Jiang Lin nudged him and gave him a teasing look. “You look silly.”

Cheng Rushan came back to his senses and suddenly became worried. “Just now, when I was massaging your waist, did I use too much pressure?”

He thought she was just being playful with her complaints of a sore waist or legs, but it turned out to be because of her pregnancy.

He knew about Jiang Lin’s condition and had wondered why her relatives hadn’t come yet.

When he asked her, she said they might be busy or nervous.

Recently, they had been busy with her elder sister’s affairs, so naturally, she was anxious.

Lan Moxuan, seeing the young couple being affectionate, decided not to interrupt them and sat quietly on the edge of the bed across from them.

Jiang Lin thanked him and chatted about everyday matters, asking about the location of the Rejuvenation Clinic, where she could also go for future check-ups.

Lan Moxuan laughed, “You’re a college student, and you still trust us old doctors? A few years ago, we were discredited and labeled as outdated.”

Jiang Lin smiled, “Doctor Lan, you’re joking. Our traditional medicine has thousands of years of history, and the experiences of our predecessors are still valuable.”

She glanced at the sleeping Xiao Meng and asked, “Doctor Lan, can you examine our little girl? Her stomach and digestion are weak; she eats little and vomits if she eats too much.”

Lan Moxuan looked over and noticed the child’s pale and thin appearance. “It’s not normal for her to look so weak.”

He checked her pulse, which took a while. After thinking for a moment, he said, “It’s not a serious problem. Little kids are delicate, and it’s always a bit challenging to take care of them. With careful treatment, she’ll be fine.”

Jiang Lin was relieved. “Thank you, Doctor. Will she really get better?”

Lan Moxuan said, “Of course. I never speak without confidence. Children’s digestive systems are often weak, and if they eat coarse food, it can cause issues. Eating soft, well-cooked food will help.”

Jiang Lin mentioned that their little girl vomits if she eats too much but decided not to mention the harsh words of Old Lady Liang.

She only described the actual situation.

Lan Moxuan said, “If she eats too much and vomits, it’s not such a bad thing. Vomiting is better than overloading her system. Take it slow, and she’ll get better in time.”

He gave Jiang Lin several suggestions, which she started to write down.

Cheng Rushan took the pen and helped her record the advice.

As they finished chatting, it was time for lunch.

A staff member came around with a cart selling boxed meals.

The aluminum boxes contained rice, potatoes, cabbage, and a bit of meat.

After eating, the staff would collect the empty boxes.

Cheng Rushan took the meal tickets and money, bought the required number of meals, and also got two extra portions for Jiang Lin.

Jiang Min hadn’t come down yet, so Jiang Lin didn’t force her to eat and placed the food on the heater below to keep it warm.

Jiang Lin woke up Xiao Meng and Xiao Jun for their meal and reminded them to greet Grandpa Lan.

Xiao Meng obediently said hello, while Xiao Jun hid behind her, too shy to speak.

Lan Moxuan also bought a boxed meal and sat down with them.

He chatted with Xiao Meng, telling her that he was a very skilled doctor.

Jiang Lin smiled and said, “Xiao Meng, Grandpa Lan is really amazing. He has treated many people and cured many illnesses. He just examined you and treated you, so you won’t vomit after eating anymore.”

Xiao Meng’s eyes lit up. “Really? Thank you, Grandpa Lan. You’re so kind.”

Lan Moxuan smiled and said, “Just eat what you like and as much as you want.”

Xiao Meng happily started eating.

She shared her box with Xiao Jun, giving him the pieces of meat.

Xiao Jun ate the meat she picked for him.

Seeing this, Jiang Lin said, “Xiao Jun, your sister is giving you meat. What about you?”

Xiao Jun pouted.

He wanted to say that the meat at home was always for him, but without milk, he reluctantly pushed a piece of meat to Xiao Meng. “Sister, you eat the meat.”

Xiao Meng smiled and said, “You eat it. I don’t like meat.”

Xiao Jun quickly ate the meat.

With everyone eating together, the atmosphere was relaxed, and Xiao Meng ended up eating a bit more than usual.

However, she still stopped eating on her own, and didn’t eat as much as Xiao Jun.

Jiang Lin didn’t say much more about eating and suggested that Xiao Meng go to the aisle to see the outside since she had never been that far before.

Xiao Meng was excited and took Xiao Jun to look around, showing no signs of nausea from eating too much.

Jiang Lin breathed a sigh of relief.

Maybe without Old Lady Liang’s pressure, Xiao Meng felt more relaxed and would get better soon.

Doctor Lan had advised her to bring Xiao Meng to the Rejuvenation Clinic when she had time, where he would help with her treatment.

He said that children’s digestive issues require proper adjustment and that Western medicine wouldn’t be effective.

Afterward, he went out for a walk to find someone to chat with, leaving Jiang Lin and Cheng Rushan on the lower bunk.

Jiang Lin noticed she had two boxes of food. “Shan Ge, you bought too much.”

Cheng Rushan replied, “You two need to eat more now.”

Jiang Lin was surprised. “I’m full. I’m only pregnant, so I can’t eat that much. You’re exaggerating.” She pushed one of the boxes towards him. “You have one box. Eat more.”

Cheng Rushan saw that she wasn’t eating, so he ate it himself.

Then, he went to wash a towel and gently wiped her hands and face, looking at her with tender eyes, which made Jiang Lin feel a bit uneasy.

“Hey, I’m not made of glass. What are you doing?”

Cheng Rushan lifted her chin and looked at her. “I shouldn’t have let you come.”

They had been traveling back and forth a lot, and she didn’t know she was pregnant.

She was probably feeling uncomfortable both mentally and physically, and he felt sorry for her.

Thinking about how she had kicked the door at the Liang family’s house in frustration made him scared…

If she had kicked any harder, she could have broken the door frame.

Luckily, she was strong and nothing bad happened.

Jiang Lin playfully scratched his neck with her little finger. “Could you have managed without me?”

Cheng Rushan said, “I could have handled it quickly.”

There are many ways to achieve a goal, but not all are effective.

Solving Sister Linlin’s problem wasn’t something that could be done quickly, so it was better that Linlin came along.

He gently squeezed her fingers. “Let’s walk in the aisle for a bit. We’ll get off at the next stop for a walk.” Being cooped up on the train for two or three days is tough for anyone.

When the train stopped, Jiang Lin didn’t stay outside for long because it was too cold.

After a few minutes, she pulled Cheng Rushan back to the train.

Seeing her about to jump back onto the train, Cheng Rushan quietly held her waist. “Wife, be careful.”

Jiang Lin said, “You’re being too cautious. You’re becoming like an old lady. I’m not that fragile. Pregnant women in the village still harvest wheat and corn, and only go home just before giving birth. Some even give birth in the fields.”

Cheng Rushan still helped her back onto the train. “It’s one thing if I didn’t know, but now that I do, I worry.”

Jiang Lin smiled. “Relax. It’s okay. Why don’t you ask Doctor Lan? He’s an experienced doctor.”

After settling Jiang Lin back in, Cheng Rushan indeed went to chat with the old doctor.

Jiang Lin read for a while until Jiang Min came over.

She immediately took out a lunch box. “Sister, eat quickly.”

Jiang Min had hardly eaten all day and looked a bit tired.

She ran her fingers through her hair and smiled. “I overslept.”

Jiang Lin acted like she didn’t know anything. “Eat your meal. I have good news for you later.”

Jiang Min looked at her. “What good news?”

Jiang Lin smiled but didn’t say anything, gesturing for her to eat.

Xiao Meng and Xiao Jun came back together.

Seeing Xiao Meng smiling and Xiao Jun not sulking, Jiang Min felt more at peace and patted them. “Are you full?”

Xiao Meng smiled and said, “Mom, Xiao Jun and I are full. The boxed meal on the train is really tasty and fragrant. You should eat now.”

Xiao Jun added, “It’s not as good as at home. At home, we have big pieces of meat. Dad will bring back wild rabbits and chickens.”

Xiao Meng responded, “But we’re on the train now, and they don’t have those things here.”

Jiang Min quietly ate her meal, looking down.

Jiang Lin said, “Sister, you need to stay motivated. You have your final exams in a month. When you get back, let Jiang Xinglei give you some extra tutoring. It might be tough, but you can handle it.”

Jiang Min looked up and smiled at her. “Lin Lin, don’t worry about me. I’m not afraid of hard work. Studying and learning might be exhausting, but it’s all worth it.”

She just had some things on her mind that needed to be dealt with slowly.

Some things are impossible to forget or let go of.

In the past, she used to avoid and suppress them, pretending they didn’t exist.

Later, she realized this wasn’t effective.

The best approach is to repeatedly sort through them, no matter how painful or resentful.

Avoiding them only delays the process.

Properly dealing with these issues allows for better planning and adjustment in life.

Jiang Lin was pleased to see her sister’s positive attitude and lack of discouragement.

“Dabao, Xiaobao, and Xiao Meng are all the same age and can go to school together. Xiao Jun is still young, so he can stay at home for now. Our grandparents are available and happy to play with the kids.”

Jiang Min had previously insisted on a divorce and returning to her parental home.

Honestly, she had concerns. Her parents’ home also had three children, and adding two more might be overwhelming.

Moreover, she feared the judgment of neighbors and the disapproval of her parents, who couldn’t tolerate being looked down upon.

However, since she decided to make a change, she had to face these problems.

Relying on her parents and sister for support was necessary, so she would work hard to graduate and find a good job to support her children’s education.

She reflected, “They say daughters shouldn’t marry too far away.”

With family support, even if they don’t do much, the in-laws would be more considerate.

Without family support, the in-laws might feel free to treat the daughter-in-law poorly.

Jiang Lin smiled, “Sister, you should change your old mindset. Divorce isn’t something to be ashamed of. As society progresses and women gain more freedom, people need to get used to it.”

Although divorce was rare in rural areas in the 80s and 90s, cities had already become more accepting.

Those who couldn’t get along should separate sooner rather than later.

She felt grateful for Bian Haitao’s betrayal, as it didn’t happen after they had children.

Jiang Lin and Jiang Min talked about the changes in the provincial capital.

Jiang Min’s mood became calmer, and her eyes sparkled with light.

Though she didn’t smile as much as before, her smile was more genuine, coming from her heart.

….

The train headed south, the opposite direction of their previous trip north.

On the way up, ice formed layer by layer, but on the way back, the ice melted little by little.

Xiao Meng and Xiao Jun, brother and sister, leaned against the window, marveling at the sight.

They watched for a long time, finding it incredibly fascinating.

On both sides of the tracks were green wheat fields, divided into small plots, unlike the vast, endless fields of the farm.

The farm’s land was expansive, stretching as far as the eye could see.

They saw many villages with mud and straw houses, brick and tile houses, cooking smoke, yellow cows, dogs, and children.

Everything was so new and exciting, like entering a whole new world.

On January 1, 1979, New Year’s Day, they arrived in the provincial capital in the morning.

The provincial capital’s train station was a building from the Republican era, with an ancient and heavy style, featuring a large black clock with pointers.

In front of the station, people bustled about, with not only bicycles but also jeeps, cars, and trucks, all of which amazed the siblings.

Some people weren’t even wearing thick cotton jackets and didn’t seem to be afraid of the cold!

At home, they had to wear both a cotton jacket and a heavy coat to avoid freezing.

They realized that the outside world was different from their mountain village and farm.

The provincial capital had no monsters; just people like them.

It turned out that Grandma was wrong! Xuao Meng used to think maybe their mom and aunt didn’t like Grandma, so they said she lied.

Now, seeing for herself, Xiao Meng knew Grandma had been the one lying!

Xiao Meng grew even fonder of listening to Aunt Jiang Lin, thinking her aunt, a university student, knew a lot, didn’t lie to children, and was more trustworthy than Grandma.

“Wow, it’s so warm!” Xiao Jun, who hadn’t been very happy on the journey, finally laughed heartily. “It’s so warm, not cold at all!” He wanted to take off his heavy cotton jacket.

Xiao Meng said, “No, if you take it off, you’ll catch a cold.”

“But it’s so warm, how could I catch a cold?”

Jiang Lin said, “If the train keeps going south, it will get even warmer. They don’t wear cotton jackets in the winter down there. Further south, it’s like our summer.”

“Really?”