We continued forward until we reached the sleeper car. We opened the door to one of the compartments and gestured, "You'll stay in this compartment. Close the door, and no one will bother you. I'll come and remind you when we're almost at our destination. If you need anything, feel free to contact us!"
After thanking the conductor, Gu Zhiyuan followed him to the side, paid for his ticket, and watched the conductor leave before returning to his compartment.
The soft sleeper berth is less crowded, quiet, and peaceful.
Gu Zhiyuan picked up the thermos from under the small table. "I'll go get some hot water. Lock the door from the inside. I'll knock when I come back. Open the door only after you're sure it's me."
Xu Ningyan nodded.
After Gu Zhiyuan brought hot water, he gestured for Xu Ningyan to close the door and windows, draw the curtains, and wash up. He then told her that he would stay outside and not be afraid.
Xu Ningyan felt a little embarrassed.
Fortunately, she had a space. She locked the carriage door, went into the space, washed up quickly, and changed her clothes.
He also changed into another set of old-fashioned and inconspicuous cotton shirt and trousers.
She prepared these clothes specifically to avoid attracting thieves and getting into trouble.
Secondly, he wanted to go to the Northwest Military Region to sow discord among Xu Changfeng's family.
After washing up and leaving the space, she was afraid that Gu Zhiyuan would suspect her, so she heated up a towel and washed her face again. Only after tidying herself up did she open the carriage door.
Gu Zhiyuan, perhaps to avoid suspicion or to prevent Xu Ningyan from feeling embarrassed, did not stand guard at the carriage door. Instead, he stood a little further away by the window, looking at the night outside.
It was completely dark outside; both sides were pitch black, and you couldn't see anything at all.
Occasionally, I would catch a glimpse of a few tiny, bean-sized lights.
He appeared relaxed and somewhat absent-minded, but most of his attention was focused on the train carriage.
He heard Xu Ningyan turn the lock from inside and immediately stood up straight.
As the carriage door opened, Xu Ningyan's cheeks were flushed and damp, her hair was slightly wet and stuck to her cheeks, and her eyes were moist as she looked over.
Gu Zhiyuan's heart raced, and he bit his cheek to clear his head.
Seeing that Xu Ningyan was about to pour out the water in the small basin, he took it from her and gestured for her to sit back down on her bunk.
He grabbed his towel and draped it over his shoulder, then made sure Xu Ningyan closed the door before leaving with peace of mind.
He returned in less than ten minutes. He had washed up briefly, his hair still wet with water droplets. He put the basin down and draped a towel over the table.
After hesitating for a moment, I sat down on the bunk opposite.
The carriage was cramped, and the two berths were very close together. Sitting like that, you could almost feel each other's breath.
Perhaps because the windows were closed, Xu Ningyan felt that the carriage had suddenly become both cramped and stuffy.
She unconsciously patted her slightly flushed cheeks.
Gu Zhiyuan was also somewhat uneasy.
In the past, when he tutored Xu Ningyan with her homework, the two of them would sit around the stove in a room, and it never made him feel as nervous and helpless as it does now.
Fortunately, the carriage door was not closed at that moment. Gu Zhiyuan stood up immediately and stood in the corridor for a while, which seemed to calm him down.
After returning, the two of them calmed down a bit.
Gu Zhiyuan made conversation: "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat? Or I can go to the dining car and see if there's anything left to eat?"
Xu Ningyan looked speechless: "No need, I'm not hungry!"
"Well, why don't you go to sleep first?" Gu Zhiyuan glanced at his watch. "The lights will be out in a little while!"
Xu Ningyan then realized that although the soft sleeper compartment was quiet and safe, a little ambiguity had inexplicably arisen between the lone man and woman.
Fortunately, she was worldly-wise and didn't hesitate. After all, the boss's character was beyond question, so she readily agreed and climbed up to the top bunk.
Sure enough, as soon as I climbed up, lay down, and covered myself with the blanket, the lights in the hallway outside and the lights overhead suddenly went out.
Suddenly, everything went dark.
Then, hearing a rustling sound, Gu Zhiyuan turned on the bedside lamp with a click.
The lights inside the carriage were dim.
Gu Zhiyuan left the carriage door slightly ajar, not closing it completely, and sat upright on the lower bunk, his eyes gentle: "You go to sleep, I'll keep watch."
Xu Ningyan said in a muffled voice, "You should get some rest too!"
Then he turned over to face inside and didn't say anything more.
The carriage was so quiet that only the sound of the train running on the tracks could be heard. The window was open, with only a small crack, and the white gauze curtains swayed in the wind, just like Gu Zhiyuan's mood at that moment.
Not long after, Xu Ningyan's breathing calmed down, indicating that she had fallen asleep.
Gu Zhiyuan, who had been holding his breath, finally relaxed completely and let out a long sigh.
I glanced at my watch under the lamplight; it was already 8:20, and the outside had quieted down.
Gu Zhiyuan then carefully closed the carriage door, locked it, and sat down in Xu Ningyan's lower bunk.
He took a deep breath, took off his shoes, leaned against the blanket, and closed his eyes.
The air was filled with a faint scent of soap, tinged with an indescribable, subtle sweetness.
Gu Zhiyuan couldn't help but sniff a few more times before realizing that it was the scent of Xu Ningyan, who had been sitting on the lower bunk.
Her face flushed instantly, but luckily the lights were dim and Xu Ningyan was asleep, so no one noticed.
He could almost hear his heart pounding in his chest. He had never realized so deeply how blissful yet torturous it was for him and Xu Ningyan to be together in this small, enclosed space.
He didn't know how much time had passed, but he finally calmed himself down thanks to his remarkable self-control.
He had planned to just close his eyes and rest through the night, but hearing the "clattering" sound outside, the carriage swaying, the night wind so gentle, and Xu Ningyan's soft breathing like a lullaby, he fell asleep without even realizing it.
He was awakened by people talking and moving around outside the carriage.
Gu Zhiyuan opened his eyes, only confused for two seconds before quickly regaining his senses.
I looked at my watch; it was already six in the morning.
It was already bright outside. Gu Zhiyuan broke out in a cold sweat and rubbed his temples with a wry smile. He had actually slept so soundly.
After returning to the capital, his sleep became poor again. Sun Zhou and the others thought it was because of work pressure, but only he knew that he had been sleeping very well when he was in Jingshan County.
Now he seems to realize that he doesn't sleep well in Jingshan County, but rather, he can fall asleep quickly and peacefully when he is with Xu Ningyan.
I quietly rolled over and got up. The morning light shone through the thin white gauze curtains, illuminating the carriage.
Xu Ningyan was still sleeping soundly. The light seemed a bit disturbing, so she pouted, frowned, turned over, and then fell back asleep.
Gu Zhiyuan quietly drew the thick blue curtains inside, blocking out the light from outside.
Then, not daring to leave, he lay back down on the bed and closed his eyes to rest.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
