C16 Clothes

Xue Zhengqing approached Qian Duojing, who shyly turned away, gathering strands of hair that had fallen across her back to the front. Xue Zhengqing's hands trembled as he grasped the tiny zipper and slowly zipped up her dress.

Qian Duojing could feel the warmth of his breath on her back, sending a shiver down her spine and a tingling sensation across her skin.

Once she was dressed, Xue Zhengqing summoned the train attendant to tidy up the compartment and discarded all the old clothes. The train was set to arrive in Jinzhou in about three days, and he planned to buy her new clothes then.

After changing into fresh, comfortable attire, Qian Duojing had some bread and milk before lying down to rest. Xue Zhengqing settled into the compartment's recliner with a book, the sunlight streaming through the window, bathing both Qian Duojing's flowing hair and the pages of Xue Zhengqing's book in a serene glow.

Qian Duojing slept on the train for a whole day, feeling groggy throughout. The following day, she felt more alert and requested hot water and shampoo to wash her hair. Once her hair was half-dry and neatly combed, she decided to explore the train, curious about what trains from the 70s looked like.

Xue Zhengqing needed to discuss something with Shang Wu, so he led her to the dining car. The car was nearly empty, offering plenty of space for a leisurely meal or to simply enjoy the sunshine.

"Stay put and don't wander off," Xue Zhengqing instructed her earnestly. "It's your first time on a train, and if you're not careful, you could get thrown off."

Qian Duojing found his cautioning amusing, as if he were speaking to a toddler. She had ridden countless trains, subways, and high-speed rails in her past life, but she understood his concern for her safety and wanted to reassure him, so she nodded in agreement.

Sitting at the dining table, her long hair cascaded down her back, catching the sunlight that enveloped her in a golden aura. Despite her pale complexion, the sun's rays brought a touch of warmth and liveliness to her features.

Her beautiful eyes took in the scenery flashing by outside the window, silent and serene. The air around her seemed to carry the delicate sorrow and grace of a lilac, perfectly captured in her demeanor.

Her hair, usually plaited into braids, fell in soft waves when loose, complementing the dress she wore and giving her the appearance of an exquisite doll.

"Ah! This dress!"

Qian Duojing turned to see a woman who had taken the seat opposite her and struck up a conversation as if they were old friends.

"Hello, my name is Qianqian, from E Country. That dress you're wearing—I sold it to a man from C Country. He said it was for his wife, to have a change of clean clothes. I also gave him new, clean underwear and sanitary pads," Qianqian said with a warm smile.

Not wanting to respond to her kindness with silence, Qian Duojing returned the smile. "Hello, my name is Qian Duojing. It seems this outfit came from you. Thank you for that."

Qianqian's eyes sparkled. "Jing, your smile is truly beautiful!"

Qian Duojing inquired, "Xue Zhengqing, that's Qing... How did he come to buy clothes from you?"

She hoped he hadn't resorted to loudly asking for spare women's clothing on the train—that would be mortifying.

Qianqian recounted the events involving Xue Zhengqing.

That day, Xue Zhengqing needed to find a change of clothes for Qian Duojing. While he had plenty of men's clothes, he lacked any for women. He had brought only Shang Wu to assist him and didn't want to discuss Qian Duojing's menstrual needs with him.

So he roamed the train carriages, asking the female attendants to inquire whether any female passengers had clean, spare new clothes to sell, offering a handsome price.

Qianqian was on her way to request some food from the attendants when she overheard his request. Touched by the romantic gesture for his wife, who cherished cleanliness, and having brought plenty of her own clothes—many unworn—she eagerly stepped in to help, and in the process, made a tidy profit.