Chapter 484: Chapter 167: The ’80s Drama Queen Is Forced to Play the Top Student (Part 2)

"If you’re short on money, or if anything else comes up, just come find Mr. Xiao."

"At noon, I’ll buy you a boxed lunch. If you get sleepy, you can come nap on our bunk..."

That gentle, considerate tone was enough to give anyone goosebumps.

Sheng Leyun sat huddled close to the old woman, her head lowered, not making a sound.

As if he didn’t notice, Xiao Xuezhen wasn’t the least bit awkward. He just smiled at the old woman and the man before turning to leave.

He had bought sleeper tickets to show everyone—and the girl he was fond of—the sincerity of his regard for the mother and daughter.

Besides, the journey was quite long. A sleeper car was less crowded and allowed for rest, but most importantly, everyone here was a potential connection!

Two days and two nights was enough time for him to develop deep friendships with the people around him. After they got off the train, he could find excuses to keep in touch and solidify those relationships.

Sure enough, it didn’t take long for him to get friendly with the person in the bunk above him and the three people in the bunks across the aisle. He even took out a deck of cards to play with them, and the conversation was all about how things were in "our Capital City."

As they chatted, he steered the conversation toward where in the Capital City he was from and where he worked.

Everyone was quite sincere, and the social climate was positive. They let their guard down around a fellow townsman, especially one who so openly shared his name, work unit, and home address. Smiling, they each offered up their own information in return.

Naturally, they all exchanged contact information.

Xiao Xuezhen currently worked at a newspaper and knew a lot of people. To one person, he’d mention, "Do you know so-and-so? His wife is from your area." To another, he’d bring up how the nanny from a family in his own residential compound once worked for a household in their neighborhood...

Soon, thanks to these mutual acquaintances, everyone grew a bit closer. Add in the card games, interesting topics of conversation, discussions about the development of the Organization, and sharing snacks, and their bond became as solid as steel.

This lively scene naturally attracted the bored passengers sitting nearby. Waves of them came over to watch the card game, chiming in with a few words from time to time.

Xiao Xuezhen grew even more enthusiastic. Even Ren Xingchen was holding out snacks for everyone to try.

The old woman was someone who preferred peace and quiet. She smiled and encouraged Sheng Leyun to eat, asked her a few questions, and then started to feel drowsy.

"Grandma’s getting old. I don’t sleep much at night, but I can’t last through the day. I’m just going to close my eyes for a bit," the old woman said apologetically. "You go ahead and eat something, read a book, take a nap, or just look out the window."

Sheng Leyun nodded quickly. "Grandma, I was up early today getting the food ready for the trip. Now that the train is rocking, my eyelids are fighting to stay open."

The man, sitting on a seat on the other side, told Sheng Leyun to go lie down for a while on his bunk.

Sheng Leyun smiled, thanked him, and didn’t hesitate to climb into the middle bunk and close her eyes.

Although it had only been about half an hour since she had entered this plane, her mind had been racing nonstop.

The original owner’s body was young and naturally needed a lot of sleep. Between the heavy housework and being forced to take on handicraft piecework to supplement the family’s income, she had been in a constant state of severe sleep deprivation.

She was also the one in the family who ate the least and the worst. A nine-year-old child who looked more like she was six, she was scrawny, short, and clearly suffering from severe malnutrition.

Sheng Leyun closed her eyes, and in no time at all, she fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up, everyone was already eating. The aroma of food wafted through the carriage, and her stomach couldn’t help but rumble.

"You must be hungry, child," the old woman, who was already up, said with a smile as she peeled a tea egg. "This is the boxed lunch that your so-called father bought. Get up, wake yourself up with a drink of water, and eat."

Sheng Leyun gave a small laugh and called out, "Grandma."

The little girl was from the south, and her voice had a rhythmic, soft quality—delicate and gentle, exceptionally well-behaved. It was a stark contrast to the little spitfire who had stubbornly demanded justice for herself back at the station.

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