Chapter 27.1

Ruan Mingfu sat up, responded softly, and tidied her clothes before climbing down.

Xie Yanzhao on the lower bunk also woke up at the right moment, “Awake? Are you hungry?”

“What time is it?”

Ruan Mingfu rubbed her neck and sat down.

“It’s two in the afternoon,” Xie Yanzhao glanced at the watch on his arm.

The girl opposite noticed the watch on Xie Yanzhao’s wrist and nudged her companion. But her companion was already captivated by Ruan Mingfu and paid no attention to anything else.

The girl shot him an annoyed look.

“Looks like I slept quite a while,” Ruan Mingfu said with a hint of distress on her delicate face, “I think I twisted my neck.”

Turning her head to the left caused a sharp pain.

“Ah—”

“Don’t move,” Xie Yanzhao placed his hand on the painful spot and asked, “Here?”

His large hand touched Ruan Mingfu’s fair skin, causing his ears to turn slightly red. Xie Yanzhao’s gaze fell on the back of her neck before quickly darting away.

“Yes, it’s here,” Ruan Mingfu began to speak, but his hand, which had been pressing on the spot, applied more pressure, causing Ruan Mingfu’s beautiful face to scrunch up in pain.

Her voice sounded somewhat aggrieved and soft, like a pout.

“Be gentle, it hurts!”

Xie Yanzhao eventually rubbed the area.

Seeing the skin turn red, he awkwardly looked away.

After calming his emotions, he asked, “Does it still hurt now?”

Ruan Mingfu blinked, then shook her head and smiled, “Oh? It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

The three people opposite stared wide-eyed.

Gu Qingsong, having been warned by Xie Yanzhao, did not dare to speak.

The man who had just arrived had no such reservations, “Comrade, you’re quite impressive.”

He initially wanted to ask if it was a family tradition but thought better of it given the current situation and kept quiet.

Xie Yanzhao was not a very sociable person and did not engage in conversation.

The ignored man’s eyes flashed with displeasure, and he was about to say something when the girl opposite spoke up first.

Her eyes sparkled, “Since we’re all in the same compartment, it’s a good chance to get to know each other and look out for one another.”

“I’ll go first. I’ll go first.”

“I’m Lin Anle, from Haicheng,” Lin Anle pointed to the man who had arrived earlier and continued, “This is my brother, Lin Anguo.”

Gu Qingsong’s eyes widened, “You’re from Haicheng too? Comrade Ruan is from there as well.”

“How coincidental! No wonder I felt that this comrade looked familiar. Turns out we’re from the same hometown,” Lin Anguo’s eyes lit up with excitement, “Comrade Ruan, where in Haicheng are you from? Maybe our families know each other.”

Haicheng is neither too big nor too small.

Lin Anguo was very curious.

He had lived in Haicheng all his life but had never known there was such a beautiful girl from there.

Ruan Mingfu glanced at him and replied, “I live on Haining Road.”

Upon hearing this, the other person immediately fell silent.

Haining Road is the center of Haicheng, where wealthy and influential families reside. Of course, in the current situation, those from there are among the worst affected. Although the Lin family was well-off, they were not in the same league as those who lived there.

Lin Anle pouted and muttered softly, “I thought it was someone important, turns out it’s just a ‘Stinking Old Ninth’.”

The atmosphere in the carriage had become a bit tense.

Gu Qingsong felt somewhat embarrassed. He had said what he did out of goodwill, but it had somehow led to this situation. He wanted to say something to ease the tension but was unsure how to start.

Lin Anguo’s admiration for Ruan Mingfu had turned into disdain. His previous subtle glances were now bold and unrestrained.

“If you keep looking at me with that disgusting gaze, I’ll gouge out your eyes!”

Ruan Mingfu, already in a foul mood, found the oily stare even more revolting. Her charming face darkened as she glared at Lin Anguo.

Lin Anguo, not used to being insulted by a woman, was infuriated. He was about to stand up to give Ruan Mingfu a piece of his mind, but Gu Qingsong grabbed him. “Calm down, Comrade.”

Gu Qingsong’s face was a picture of misery. He had intended to get closer to his goddess, but now he just hoped she wouldn’t hate him.

Lin Anguo was not the type to listen to advice. He brushed off Gu Qingsong’s hand and sneered, “You little bitch, I have to let you know how powerful I am—”

Ruan Mingfu was not afraid.

The dog man is here, and even a rookie like Lin Anguo is not even worth a punch from him.

When she goes out, the man is her bodyguard.

“Comrade Lin, don’t be impulsive,” Gu Qingsong held him tightly and said to Xie Yanzhao who was staring at them as if they would be beaten down if they made a move, “Comrade Ruan’s brother is here.”

Brother?

Except for Gu Qingsong, everyone in the compartment was stunned.

Lin Anle’s new interest in Xie Yanzhao immediately faded.

Lin Anguo swallowed his saliva.

Looking at the fierce look of the other party, he put down his hand angrily and said something harsh to save his dignity, “You…you just wait for me.”

Then, he ran away in shame.

Xie Yanzhao looked at Ruan Mingfu with a thoughtful expression.

“Comrade Ruan, I hope you weren’t scared just now,” Gu Qingsong apologized with a smile, “I didn’t mean to do that, I just…”

He regretted speaking up in the first place.

Gu Qingsong had no idea things would turn out like this.

So what if she’s a ‘Stinking Old Ninth’?

The fact that Ruan Mingfu could afford a sleeper berth meant her status was not an issue. Gu Qingsong cursed himself for getting involved with those idiots.

“No need to say more.” Ruan Mingfu had a good impression of Gu Qingsong and didn’t want to embarrass him. “It’s your fault.”

Oh no!

Ruan Mingfu must be venting her anger on him.

Oh, it’s all those two idiots’ fault!

Gu Qingsong, who had retaken his seat, ignored the siblings and picked up a book.

The siblings fell silent too.

The carriage became very quiet for a moment.

Xie Yanzhao picked up a food box from the table, checked its temperature, and found the food was still warm.

“This is the lunch from earlier. Have some.”

Ruan Mingfu had only eaten half a bun in the morning and had been asleep since then. Xie Yanzhao worried she might be hungry, so he brought a portion for her.

She recognized the familiar lunch box and looked up at Xie Yanzhao.

Wasn’t this the lunch box she had used when delivering food to the dog man?

She remembered going back to retrieve it after she had left it by the shore, but it was nowhere to be found. She had thought a villager had taken it.

Turns out, it was taken by this dog man!

Ruan Mingfu smirked slightly and looked intently at Xie Yanzhao.

Tsk, the dog man was quite contradictory.

She didn’t point it out but opened the lid to reveal white rice and potato stew with chicken on top. The rich, oily appearance made it look appetizing.

Ruan Mingfu picked up her chopsticks and began eating.

Food on the train was expensive.

But the cost had its benefits—the chef didn’t skimp on the oil.

The potatoes were tender and sticky, infused with the flavor of chicken. The chicken was also very tender, showing the chef’s skill.

Ruan Mingfu had a few bites of rice, some potatoes, and a few pieces of chicken before she stopped eating.

The chef’s skills were good, but Ruan Mingfu didn’t eat chicken skin. Eating this much was already a limit for her.

Besides, she wasn’t very hungry.

Xie Yanzhao watched her eat with a furrowed brow.

No wonder she was so thin!

“Eat more.”

“No,” Ruan Mingfu looked at him, her bright eyes reflecting his tall figure. “I want to drink some water.”

Lin Anle frowned deeply.

This older brother was too indulgent with his sister.

At this thought, Lin Anle couldn’t help but glare at Lin Anguo.

After a nap, Ruan Mingfu felt much better. She swapped seats with Xie Yanzhao and rested her chin on her hand, watching the rapidly receding scenery. “How much longer do we have to travel?”

“To reach Wancheng, we won’t get there until at least tomorrow morning.”

Ruan Mingfu breathed a sigh of relief.

At least she could manage that. If it were another whole day and night, she would have gone mad.

Gu Qingsong’s eyes lit up when he heard this. “Great, you’re going to Wancheng too? Me too. I’m from Wancheng.”

Gu Qingsong then shared many anecdotes and interesting local legends about Wancheng. Ruan Mingfu became gradually engrossed, occasionally responding.

Gu Qingsong grew more and more pleased, while Xie Yanzhao’s eyes darkened.

Ruan Mingfu didn’t notice. Even Lin Anguo, who had been resentful, was momentarily stunned by her smile.

“It’s so much fun! I definitely want to visit there when I have time.”

To better hear the stories, Ruan Mingfu leaned over the table.

Gu Qingsong scratched his head. “That’s something from my childhood. I don’t even know if it’s still around. By the way, where are you heading in Wancheng City? It’s possible we might be going the same way.”

“Not on the way!”

Xie Yanzhao, who had been standing nearby, spoke up. Seeing Ruan Mingfu’s surprised look, he gave her a long, deep glance but said nothing more.

“Oh,” Gu Qingsong said, a bit disappointed, and then asked, “By the way, Comrade Ruan, do you have any relatives in Wancheng City?”

Ruan Mingfu thought for a moment and then nodded.

After she marries the dog man, she would indeed have relatives in Wancheng City.

“So you’re visiting relatives,” Gu Qingsong said, writing his address on a piece of paper and handing it to Ruan Mingfu. “Here’s my address. If you need anything, you can contact me using the number on this paper.”

Of course, Gu Qingsong would also welcome her to write to him even if there was no urgent matter.

She took the paper, glanced at it, and then put it away.

“Thank you, I will.”

Gu Qingsong was almost ecstatic.

“Comrade Ruan—”

Xie Yanzhao’s voice cut in, cool and detached. “Aren’t you going to take another nap?”

“No,” Ruan Mingfu shook her head.

If she slept now, she might not be able to sleep at night.

Xie Yanzhao fell silent for a moment before asking, “Would you like some water to soothe your throat?”

Ruan Mingfu looked at him in surprise.

“What’s with you today?”

His behavior of asking all these questions was not like the dog man’s usual style. Was he under some kind of spell?

Ruan Mingfu reached out and touched his forehead.

Normal temperature.

Nothing wrong?

Xie Yanzhao felt his forehead grow warm from her small hand. His eyes darkened, and he gazed at Ruan Mingfu with an unintentionally aggressive look.

His attractive Adam’s apple moved slightly as he removed her hand from his forehead.

But he didn’t let go, holding it tightly, using the small table as a shield.

Ruan Mingfu felt her face flush and her heart race under his intense gaze. She tried to pull her hand away but couldn’t.

Feeling suddenly warm, she turned her face slightly away.

Gu Qingsong watched this scene.

He was quite open-minded and thought that the sibling relationship between his goddess and her brother was really good. With this thought, he couldn’t help but let his imagination run wild.

This pair of ‘siblings’ didn’t seem like siblings at all.

Really strange.

“Comrade Ruan, where are you going to the countryside…” Before he could finish his sentence, a middle-aged man from the carriage approached. “What are you still doing here? Come with me!”

Before Gu Qingsong could react, the man pulled Gu Qingsong away.

“… Teacher, where are you taking me?”

People in the carriage thought there was a human trafficker. Their hearts jumped for a moment, but when they heard Gu Qingsong call him Teacher, they calmed down.

Ruan Mingfu tried to pull her hand away but still couldn’t. She glared at Xie Yanzhao in frustration.

Damn it!

The dog man wasn’t like this before. When did he become so thick-skinned?

Xie Yanzhao also thought his actions were a bit childish.

But right now, he just wanted to act this way.

With the storyteller gone and Ruan Mingfu not getting along with the Lin siblings, she started feeling bored again. She leaned on the small table and her eyes fell on the book Gu Qingsong was reading.

Many books at this time were considered forbidden, and a lot of them were simply not allowed to be read.

Ruan Mingfu picked up Gu Qingsong’s book and glanced at it, her face turning green.

Damn it!

It was a dictionary.

And a self-compiled English dictionary at that.

Ruan Mingfu flipped through a few pages and saw several mistakes in the words.

She put the book back with little interest and was about to lie down again when she saw Xu Zhu walk in. His eyes brightened when he saw Ruan Mingfu.

“I knew it, you must be awake by now.”

Ruan Mingfu immediately straightened up.

“Comrade Xu, you’re here too,” Ruan Mingfu tugged at her still-held hand and shot a resentful glare at the dog man. Helplessly, she had to hide her hand behind her.

She would deal with the dog man properly after getting off the train!

When Xu Zhu arrived, Lin Anle’s eyes narrowed. When he saw Xu Zhu was here to see Ruan Mingfu, a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.

Compared to Ruan Mingfu, it was obvious Xie Yanzhao did not have much regard for him.

“Why are you here?”

Old Xie’s question caught him off guard, and he answered curtly, “I’m not here to see you. I’m here to see Comrade Ruan.”

Xie Yanzhao remained silent.

Xu Zhu didn’t care about him.

The saying about “a dog biting Lu Dongbin” applied to Old Xie.

If Xu Zhu didn’t come, what if Ruan Mingfu, this delicate female comrade, regretted halfway and decided not to marry Xie Yanzhao?

Mother Zhou’s words made sense.

These two had no feelings or love for each other. Ruan Mingfu’s pursuit of Xie Yanzhao was entirely because of external pressure. Without Zhou Peng, see if Ruan Mingfu would still pursue Xie Yanzhao.

He had made a promise to his superiors to ensure that Xie Yanzhao successfully married.

He couldn’t let the person run away at the last moment.