When the next day came,
Li Chuchu and Shen Yanshan arrived at the railway station early.
There were far more people on the platform than outside. It was bustling everywhere and almost jam-packed. There were those coming to pick up or see off relatives and friends, as well as those dragging their families and carrying big bags and small parcels, trying to squeeze onto the train.
Shen Yanshan carried a large canvas duffel bag in one hand and toiletries and food for the journey in the other.
Li Chuchu had a small backpack on her back, which contained a small water cup and some snacks.
Even so,
Shen Yanshan managed to shift all the things to one hand and freed up the other to protect Li Chuchu, shielding her from being jostled by others.
Li Chuchu had put her newly bought beautiful dress into the duffel bag. For this train journey, she simply chose an old floral dress and a pair of black polyester trousers. But her poised and elegant demeanor still shone through.
Shen Yanshan had specially spent a fortune to buy berth tickets to make the journey more comfortable.
He found the corresponding carriage according to the number on the berth ticket. After passing the ticket inspection and getting on the train, the narrow aisle was filled with all kinds of odors. There was the smell of tobacco, the smell of the mop, the smell of fermented food, and the stuffy smell of sweat.
As soon as they found their berths, Shen Yanshan's first thing to do was to open the window to let the air circulate.
"Put the food here. If you're hungry, eat some first. The train will probably depart in a dozen minutes. I'll go find my berth now. You stay here by yourself for a while. I'll be back soon."
Since there were no adjacent ticket numbers when they bought the tickets, his berth was not next to Li Chuchu's. But he was worried about leaving her alone, so he repeatedly reminded her.
"Okay, okay, I know. Go quickly."
Li Chuchu waved her hand. This guy really treated her like a child.
She had already put all her important items into her space and only left the things she needed beside her.
Shen Yanshan left, looking back every few steps.
There were more people in the sleeping carriage than expected. It took a long time for all the people outside to squeeze in.
Li Chuchu kept an eye on her things, afraid that they would be stolen. Then she sat on the berth and quietly waited for the train to depart.
This was her first time taking a green-skinned train.
She looked out of the window curiously.
The green-skinned train was very slow. When it started moving, it made a "clank-clank" noise. The scenery outside slowly receded. It would take nearly two days to travel from Ningcheng to Chuncheng.
Although it was slow, with the development of the times, this kind of coal-burning green-skinned train had gradually disappeared into the long river of history. It was a rare opportunity to go back to this era, and it was also a kind of nostalgic trip to the history and a way to pay tribute to the culture of the 1980s.
However, soon,
Li Chuchu's literary thought was quickly dispelled.
...
Suddenly, someone in the crowd exclaimed, "Oh, who has seen my watch?"
His companion next to him asked, "Could it be in the side pocket of your duffel bag?"
"I've looked everywhere. It's not there! That was a famous-brand mechanical watch that cost me three months' salary!"
The young man looked dejected.
There were many pickpockets on the train, and there were no surveillance cameras at that time. It was impossible to get the watch back. Who would dare to wear such a valuable thing openly when traveling far by train?
The people around him advised him to just take it as a lesson learned.
Li Chuchu withdrew her gaze and silently tightened her grip on the few coins in her wallet.
In the 1980s, even the pickpockets on the train formed gangs. This was indeed a kind of cultural symbol of that era.
At this time,
A man walked in from outside. It was noon and the weather was very hot, but this man was still wearing a thin coat.
He had a shifty look in his eyes and was very vigilant. As soon as he came in, he sized up everyone in the compartment. When he passed by Li Chuchu, he sized her up twice, both times imperceptibly.
He silently sat opposite Li Chuchu, holding a black bag in his hand. When he lay down, he put it under his pillow.
Li Chuchu sat by the window, looking at the scenery outside, while keeping an eye on the movements around her from the corner of her eye.
...
The train stopped at a station,
A plump aunt got on and took the berth diagonally above Li Chuchu's.
She stuffed her duffel bag onto the shelf, sweating profusely. Then she fanned herself with her hand and enthusiastically struck up a conversation with Li Chuchu, "Are you traveling by train alone? Oh, such a beautiful girl. How could your family feel at ease letting you travel alone?"
Li Chuchu smiled at her but didn't say a word.
When traveling, the more you talk, the more mistakes you may make.
You can't easily trust anyone.
"Are you from Ningcheng? I remember the last stop was Ningcheng. If you go further north, it's Jicheng. I don't think such a delicate girl could be raised there."
Li Chuchu replied vaguely, "Sort of from around there."
Seeing that Li Chuchu didn't seem interested in talking, the aunt didn't insist on continuing the conversation.
The girl in the berth above Li Chuchu looked less than twenty years old. She had two braids and a few freckles on her face. Judging from her appearance, she didn't seem to be from the city.
She was quite talkative. She started chatting with the aunt enthusiastically as soon as she sat down.
"Oh, you're so talkative, kid. You're really likable. Unlike some kids who are as silent as a sawed-mouthed gourd."
The aunt's praises came out without hesitation, and she subtly hinted at Li Chuchu beside her.
The girl shook her two braids proudly and said, "That's right! Before I left home, my mom told me that since we have a mouth, we should use it to chat. A big mouth can make a living everywhere. Only by being generous can we achieve something."
The aunt smiled and said, "Yes, yes, yes. That's how people of our generation made their way in the world."
After chatting for a while,
The girl and the aunt talked about everything from the south to the north.
The girl even told them which village she lived in, how many people there were in her family, and that she was going to visit her relatives in Yangcheng for a few days.
After chatting for a long time, Li Chuchu's ears were numb.
Then the aunt took out two aluminum lunch boxes filled with dumplings from her pocket and enthusiastically offered one of them to Li Chuchu and the others, "Kid in the lower berth, these are pork and scallion dumplings. Do you want to have some?"
Dumplings were a precious food, and not every family could afford to eat them.
Li Chuchu politely replied, "Thank you, aunt. I've brought my own food."
"Okay. The food on the train is not delicious. It's better to bring your own."
Although she said so, the enthusiasm on the aunt's face visibly diminished. On the contrary, the girl with two braids couldn't take her eyes off the dumplings. Her eyes sparkled and she said, "Aunt, I'll eat! I haven't eaten dumplings for a long time."
As soon as the aunt heard this, her face beamed with joy, "Good, eat more. I made these myself. I made too many and can't finish them all."
The girl with two braids wasn't polite. She picked up the chopsticks and ate one dumpling after another, "Aunt, your dumplings are so delicious! They taste just like my mom's. If my younger brother wasn't going to school in the city soon, my mom would definitely make a batch of dumplings for me! This time I'm going to my relatives', actually, they said they would introduce a factory job for me. When I get my salary, I'll eat dumplings every day!"