After bidding farewell to Old Pei, Second Uncle Pei Sheng and Pei JianGuo sent them out the door.
With three grown men present, none of them let Zhou Nan carry anything the entire way.
Pei Jing chatted with Second Uncle along the way. Pei JianGuo was in very low spirits, seeming somewhat decadent compared to when they first met him, no longer like that cheerful and gentle young man.
Pei Sheng suddenly turned back and slapped Pei JianGuo heavily on the shoulder, saying, "JianGuo, don't keep such a long face. There is love to be found everywhere, a real man can focus on his career first before settling down. When you've succeeded, who says you still can't find a good wife?"
Pei Sheng was also quite puzzled, and didn't know what his nephew was thinking.
Although Gao Meiyun wasn't ugly, she wasn't very pretty either. Just had fair skin. She was notorious for being bad when she was little, though she had improved somewhat these past two years. But when she talked, it still felt pretentious.
When they spoke of this matter, everyone found it bizarre. A living person dying in broad daylight from some bug's sting, yet they couldn't even find what had stung her.
The detention center had been busy fumigating and killing insects these past few days because someone had died. Zhou Nan heard they even got criticized by their superiors over it.
Pei JianGuo dodged away, mumbled something, and maintained his sullen silence.
Pei Sheng thought to himself that he would have to call Big Brother another day. Big Brother was rarely home, and his mother had spoiled this boy rotten.
Compared to his siblings settled at home, JianGuo was much more useless. He relied on the family to arrange his job, and hadn't accomplished anything substantial after working for so long. Now he had also stumbled over a woman, moping around feeling sorry for himself daily like Sister Lin from storytelling performances.
Pei Jing didn't know what he was thinking either, and gave Pei JianGuo a glance but said nothing.
Zhou Nan thought about how her first life's self had left Pei JianGuo billions in inheritance, so she quietly asked, "Aren't you going to discipline your nephew?"
She just wanted to see what status Pei JianGuo currently held in Pei Jing's heart.
But the result was beyond her expectations.
"It's his parents' responsibility to discipline him, what does it have to do with me?" Pei Jing said. Perhaps feeling his words were too harsh, his tone softened as he continued, "What's more, he's already a grown adult and should take responsibility for his own actions."
He was only a few years older than Pei JianGuo anyway, just a higher generation.
Pei Jing also looked down on Pei JianGuo somewhat. A man in his early 20s should be building his career and achievements, but two years ago the family had wanted to send him into the military. He couldn't endure the hardships though, and his mother couldn't bear to part with him either, so they could only abandon that plan and find him a job in the government instead.
He hadn't asked in detail, but Pei Jing had heard the elders sighing, saying the boy was distracted and never focused on his work even at such a young age.
Zhou Nan imperceptibly raised the corners of her lips. "I thought he was the only boy of the younger generation in your family, so he should be the most valued at home."
Pei Jing felt Zhou Nan's words were very strange.
It was true JianGuo was the only boy among the younger generation, but their Pei family wasn't biased towards males to that extent right?
Of course, JianGuo's mother did get a bit conceited over the years for giving birth to the only son, but that was just in their main branch.
Moreover, Zhou Nan was still young herself, and the gender of the child in her belly was still unknown. It was too extreme to call Pei JianGuo the only boy of the younger generation.
Recalling how Zhou Nan had asked before whether he looked down on daughters, Pei Jing felt she was probably worried about not being loved if she gave birth to a girl.
"Don't overthink it. The country now advocates women can hold up half the sky. Favoring sons over daughters is outdated thinking, not to be emulated. Sons and daughters are the same, so don't have thoughts like that." Pei Jing said earnestly.
"I understand, I won't." Zhou Nan responded. She felt even happier inside.
But she was also puzzled. According to Gao Meiyun, Pei Jing would leave his entire billion-dollar inheritance solely to Pei JianGuo in her first life.
Yet judging by his current attitude, he didn't seem the type to do that. Even if he ended up with no children of his own and could only leave it to his nephew, surely he would still leave some for his nieces too?
Oh well, no point fretting about it, Zhou Nan felt she was borrowing trouble unnecessarily again.
In any case, Pei Jing wouldn't die alone this life. He had her and the child in her belly. There was no chance of Pei JianGuo becoming his heir anymore.
Moreover, with her by his side, Pei Jing's fate had already changed. It wasn't certain he would still get that injury and be discharged from the army as in her first life either.
At the train station, Pei Sheng took the referral letter to get tickets, so they could only wait there.
They had timed it well, and the train arrived not long after.
Pei Sheng and Pei JianGuo helped them board the train. With so much luggage, Zhou Nan couldn't lend a hand anymore.
The train was crammed. Fortunately they had bunk beds, so it was slightly better.
Pei Jing found their beds and had Zhou Nan sit down before stowing their luggage underneath.
Zhou Nan suddenly felt she had struck gold finding this man.
He didn't look like a gentle man, yet every action was thoughtful, like shielding her from the crush of people while carrying luggage when boarding, and now, making sure she was seated comfortably first before dealing with everything else.
After Pei Jing finished putting away the luggage, he sat on the lower bunk and heaved a long sigh.
"I'm on the top bunk. Are you tired? Do you want to lie down first? I'll keep watch over you." Considering this was Zhou Nan's first train ride, Pei Jing thoughtfully offered.
"No need to watch me. Go rest too. I'll just sleep by myself if I'm tired." Zhou Nan bent down to retrieve a small blanket from her backpack under the bed. She planned to cover herself with it when sleeping.
All sorts of people took the train, so standards weren't high in this era. She would feel more secure under her own blanket.
Seeing this, Pei Jing suddenly thought Zhou Nan resembled the old madame of the An family. Even growing up in that environment, she was quite fastidious.
Since Zhou Nan insisted she wasn't afraid, Pei Jing climbed up to rest as well.
The train rumbled into motion, the scenery outside gradually receding as it slowly picked up speed.
Meanwhile, Zhou Nan had just woken up in the hospital, much to An JingZhi and brothers An Zhiren and An ZhiXian's relief.
"Where is Zhou Nan?" were her first words upon regaining consciousness.
The An brothers exchanged a glance, complex emotions flashing through both their eyes. An ZhiXian replied, "Our little sister should be on the train with Pei Jing by now."
The brothers had originally planned to see her off, but Zhou Nan losing consciousness threw their plans into disarray.
Zhou Nan started feeling confused. "She just left like that without saying anything?"
She had been unconscious after all.
Zhou Nan suddenly realized Zhou Nan was serious. She really was thoroughly disappointed in them as parents, so indifferent even when Zhou Nan fell ill.
