Chapter 18 was reported

Song Nanting was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, “No need, Auntie, there’s no rush to find someone. But thank you.”

She knew Auntie Song meant well, but her heart was still set on Lu Jian’an — he was the best man in her eyes. Aside from him, she didn’t want anyone else. Right now, she wasn’t even sure if Auntie Song was from the same military district as Lu Jian’an, and there was no guarantee they even knew each other. What if Auntie introduced someone else instead? It was better to take things one step at a time and wait until she got there to find a way to meet him.

After their chat, Auntie Song returned to her own seat. Thankfully, this time the young man didn’t say anything snide.

Feeling bored on the upper bunk, Song Nanting thought about reading a book — but then she remembered, at this point in time, she was supposed to be illiterate, only able to recognize her own name.

In her past life, she hadn’t had a proper education either, only picking up a few scattered words during her time doing odd jobs. It wasn’t until she met Lu Jian’an that he patiently taught her how to read and write, along with so many other things. This time around, she still wanted him to be the one to teach her — that feeling was truly wonderful.

Thinking of Lu Jian’an, her heart softened.

After nightfall, the train grew quiet. The young man on the lower bunk was snoring like thunder, but Song Nanting couldn’t fall asleep.

Enduring the stench from the nearby toilet, she entered her space. It was still eerily quiet there, as time didn’t flow.

In her past life, after Lu Jian’an died, she had placed all his photos in a drawer and would only take them out to look at when she missed him so much that she couldn’t sleep.

But when she opened the drawer now, she froze.

It was completely empty. Not a single photo remained — not even ones of herself.

Back when she and Lu Jian’an got married, they’d already had a wedding gown. She wore the gown, and he wore his military uniform — the two of them had taken wedding photos together.

When they had those pictures taken, they were in their forties, and the photographer thought they were a remarried couple. In reality, neither of them had ever been married before — it was just that they met too late. She hadn’t found him in the best years of her life.

Could it be that this was heaven’s way of arranging things? That since the younger versions of Lu Jian’an and Song Nanting now existed in this life, there was no need to preserve the relics of their past?

Maybe that was for the best — they could both start over.

She opened the wardrobe — her own clothes were still there, but all of Lu Jian’an’s were gone.

She searched the whole space for any trace of his belongings but found nothing. Only her own items and some supplies they had stockpiled remained.

The emptiness in her heart grew unbearable, and she quickly exited the space and returned to the train car.

Comrade Han suddenly said, “I thought something happened to you — I was just about to go look for you.”

Song Nanting blinked, then shook her head. “I’m fine. Thank you, Comrade Han.”

He smiled. “No problem. When you’re traveling, it’s only right to look out for each other.”

Back on her bunk, Song Nanting still couldn’t sleep. It had been a long time since she’d felt this kind of insomnia.

She knew — it was because she missed Lu Jian’an.

Only in the second half of the night did she finally drift off.

At dawn, Comrade Han called to her, “Comrade Xiao Song, we’ve arrived in Yu Province. Time to get off.”

Song Nanting quickly got up to wash up. She didn’t have much luggage — just the clothes on her back and a shoulder bag.

Comrade Han looked at her with a trace of sympathy.

At that moment, Auntie Song also came over. “Xiao Song, let’s get off together.”

Song Nanting smiled. “Sure, but you’re really bold, Auntie, traveling so far on your own.”

“That’s nothing. When I was young, I even fought the Japanese. I followed the troops to many places — there’s nowhere I’m afraid to go,” Auntie Song said cheerfully. “Let’s go buy tickets?”

Song Nanting glanced at Comrade Han, who said, “Auntie, why don’t I help you both get the tickets? It’ll be easier to look out for each other on the way.”

Auntie Song gave him a once-over and said bluntly, “You’re not interested in our Xiao Song, are you?”

Comrade Han’s face flushed red. He quickly looked at Song Nanting and said, “Please don’t say that, Auntie. I just want to help since you’re both traveling alone — nothing else.”

Chuckling helplessly, he added, “I’m old enough to be her father! Auntie, please don’t tease like that.”

Auntie Song wasn’t bothered. “That’s good. I was planning to introduce her to a young officer when we get to the northeast.” She put extra emphasis on “young.”

Comrade Han broke out in a cold sweat. “Let’s go, let’s go. I already have a wife and kids — my daughter and son are teenagers.”

Song Nanting couldn’t help but laugh, while Auntie Song didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed. “Well, that’s great. Let’s get moving.”

The three of them got off the train together. Surprisingly, the young man from their carriage also got off at the same station.

Song Nanting only glanced at him once and paid no further attention, but Auntie Song suddenly muttered, “That young man in your car doesn’t look like a good person — his eyes were locked on you.”

Hearing that, Song Nanting turned to look. The young man had just looked away.

She recalled the vague, lingering gaze she’d felt the night before — could it have been him?

But once they got off the train, the group went their separate ways.

Comrade Han said, “Wait here a bit. I’ll go ask about the tickets. If I can get them now, you won’t have to make another trip.”

Song Nanting quickly said, “Thank you so much, Comrade Han.”

Auntie Song also smiled and thanked him. Once he was gone, she said to Song Nanting, “There really are still a lot of good people in this world.”

Song Nanting smiled. “You already forgot the pickpocket who stole from you?”

“Well, he didn’t get away with it, did he? And it was because we met good people that we caught him,” Auntie Song said, glancing around. After a moment, she frowned.

“That young guy still hasn’t left.”

Song Nanting glanced over and saw that the young man was indeed still standing there, as if waiting for someone—or perhaps deliberately lingering.

Not long after, Comrade Han came over, holding the tickets. “Here are your tickets. We’re all in the same carriage.”

Auntie Song exclaimed, “Oh, this must be expensive, right?”

Though she said that, Auntie Song immediately started digging into her purse for money. Song Nanting asked about the price and began taking out money as well. Sleeper tickets were definitely pricey—traveling from here to the Northeast would probably cost at least a hundred or eighty yuan, maybe more. Traveling was tough.

Just then, someone shouted, “There are scalpers here!”

Song Nanting looked up and saw the young man from before running over with two others.

Comrade Han immediately panicked, “W-why is he like this? How can he be so bad?”

Song Nanting said softly, “Yeah, that’s just how bad he is.”

Auntie Song got angry. “I’m going to hit him.”

“Don’t hit anyone—it’s just a small matter.”

At that moment, two men in their forties, wearing red armbands, came over with sharp looks aimed at the three of them.

“Someone said you’re scalpers. Come with us,” one of them said sternly.

Song Nanting glanced at the young man and calmly explained, “Comrade, you’ve misunderstood. We’re not scalpers — we’re just helping each other out.”

She pointed to herself and Auntie Song. “Look at us — one sickly, one old. This brother over here took pity on us and ran to buy the tickets. The money he gave me and the money I gave him for the tickets are exactly the same. How can that be scalping? This is mutual help.”