A rich aroma, both sweet and savory, filled the air—the distinctive scent of braised pork, tantalizing and mouthwatering.

Xiuzhu picked up her chopsticks and gently clamped onto a piece of braised pork. The morsel quivered slightly at the tips of her chopsticks before she placed it into her mouth along with some rice. Instantly, a burst of intense flavor exploded across her taste buds.

The perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness danced on her tongue like a beautiful melody.

The smooth, tender fat melded seamlessly with the lean meat, making every bite deeply satisfying. The rich sauce lingered in her mouth, leaving both her and Yan Ming savoring every moment.

But for the other two people in the confined space, this was pure torture.

Gu Yu was faring slightly better—he had never lacked good food growing up. Still, watching Xiuzhu eat with such obvious satisfaction made him involuntarily crave a bite.

However, he had just heard Yan Ming mention that the braised pork was already sold out, so he abandoned any thoughts of heading to the dining car.

Before boarding, the leaders in Yancheng had given him some food.

Reaching for the bag by his bedside, he moved with effortless grace as he retrieved a large, shiny red apple and began eating it slowly.

Xiuzhu’s gaze unconsciously drifted—not to the handsome man in front of her, but to the apple in his hand.

After eating so much braised pork, the greasiness was beginning to build up. An apple would be perfect to cleanse her palate.

It had been a long time since she had eaten one. There was never a shortage of food at home—

Her father earned a monthly salary of 245 yuan, and they had more than enough sugar and pastry ration coupons. Her grandfather even sent foreign snacks from overseas Chinese stores.

But fruit ration coupons were scarce. Despite her father holding a deputy division-level position, they only received 5 jin (about 2.5 kg) of fruit coupons per month. Since both she and her mother loved fruit, they would finish the supply within ten days.

The vibrant red apple in his hand exuded a sweet fragrance, its glossy surface utterly tempting.

She quickly averted her gaze, licked her pink lips lightly, and let out an almost imperceptible gulp.

Her reaction didn’t escape Gu Yu’s notice. Amused, he thought to himself—so, she’s just a little glutton after all.

Unable to bear seeing her looking so pitiful, he reached into his bag again, took out another apple, and handed it over.

“An apple isn’t very filling. How about a trade—one apple for one of your biscuits?”

It was the first time Xiuzhu had heard Gu Yu speak.

His voice was deep, rich, and magnetic. He spoke slowly, enunciating each word with clarity. A slight rasp in his tone added an extra touch of rugged charm.

She hesitated for a moment. She had plenty of pastry coupons, and biscuits were easy to replace. But apples weren’t something one could buy just because they had money. A trade to satisfy her craving was almost too good to pass up!

However, she reminded herself not to let down her guard around strangers. No matter how handsome he was, who could guarantee that bad people couldn’t also be good-looking?

Her father had warned her since childhood never to accept things from boys. Even though this was technically a trade, her past experiences had ingrained in her the habit of not casually interacting with strangers.

Besides, while Uncle Yan was formidable in a fight, his intellect wasn’t exactly his strong suit.

With her mind made up, she quickly looked away, schooled her expression, and responded in a cold, distant tone, “Sorry, no need.”

Gu Yu’s warm smile faded.

He had been a privileged child from birth—hailing from an illustrious family, gifted with exceptional abilities, and never once slighted by anyone.

He had plenty of biscuits in his own bag. He had only made the offer because he found her craving-filled expression amusing and had acted on impulse.

Since she clearly didn’t care for his offer, he certainly wouldn’t insist.

His face remained polite but void of warmth. “Alright then.”

Chen Yuling watched the two annoying people across from her eating so heartily while she was stuck with a sesame flatbread. The resentment in her heart deepened.

For an average person, having a flatbread wasn’t bad—it cost four cents per piece. But compared to the various snacks in Xiu Zhu’s hands, some even adorned with foreign-language packaging, hers seemed rather humble.

Hearing that Gu Yu had offered to exchange an apple with that woman, only to be arrogantly refused, she sneered inwardly.

She had just noticed that the watch on Gu Yu’s wrist was a foreign import, worth at least 1,000 yuan.

Last year, during a social gathering at the Yuan family, she had seen the same model on the wrist of a guest’s son.

At the time, the high-society wives had all flattered that guest, secretly gossiping about the price of that watch, which left a deep impression on her.

Gu Yu’s background was definitely not ordinary. If she could establish a connection with him, she could soar to new heights and no longer have to ingratiate herself with her aunt or endure the Yuan family’s attitude.

And he was so handsome—only that distinguished guest’s son could compare.

Thinking back to the unattractive suitors her aunt had introduced her to, she found them unbearable to look at. Her determination only grew stronger.

“Comrade Gu, I still have some sesame flatbread here. It tastes quite good. Why don’t you have some? I can’t finish it all by myself anyway.”

Wasn’t gentleness and thoughtfulness what men liked most? Especially with that ungracious woman present.

“No, thank you.” Gu Yu suppressed his impatience and maintained his usual polite refusal.

“Do you dislike my flatbread because it’s not as tasty as Comrade Lin’s biscuits?”

“Then at least have a little to fill your stomach. There’s still some time before the next meal—what if you get too hungry?” Chen Yuling, having failed repeatedly to start a conversation with Gu Yu, began to feel anxious.

This trick had never failed her before. Why was Gu Yu not playing by the usual rules?

“No need. I’m reading. Comrade, if you have nothing else, please don’t disturb me.” Gu Yu had little patience for someone irrelevant.

However, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Xiu Zhu’s amused expression.

His frustration vanished instantly, replaced by an inexplicable sense of delight.

Her bright eyes were wide open, and her fair little ears seemed almost perked up in curiosity.

She really was a little chameleon.

Xiu Zhu had indeed been watching the scene for quite a while. In this era, entertainment options were scarce, and stumbling upon drama on a train was a rare treat. She was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

But being too obvious might make men dislike her. She needed to appear more indifferent in the future—something worth studying and mastering.

After all, in both her lifetimes, she had never lived to adulthood and had no experience in romance.

On the other hand, Chen Yuling, feeling frustrated, knew that pushing too hard would be counterproductive. She decided to bide her time and find another opportunity.

Adjusting her mindset, she resumed her gentle and considerate demeanor.

Softly, she said, “Alright, I won’t disturb you then, Comrade Gu.”

With the drama over, Xiu Zhu felt the air quiet down.

She lay on the bed, lazily shifting her legs, flipping through a small illustrated book she had brought from home.

Her slender, elegant fingers curled gently, each joint so delicately formed that they looked like nature’s carefully sculpted artwork.

Knock, knock, knock…

Suddenly, a series of urgent, forceful knocks shattered the silence of the compartment.