The train journey on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year should have been peaceful, but fate always seems to like to bring unexpected twists and turns to people's lives. Lin Qing and Gu Nanxun, along with Gu Nianqing, had just settled down on the train and were preparing to enjoy the journey when an unexpected incident shattered their tranquility.

The train moved slowly forward, and Lin Qing unknowingly drifted off to sleep. Suddenly, the train screeched to a halt, followed by a violent jolt. The passengers panicked, items fell from the luggage racks, and the cries of children and screams of adults mingled together, plunging the entire carriage into chaos.

Lin Qing suddenly woke up and saw that the people in the carriage were in a panic, and their luggage was falling off.

"What happened?" Lin Qing asked anxiously.

Gu Nanxun hugged Gu Nianqing tightly, his brows furrowed: "I don't know, don't panic."

After speaking, Gu Nanxun hugged Gu Nianqing tightly and came to Lin Qing's side. When Lin Qing saw Gu Nanxun coming, she quickly grabbed his arm with one hand and gripped the edge of the bed with the other to steady herself. At the same time, she called out to Gu Nanxun, "Brother Nanxun, are you and Nianqing alright?"

Gu Nanxun held Gu Nianqing tightly and said calmly, "We're fine. Did you hurt yourself anywhere?" After saying that, Gu Nanxun lowered his head and carefully looked at Lin Qing.

Lin Qing breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I'm fine, don't worry!"

...

The train slowly came to a stop, and the lights inside the carriage flickered a few times before going out completely, replaced by the faint glow of emergency lighting.

At that moment, the train attendant's voice came through the public address system. Her voice trembled slightly, but she remained calm: "Dear passengers, please do not panic. The train has encountered some technical problems and needs to make an emergency stop. Our engineers are checking the situation. Please remain calm, and we will resolve the issue as soon as possible."

Lin Qing and Gu Nanxun exchanged a glance, their eyes both revealing a hint of worry. They knew that an emergency stop by a train in motion usually meant a serious problem. Gu Nanxun gently comforted Gu Nianqing, while Lin Qing began checking her backpack, secretly filling it with food and water to ensure she had enough for a possible prolonged stop.

"What technical problem?! We need to stop urgently? When can we leave?"

An elderly woman who had come out to watch the commotion said with dissatisfaction after hearing the broadcast.

"The technical problem is that the train broke down and needs to be repaired. Once it's fixed, it can leave; if it's not fixed, nobody can leave!"

A young man in the bunk above Lin Qing said nonchalantly after hearing what the old lady said.

As soon as the train stopped, the young man in the upper berth climbed down and opened the carriage door. He had just opened the door when he heard the old woman's words, so he couldn't help but speak up.

"That won't do! I'm in a hurry to get home. If the train can't be fixed, how am I supposed to get back?"

Upon hearing the young man's answer, the woman panicked instantly. She had gone to visit her son at the military base, and was now preparing to return home; her son had even bought her his train ticket.

"I told you not to buy a sleeper ticket, just a seat ticket would be fine, but Da Niu wouldn't listen to me. Now look what's happened, the train broke down halfway."

The old woman looked panicked and then couldn't help but blame her son.

"Pfft..."

The young man in the upper bunk of Lin Qing couldn't help but laugh after hearing what the old lady said.

The older woman, seeing the young man laughing at her, couldn't help but glare at him: "Young man, why are you laughing at me?"

The young man waved his hand with a smile, "Auntie, the seats and sleeper berths belong to the same train. Since the whole train has stopped, no one can get off, whether they are in a seat or a sleeper berth."

"Hahaha……"

Upon hearing the young man's words, the old woman suddenly burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. The young man was stunned by her laughter and scratched his head, not understanding what she was laughing at.

“You young man, you don’t know as much as I do! I came here sitting down, which is completely different from what you did. You were just laughing at me! You have no sense of propriety.”

"Pfft..."

The laughter came from Lin Qing. She had been listening to the conversation between the old woman and the young man since the beginning, and now she couldn't help but laugh out loud. Even the heavy mood she had just been feeling was dispelled by the conversation between the old woman and the young man.

Yes, what am I afraid of? The two most important people in her life are by my side, and they have plenty of food and drink. They're just staying a little longer. What's there to be afraid of?

The young man glanced at the laughing old woman, then at Lin Qing who was also smiling. He couldn't help but scratch his head again, then climbed back onto the upper bunk with a speechless expression.

...

Time ticked by, and the atmosphere inside the carriage grew increasingly tense. Some passengers began frequently asking the train attendants questions, but each time the answer was the same: the train was under maintenance.

After the adjustment, Lin Qing and Gu Nanxun relaxed. Gu Nanxun continued to tell Gu Nianqing the story of the comic book, while Lin Qing leaned against Gu Nanxun and listened to him.

Unable to contact the outside world and receiving no useful information from the train crew, passengers on the train could only passively wait in their seats, relying solely on the train's public address system for the latest news.

Where are you going?

At this moment, the young man in the upper bunk asked Lin Qing a question. Originally, the young man had not planned to chat with the couple in the lower bunk, but he was really bored, so he could only ask Lin Qing.

"We're going to Beijing, what about you?" Lin Qing asked with a smile.

“That’s wonderful! We’re so lucky to have met. I’m going to Beijing too. What are you going to Beijing for? Are you visiting relatives? I’m going home. I went to the countryside to see my sister before the New Year. My sister went to work as an educated youth and can’t come back this year, so I’m going to see her.”

When the young man heard that Lin Qing and the others were also going to Beijing, he became excited. It was as if he had finally found a kindred spirit, and he began to talk endlessly about his own story.

Lin Qing didn't interrupt, but just listened quietly with a smile. At some point, Gu Nanxun stopped telling Gu Nianqing stories, and Gu Nianqing was left alone holding the painting and looking at it.

After a long while, the young man suddenly stopped his rambling: "By the way, you haven't said what you're going to Beijing for! Are you going to visit relatives?"

"We are former educated youth sent to the countryside, and this time we're going home!"

After speaking, Lin Qing smiled and looked at Gu Nanxun, then received a smile in return from Gu Nanxun.

Just then, the carriage door was pushed open, and a uniformed railway police officer walked in with a serious expression on his face: "Comrades, good afternoon. We have received a notification from the front that due to a landslide ahead, the tracks are blocked, and the train cannot continue for the time being. We have contacted the rescue team, and they will clear the obstruction as soon as possible. In the meantime, please remain calm. If you are facing any difficulties, please tell us, and we will do our best to provide the necessary assistance."