The train started not long after, and even though it was so wobbly that reading was the only way to pass time, maybe because someone was accompanying her, Zhen Yu felt that time wasn’t too hard to endure.
Especially since she could occasionally exchange glances with Han Mingyue and send a secret text message or something...
Until after five in the evening when it got dark, the train had still not left Hei Province! Meanwhile, the snack and lunch box vendors had already timely made their entrance.
"Bread, mineral water, grilled fish slices, drinks, instant noodles, sausage! There’s boiling water by both sides of the train, big bro, want a box?!"
Zhen Yan withdrew his gaze from the window, shaking his head, "No, thanks!"
Upon hearing her brother’s voice, Zhen Yu moved her eyes from the phone screen to the dark window outside, sat up straight and said, "Brother! Han Mingyue! Let’s have dinner! We can go to sleep early after eating."
"Okay!" Zhen Yan agreed and walked over to his sister, his backpack was placed by her feet.
Upon hearing this, Han Mingyue also got up from the middle bunk without a word.
He had just steadied himself on the ground when Zhen Yu heard a very faint gasp.
The acute intuition unique to women made Zhen Yu swiftly turn her gaze to the girl in the opposite lower bunk, only to find— the girl’s boyfriend was also staring (glaring) at her at this moment!
Suddenly, Zhen Yu wasn’t bothered at all...
Just then, Han Mingyue turned around to look at her, and Zhen Yu smiled and winked her left eye at him!
Han Mingyue lowered his eyes and smiled faintly, thinking to himself, "Xiao Yu’s eyes are really beautiful..."
Zhen Yan and Han Mingyue ran back and forth twice, having prepared the instant noodles they brought and placed them on the small table.
Zhen Yu then took out three sausages, unwrapped and broke them before adding to the noodles, and their dinner was ready.
However, due to the limited space, the three of them took turns sitting by the small table in the lower bunk to eat.
For a while, the air in this part of the carriage was filled with the aroma of instant noodles, making people’s appetites surge!
So after the three of them finished their noodles, the couple opposite and the boy in the middle bunk also began to eat.
After finishing his meal, Zhen Yan then sat in the aisle to enjoy the view, while Han Mingyue sat side by side with Zhen Yu on the lower bunk and started chatting.
They talked about the essay and calligraphy competitions.
The preliminary round of essays for the New Concept Essay competition had ended in late November, and just before departure, Han Mingyue had received the notification for making the second round.
By early February next year, he would be going to Hai City to participate in the second round.
Although Zhen Yu also submitted her work, she didn’t receive a single word back!
Clearly, she was eliminated in the first round...
Before this trip, Han Mingyue had never left the province! So when he heard the news of the second round, both Mr. Han and Mrs. Han immediately felt relieved!
Luckily, Han Mingyue could first go with the Zhen siblings to Beijing for an experience!
Otherwise, they truly wouldn’t feel at ease letting Han Mingyue go to Hai City alone!
The calligraphy competition was much simpler! Whether it was the preliminary or the second round, one just needed to mail in the works! Chapters first released on novel⚑fire.net
Zhen Yu had already passed the first round successfully and had mailed in her second-round entries at the beginning of November.
Now, she was waiting for the second round results notification.
Who knows if she could help the Qi City Calligraphers Association achieve their aspirations...
Zhen Yu and Han Mingyue were enjoying their chat in the dimly lit train compartment, neither of them bothering to check the time. So when they heard Zhen Yan say, "It’s past eight, I’m going up to bed," they were both momentarily stunned.
Zhen Yan didn’t care much, he promptly took off his shoes at the end of Zhen Yu’s bunk and climbed up to the bunk above her to lie down.
After watching him climb up, Zhen Yu and Han Mingyue resumed their conversation below.
This time, the topic switched to Tianya Forum and those two online novel websites, discussing the prospects of releasing novels for free on the internet.
Since Zhen Yan was going to sleep, to avoid disturbing others’ rest, Zhen Yu and Han Mingyue both lowered their voices to the minimum.
However, as they talked, they both gradually felt something was amiss and stopped speaking at the same time.
In this small compartment, which should only have had whispers, it seemed a strange Voice had intruded...
Once Zhen Yu and Han Mingyue fell silent, the heavy breathing sounds suddenly became discernible.
Zhen Yu reacted immediately! And quietly cursed with her hand on her forehead, "What the heck is this!"
Just as she was about to get up and pull Han Mingyue away from there...
A sudden, slightly louder moan broke out.
This made Han Mingyue’s face turn beet red in an instant! He quickly stood up, grabbed Zhen Yu, and headed towards the connection between the train carriages!
Zhen Yu just managed to stretch out her arm and barely hooked Zhen Yan’s backpack from the end of the bunk before being hurriedly pulled along with him.
As Han Mingyue hurried away, he was preoccupied with his embarrassment and anger. When he turned around at the doorway of the empty hot water area to face Zhen Yu, suddenly he felt too awkward to look at her...
Zhen Yu also felt extremely embarrassed, not knowing where to put her hands and feet, so she just held onto Zhen Yan’s backpack in silence.
It felt like a very long time had passed, yet also as if it had just been a moment! Han Mingyue suddenly extended a hand towards Zhen Yu, "Give me the backpack."
"...No need." Zhen Yu’s face was burning up in the darkness.
The backlash of her embarrassment only made her feel shy just now, forgetting the awkwardness, and it was not until this moment she began to feel shy!
Listening to a live performance with her boyfriend... People pay money to watch a play, and here she was feeling like she was risking her life listening to one!
However, Han Mingyue acted as if she didn’t say a thing, and with a flick of his fingers, he took the backpack from her arms!
"Hey,..." Zhen Yu let out half a gasp before she closed her mouth, her Voice was shy at this moment! She didn’t want to speak at all!
But she didn’t want to talk, Han Mingyue, however, did.
Because he felt it was even more uncomfortable for them to stand together in silence, making it easier to—let the mind wander.
"Xiao Yu? You sleep in the middle bunk later."
Zhen Yu was about to agree, but suddenly she remembered that "Ah!" sound!
So she refused again, "No need."
"But," Han Mingyue suddenly bit his lower lip hard. There were some things he just couldn’t bring himself to say.
After silently thinking for a moment, Zhen Yu suddenly shoved her hands into her pockets! She pulled out a small tape recorder from her space and held it up in front of Han Mingyue, "I can listen to music and fall asleep later."
Han Mingyue blinked, then suddenly laughed, "Good thing you reminded me, I brought one too!"
Even though her face was still hot, Zhen Yu finally asked, "So, when do we go back?"
Without a word, Han Mingyue slung the backpack on his back and pulled Zhen Yu’s hand, drawing her into his arms, "It’s drafty here, are you cold? Let’s wait a bit longer..."