In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Yang Guangming woke up.

Without disturbing his still-sleeping mother and grandmother, he quietly dressed and got off the kang (a heated brick bed). After a quick wash, he began preparing gifts to visit his two aunts.

He scooped out about two pounds of cornmeal from the earthenware jar where grain was openly stored at home, and also took two packets of noodles.

After thinking for a moment, I cut about half a pound of cured pork and the same amount of sausage, and carefully wrapped them in another clean sheet of oil paper.

He packed these substantial items into a slightly worn canvas bag, picked it up, and weighed it in his hand. It was quite heavy, which showed his sincerity.

Of course, he felt that this was far from enough. He planned to find a secluded corner on the street and add some more things from his storage space to make this "gift" more meaningful.

Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying also got up one after another. Seeing that Yang Guangming had prepared the gifts, Tian Yufen stepped forward, carefully looked at the contents of his pocket, and nodded.

“These are good things, very practical. Your aunts are also struggling financially, they’ll definitely be happy to see these.” As she spoke, she took out a small cloth bag from her room, which contained ten eggs.

"Bring this along too. Tell them it's what your grandma and I saved up for, to help the children get some nutrition."

Yang Guangming did not refuse, took the eggs, and carefully placed them on his pocket.

After a quick breakfast, Yang Guangming said, "Mom, Grandma, I'm going now. I'll try to be back before noon."

"Be careful on the road and come back early," Grandma Qin Lanying instructed.

"Okay, I got it," Yang Guangming replied, picked up his bag, and went out the door.

The village was shrouded in a thin layer of mist in the early morning. The air was fresh and cool, and glistening dewdrops clung to the grass blades by the roadside.

Occasionally, early-rising villagers would carry hoes to the fields, and when they saw Yang Guangming, they would greet him warmly.

"Guangming, where are you going so early?"

"Let's go see my aunt," Yang Guangming replied with a smile.

(In rural areas, men and women were arranged separately, and this was also the case for most urban residents at the time.)
"Oh, okay, we should go take a look."

After walking a distance out of the village and making sure no one was around, Yang Guangming quickly slipped behind a large tree by the roadside.

With a slight thought, he immersed his consciousness in the space and quickly took out four catties of millet, four catties of vermicelli, some other grains and two kinds of snacks, and put them all into his pocket.

Then he continued on his way, walking briskly towards the neighboring village.

We went to my aunt's house first. It was an ordinary farmhouse with mud walls and a straw roof.

When the sun was shining brightly, my aunt was feeding the chickens in the yard, and my uncle was squatting at the door sharpening his hoe.

"Aunt, Uncle," Yang Guangming called out from the courtyard gate.

Hearing the voice, the aunt looked up and saw him. Her face immediately lit up with a delighted smile. She put down the chicken feed bowl in her hand and came over to greet him.

"Oh! It's Guangming! What brings you back? Are you on summer vacation? Come in, come in!"

My uncle also stood up, smiling憨厚ly as he rubbed his hands, which were covered in mud.

"Uncle, I'm busy."

Yang Guangming walked into the yard and handed the heavy bag in his hand to his aunt. "I brought some things back from school. Please have a taste."

"Look at you, child! You came all this way, but why did you bring all this stuff?" Auntie complained, but took the bag from her hand. The heavy weight of it made her pause for a moment.

When they opened the bag, they were stunned to find eggs, cured meat and sausages, vermicelli, and various grains inside.

"This...this...Guangming, where did you get all this good stuff? How much did this cost?" Aunt's voice trembled as she picked up the cured meat, hardly believing it.

“Aunt, don’t worry about it. I have classmates in Kyoto who can help me get some things that don’t require coupons. We have everything at home. These are especially for you and Uncle.” Yang Guangming explained vaguely, “Don’t be stingy with these, your health is the most important thing.”

He added, "Where are my sister and brother? These snacks are for them." As he spoke, he took out two packets of sponge cakes and walnut cookies wrapped in parchment paper from his bag.

When my aunt saw these things, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

“Guangming…you child…really…what can your aunt say…” She held Yang Guangming’s hand, so excited that she was incoherent.

The uncle-in-law stood by and thanked him repeatedly, his dark face full of emotion.

Yang Guangming sat at his aunt's house for less than half an hour. No matter how much his aunt and uncle tried to persuade him to stay for lunch, he insisted that his mother and grandmother were waiting for him at home and that he had to rush back.

Before leaving, he casually mentioned, "Aunt, Uncle, our whole family might be going to Kyoto for a while in a couple of days to take care of some things. I'll come to see you again when I get back from Kyoto."

Although his aunt and uncle were somewhat surprised, they didn't ask any further questions since he didn't elaborate. They simply told him to be careful on the road and to send a message back when he arrived in Kyoto.

After leaving his eldest aunt's house, Yang Guangming went to his second aunt's house.

The situation was almost exactly the same. When his second aunt and uncle saw the generous gifts he brought, they were equally shocked and grateful, after some initial refusals, before finally accepting them happily.

Yang Guangming also only stayed for less than half an hour, leaving behind a gift and the news that he was going to Kyoto, before taking his leave.

Yang Guangming returned home before the sun reached its zenith.

Lunch consisted of pancakes made from wheat flour that Yang Guangming had brought back, stir-fried cured pork and green beans, and a pot of millet porridge.

The golden pancakes exuded the aroma of wheat, and the savory cured meat was delicious and flavorful. The family of four ate with great satisfaction.

Yang Shanshan's face was full of happiness as she munched on a pancake and mumbled, "I wish I could eat like this every day."

These words brought tears to Tian Yufen and her grandmother's eyes again, but also strengthened their resolve to leave this place and strive for a better future for the children.

For the next two days, Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying asked the production team for leave and focused on tidying up at home.

The clothes and bedding I was taking were few in number, all patched, but washed clean and folded neatly.

Tian Yufen quickly made two sturdy cloth bags and carefully wrapped the family's changes of clothes, several pairs of cloth shoes that were still in good condition, and some herbs that the old lady often ate inside.

The most important thing is still food.

The few remaining corn, sorghum, and wheat in the house, as well as the flour, rice, and cured meat that Yang Guangming brought back, were carefully hidden by the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law so that they would not be easily found by strangers.

"Once we've settled in over there, we'll have to find a way to bring this food over as well." Tian Yufen looked at the hidden food, her tone somewhat complicated.

She had saved every single grain of this food, thinking that if she settled down in Kyoto, food would definitely be scarce, so she had to find a way to bring it with her.

Yang Guangming understood his mother's feelings and comforted her, "Mom, don't worry. Once we've settled down in Kyoto, I'll take care of these things when I get back. They definitely won't go to waste."

Qin Lanying also sighed: "Let's go, let's go. People are more important than things. As long as we're alive, better days are ahead."

Just as the family was busy tidying up, Guangming's two aunts—the eldest, Yang Guixiang, and the second, Yang Lanxiang—both returned to their parents' home the following afternoon.

They came back specifically to see their elderly mother, sister-in-law, and niece after hearing from Guangming that he was going to Kyoto.

Upon entering the courtyard and seeing signs of tidying up inside and outside the house, the two knew that the matter must have been approved.

"Mother, sister-in-law, I heard you're going to Kyoto?" The eldest aunt asked impatiently, grabbing Tian Yufen's hand.

Tian Yufen glanced at Yang Guangming, who nodded slightly.

Tian Yufen then called her two sisters-in-law into the inner room, lowered her voice, and briefly told them about her plan to move her household registration to Kyoto to find work.

Naturally, the part about compensating Yang Jianxiong was omitted; it was only said that Guangming would try to find a way to settle down in the city and get a supply of food.

The two aunts were surprised, happy for them, and also filled with worry after hearing this.

"Kyoto is a place we don't know anyone in. Will we be able to manage?" Second Aunt asked with a gentle nature and concern.

"Why not? Guangming is a college graduate, he's knowledgeable, and his father... can help out over there." The aunt was quite optimistic. "At least he can get enough to eat there, and won't have to suffer like this anymore. I think it's a good thing!"

Even so, the two aunts' eyes welled up with tears as they thought about when they would see their sister-in-law's family again after they left.

Looking at her two daughters, Qin Lanying was filled with mixed emotions.

"Don't worry, there's hope. We'll write to you once we're settled over there," the old lady said, holding her two daughters' hands.

In the end, the two aunts decided to stay overnight to keep their elderly mother and sister-in-law company and then see them off the next day.

That evening, Yang Guangming's house was unusually lively.

Two uncles, Tian Yulin and Tian Yuzhu, two aunts, Yang Guixiang and Yang Lanxiang, plus Yang Guangming's family of four, eight people sat around the Eight Immortals table in the main room.

The table was laden with dishes. Two large platters of braised beef and pig's head meat were laid out, while cured pork was stir-fried with green peppers and green beans. Salted duck eggs were cut in half to reveal their red oil, and cucumber salad was refreshing and delicious.

In addition, there was a large bowl of egg drop soup, sprinkled with bright green scallions.

This meal is even more lavish than the one served during Chinese New Year.

Yang Guangming specially bought two bottles of locally produced "Gaoliang Shao" liquor, filling them to the brim for his two uncles and himself. At his urging, his mother, Tian Yufen, and his two aunts also poured themselves a small cup.

"Come on, Uncle, Second Uncle, Aunt, Second Aunt." Yang Guangming raised his glass, his expression solemn. "Our whole family is leaving tomorrow. We don't know when we'll be back. Over the years, our family has been so fortunate to have your help. This glass is a toast to you all!"

Tian Yulin was not good with words. He picked up his wine glass and sighed heavily: "We're family, so let's not be so formal. You all go over there... take good care of yourselves!"

Tian Yuzhu also raised his glass, his tone steady: "Eldest sister, aunt, Guangming, Shanshan, once we get to Kyoto, discuss everything carefully and take it easy. My brother and I will take care of things back home, so don't worry."

The two aunts nodded repeatedly, and Yang Guixiang said loudly, "Don't worry, Mother, if anything happens, we'll come back to visit often. We're happy that you've settled down in Kyoto!"

Looking at her brother and sister-in-law, Tian Yufen felt a lump in her throat as she thought about leaving tomorrow. Her voice choked up as she said, "...I'm entrusting the family to you."

Grandma Qin Lanying wiped her eyes and held up the enamel mug in her hand: "Everything is fine, our family... will be fine."

The atmosphere was somewhat melancholic, yet filled with the warmth of family affection.

Yang Guangming tried his best to lighten the mood and urged everyone to eat.

The braised beef was fragrant and delicious, and the pork head meat was fatty but not greasy. The rich, oily flavor stimulated everyone's taste buds. Yang Shanshan ate until her little mouth was shiny with oil, and her eyes were squinted into slits with happiness.

After a few rounds of drinks, Tian Yuzhu looked at Yang Guangming and said in a tone of entrustment, "Guangming, I've already prepared the letters of introduction. When you get to Kyoto, be shrewd in your dealings, listen more, observe more, and be less impulsive."

"Second Uncle, don't worry, I know." Yang Guangming nodded earnestly.

The family reunion dinner lasted a long time. It was almost 9:30 when the two uncles finally said goodbye and left.

The next day, before dawn, the whole family got up.

Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying checked their luggage one last time to make sure they had everything they needed.

After a simple breakfast, the sound of a donkey cart and the shouts of Hetian Yuzhu could be heard outside the courtyard gate.

"Big sister, Guangming, are you all ready? The car's here!"

The family came out of the main room. Second Uncle Tian Yuzhu was waiting outside with the team's donkey cart, and eldest Uncle Tian Yulin also came and helped carry the luggage onto the cart.

With tears in their eyes, the two aunts held the hands of their mother and Tian Yufen, giving them countless words of advice.

"Mother, be careful on the road, and send me a message when you arrive."

"Sister-in-law, take good care of Mother and yourself..."

"Don't worry, Auntie, I'm here for you," Yang Guangming reassured her.

Grandma Qin Lanying took one last look at the old house where she had lived for decades, and at the lush green vegetable garden in the yard. Her gaze was complex, filled with longing and reluctance, and finally turned into a barely audible sigh.

Supported by Tian Yufen, she shakily sat on the donkey cart covered with an old mattress.

Yang Shanshan was also put into the car and sat next to her grandmother. Her little face showed both bewilderment at the unknown future and a little excitement.

Yang Guangming and his mother also got on the bus one after the other.

Tian Yuzhu sat on the carriage shaft and gently flicked the reins: "Giddy up!"

The donkey started walking, pulling the cart, creaking and groaning as it drove out of the courtyard and over the dirt road in the village.

Some of the neighbors who got up early saw this and stood at their doorways looking around. Someone asked, "Yufen, are you going on a long trip?"

Tian Yufen forced a smile and replied, "Oh, the child insisted on taking us to Kyoto for a visit."

The donkey cart passed through the still-sleeping village and headed out of the village.

The two aunts and the eldest uncle, Tian Yulin, followed the car for a while until they reached the old locust tree at the entrance of the village.

"Mother, sister-in-law, have a safe journey!"

"Letter arrives!"

"You all have to go to work soon, don't delay, go back now!" Tian Yufen turned around and waved, her voice choked with emotion.

Yang Guangming waved vigorously at his uncles and aunts.

The donkey cart gradually disappeared into the distance, its silhouette at the village entrance growing smaller and smaller until it finally blurred into the morning mist.

Tian Yufen finally couldn't hold back her tears and they fell down. She quickly wiped them away with her sleeve.

Qin Lanying sat silently, her wrinkled hands gripping the side of the cart tightly.

Yang Guangming looked at his mother and grandmother, then at his younger sister who was nestled beside her grandmother and curiously gazing at the scenery along the way. He felt no reluctance, only anticipation for the future.

The donkey cart clattered along the dirt road, surrounded by quiet fields. In the distance, the sky began to lighten with the first light of dawn, signaling the start of a new day.

An hour later, the donkey cart arrived at Yingxian Railway Station.

The small station square was even more bustling than it had been a few days earlier when the sun had returned, crowded with travelers from all directions and people seeing them off.

Tian Yuzhu tied the donkey's reins to a tree, helped unload the luggage, and looked at his family who were about to embark on a long journey with reluctance in his eyes.

"Second Uncle, thank you for your hard work," Yang Guangming said, carrying his travel bag and bundle.

"We're family, no need to be so polite." Tian Yuzhu waved his hand and walked a little further with them.

Upon reaching the entrance, the crowd became even more congested.

Tian Yuzhu handed a package to Yang Guangming and said, "I'll stop here. The team's vehicle has to go back."

He glanced at the noisy crowd and then, still worried, reminded Yang Guangming, "Keep the tickets safe, be careful on the way, and take good care of your mother and the others."

"Don't worry, Second Uncle, I remember everything." Yang Guangming nodded emphatically.

Tian Yuzhu then looked at Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying: "Eldest sister, aunt, have a safe journey. When you get there... everything will be bright. If anything happens, listen to his advice."

"Okay, Yuzhu, you should go back now and drive carefully," Tian Yufen said, her eyes red.

Qin Lanying nodded: "Go back now, and take good care of things at home."

Tian Yuzhu said no more, patted Yang Guangming's shoulder forcefully, and turned to squeeze out of the crowd.

As Yang Guangming watched his second uncle's figure disappear, he said to his mother and grandmother, "Mom, Grandma, let's go into the station too. Stay close to me."

He carried a travel bag in one hand, a bundle on his back, and held Yang Shanshan tightly in his other hand.

Tian Yufen carried another bundle and helped her mother-in-law.

The family joined the surging crowd and moved toward the ticket gate.

The surrounding area was filled with the cacophony of dialects, children crying, and the clanging of luggage; it looked chaotic and crowded.

Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying were clearly experiencing this kind of situation for the first time. They looked nervous and followed Yang Guangming closely, afraid of being separated from each other.

Yang Shanshan huddled up next to her brother, her little hands clenched tightly in fear.

With his youth, strength, and extensive travel experience, Yang Guangming carefully protected his family and finally squeezed through the ticket gate to the platform.

The green train bound for Kyoto was already parked at the platform. Its dark green body looked somewhat old, and most of the windows were open, revealing the crowded figures inside.

Getting on the bus was another struggle.

Yang Guangming told his mother and grandmother to wait downstairs with his younger sister, while he used his strength and skill to climb directly into the car through the window.

He asked his mother to pass all his luggage to him through the window, then put it away carefully and asked the passenger next to him to keep an eye on it.

Then he jumped out of the window and helped his family squeeze onto the car through the door.

The carriage was extremely crowded, with people standing in the aisles, and the air was stuffy and stale.

It took Yang Guangming a lot of effort to bring his family to their seats.

He bought three hard-seat tickets, two of which were by the window.

There were already people sitting in their seats. When they saw Yang Guangming with his ticket, they reluctantly got up and moved aside.

"Mom, you and Grandma sit inside, Shanshan sits in the middle, and I'll sit on the outside," Yang Guangming arranged.

He checked his luggage again to make sure nothing was missing before he could finally relax.

Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying sat down on the hard wooden chairs, let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if they had fought a tough battle, their faces still showing the shock from the crowd.

Yang Shanshan curiously leaned against the car window, watching the bustling crowd on the platform outside.

"Brother, when does the train leave?" she asked, turning around.

"Almost there, we'll start once everyone's up," Yang Guangming reassured her, taking out a water bottle. "Mom, Grandma, have some water first."

Tian Yufen took the water bottle, but didn't drink it. Instead, she stared blankly at the familiar scenery of her hometown outside the window, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and fear for the future.

Qin Lanying closed her eyes, unconsciously twirling the smooth prayer beads in her hand, her lips moving slightly.

Yang Guangming knew that words would be inadequate at this moment. He could only sit there silently, offering his family a sense of emotional support through his steady presence.

Woo——!
A long, deep whistle pierced the noise of the platform, the train lurched violently, and with a loud bang, it slowly started moving.

The platform began to move backward, gradually increasing in speed. The crowds seeing people off, the platform buildings, and the familiar scenes of the county town were left behind, becoming smaller and smaller until they finally disappeared from sight.

Tian Yufen's tears finally fell silently, and she quickly lowered her head and wiped them away with her sleeve.

Qin Lanying also opened her eyes and looked out the window, as if she wanted to etch the last image of this land into her heart.

Yang Shanshan seemed to be affected by the atmosphere of parting, and quieted down, leaning against her grandmother, her big eyes filled with confusion and unease.

Yang Guangming reached out and gently squeezed his mother's cold, rough hand, whispering, "Mother, things will get better from now on."

Tian Yufen raised her tearful eyes, looked at her son's firm and steady gaze, nodded vigorously, and then tightly grasped her son's hand.

The train roared northward, speeding towards the capital city, a place brimming with unknowns and hopes.

The train carriage swayed, and the scenery outside the window kept changing.

For Tian Yufen, Qin Lanying, and Yang Shanshan, this was a completely unfamiliar journey, heading towards a distant place that only existed in their imagination.

Their hearts were filled with the sadness of leaving their hometown and the anxiety of an uncertain future, but there was also a faint hope, like a ray of sunlight occasionally breaking through the clouds in the vast world outside the car window.

The train, carrying the family's hopes and anxieties, steadfastly traveled along the tracks, gradually leaving behind the hardships and burdens of the past. (End of Chapter)