flavorful.
"Come, come, this is noodles my daughter cooked. You must be hungry, have some to eat." She said with a smile, "Dumplings before boarding, noodles upon arrival, it's a simple meal, please don't mind."
Shen Mingzheng naturally expressed his gratitude once again.
Sister Zhong waved to them, telling them to eat the noodles, and then left in a hurry.
Shen Mingzheng pulled Gu Xi to sit down, and the two sat facing each other to eat noodles.
“I once saved Sister Zhong’s child when the army was doing disaster relief,” Shen Mingzheng said while eating. “Every time I come to Yucheng, if I can’t get back to the army in time, I stay at the guesthouse here. We got to know each other over time.”
Gu Xi suddenly realized why Sister Zhong was so enthusiastic towards him. With this life-saving grace, plus the fact that he was a soldier, people in this era had a great fondness for soldiers.
After finishing a bowl of noodle soup, Gu Xi felt like she had come back to life and was finally no longer feeling nauseous.
Maybe it's because I'm finally out of the car, with my feet on the ground, and it doesn't feel so stuffy.
After eating noodles and resting for a while, I went to find some clothes to take a shower.
Shen Mingzheng accompanied her to the downstairs bathroom to take a shower, and stood guard at the door while she showered.
After she finished showering, he took his turn.
Since they were traveling and it was inconvenient to wash clothes, Shen Mingzheng put the dirty clothes that the two of them had changed out of into a specially prepared cloth bag, and would wash them when they arrived at the military base the next day.
By the time they had all finished washing up, it was already quite late.
Although it was a double room, both beds in the room were actually single beds. Gu Xi chose the one further inside and lay down.
The sheets were clean and had no odor; they must have been aired out in the sun.
Having not rested well in the car these past two days, Gu Xi lay down on the bed and soon drifted off to sleep.
In her hazy state, she felt someone get into bed, lie down next to her, and forcefully squeeze into the same bed with her, holding her close.
She mumbled, "There's a bed over there..."
The single bed is a bit cramped, unlike the double bed at home.
Shen Mingzheng ignored her words and embraced her.
Once a man has hugged his wife, he will never want to sleep alone again.
Although he slept alone for the first twenty-odd years of his life, men may have an inner desire to hold a soft and beautiful woman in their arms. He feels that holding her while sleeping will improve his sleep quality, make him feel more at ease, and make him reluctant to let her go.
I slept soundly until dawn.
When Gu Xi woke up, she found herself being held tightly in the arms of the man behind her, unable to move.
It's fortunate that she slept with her two younger sisters since she was little, and was used to her sisters being close to her. She also wanted someone to be with her. Otherwise, with the way he held her, a normal person would definitely not be able to sleep well and would kick him away in disgust.
There were two beds, but he insisted on squeezing into one with her, making them both sweaty and their clothes soaked. What's worse, he was shirtless, and all the sweat was absorbed by her pajamas.
Gu Xi patted him with difficulty and said indistinctly, "Big brother, let go, I want to get up."
The man hugged her tighter, his voice still sleepy, and said, "It's still early. The military vehicle won't be back until noon. You can sleep a little longer."
Gu Xi: "I need to use the restroom."
Shen Mingzheng finally let go of her hand, allowing her to quietly get out of bed.
After Gu Xi took care of her physiological needs, washed her face, changed into a dry set of pajamas, and climbed into bed, she was embraced by the man who had also returned from the bathroom.
She leaned against him, unable to fall asleep for a while.
As the morning light streamed through the curtains, she looked at his sleeping face. Perhaps because he was asleep, his expression was relaxed, not as cold and serious as when he was awake. His handsome face was incredibly sexy, striking straight to the heart and easily stirring up desires.
Gu Xi was momentarily captivated by his good looks and couldn't resist leaning over to kiss his cheek.
Right after we finished kissing, he opened his eyes.
In the dim light, she couldn't see the emotion in his eyes, only that they were very deep and unfathomable. Just as she was feeling a little awkward, he suddenly grabbed her and kissed her fiercely...
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