Lu Chenyuan didn’t sleep all night.
He felt frustrated.
On his wedding night, he should have been with his beloved wife, doing this and that, yet all he could picture was Su Wanxing being held by Xu Wenbin.
Clutching his pillow, he thought: he hadn’t even hugged Su Wanxing like that himself…
From the end of the wedding to bedtime, Su Wanxing hadn’t mentioned anything to him. Clearly, she still had Xu Wenbin in her heart.
Suddenly, Lu Chenyuan felt that maybe this marriage shouldn’t have happened.
Maybe he should just be a man about it and let Su Wanxing be with Xu Wenbin.
But when he thought of Su Wanxing’s smiling face, he couldn’t bear it.
Even if she didn’t love him, he would never give her up to someone else!
The future was long, and he believed that as long as he did well enough, one day Su Wanxing would see him.
But until then, he refused to force her into their bridal chamber.
He wanted to wait until she willingly gave herself to him.
The next morning, Su Wanxing woke up to find Lu Chenyuan already gone.
She didn’t waste any time either—rushed to the market for chives, then to the department store for goji berries, and hurried back to prepare breakfast.
When Lu Chenyuan returned from his run, he was carrying two lunch boxes.
They were breakfast he had brought from the army canteen for Su Wanxing, but seeing she had already made a steaming hot breakfast, he quietly put them away.
“Eat while it’s hot.” Su Wanxing placed a plate of chive eggs and chive pancakes in front of him.
Lu Chenyuan realized that Su Wanxing’s heart wasn’t completely devoid of him.
He picked up his chopsticks and ate heartily.
“Slow down! Don’t choke,” Su Wanxing said, handing him a cup of bright-red goji berry water.
Lu Chenyuan, who never wasted food, now made sure not to disappoint Su Wanxing’s thoughtfulness. He tilted his head and gulped it all down.
Su Wanxing watched, delighted.
Her happiness was just around the corner!
After breakfast, Lu Chenyuan began packing.
Tomorrow, they were to depart for the northwest.
Although the house wasn’t large, there was a lot of stuff.
From bed sheets and blankets to towels and soap—anything Su Wanxing used, Lu Chenyuan wanted to take along, fearing she might feel uncomfortable in the northwest.
Su Wanxing didn’t rest either, continuing to study Lu Chenyuan’s meals.
At noon, they had another chive feast—stewed lamb, goji berry soup, and even a plate of large oysters.
By evening, seeing the same foods laid out on the table, Lu Chenyuan seemed to understand.
Yes, on the wedding night, no matter who was in Su Wanxing’s heart, it was wrong to neglect her. That was his fault.
But being misunderstood was hard to bear…
The morning and noon meals had already taxed him. Using the excuse that the army needed him, he had run all afternoon. Another heavy meal at night—he really couldn’t handle it.
“Well… you eat first, I have a stomachache,” Lu Chenyuan excused himself and left.
Su Wanxing looked at the huge table of food and felt a pang of regret. Maybe she had overdone the nourishing meals?
Ah, this kind of thing really can’t be rushed.
Meanwhile, Su Xueqing didn’t go to the countryside to meet Su Yaozu and the others. Instead, she sought out the small-time studio owner from before.
At first, he was quite angry seeing her. That incident had made him a laughingstock across Shanghai, and his business had suffered.
But Su Xueqing pulled him aside and said, “Our Su family has influence. You suddenly proposed, but ran into Lu Chenyuan with a sky-high bride price. My parents would lose face…”
“The Su family has had so many problems, I didn’t have time to look for you. Now you’re ignoring me… they say couples are bonded after a single night, and you really want to act like this?”
The small-time owner felt moved.
In recent days, recalling that night at the small inn, he realized Su Xueqing’s feelings seemed genuine.
Now that she was actively seeking him out, it meant she still cared.
He didn’t waste words, picked Su Xueqing up, and carried her toward the bedroom.
Su Xueqing took advantage of the situation, sweet-talking him until he gave her not only all his possessions but also helped contact some local ruffians.
She had already planned it: in the previous life, Su Wanxing had gone with Lu Chenyuan to the northwest and fallen ill midway from the jostling train ride.
The train was crowded and chaotic—a perfect chance to act, convenient for a discreet escape.
Woo—
The train whistle blew, the crowd surged, heavy bags on shoulders, everyone scrambling toward the doors.
Su Wanxing was practically pushed onto the train by the crowd, but fortunately, Lu Chenyuan held her, otherwise she wouldn’t have known which carriage she ended up in.
Once the luggage was settled, and she sat down, the air in the carriage felt thick.
The smells of sweat, tobacco, and spoiled food mingled.
Thinking about three days on the train, two more buses, and then climbing over a stretch of loess…
Su Wanxing had a headache, but for Lu Chenyuan, she was willing to endure it!
The wooden seats were small. Lu Chenyuan sat nearly pressed against her shoulder, but his posture remained upright.
The green train rattled along, the scenery changing outside, and soon they left Shanghai.
The train was packed. Many without tickets sat on the floor. At noon, when a steward wheeled a cart selling boxed meals, people stood to make way.
If the cart couldn’t pass, everyone helped lift it overhead while the steward squeezed through the crowd.
“Comrade, how much for the boxed meal?” Lu Chenyuan asked.
“Thirty-five cents each, today’s dish is stir-fried cucumber with egg,” the steward said, presenting an aluminum lunchbox.
“I’ll take one.” Lu Chenyuan paid, took the lunchbox, and handed it to Su Wanxing.
She was surprised. “Aren’t you eating?”
In this era, boxed meals on trains were practical, cheap, and filling. Most importantly, they didn’t lack thirty-five cents.
“I’ll eat this.” Lu Chenyuan took out the aluminum lunchbox he had brought.
Inside was the breakfast he had carried back from the canteen yesterday.
The buns inside were hard, and the pickles… he wasn’t sure if they had gone bad.
But Lu Chenyuan didn’t care—he simply hated wasting food.
Su Wanxing scooped a spoonful of eggs for him.
Lu Chenyuan’s heart softened and he took it, then returned the favor: “You eat more.”
Su Wanxing knew he wanted to save the best for her, but she also couldn’t bear him to suffer.
“Eat it! If you keep giving it back, I’ll just have to feed you myself,” she said, offering him another spoonful of eggs.
Lu Chenyuan wanted it, but seeing the other passengers across from them, he quietly ate it instead.
Su Wanxing noticed egg residue on his lips, took out a clean handkerchief, and wiped the corner of his mouth, her fingertip brushing his jaw.
Lu Chenyuan’s body stiffened instantly, his Adam’s apple rolling.
“Ahem… I’ll go get some hot water.”
He suddenly stood up, looking flustered, practically escaping.
Su Wanxing watched his back, stifling a laugh.
He was truly a stubborn straight man—just wiping his mouth, and he reacted like this?
Across from them, a plump woman smiled and said, “Young lady, you treat your man so well.”
Su Wanxing smiled. “He treats me even better.”
The woman, full of curiosity, said, “You two just married, huh? So cozy. Are you planning for children?”
Embarrassed, Su Wanxing shook her head.
The woman immediately took a maternal tone: “This won’t do. If a couple wants a lasting relationship, they need a child.”
Su Wanxing twisted her hands under the table. She wanted to, but Lu Chenyuan… couldn’t.
“You’re too thin, girl. You need to eat something nourishing!”
She watched the woman quickly pull out a braised duck leg from her bag. “Eat this, homemade, smells delicious!”
Su Wanxing grew cautious.
In these times of scarcity, everyone guarded their food. Judging by the woman’s appearance, she wasn’t rich, so why give away a duck leg?
“No thanks, I don’t need it.”
“Just one bite, your boxed meal’s too plain.” The woman leaned over the small table.
“I really don’t need it, I’m full.” Su Wanxing refused again.
“You need to eat more to have a son!”
The woman tried forcefully to feed her the duck leg.
Su Wanxing, having strength from drinking the sacred spring water, pushed her hand away, preventing her from getting close.
In the struggle, the duck leg fell on Su Wanxing’s skirt.
“Oh my, clumsy me!”
The woman didn’t pick it up immediately, but instead took out a handkerchief to wipe Su Wanxing’s clothes.
She even tried to wipe her face and mouth—quick and forceful!
The pungent smell instantly alerted Su Wanxing.
This was a drug!
She was about to resist when a strong dizziness washed over her.