Chapter 12: Late at Night, Asleep on His Shoulder

“Damn human traffickers!” Xu Feng spat out a curse and said fiercely, “Don’t worry. I’ll immediately arrange for someone to change clothes and tail her. She won’t be able to escape. She’s going to jail for sure.”

Lu Zhanlin nodded, withdrew his gaze, and turned around to walk back to his carriage.

Xu Feng was stunned. “Hey, why are you leaving? You haven’t told me how your arm got better. Where did the doctor come from? And that girl just now—what’s your relationship with her? Why were you leaning so close to her for no reason?”

Watching Lu Zhanlin walk away without even turning his head, Xu Feng’s voice gradually trailed off into a sour mutter.

“Tsk, tsk… Same soldiers, such different fates… We’re all just old army guys—how come no girl ever looks at me? Who knows when I’ll have a wife and kids and a warm bed…”

…

Night fell. The lights in the train carriage were turned off, leaving only a faint glow. The steady rumble of the train became the perfect lullaby, and everyone inside the carriage started to doze off.

Lu Xiaobao, after eating a few steamed buns, started nodding off, his little head bobbing up and down.

Even in his half-asleep state, he still clutched half a steamed bun, occasionally stuffing it into his mouth.

He had been so afraid of going hungry that even in his sleep, he wouldn’t let go of his food.

Chu Yue gently patted Lu Xiaobao’s face and softly said, “Don’t eat anymore. If you’re sleepy, go to sleep. I’ll save the bun. You can eat it tomorrow.”

Lu Xiaobao was terribly sleepy. He barely opened his eyes, faintly recognizing Chu Yue’s face. Still gripping tightly, he handed her the remaining half of the bun.

Chu Yue took the bun and placed her backpack on the floor in front of her.

“Xiaobao, sit on the bag and lie on my legs. It’ll be more comfortable that way.”

Lu Xiaobao sat on the backpack, resting his head on Chu Yue’s lap. Chu Yue then took out a thick coat and covered him with it.

The conditions on the train were rough and crowded. Some people crawled under the seats to lie down, others clung to luggage racks to sleep standing. For Chu Yue, even having a seat was already a stroke of luck.

In the cramped space, she tried her best to make sure Lu Xiaobao could sleep peacefully and comfortably.

In the invisible darkness, Lu Xiaobao’s small hand clutched tightly onto Chu Yue’s pant leg, even more firmly than when he had held onto the bun—he didn’t let go even after falling asleep.

The train ride was long, and even Chu Yue’s back and waist began to ache.

Since she had nothing else to do, she thought she might as well enter her portable space to relax.

[Portable Space 007 received the host’s summoning. System is now opening…]

Chu Yue closed her eyes, and with a flash of rainbow light in her mind, she reopened them to find herself inside her personal space.

There was a vast field of eternal spring, endless fertile farmland, a spiritual stream with crystal-clear water, and bright red apples within easy reach.

Chu Yue operated the system to first harvest the crops from the bountiful fields—rice, wheat, corn, sorghum—which were all neatly bagged and stored in the system’s warehouse. After that, she replanted and started the cycle anew.

Farming in her space didn’t require manual labor. It operated like a simulation farming game—only this one was in full 3D with an immersive experience, and the harvests were real.

After finishing all the tasks and seeing the warehouse fill up a bit more, Chu Yue felt happy and satisfied.

Finally, she took off her clothes and jumped into the warm spiritual spring pool for a relaxing bath.

The spring water was magical. Not only did it relieve her physical fatigue, but even the frostbite and scars on the original host’s body slowly faded away, restoring her skin to that of a youthful girl—smooth and fair.

Soaking in the warm spring and admiring the scenery from afar—what bliss…

She completely forgot that her real body was still on a crowded train, on a small seat, swaying with the train’s movements… tilting to one side.

Lu Zhanlin felt a weight on his right shoulder.

He opened his dark eyes and glanced over. In the dim light, he saw a fair, serene sleeping face.

They were so close that he could see the fine lashes on Chu Yue’s face—long, curled, delicate, and charming.

Lu Zhanlin silently gazed at her and subtly lowered his shoulder.

There was a height difference between him and Chu Yue. By lowering himself a bit, her petite frame could lean on him more comfortably.

After a moment—

As if sensing the man’s thoughtfulness, not only did Chu Yue rest her head more fully on him, but her entire body leaned sideways. Her cheek pressed against Lu Zhanlin’s jacket, lightly nuzzling it.

In a daze, she found the most comfortable position and nestled close, no longer moving.

During that time, Lu Zhanlin stiffened several times, afraid to move even a little, for fear of waking Chu Yue.

Fortunately, Chu Yue was “sound asleep” and never woke up.

The girl who was usually cold and aloof during the day now looked so soft and gentle while asleep.

Ripples stirred in Lu Zhanlin’s heart.

As Chu Yue shifted slightly, Lu Yuanbao—who had been sleeping on her lap—also tilted to the side, his tiny body nearly falling to the ground.

Keeping his upper body still, Lu Zhanlin carefully reached out and scooped Lu Yuanbao into his arms.

The child, about five or six years old, was lifted with ease.

Chu Yue’s pant leg was pulled from Lu Yuanbao’s little hand as he was moved, causing the child to frown slightly in discomfort. Lu Zhanlin gently patted his back to soothe him, holding him in his arms.

Lu Zhanlin felt a deep sense of guilt toward this child.

Lu Yuanbao’s mother—Lu Zhanlin’s own sister—was his twin. They had shared the same womb for nine months.

As a boy, Lu Zhanlin had the stronger body and took more nutrients in the womb, leaving his sister frail and sickly from birth, smaller than average.

Later, Lu Zhanlin joined the army and sent money and ration tickets home every month, becoming the financial backbone of the family.

He thought this would improve their difficult living conditions and allow his sister to have a better life.

But his parents had secretly sold his sister… sold her to a farmer from a remote village.

And afterward, everything his sister suffered was never mentioned to him.

Lu Zhanlin had been in the army for ten years, never returning home, kept entirely in the dark. It wasn’t until a month ago that he finally learned his sister had tragically died, leaving behind an unwanted, helpless child.

Lu Zhanlin was both furious and filled with regret—but what had happened could not be undone.

He filed a report and completed the adoption procedures, officially registering Lu Yuanbao under his name and decided to bring the child to the army base to care for him personally.

Though they had never met before, from now on, this child would be his son.

Perhaps because of their blood connection, Lu Yuanbao squirmed restlessly in his arms for a moment before settling down again into a deep sleep.

In Lu Zhanlin’s arms and on his shoulder, the weight was heavy.

Slowly, he too closed his eyes.

…

The next morning, the sky was a hazy gray.

A train attendant walked through the carriage, shouting to wake the sleeping passengers.

“Terminal station! Terminal station! The train will stop at the terminal station in ten minutes! Everyone wake up! Terminal station!”

Chu Yue woke up to the shouting, groggy and drowsy, for a moment unsure if she was still in the apocalypse or had returned to the 1970s. In her daze, her eyes landed on a black men’s trench coat.

She instantly came to her senses and sat up straight.

She looked at the coat draped over her and then at the man’s shoulder beside her, instinctively touching the corner of her mouth.

Thankfully, her face felt clean and dry, with no mysterious marks.

“No need to worry. You were very quiet while sleeping—no drooling.”

What you fear most always comes true!

Hearing the man’s deep, magnetic voice laced with amusement, Chu Yue frowned in frustration.

She had no choice but to lift her head, forcing herself to remain calm despite her embarrassment. “Sorry, I leaned on your shoulder.”

She hadn’t even finished apologizing—

Chu Yue then noticed Lu Yuanbao still sleeping soundly in Lu Zhanlin’s arms.

Her forced calm started to crack, her eyes trembling nervously. The sleep creases on her cheeks and the faint blush of embarrassment made her look even more flustered.