CHAPTER 82: CHAPTER 77: DEEP RELATIONSHIP_3

Speak in a low voice.

A voice only two people can hear.

Jia Shu was suddenly stunned.

How did Jiang Xiaoxiao know?

Jiang Xiaoxiao turned her head to look at the scenery outside the train window.

Jia Shu couldn’t figure out how Jiang Xiaoxiao knew she was on her period, but this brown sugar water was certainly a big favor.

You must know that these days, brown sugar requires a coupon, and no family can buy more than two ounces of brown sugar a year.

It’s considered a precious thing.

When that large enamel tea mug was opened, it was steaming hot indeed.

It was warm brown sugar water, and just by looking at the color, you could tell that quite a lot of brown sugar was added; the aroma alone was sweet.

After Jia Shu drank this mug of brown sugar water, her stomach indeed felt much better, and her complexion gradually became rosy.

She cast a grateful glance at Jiang Xiaoxiao.

Jiang Xiaoxiao sat on her huge bag, boringly looking out the window, and the two exchanged a glance.

They shared a knowing smile.

Friendship was established in an instant.

Jia Shu felt as if Jiang Xiaoxiao was someone she had known in her past life.

This girl is cheerful, kind, and brave.

She truly liked the girl before her.

The sky had completely darkened, and everyone began to eat dinner; anyway, each family had brought their own provisions.

Even if there were meals for sale on the train, not many people bought them. Most people were saving money.

Some were gnawing on black bread with pickled vegetables, others had cornbread.

Only a few people could afford eggs.

Mostly it was cornbread with pickled vegetables.

No one looked down on anyone.

Everybody was just about the same.

Jia Shu felt a bit embarrassed.

Her mom didn’t prepare any provisions for her, not even cornbread.

When she left, her father was still lying sick in bed at home.

Basically, the family was dirt poor, with three young siblings waiting to be fed, so there was absolutely nothing she could bring.

Actually, she had only drunk some corn porridge in the morning today.

Until now, she hadn’t had a bite to eat.

Her stomach was already rumbling, and she was somewhat embarrassed as she looked out the window.

Originally, she wanted to switch seats with Jiang Xiaoxiao, but Jiang Xiaoxiao insisted on not swapping.

With so many people on the train, it was pointless to keep switching, so she just sat there.

Now everyone was taking out their lunchboxes to eat, so she had to awkwardly turn her face toward the window.

Her face was burning.

Jiang Xiaoxiao took out her lunchbox.

Her mom, afraid she’d be hungry, had packed three full lunchboxes for her when she left.

One lunchbox contained veggie pancakes with cabbage, eggs, and vermicelli from home.

One lunchbox had cabbage-filled baozi, and another had white wheat flatbreads.

Her mom even boiled ten tea eggs for her.

Jiang Xiaoxiao took out one of the lunchboxes, and as soon as the veggie pancakes came out, others began to drool.

Not to mention, Jiang Xiaoxiao knew that the ingredients grown in her special space made things taste sweeter than usual.

Not to mention, her mom had added plenty of seasoning when making them, afraid to skimp on her daughter.

No wonder the aroma was mouth-watering now.

Others bit into their cornbread and black bread, feeling a bit tasteless.

Many could only awkwardly pretend to be staring at their feet; what else could they do?

Others were eating, and they were just watching—it was quite embarrassing.

Most people on the train were between seventeen and eighteen, at most twenty-four or twenty-five; they were all at the age where they cared about their pride.

Jiang Xiaoxiao noticed that He Aiguo’s hand held only one cornbread.

And a chunk of black pickled vegetable.

Every household here would pickle them; in winter, white radish was preserved in salty brine.

Having not finished eating in summer, fearing spoilage, they had to scoop out the pickles, clean them.

Chop them into pieces, thread them with string, and hang them up to dry.

Once dried, they’d become this kind of pickled vegetable, which could be taken out later to soak and slice as needed.

If you didn’t soak, you could simply bite into the dry piece.

It was a household staple.

A pancake was shoved into He Aiguo’s hand.

Jia Shu was also given a still-warm pancake.

Both were taken aback.

You must know, these pancakes were made with white flour.

In their locality, no one would dare to eat fine grain.

Many people exchanged fine grain for coarse grain just to get more food and make it last to the end of the month.

Accepting others’ food felt like taking advantage of them immensely.

"You two hurry up and eat, why are you standing there dumbfounded? These were prepared by my mom especially for the three of us. Didn’t you see my mom packed three lunchboxes? Eat quickly, or you’ll waste my mom’s good intentions."

With those words, everyone suddenly realized, oh, these three knew each other; they seemed quite close—normally, one wouldn’t prepare such good things for others!