"Little comrade, you eat this," the woman said to Xia Chuyi.
This was not wanting to take advantage without giving something in return.
Xia Chuyi smiled and did not refuse; the principle of reciprocity fosters mutual respect and avoids awkwardness for everyone.
The little boy was also considerate, he clambered up to the bedhead, dug around inside a small bundle, and finally pulled out a marble.
"Sister, this marble is for you," he offered, seemingly aware of manners too.
Unable to contain herself, Xia Chuyi chuckled and said, "Alright, sister will accept it." She took the marble with formality.
Then, pointing to the braised meat and steamed buns, she told the little boy, "Here you go, little friend, eat up."
"Mommy!" the boy excitedly looked at his mother.
With permission granted, the little boy, holding a chubby bun, took a big bite, contentedly munching away.
Through this give and take, Xia Chuyi and the woman really relaxed and got to know each other.
The woman’s name was Du Hong, and she was going to the Capital City with her son Xiao Yi to find her husband.
Coincidentally, she too was a military wife.
Xia Chuyi thought to herself: She really seemed to have a connection with the military.
After they had eaten, Du Hong took Xiao Yi for a walk around the carriage to stretch their legs, while Xia Chuyi leaned against the window and took out the Heavenly Book Recipe disguised as different books to study.
When they arrived at the Provincial City station, where there was a longer stop, she made sure to let Guo Chengjing know she was going to step out onto the platform for some fresh air.
"Song Yingjie, when you get to Kyoto University, remember to write to the family!"
Xia Chuyi, munching on a raw sweet potato she had pulled out of nowhere, heard a woman’s voice filled with care.
Wasn’t that her school?
Finding the coincidence interesting, she looked in the direction of the voice.
She saw a rather petite, shrewd-looking woman overflowing with joy, speaking to a bespectacled young student.
They conveyed a parental pride and satisfaction that Xia Chuyi understood all too well, and she couldn’t help but smile slightly, remembering her uncle’s similar displays of pride.
This smile was caught by the observant woman.
After giving Xia Chuyi’s attire and the sweet potato in her hand a glance, the woman’s brow furrowed.
"Yingjie, now that you’ve been accepted into Kyoto University, your status is not that of an ordinary person."
"From now on, you need to be careful about who you associate with, and not get entangled with those frivolous women!"
As she said this, her glances towards Xia Chuyi carried a heavy implication.
Was she talking about her?
Xia Chuyi tilted her head and took another bite of her sweet potato.
However, the bespectacled young man clearly didn’t understand his mother’s hint and, thinking he was being scolded in public, his face turned sour, "Mom, I know, please stop talking about it! I won’t bother with Wang Xiaofang anymore!"
Upon hearing this, the woman quickly said, "Oh, who’s talking about Wang Xiaofang? That girl comes from a decent family, and there’s no harm in interacting with her."
"What I mean is, there are some who just have a pretty face but are otherwise impoverished..."
She directly and unmistakably fixed her gaze on Xia Chuyi, wanting her son to grasp her meaning.
The bespectacled young man followed his mother’s gaze to Xia Chuyi, who was still crunching on her sweet potato, and he finally understood his mother’s implication.
"Uh-huh, I got it," he replied nonchalantly to his mother.
Xia Chuyi’s brows immediately knitted together.
These people, were they going to be her future classmates?