Era: Rise from the Wilderness

On the platform, the green train, like a long, silent steel behemoth, lay quietly on the tracks.

The green paint on the car body had peeled off in some places, revealing dark red rust underneath.

Most of the train windows were open, revealing a jumble of people inside. The noise of people, the crying of babies, and the sound of radios playing operas from who-knows-where mingled with the faint smell of coal smoke from the locomotive and the oily odor of the railway sleepers, all fermenting in the sweltering afternoon air.

"Train KXXX, heading towards XX, is about to arrive at the station..."

The announcements continued to play, but the crowd on the platform was already getting restless, with passengers carrying large bags and bundles surging towards their respective carriage doors like a tide.

A train attendant in a blue uniform and a peaked cap stood at the carriage door, expressionless as he checked tickets, urging in a thick Northeastern accent, "Move in! Don't block the door! Hurry up!"

Li Yunjing held two cardboard train tickets tightly in one hand, while naturally taking Lü Ruoxi's wrist with the other.

It wasn't holding hands, but rather like an older brother holding his younger sister's hand—a protective gesture.

The girl's wrists were slender and her skin was slightly cool. She trembled slightly in his warm palm, but did not pull away.

"Stay close to me, don't let go."

Li Yunjing turned his head and whispered something to her. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable calmness.

Lü Ruoxi nodded, pursed her lips, and gripped the strap of her backpack tightly with her other hand.

The two followed the flow of people and squeezed to the door of their respective carriages.

The train conductor glanced at the tickets and waved: "On!"

Stepping onto the clanging iron pedals, I crawled into the carriage.

It was hotter, more crowded, and noisier inside than outside.

Inside the hard-seat carriage, the green leather seats (many of which were cracked, revealing the yellowed sponge inside) were almost full of people.

There were quite a few people standing in the aisle, carrying bulging woven bags on their backs, basins and thermos flasks tied with hemp rope, and some even sitting directly on the bundles they had brought.

The air was filled with the smells of sweat, smoke, instant noodles, and the pungent odor of cheap perfume, as well as a drowsy smell unique to long-term enclosed spaces.

Their seats were by the window, in two rows of three seats facing each other.

Fortunately, there was only one middle-aged man in overalls dozing by the window sitting on their side, while the three seats opposite were empty.

Li Yunjing let Lü Ruoxi sit by the window, while he sat next to her by the aisle.

In this way, Lü Ruoxi was protected in the corner by him and the car window, while he could observe the situation in the aisle and the carriage at any time.

After putting down his schoolbag, Li Yunjing did not relax immediately.

His gaze swept across the surroundings quickly and discreetly, like a searchlight.

Diagonally opposite, a young man in a floral shirt with greasy hair was tilting his head, seemingly asleep, but his eyes were moving slightly under his eyelids; across the aisle, two elderly people dressed as farmers were carefully taking out dry food and water bottles from their pockets; further away, several young people who looked like students were talking, laughing and playing loudly.

In the early 1990s, trains, especially slow ones like these, were a gathering place for all sorts of "gods and goddesses".

Thieves, swindlers, and road bullies who force people to buy and sell are not uncommon.

Although Li Yunjing had not personally experienced the world of train travel during that era in his previous life, he had heard his elders talk about it a lot and knew that when going out at this time, especially when carrying money and valuables, one had to be extremely careful.

With a clang, the train slowly started moving.

The platform began to move backward, gradually increasing its speed.

Outside the window, the buildings, chimneys, and GG signs of Bincheng are gradually being replaced by fields, villages, and utility poles.

Lu Ruoxi was initially a little nervous, pressing herself tightly against the car window, her fingers unconsciously picking at the cracked leather on the seat armrest.

But as he watched the scenery flash by outside the window, so different from what he had seen on the way there, the sense of novelty gradually overcame his unease.

She asked Li Yunjing some questions in a low voice about the train and the scenery outside the window. Li Yunjing tried to answer in a relaxed tone, but his eyes never relaxed their vigilance towards his surroundings.

The middle-aged man who was dozing was fast asleep, emitting soft snores.

The man in the floral shirt diagonally opposite seemed to be asleep as well, his head tilted to one side.

The noise inside the carriage seemed to become regular, becoming the background sound of the train's monotonous rhythm.

But Li Yunjing knew that the more this was the case, the more vigilant he couldn't let his guard down.

He pretended to close his eyes to rest, but his ears were perked up, watching for any unusual sounds.

His hands were always on his lap, very close to his schoolbag.

He also asked Lü Ruoxi to put her schoolbag in the gap between the two seats and lean it against her legs.

Sure enough, after the train had been running for more than 40 minutes, made a brief stop at a small station and then started moving again, more people began to move around in the carriages.

Some went to get hot water, some went to the toilet, and some simply stretched their muscles in the narrow passageway.

The man in the floral shirt also woke up, stretched, stood up, and swayed as he walked towards the connecting area between the carriages.

As he passed Li Yunjing and the others' seats, his body seemed to sway "unintentionally," and his elbow bumped into an enamel mug placed on the small table.

Just as the jar was about to tip over, Li Yunjing casually raised his hand to steady it, and at the same time, he looked up and calmly glanced at the man in the floral shirt.

The man in the floral shirt paused for a moment, then met Li Yunjing's clear but emotionless eyes. He mumbled something under his breath and quickened his pace to walk over.

Lu Ruoxi also saw this scene, her heart beat faster, and she subconsciously moved closer to Li Yunjing.

Li Yunjing shook his head slightly at her, indicating that everything was alright.

This is just a small test.

Li Yunjing knew the answer.

If the tank had tipped over and the water had spilled, it would have caused a minor commotion, and someone might have taken advantage of the chaos to fish in the mess.

The train continued to speed across the vast Liaonan Plain, the rhythmic clanging of its wheels against the rails so soothing it was almost hypnotic.

Trains in this era are slow, and travel is a chore.

The last rays of the setting sun shone through the dirty car windows, casting a weary golden glow on everything inside the carriage.

If it weren't for the setting sun, the train carriage would be like a steamer, enough to make anyone faint from the heat.

Li Yunjing remained in a half-asleep position, but his mind was as taut as a bowstring.

Lü Ruoxi seemed tired too. She slowly tilted her head towards the car window, closed her eyes, and her long eyelashes cast a light shadow on her cheeks.

Li Yunjing looked at her peaceful sleeping face, then glanced at the rapidly receding, gradually familiar scenery of his hometown outside the window, silently calculating the time in his mind.

Next stop: Pu City.

Their first "independent" journey, and the silent vigilance and protection on this train, will also come to an end.

The afterglow of the setting sun cast long shadows of the group onto the uneven cement ground.