Siheyuan: The Era of Struggle

Chapter 408 Buying Tickets to Go Home
After He Yuanchao finished speaking, the Zhang father and son were both a little stunned.

Zhang Lide was a little better off, since he was the one who first suggested that He Yuanchao return to Beijing, so he was somewhat prepared, but he didn't expect his son-in-law to be in such a hurry.

Zhang Zhao found it hard to accept. Upon hearing that He Yuanchao was leaving, he felt a sudden emptiness in his heart. He and Lü Wenli were not officially divorced yet. If something unexpected happened, he would have no one to give him advice. He had finally found someone in the family who didn't lecture him. Now that He Yuanchao was leaving, would he have to endure his father Zhang Lide's sullen face?

Thinking of this, Zhang Zhao wanted to say something to persuade him to stay, but he couldn't find a good reason for it. So he looked at Zhang Lide, hoping that his father would change his mind and keep He Yuanchao.

Zhang Lide was a little worried about having two women at home, especially his daughter Zhang Min who was pregnant. If something happened, it would be inconvenient for his son-in-law not to be home.

Zhang Lide, preoccupied with family matters, didn't notice Zhang Zhao's gaze. He glanced at his watch and said:
"Things here are almost done, it's good to go back, but it's getting late and there might not be any cars available. How about we stay overnight and leave tomorrow morning?"

"It's nothing, I'm just going to take a look. If there are no buses tonight, I can buy tickets for tomorrow while I'm at it."

Seeing that He Yuanchao was determined to leave tonight, Zhang Lide didn't try to persuade him anymore. He got up from his chair and said, "Alright, I'll go with you to your Uncle Wang's place in Yuantai. Let's go together."

After saying that, he turned to Zhang Zhao, who had a long face, and said, "Go tell Xiao Wang that we are going to Yuantai, and tell him to get ready, then come back and pack up so we can go together."

"Ah."

Zhang Zhao reluctantly agreed and slowly got up to walk outside.

Seeing this, He Yuanchao didn't linger any longer. He said, "I'll go back and pack up," and then followed Zhang Zhao out of the house.

Back in my room, I took out the tan canvas bag I had packed that morning and put the scarf and inkstone I had bought at noon into it.

Although he didn't know if the inkstone was an antique, He Yuanchao still placed it in the middle of his bag. With the clothes on both sides separating it, he didn't have to worry about bumping into it on the way.

After packing his bag, He Yuanchao tied the two white cloth bags that Li Hongtao had given him together mouth to mouth with a rope. He lifted them and found them to be quite sturdy. Then, carrying the bag in one hand and the white cloth bags in the other, he left the house.

After going downstairs and leaving the guesthouse, the driver, Xiao Wang, was already waiting beside the jeep.

Upon seeing He Yuanchao come out, Xiao Wang immediately opened the car door and helped put the things into the car.

After tidying up, seeing that Zhang Lide and his son hadn't come out yet, He Yuanchao took out a cigarette from his pocket and offered one to Xiao Wang.

After spending a few days together, Xiao Wang and He Yuanchao had become quite familiar with each other. Without any hesitation, Xiao Wang took the cigarette, lit it for He Yuanchao with a match, and said:
"Brother He, I heard from Brother Zhang that you're going back to Kyoto. When will you have another chance to come to Xishan?"

In those days, transportation was inconvenient, and although there were some tourism activities among the people, it was not widespread. People rarely traveled far unless they had important matters to attend to at home or were on official business.

He Yuanchao took a drag of his cigarette, looked at the houses and streets of Yangqu in front of him, and exhaled the smoke from his mouth, saying:

"It's hard to say. Our factory has business dealings with Xishan, so I might come here again someday."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Wang's impending separation dissipated considerably, and he grinned, jokingly saying:
"It's good that you came. Otherwise, where would I find such a good-tasting Qianmen cigarette?"

After saying that, he held up a cigarette in front of He Yuanchao a couple of times, then put it in his mouth and took a puff, deliberately looking like he was enjoying it.

He Yuanchao smiled at Xiao Wang's exaggerated expression, took out most of a pack of Qianmen cigarettes from his pocket and stuffed it into his hand.

Xiao Wang stared blankly at the half-pack of cigarettes in his hand for a moment, then immediately tried to shove the cigarettes into He Yuanchao's hand. "Brother He, you can't do this. I was just joking with you. I didn't mean to take the cigarettes. You should take them back right away."

Seeing Xiao Wang's anxious expression, He Yuanchao, while refusing the half-pack of cigarettes Xiao Wang offered, chuckled:
"I know you're joking. I've been calling you Brother He for days, so I can't just call you that for nothing. Half a pack of cigarettes is no big deal! Just take it."

He Yuanchao's generosity touched the driver, Xiao Wang, but he was also a man of principle and had no intention of taking advantage of others.

"That won't work either, they're two different things."

While the two were arguing over half a pack of cigarettes, Zhang Lide led Zhang Zhao out of the guesthouse.

Seeing this, He Yuanchao quickly seized the opportunity to say, "Alright, Xiao Wang, stop tearing it up. Hurry up and put the cigarettes away; we're leaving."

As he spoke, he took a few steps to Zhang Lide, took the bag from his hand, and put it into the jeep.

Zhang Lide saw He Yuanchao and Xiao Wang's actions when he came out, but he didn't ask anything. He smiled and said "Thank you for your hard work" to Xiao Wang, then lowered his head and got into the jeep.

Driver Xiao Wang was quite relaxed in front of He Yuanchao, but he was a bit intimidated when facing Zhang Lide. Seeing that everyone was there, he didn't dare to delay and quickly put away his cigarettes, got into the driver's seat, and started the jeep.

Once everyone was seated in the car, Xiao Wang gave a shout, then stepped on the gas, and the jeep steadily drove away from the guesthouse.

Yangqu is more than 30 kilometers away from Quyang, which is not too far, but due to the poor road conditions, it took Xiao Wang more than an hour to reach his destination, the Yuantai Railway Station.

The original Taishi Railway Station was first built in the 30th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1904), and officially opened to traffic in 1907. At that time, it was a Baroque-style building, very similar to the Shijiazhuang Railway Station. Ordinary people really couldn't describe its shape.

After the Liberation War, a Soviet-style railway station was rebuilt on the original site in 1951. Last year, He Yuanchao saw a photo of Master Mei Lanfang getting off the train at Taiyuan Railway Station in the newspaper. The railway station in front of him is exactly the same as the one in the photo.

After asking the uniformed staff outside the train station, He Yuanchao, Zhang Lide, and Zhang Zhao quickly arrived at the ticket window.

There weren't many people buying tickets at the window, and it wasn't long before it was He Yuanchao's turn.

"Hello comrade, is there a train to Kyoto tonight?"

The ticket seller was a woman in her thirties, very skilled at her job. She glanced at the ticket ledger on the table and said:
"There are no direct trains to Kyoto. There is one at 8:35 pm that goes to Shijiazhuang and transfers to Kyoto. Do you want to take it?"

Without hesitation, He Yuanchao said, "Yes, please ask if there are any sleeper berths available."

"Have."

Having received a definite answer, He Yuanchao asked about the price and then directly took out his work ID, letter of introduction, and two large black ten-dollar bills and handed them into the ticket window.

"Comrade, could you please provide a sleeper berth for tonight's journey to Shijiazhuang?"

The ticket seller glanced at He Yuanchao's work ID, checked it, and put it aside. She took out a hardboard ticket from the ticket box, printed the date on it, opened a drawer, took out a stack of change, counted out a few bills, and then handed it out of the ticket window along with the ticket, letter of introduction, and work ID.

(End of this chapter)