Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder — I Rise to Female Lead Through Hard Work-Chapter 78: Indirect Acquaintances

The longing for the green train vanished once Yi Roujing boarded it. Not only were all the seats occupied, but people were standing in the aisles too. Some even slept under the seats, and live chickens and ducks were brought onto the train as well. Many were eating, filling the passenger car with various smells.

Fortunately, the environment inside the sleeper car was relatively better.

Ding Ancheng bought a soft sleeper ticket, which had four people per compartment. Of course, they didn’t have the luck of having four people in one compartment, but it was good that it was divided into pairs: Ding Ancheng with Yi Roujing, and Ding Anguo with Ding Anmin.

They considered changing places with someone, but the person sharing a compartment with Ding Anmin was a woman with two somewhat noisy children. Typically, those who buy soft sleeper tickets are officials or family members with a certain air or difficulty in communicating, so they opted not to ask for a swap to avoid trouble. They were just next door anyhow.

Yi Roujing and Ding Ancheng’s bunks were on one side, with one upper and one lower berth. Ding Ancheng gave the lower berth to Yi Roujing.

Afterward, Ding Ancheng was bustling about, storing luggage, fetching the thermos bottle to fill with water, washing the enamel cups clean, and even pouring Yi Roujing a cup of water.

"What do you feel like eating for lunch? The train usually offers three types of boxed meals. When they come to sell them later, you can take a look and decide which one you want."

Yi Roujing nodded, "Anmin and them."

"I’ll go next door." Although Yi Roujing’s sentence was incomplete, Ding Ancheng understood and promptly went out.

The other two people in Yi Roujing’s compartment were a man and a woman who came together. The man was around fifty, wearing a gray Zhongshan suit, donning thin gold-rimmed glasses, with some graying hair, exuding a literary air.

The woman looked about the same age as Yi Roujing, with short hair reaching her ears, dressed in blue Dacron, with very delicate features, giving a misty feeling reminiscent of a Jiangnan drizzle and a hint of familiarity.

The young woman had been glancing at Ding Ancheng several times, which Yi Roujing understood—anyone is entitled to appreciate good looks.

"Comrade, was the gentleman just now your brother or husband?" the older man asked Yi Roujing with a smile.

Yi Roujing felt a rare hint of shyness but replied candidly, "He’s my husband."

"Hmm, a good match. He seems caring," the man complimented.

Yi Roujing found his words quite unresponsive.

"Ahem—"

"Teacher, I’ll get you a cup of water," the young woman said gently.

Yi Roujing handed over the thermos, and the young woman nodded in thanks, pouring a cup for the older man.

"Thank you," the man replied hoarsely, "By the way, how should I address you, comrade?"

"I am Yi Roujing." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Yi Roujing?" The man suddenly became a bit excited, "Tongxian Commune, Dingping Production Team’s Yi Roujing?"

Now it was Yi Roujing’s turn to be bewildered—she was quite sure she didn’t know him, but seeing his lack of malice, she nodded, "And you are?"

"Hello, Comrade Yi, I am Hu Zhishu, Hu Heping’s father," the man expressed with a grateful face, "Heping has mentioned you more than once, thanks to you, Comrade Yi, for saving Heping and her unborn child."

It was now Yi Roujing’s turn to be pleasantly surprised—not expecting that riding a train would bring her an indirect acquaintance, "Heping is truly blessed."

Who wouldn’t love compliments about their daughter? Hu Zhishu’s smile grew ever brighter, "Heping said you would be coming for May Day, and now it’s such a coincidence to meet on the train. When we get to the provincial city, we’ll go together, Heping will surely be thrilled to see you."

"Right, this is Yang Cuihu, my student. Starting in September, she’ll be a math teacher at the Provincial First Middle School. By the way, Heping mentioned your husband is also a math teacher?"

Yi Roujing nodded, glancing at Yang Cuihu. Her name and appearance bear striking resemblance to Yang Cuishan from the county hospital, although Yi Roujing found it hard to believe they weren’t related. No wonder she felt familiarity. Despite Yang Cuihu being slightly prettier, their thin lips were remarkably identical—although Yang Cuishan had sharper features.

"Yes." Yi Roujing nodded, "From Huaixi County First Middle School."

Even before Yi Roujing could mention it, Yang Cuihu spoke first, "Comrade Yi might have met my cousin, Yang Cuishan; she works at the county hospital."

"Earlier, during Heping’s check-up at the county hospital, I accompanied her," Yi Roujing replied with a smile, "I met Doctor Yang then."

Ding Ancheng returned from next door to see Yi Roujing happily conversing with others in the compartment. Upon entering, the conversation paused briefly, then the elderly gentleman grasped Ding Ancheng’s hand.

"Hello, comrade, I am Hu Heping’s father."

The realization flickered in Ding Ancheng’s eyes, "Hello, I am Ding Ancheng, Yi Roujing’s husband."

"Ding Ancheng!"

It was Yang Cuihu who spoke, her gentle face uncharacteristically animated with surprise as she stood up, looking at Ding Ancheng straight, full of joy.

"So you are Senior Ding; hello, I am Yang Cuihu of the 71st-class math department at Jing University," Yang Cuihu looked at Ding Ancheng with eyes aglow, leading Yi Roujing to think that she saw Ding Ancheng as an idol.

"You don’t know me, but I know you."

"Hello," Ding Ancheng nodded politely towards Yang Cuihu.

Yi Roujing, beside them, was rather amazed—not at Ding Ancheng’s famed figure from Jing University’s math department, but at Yang Cuihu. She remembered the book mentioned Yang Cuihu; despite her brief appearance, Ding Ancheng spoke of Yang Cuihu during his speech at his alma mater—but then the person standing beside Ding Ancheng was Song Yiluo.

Song Yiluo was then already dazzling, thriving in business, a solid exemplar of a strong woman, standing alongside Ding Ancheng, embodying the so-called "perfect match, golden boy and jade girl." Despite any thoughts Yang Cuihu might have had for Ding Ancheng, they were thwarted from the start.

With her presence, the narrative in the book has started changing, unexpected appearances of Yang Cuihu have already occurred, and she has even traveled to Jiangcheng.

"So it’s Mr. Ding," Hu Zhishu observed Ding Ancheng with express delight, "When I transferred to teach at Jing University, you had graduated already, yet your accomplishments within the math department remain a legacy."

"In two years, you completed all courses, consistently topping your class but chose not to teach at the university. Your teachers still talk about you," Hu Zhishu chuckled.

Upon hearing this, Ding Ancheng revealed a gentle smile, "I wonder how the teacher’s health is?"

"Doing well," Hu Zhishu said kindly, "I’ve started teaching at Jiang Province University in September, closer to home, won’t often see them now."

Hu Zhishu sighed slightly, "When time allows, visit Jing City and see him, bring Comrade Yi along as well. That way, he’d understand why you returned home after graduation."

Yi Roujing felt her cheeks warm—if Ding Ancheng’s teacher learned that his prized student was snatched by someone with only a middle school diploma, who knows if he’d pass out from frustration.