“Shenior Song…”
Lin Xiu’er still refused to give up, clinging to Song Yuanyang.
Song Yuanyang had reached his limit. His face darkened as he said, “Comrade Lin, we don’t attend the same school, so by all rights, you shouldn’t be calling me ‘senior.’ We’re on the train right now—please return to your seat and stop disturbing the other passengers.”
Nearby passengers were also complaining. “Exactly! A perfectly decent young lady, why is she so shameless, clinging to a man like that? She’s been bumping into me, shoving back and forth.”
“Get back to your own car already! When the conductor comes to check tickets, you’ll be making a fuss back and forth again—what a pain.”
Under the passengers’ complaints and Lin Xiu’er’s unwilling gaze, she was finally dragged away by another young woman traveling with her.
As they left, both of them took a deep look at Jiang Tang. The other young woman, in particular, cast several extra glances at Chaochao and Yueyue, as if mulling something over.
After they were gone, Song Yuanyang looked at Jiang Tang awkwardly and apologized to her.
“Comrade, I’m sorry. Let me apologize to you on their behalf.”
Jiang Tang answered crisply, “You’re you, and she’s her. Since you don’t want to be associated with her, I won’t assume you’re on the same side.”
Song Yuanyang was momentarily stunned by her response. He hadn’t expected such open-minded words to come from such a young woman.
And moreover…
When Jiang Tang spoke, her eyes were bright and radiant, especially sparkling—a striking contrast to her deliberately darkened face.
Even in worn-out clothes, she couldn’t hide the light radiating from her.
Especially the fact that she even understood English.
Song Yuanyang wanted to speak with her again. “You…”
But Jiang Tang had already turned her head. Just then, Yueyue burrowed into Jiang Tang’s arms, covering her little mouth as she yawned.
Jiang Tang patted her small body and said, “Yueyue, are you sleepy? Come, let Mama hold you while you sleep.”
Yueyue reached out to Jiang Tang, flopping softly into her arms. Listening to the rumble of the train, she drowsily closed her eyes.
Chaochao watched from the side, envy clear in his eyes.
“Chaochao, come here.”
Jiang Tang reached out to the little boy, letting him lean against her knees. The mother and her two children huddled tightly together, leaning against the seat as they fell asleep.
Meanwhile, on the same train.
Liang Kailai carefully observed Fu Sinian’s expression beside him. Ever since they’d caused a scene at the Jiang family’s ancestral home that morning, the two of them had rushed to catch the train as quickly as possible.
But the turmoil they’d stirred up at the Jiang household still lingered between them.
His sister-in-law had actually run off—and taken the children with her…
The news was so shocking that Liang Kailai didn’t dare get too close to Fu Sinian. The aura around Fu Sinian was cold and heavy; even sitting beside him, Liang Kailai felt gusts of chill wind, shivering uncontrollably.
“Commander Fu, I think the whole Jiang Dehai family are no good. What they said can’t be trusted! We’re rushing back to report on our mission this time, so we don’t have time to stop. Once we’re back, you can ask Chief He for leave, and I’ll come back with you to find sister-in-law!
Besides, she’s been married to you for five years and given you two children—how could she really divorce you—”
Before Liang Kailai could finish, he suddenly heard a “crack” from Fu Sinian’s hand.
It was an enamel cup!
It had been crushed and twisted out of shape in Fu Sinian’s grip, startling Liang Kailai so much that his mouth hung open in shock.
Fu Sinian didn’t believe Jiang Tang would really run off, let alone take the children with her. Even if she wanted a divorce, she’d toss the kids to him and then walk away without a backward glance.
But now Jiang Tang was gone, and the children were gone too.
Where in the world were his wife and kids?
Liang Kailai called out nervously, “Commander Fu, be careful with the gunshot wound on your arm! If it splits open again, there’s no doctor on this train.”
…
The train swayed and lurched, stopping and starting through the night.
It was Chaochao and Yueyue’s first time going out—let alone traveling so far. Despite Jiang Tang’s careful attention, after a day and a night on the train, the two children gradually showed signs of fatigue. They were no longer as energetic as yesterday, and even the scenery outside the train window had lost its appeal.
Especially Yueyue. She’d caught a bit of a chill while sleeping last night. The little girl kept whimpering softly, her face slightly pale, listlessly curled up in Jiang Tang’s arms.
Jiang Tang had tended to Yueyue all night, even taking out Spirit Spring Stream water from her Spirit Treasure Space to feed the child. But Yueyue still wasn’t improving. Her little hand clutched her stomach as she curled into a ball, becoming a complete little pitiful thing.
“Mama, tummy doesn’t feel good.”
“Don’t be scared, Yueyue. Is your little belly cold? Mama will warm it up for you and rub it.”
Jiang Tang held Yueyue worriedly, a cup of hot water set before her.
She pressed her palm against the hot water until it became warm, then quickly slipped it inside her little daughter’s clothes, pressing the warm palm against her small belly and gently beginning to rub.
Round and round, slowly.
Jiang Tang gently coaxed her, “Yueyue, does this feel a little better?”
Yueyue’s little face was pale, and she had curled herself into a tiny ball. Her small hands nervously gripped the buttons on Jiang Tang’s clothes as she spoke softly.
“Mommy… don’t abandon Yueyue… Yueyue will get better soon… Yueyue won’t be a burden to Mommy…”
The timid words of her little daughter made Jiang Tang’s heart ache with sadness.
She lowered her head and rubbed her forehead against Yueyue’s, speaking affectionately, “Silly girl, Mommy will always love Yueyue the most. How could I ever abandon you? You and your brother are both Mommy’s treasures—very, very important family.”
Jiang Tang continued like this, over and over, using her warm palms to rub Yueyue’s belly. Gradually, Yueyue’s body regained its warmth, and mother and daughter nestled closely together.
The original owner’s pampered, delicate body was just as fragile as Yueyue’s. The exhaustion of the long train ride surged up, and holding Yueyue, she drifted off into a dazed sleep.
Meanwhile, Chaochao on the other side acted like a little adult, keeping watch over Jiang Tang and his little sister.
Just as Jiang Tang’s head drooped slightly in sleep, a tall, imposing figure in a military uniform brushed past them in the aisle.
Chaochao looked up at the two men in military uniforms.
They were so tall…
Fu Sinian had been dragged over to this carriage by Liang Kailai, who had been muttering nonstop the whole way.
“I heard from the train police that there are female students from Jing University and newly arrived research experts, all on this train. They’re all heading to our military district. Come with me to get acquainted…”
Liang Kailai had been a soldier for nearly eight years. Unlike Fu Sinian, who had married five years ago, he was still a bachelor. Recently, he’d felt the old tree finally blooming and wanted to find a girl to marry. Then, thinking of how Fu Sinian’s wife had run off, he simply dragged Fu Sinian along with him.
The two walked and talked, not paying attention to those around them, until a force grabbed hold of the hem of Fu Sinian’s military uniform.
Fu Sinian stopped in his tracks and looked down. Suddenly, he froze.
“Why did you stop?”
Liang Kailai looked puzzled and stopped as well at the junction between the two carriages. He looked at Fu Sinian, then followed his gaze and looked down to see the little boy tugging at Fu Sinian’s uniform.
His pupils instantly dilated in shock.
Because this child… was practically a perfect replica of Fu Sinian.
If he hadn’t just heard that Fu Sinian’s wife and child had run away, he would have definitely thought this boy was Fu Sinian’s son.
This child was none other than Chaochao.
Chaochao had originally listened to Jiang Tang and obediently sat in his seat without moving. But then he spotted the same bloated woman trafficker from yesterday. The woman had chosen a new target—in another carriage, she was talking nonstop to a young woman, stuffing steamed buns and a water canteen into her hands!
That woman had clearly already fallen for the trap.
Chaochao was just a child and didn’t know how to save someone, but he remembered what Jiang Tang had muttered yesterday: “If only there were soldiers around. They’d definitely catch the trafficker in no time!”
When Jiang Tang said those words, she had naturally thought of the “strange man on the train.”
Chaochao silently remembered what Jiang Tang had said. When Fu Sinian and Liang Kailai in their military uniforms passed by, he thought for a moment, got down from his seat, and quietly followed them.
Fu Sinian stared at Chaochao’s little face, lost in thought, his dark eyes trembling slightly.
His and Jiang Tang’s child was already five years old. Calculating the age, he should be about this size by now.
“Uncle—”
Chaochao called out to Fu Sinian, snapping him out of his daze.
Fu Sinian: (furious) My own son actually called me uncle!
Chaochao: The old father doesn’t recognize his own son right in front of him.