Riding the wind of rebirth

However, happy days are always short-lived. In the end, Li Laosan couldn't bear to part with the leftover roasted food, so he packed it into a big bag and told him to take it on the train.

This was his first time taking an overnight sleeper train, and it was an incredibly exciting experience.

Military vehicles can directly transport people into the station, which saves them the trouble of squeezing through the gate.

Because the autonomous prefecture's external transportation is very inconvenient, traveling by car to Sichuan requires crossing many mountains and takes too long. Except for Zhouzhi, where the driving and sightseeing experience is quite nice, it is difficult for most people to accept.

As a result, the green-skinned express trains that could reach Yunnan or Chengdu in just one night became the main mode of transportation, and tickets were often hard to come by, especially sleeper berths.

Another reason is that highway robbers usually get on and off short distances, and they can't get into sleeper carriages, so sleeper carriages are safer than hard seats.

There are solutions for not being able to buy tickets. One is to find scalpers, who have connections to get sleeper tickets.

Even if you don't get a ticket, it's okay. You can buy a hard seat ticket first and then board the train. Once on board, find the train attendant. They usually have a few spare sleeper berths. After the train starts moving, these spare sleeper berths are no longer needed and can be made available to passengers who didn't get sleeper tickets.

When all those seats are taken, the flight attendants still have their own rest berths. Sometimes, the flight attendants will give up their berths to passengers, making a small sacrifice to earn some extra money.

Currently, a hard sleeper ticket costs around 50 yuan, while a soft sleeper ticket costs a little over 100 yuan. All the "flexible berths" on a train can still earn the train crew a small amount of gray income. Zhou Zhi learned this trick by following his senior colleagues on a business trip years ago.

Back then, a train ticket made it difficult for Zhou Zhi to go home. In this life, such a problem no longer exists, but Zhou Zhi still felt quite emotional when he saw the K114 train that he was so familiar with in his previous life.

"What's wrong, elbow?" Mai Xiaomiao asked with concern when she saw Zhou Zhi staring at the train in a daze.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just realized it's been a long time since I've taken a train," Zhou Zhi said with a smile.

"Then next time we go back to Chengdu, shall we sit here together?" Mai Xiaomiao said with a smile.

"Forget it, there are too many tunnels on the Chengdu-Kunming Railway. Coal trucks go through tunnels all the way, and by the time they get off, both their nostrils are black." Zhou Zhi laughed, "If you want to take the train, we can take it to Jingyang to see Auntie San and Uncle Tiedan when we get to Chengdu. The train runs on the plains, and the environment inside the carriages is much better."

After seeing their friends off, Zhou Zhi and Mai Xiaomiao returned to the base in a military vehicle. Because they had been through so much in the past two days, they decided to stay at the base's guesthouse for another night before returning to the grain depot the next day.

With the merger of several townships into one town, the allocation of town government resources, the construction of town primary and secondary schools, and the arrival of teachers, Zhouzhi's task in Lianhe Township can be considered officially completed.

Lianhe Town has officially embarked on the road to development, starting earlier and better than in the previous life. The remaining task is to quickly complete the road leading to Wazu Township and use railway transportation to give the town wings to take off.

Zhou Zhi also learned of the day he left Lianhe Township.

Azi seemed to know that Zhou Zhi and Mai Xiaomiao were about to leave, so she always used learning computers as an excuse to stay with them, trying to postpone it as much as possible. When the truck carrying equipment and furniture finally arrived at the grain station, Azi couldn't help but cry, crying very sadly.

The news of Zhou Zhi's departure also alarmed the villagers. In the past two years, many families in several villages have benefited from Zhou Zhi's kindness, especially those with school-age children and those with financial difficulties. They were all the recipients of his care and assistance. Zhou Zhi would often visit their homes under the pretext of delivering things, understanding their difficulties, and actively solving them.

Most of the time it comes down to money, and money is the simplest issue in Zhouzhi, so it's generally resolved quite well.

Soon, the surrounding villages were alerted, and everyone gathered around. The area outside the grain station was packed with people, even more lively than during the Spring Festival.

Seeing this, the town officials wanted to call the police station, but Tu Liangzhi stopped them, saying, "If Zhouzi and Xiaomiao aren't safe in our town, that would be a huge joke!"

Zhou Zhi himself was also very moved. He hadn't expected everyone to come to see him off so spontaneously. For a moment, he choked up and couldn't speak.

Old Chi Ri was still in control. He had A Zi turn on the loudspeaker and bring out the microphone: "The jade from the foot of the mountain spring is the whitest, and friendships forged in hardship are the most precious. Zhou Zi came here when our village was at its most troubled. He not only helped us improve our lives but also forged the most valuable friendship. It's not surprising that we are all like this now. But earthworms crawl in the pond ashes, and travelers return home. Zhou Zi and Xiao Miao also have parents and families. Are we going to keep our two good children here just to improve our own lives? Wouldn't that be a loss of our Yi people's virtue?"

"Besides, an eagle should return to the sky, not be kept in a chicken coop; a fine horse should run a thousand miles, not circle the millstone. Elbow can chat with Xiao Miao and the big officials in the prefecture. If he stays here, it will only be a waste of his time. So, it's time for us to part ways."

"Everyone should always remember the kindness of Zhouzi and Xiaomiao, and how much they have changed our village. When they come back to visit, every household should open their doors, welcome them for a drink and a meal, and let them say that this place will always feel like home. That's the right thing to do!"

"Before he leaves, let's have Elbow say a few words to everyone. Let's give him a round of applause!"

The villagers obediently clapped.

Zhou Zhi couldn't help but admire him secretly. It was Old Chi Ri who had the prestige. With a few polite words, he managed to control the situation. He took the microphone and said, "Grandpa Chi Ri praised me and Xiao Miao a bit too much, but some of his words really touched my heart. That is, I really consider this place my home, and I consider everyone here my family."

"However, due to work and study reasons, I have to leave now. But there's a saying in the village that goes, 'Mountains may not be next to each other, but clouds connect them; dams may not be next to each other, but waters connect them.' The feelings between us are like the connections between us, which can never be broken."

“Now that there is internet and communication in the town, even if we leave, everyone can still find us at any time. In the future, no matter what happens to you, you can contact us through Azi, just like when you came to the grain station to find me before. We can work together to find a solution.”

“I’m not worried about anything else, the only thing I’m worried about is the children’s studies: Mujia Laha, Yuri, Erjia, Chier, Rimu, Sezi, Lazi, Rise, Youla, Aguo, Qubi Chunhong, Munaikegu, Qiumolili, Jidi Fazu, Aiqu Yuezhe, Azi Rila, Azi Ricong, Azi Rjie, Awuerwei…”

Zhou Zhi began calling out names one by one, and there wasn't a single child in the village he couldn't name: "You've seen many eagles soaring far away, and you've learned a lot from diligent study. Look at how your elders are learning grafting, crop rotation, how to raise sheep in pens, how to build roads, and how to build houses. They are your role models. So you must be even more diligent."

"I promise you, if you all study hard, I'll have Sister Azi take you out to play during the holidays, to see Chengdu, Shanghai, and the capital. But if you don't study well, then I'll have to ask Grandpa Chiri to keep an eye on you and spank you!" (End of Chapter)