Chapter 49: Finally, Almost at the Station

If Gu Jianing could have heard his thoughts, she definitely would have said to herself: I won’t let the food run out. As long as I have points, I can exchange them in the system’s store. The items for daily necessities in there are really affordable.

After her nap, Guoguo was in much better spirits, but she still clung to Gu Jianing, sometimes mumbling that she wanted her mom.

But after some coaxing from Gu Jianing, Guoguo’s mood improved a lot.

Then, Gu Jianing became obsessed with feeding Guoguo. As long as she had something with her and Guoguo wanted to eat it, she would give it to her without the slightest hesitation.

This scene made the mother and son who had previously asked Gu Jianing for braised pork look on with envy, their eyes practically turning red with jealousy.

They thought: We’re all strangers, so why is she willing to give food to that little girl but not to my Jinbao?

After all, her Jinbao was a boy.

Little Jinbao felt the same way. His resentful gaze landed on Guoguo, thinking that a worthless girl like her didn’t deserve to eat those things.

If he hadn’t been frightened off earlier by Sheng Zexi and Gu Jianing, and if his parents hadn’t held him back, Jinbao might have rushed over to snatch the food Gu Jianing was giving to Guoguo.

Another night passed. Gu Jianing gazed out the train window at the swirling snow, sighing inwardly.

Finally, they were almost at their stop.

If they didn’t arrive soon, she felt like she’d either start growing mold or turn into a pickled vegetable.

Yuanshan City Train Station was the last stop, and also the one closest to the Great Northwest Military District.

By now, the once-crowded train had emptied out quite a bit, with many passengers having gotten off at earlier stations.

With fewer people on board, the air was fresher, but it also felt colder, especially with the temperature dropping.

Gu Jianing bundled herself and Guoguo in layer after layer of clothing.

The couple across from them, Shen Huaiyuan and Bai Juan, had already gotten off at the previous stop.

“We’re almost there. Make sure you dress warmly.” Sheng Zexi carefully wrapped Gu Jianing in his army coat.

His military coat was huge, completely enveloping the 1.6-meter-tall Gu Jianing so thoroughly that she looked like a child wearing adult clothes.

But neither Gu Jianing nor Sheng Zexi minded.

Gu Jianing thought: This is the warmest coat of this era! Even if I look like a ball wrapped up in it, at least I’m warm.

Gu Jianing liked to look good, but she wasn’t the type to sacrifice warmth for style.

She firmly believed that a good-looking person would look better wrapped in a burlap sack than an unattractive person dressed in fine clothes—temperament is everything.

She put on the army coat, wrapped a red scarf around her neck so that only her bright, lively eyes showed, and pulled on a hat to cover her head and ears.

Guoguo was also bundled up tightly in Gu Jianing’s cotton-padded jacket and coat.

“When we get off the train, hold Guoguo’s hand with one hand, and with the other, grab onto my coat and stay right behind me. No matter what, don’t let go, understand?” Sheng Zexi instructed carefully. Since he had to carry things, he couldn’t hold Gu Jianing’s hand.

“When we get off, a military vehicle will be there to pick us up.”

“Okay, I understand,” Gu Jianing replied obediently.

Not long after Sheng Zexi finished packing, the train’s loudspeaker announced their imminent arrival at Yuanshan Station.

As the train slowed to a stop, Sheng Zexi hefted and carried their many bags, while Gu Jianing held Guoguo’s hand with one hand and clung tightly to Sheng Zexi’s sleeve with the other as they slowly got off the train.

At that moment, at Yuanshan Train Station—

Many people were waiting.

Among them were Lin Xing and his wife, Zhang Shuwan.

Lin Xing had taken leave to pick up Zhang Shuwan, whose train had arrived earlier, so he’d already been with her for a while.

After meeting up, the two didn’t leave right away.

Lin Xing had found out that Sheng Zexi’s train was the next to arrive, so the couple decided to wait. Only after seeing Guoguo safe and sound would they feel at ease.

“The train’s here, people are getting off! Ah Xing, do you see your comrade and Guoguo?” As soon as the train stopped, Zhang Shuwan couldn’t help but look around anxiously.

Her eyes were still swollen and red from crying.

“Don’t worry, let me look.” Lin Xing raised his head to scan the crowd.

He thought that since Sheng Zexi was tall, he should be easy to spot.

Just as he had this thought, he caught sight of a figure almost buried under a mountain of luggage.

If it weren’t for the olive-green uniform, the tall build, and the familiar, slightly rebellious face, Captain Lin might not have recognized him.

Was this really Sheng Zexi?

Though he and Sheng Zexi hadn’t interacted much, he knew that Sheng Zexi had always disliked trouble and burdens.

Even when he needed to bring things, he always packed as lightly as possible.

To put it bluntly, Sheng Zexi would rather freeze to death than carry extra heavy bedding.

But now, if Lin Xing wasn’t mistaken, Sheng Zexi was carrying bedding on his shoulder.

Sure enough, once a man gets married, he really does change.

It seemed Sheng Zexi truly cared about his wife.

“Captain Sheng!” Lin Xing waved.

Sheng Zexi was walking forward, keeping an eye on his wife behind him, when he suddenly heard someone calling his name.

He looked up and saw Lin Xing, and beside him, a woman who must be Lin’s wife.

“Ningning, Guoguo’s parents are here.”

Gu Jianing blinked. That was fast.

As Sheng Zexi led Gu Jianing and Guoguo over, Lin Xing stepped forward and took some of the luggage from Sheng Zexi.

“Captain Sheng, I happened to be here, so I thought I’d give you a ride. I told the young soldier you sent not to come,” Lin Xing explained.

Sheng Zexi nodded. “Thank you, Captain Lin.”

“The car’s parked nearby. Let’s take the luggage over.” Lin Xing’s gaze swept over the military-green figure behind Sheng Zexi, noticing the snowflakes falling on her coat.

The tightly bundled “ball” revealed only a pair of lively eyes—just from her eyes, you could tell she was a beautiful and spirited young woman.

She must be Captain Sheng’s wife, the one who first discovered the human traffickers.

But Lin Xing didn’t linger on her; he just glanced and looked away.

He had a lot of gratitude to express to Sheng Zexi and his wife, but with so many people around, he thought it best to get the luggage to the car first.

His gaze dropped to the small figure tightly held in his wife’s arms, and the weight on his heart finally lifted.

“Guoguo, my Guoguo…”

The moment Zhang Shuwan saw Guoguo, she rushed over, squatted down, and hugged her tightly as if she were a lost treasure found again, tears streaming down her face.

Guoguo also clung to Zhang Shuwan, wailing, “Mama, Mama…”

Zhang Shuwan comforted Guoguo while checking her over for injuries."