The Tender Beauty is Sweetly Doted in the 20th Century Novel!-Chapter 188 - 187: I’m Not Your Mom

"Wow! Why did you bring so many snacks?"

Ye Manman was initially a bit bored, but when she saw him open up his coat like someone at the train station pocketing phones to sell, with sewn-up pockets on both sides of his clothes, she immediately laughed.

She pulled out two pieces of candy, putting one in his mouth and eating the other herself.

"You’re so talented! When did you do this? I had no idea."

He Chen chuckled, "I thought of it suddenly while you were sleeping and I had nothing to do. I was worried you might feel uncomfortable or hungry on the way."

"The left side is candies, and the right side is snacks. You can eat them anytime if you feel like it—it’s all stuff you love."

He seemed to intentionally show off his handiwork, spreading out his coat for Ye Manman to come and take a look.

The weather was hot, and he wasn’t wearing anything underneath his coat, so opening it revealed his bare chest.

Ye Manman felt like many people were staring at them, so she quickly asked him to button up his coat.

"Hurry up and button it up, really, here you are baring your chest in public without a care, everyone’s watching you."

He Chen also felt a bit embarrassed belatedly, and silently buttoned his coat.

Ye Manman’s cheeks were slightly red, as she quietly complained, "I can’t believe you had a vest and a short sleeve but insisted on wearing this outdated coat..."

He Chen chuckled again beside her, and Ye Manman couldn’t help but give him a playful punch.

Today there weren’t many people at the waiting station. It wasn’t peak enrollment time yet; those heading to universities in other provinces usually leave at the end of August. Cheng Yuan was on the August 28th train, so she couldn’t travel together with Ye Manman. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

After waiting for over an hour, Ye Manman was almost asleep leaning in He Chen’s arms, when it finally came time to board the train.

Though there were few people in the waiting station, the platform was crowded with people boarding, most carrying large bags.

Ye Manman had never seen this old-fashioned green train before, and neither had He Chen. They waited at the back of the line until most people boarded before taking their luggage on.

He Chen had bought two sleeper tickets. Nowadays, practically only public officials or particularly wealthy people buy sleeper berths; most people opt for seated tickets or no-seat tickets.

No-seat ticket holders have to stand or squat in the aisle, and if exhausted, lay a newspaper on the floor and sit down.

Ye Manman followed closely behind He Chen, holding onto his clothes, weaving through the narrow aisles past passengers standing or sitting, feeling both curious and nervous.

"Here, these should be the beds."

He Chen suddenly stopped, swiftly placing their luggage against the window side and under the bed once confirming the location was correct.

Ye Manman peered from behind, curiously inspecting this ’bed’ she had never seen before.

This ’bed’ was technically a bed but looked more like an oversized, elongated folding cushion with an additional soft pad and sheet on top.

Furthermore, this sleeper berth was unlike anything she imagined.

The sleeper carriage wasn’t exclusively for sleeping berths. On the right were berths, but there was also a narrow aisle on the left. People sat against the carriage in the aisle, such that turning one’s head meant facing strangers eye to eye, which felt somewhat awkward.

The sleeper berths themselves weren’t so special; the space between a pair of top and bottom bunks had a small table that could be used for instant noodles, but had very limited space.

If someone were to really sleep face down, they’d be facing strangers, making for an exceedingly unique experience.

Ye Manman decided she’d only sleep if she couldn’t bear it anymore.

He Chen, very tall with a strong build, had to cautiously bend over within this low and narrow space to avoid knocking his head on the upper bunk or hitting the opposite upper bunk when turning around.

Just watching him made Ye Manman feel uncomfortable for him.

"Come, sit here and rest for a bit, we didn’t really get to rest while waiting outside."

He awkwardly set the bed up properly before letting her sit on it.

Ye Manman had no intention of sleeping in such a place, so she kept her shoes on and used the berth as a large seat for resting.

He Chen knew what she was thinking, "Don’t worry, I bought two lower bunks. You can sleep comfortably if you’re tired; I’ll be sitting right next to you."

He was also suffering, crouched over for too long, as soon as Ye Manman sat down, he immediately sat on the lower bunk opposite, facing her with little space between their legs.

"The space is really small here..."

Ye Manman nudged his foot with hers, unable to resist glancing around again.

Just then, new passengers arrived.

A well-dressed middle-aged man accompanied by a stylishly dressed young girl approached.

They didn’t seem to be moving to another province, more like traveling for business, as they had very little luggage. The young girl impatiently threw her luggage onto the upper bunk.

The young girl seemed to be displeased at everyone, and upon seeing Ye Manman, immediately rolled her eyes, "I told you to book the lower bunk, but now look, since you delay, we ended up with the upper bunk. How am I supposed to go up in a skirt?"

The middle-aged man was helpless, "I couldn’t help it, the lower bunks were sold out. I told you they’d be upper bunks ages ago, yet you still wore a skirt. If worse comes to worst, ask someone to switch."

The young girl seemed to consider this option.

She glanced at Ye Manman’s clean and tidy lower bunk and instantly decided to swap.

Standing beside Ye Manman with an arrogant expression, she said, "Hey, did you hear me? I’m wearing a skirt, can’t climb up easily, let’s switch. You take the upper bunk."

Ye Manman scoffed, "I’m not your parent, why should I care if it’s convenient for you? Swap with someone else."

Qin Yan seemingly hadn’t expected this seemingly easygoing girl to have such a confrontational attitude.

She looked at the luggage piled under Ye Manman’s bed, connecting some dots and scoffed mockingly.

"Haha, you’re after money, aren’t you?"

Qin Yan pulled out a ten yuan note and threw it on Ye Manman’s bed, "There, you country folks are all the same, in it for the money, ten yuan enough? If it is, grab it and give me your spot."

Convinced Ye Manman wanted money, Qin Yan poised herself to sit on the bed.

Ye Manman, full of disdain, picked up the ten yuan note and tossed it back at her, "What’s wrong with country folks? Did they dig up your ancestors’ graves? Always ’your country folks,’ weren’t your ancestors from the countryside too? I’m not swapping. Cause more trouble, and I’ll call the attendant."

The light ten yuan struck Qin Yan’s body, falling quickly to the ground.

Nobody had humiliated Qin Yan like this before; she felt as though she’d been slapped across the face. Her facial expression was especially complex.

She didn’t pick up the money from the floor, instead raising a hand intending to slap Ye Manman just as He Chen stood up.

"Comrade, what do you intend to do?"

He Chen had been sitting across from Ye Manman silently this whole time, and Qin Yan assumed he was just another passenger and ignored him.

But now, blocking her path to Ye Manman with a warning in his tone, made Qin Yan abruptly realize something was amiss.

She lowered her hand, wary but still bold, "Who cares what I plan to do? What’s your relationship with her?"

He Chen’s frown deepened, fists clenched and cracking, a threatening energy radiating.

"I’m her husband."