Dongzhou, a major town in the north of the river, is more than three hundred kilometers away from the provincial capital, Nanjiang. With the current extensive high-speed rail network in China, it takes just over an hour to reach there by bullet train.
Xu Chunliang was traveling alone for the first time, and with his current position, he could only afford a second-class seat. He booked a window seat in advance on the official website. The train compartment was not quiet; laughter, conversations, children crying, and the sound of phones playing out loud were intertwined, making it exceptionally noisy. Anyway, the journey wasn't long, and such an environment served as a form of mental training.
Xu Chunliang put on headphones and started listening to music. Shortly after the train started, his grandfather called, asking if he had boarded yet.
Xu Changshan said it was time to let his grandson go out and experience the world on his own, but deep down, he was still worried.
