Chapter 18 : Departure to the Island

Seeing his slightly shocked expression, Song Shiwei was in a good mood.  

She smiled and waved at him.  

“I have to follow my man to join the army. Let’s say goodbye now! Goodbye!”  

Best if we never see each other again!  

After saying that, she ignored the strong sense of loss in Ji Yanli’s eyes and excitedly took small steps, skipping home!  

It felt so good to be out of the plot!  

The next morning, Zhou Tingyue came early to pick her up.  

Shen Xiu’e and Zhou Runde also took leave to come and see them off.  

Their son and daughter-in-law were going to the island together, and they couldn’t bear to part with them!  

Not only them, but even Zhao Huili and Song Zhiyong didn’t go to work.  

They helped Song Shiwei pack her luggage, then took the Zhou family’s car to send them to the station.  

Zhou Tingyue had booked a train ticket for 10 a.m. First, they had to take a train to Qingcheng, the closest city to Qilian Island. After arriving in Qingcheng, they would have to take a boat, making the journey almost a full day.  

At the train platform, Shen Xiu’e and Zhao Huili held Song Shiwei’s hands reluctantly, giving her numerous instructions.  

“Weiwei, you must take good care of yourself over there!”  

“Weiwei, if you find it hard to live there, just come back!”  

Zhao Huili pointed at the bag Song Zhiyong was carrying and said, “Inside are the new shoes I made for you a few days ago, along with the pancakes I made this morning. Take them with you on the road!”  

Song Shiwei kept nodding, feeling deeply moved.  

“Don’t worry, Mom, I will take good care of myself. You and Dad must also take care of yourselves, as well as Grandma and my aunt…”  

Zhao Huili knew what she was worried about and interrupted her with a smile. “Don’t worry, I understand. Now that we’ve separated, they can’t control us anymore! From now on, your dad and I don’t have to hand over our monthly salaries, and life will get better and better!”  

Song Zhiyong also chimed in, “Yes, my daughter, don’t worry. I’ve thought it through and won’t be confused again! You must live well over there!”  

Song Shiwei’s eyes turned red, and she nodded vigorously.  

“Mm!”  

Zhou Tingyue took the bag from Song Zhiyong with a smile.  

“Don’t worry, Uncle. I will take good care of her and won’t let her suffer any injustice!”  

At that moment, the train was about to depart, and Zhou Tingyue and Song Shiwei didn’t dare to delay any longer. Under everyone’s reluctant gazes, they carried their luggage and boarded the train.  

Seated by the window, Song Shiwei kept waving at them.  

“Mom, Dad, go back! Don’t worry! We will take good care of ourselves!”  

The train started moving slowly. Zhao Huili and Shen Xiu’e ran after it, wiping away their tears.  

“Take care of yourself!”  

The train sped up, gradually becoming a small black dot in the distance before disappearing.  

Zhao Huili suddenly recalled the time when she had sent her eldest son to the countryside, and tears fell uncontrollably.  

Shen Xiu’e felt distressed upon seeing this.  

Patting her back in comfort, she said, “Stop crying! The child will be sad if she finds out!”  

Zhao Huili wiped her tears, took one last reluctant look in the direction where the train had disappeared, and then left.  

The green trains of that era did not have fans. It was now midsummer, and the entire carriage was packed with people. Many were even standing in the train’s aisle with bags on their backs.  

The entire carriage was filled with the mixed smells of damp air, tobacco, alcohol, various foods, and human sweat.  

Song Shiwei felt a headache from the smoke.  

Fortunately, she was sitting next to the window. When she gently leaned her head against the cool glass, she felt a little better.  

Zhou Tingyue noticed her discomfort.  

“Is this your first time taking a train? Are you feeling a little unwell?”  

This wasn’t the first time Song Shiwei had taken a train. In her previous life, she had taken countless trains, high-speed trains, and even airplanes.  

But this was the first time in this life that she had taken a train with such poor conditions, and the thick smoke was giving her a headache.  

So, she nodded.  

“This is my first time sitting here, and I’m a little uncomfortable with it!”  

Zhou Tingyue was well aware of the poor environment on the train. After thinking for a moment, he took out a bag of dried plums from his backpack and handed it to her.  

“Have a plum. It might help you feel better!”  

Song Shiwei was a little surprised when she saw the bag of dried plums.  

“Did you prepare this in advance?”  

Zhou Tingyue smiled and nodded. “I thought this might be your first time taking a train, and I was worried you wouldn’t be able to adapt to it, so I bought these ahead of time!”  

Song Shiwei was delighted. She hadn’t expected him to be so thoughtful. She picked one up and put it in her mouth. The sweet and sour juice instantly filled her mouth, and even her headache eased significantly.  

Seeing that she looked much better, Zhou Tingyue felt relieved.  

“If you’re feeling better, you can lean on me and take a nap. When we arrive at the next stop, I’ll see if there’s any fruit for sale and buy some for you!”  

Touched by his thoughtfulness, Song Shiwei felt a warmth in her heart. She looked up at his defined jawline and the way his Adam’s apple moved as he spoke, and suddenly, her heartbeat quickened.  

Obediently, she rested her head on his shoulder. Immediately, the fresh scent of laundry detergent filled her nose, washing away the unpleasant smells of the train car.  

Song Shiwei felt much more at ease. Leaning against his broad shoulder, she quickly fell asleep to the rhythmic “bang, bang” of the train.  

When she woke up again, it was to the sound of loud chatter. She opened her eyes groggily and saw people getting on and off the train.  

The carriage was bustling with activity.  

Suddenly, a gentle voice came from above her head.  

“You’re awake? Do you want to sleep a little longer?”  

Song Shiwei lifted her head and found Zhou Tingyue’s handsome face just inches away. She hadn’t even realized she had fallen asleep! Quickly, she wiped the corner of her mouth.  

Did I drool in my sleep?  

She stole a glance at his shoulder. There didn’t seem to be any suspicious water stains.  

He was wearing a white shirt, and probably due to the heat, he had unbuttoned two buttons at the collar, revealing a glimpse of his defined chest.  

Seeing this, Song Shiwei couldn’t help but swallow.  

Suddenly, those firm pectoral muscles moved toward her rapidly. Before she could react, she was pulled into Zhou Tingyue’s arms. The muscles she had just been secretly admiring were now so close—just an inch away, as if she could lick them with a single movement of her tongue!  

Song Shiwei’s face turned red instantly, and she froze in place.  

Then, she heard a crash the sound of a window being pushed open behind her.  

A refreshing breeze blew in, instantly cooling down some of the heat rising to her face.  

At that moment, Zhou Tingyue pulled away slightly. Seeing her flushed cheeks, he couldn’t help but feel a little worried.  

“Are you feeling too hot? We just arrived at a stop. The train will be here for 20 minutes. I opened the window to get you some fresh air, see if that helps!”  

Song Shiwei quickly nodded, turning toward the window in a panic.  

She stretched out her hands and fanned her face desperately.  

“It really was way too hot just now!”  

Those pectoral muscles suddenly so close, who wouldn’t feel hot seeing that?!