The trip to Haishi was finally settled. After returning from the preliminary round, Chen Xihua was given individual training by Ms. Du, the head of the English teaching group. At first, she wanted to just go through the motions, but seeing Ms. Du looking at her earnestly and expectantly, Chen Xihua realized that her attitude might be a bit off. She couldn't rely on her learning experience from her previous life and be arrogant, as that would let down the school and teachers' cultivation and expectations! So for the next month or so, Chen Xihua listened attentively to Ms. Du's teachings.
The final of the 'Nanjiang District Junior High School English Speech Contest' was held on May 16th!
On the morning of May 14th, Chen Xihua went to Jiangshi Railway Station with Teacher Du Qingshan. Her older sister, Chen Chunhua, was already waiting at the station entrance with her schoolbag on her back!
"Big sister, you've been here for a long time!" Chen Xihua approached and saw Chen Chunhua dressed in a white shirt and black pants, carrying a light purple schoolbag. She looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, very youthful and beautiful. Her short hair, which reached her ears, looked neat and tidy. She had cut it short when she went home last time, saying that her studies were getting heavier and she didn't have time to take care of it.
Chen Chunhua paced back and forth at the station entrance. Chen Xihua wondered if she had arrived early and was tired of standing!
"Hello, Teacher Du!" Chen Chunhua looked up and saw her fifth sister and Teacher Du walking over. She greeted the teacher politely first. She also attended junior high school at the county's No. 1 Middle School, so she knew Teacher Du Qingshan.
"Are you Chen Chunhua? Or Xihua?" Du Qingshan was a little surprised. The Chen sisters were all very good at studying! He still remembered Chen Chunhua; her English grades were also good, and she was one of the top students in the county to get into Jiangshi Middle School. She's such a big girl now, and she's even more confident!
"Yes, I'm Chen Xihua's older sister!" Chen Chunhua was a little happy to see that Teacher Du still recognized her, but she was also a little nervous, worried that she might say the wrong thing!
"Fifth Sister, are you tired? Let me carry your schoolbag!" Chen Chunhua noticed that her fifth sister looked a little listless.
"Sister, no need, I'm fine. I just get a little carsick. I got up too early this morning!" Because she had to catch the 9:30 am train, she had to leave the county at 6:30 am, so she got up at 5:00 am.
"Let's go, we can take a nap on the train!" When Teacher Du saw that it was almost time, she led the Chen sisters into the waiting room and went to the ticket window to pick up the three train tickets she had booked in advance.
Because it would be a day and a night train journey, Teacher Du bought sleeper tickets. The three of them entered the sleeper compartment, which was a six-person compartment and not very crowded yet.
"Chunhua, you sisters will sleep in the upper middle bunk, I'll sleep in the lower bunk." Teacher Du looked at the positions on their train tickets in her hand!
The workshop was very quiet at this time. Since it was neither a holiday nor a festival, there were not many people traveling. However, when passing through the workshop where people could only sit, there were quite a few passengers inside!
"Big sister, be careful when you sleep, put your schoolbag next to your pillow!" Chen Xihua reminded Chen Chunhua, then climbed onto the top bunk and fell asleep within two minutes of lying down, before the train even started moving!
"Fifth sister, how about..." Chen Chunhua wanted to ask her if she wanted something to eat. She had bought some biscuits when she left the school gate. Her sister had left so early, she probably hadn't had breakfast yet!
"Teacher Du, would you like some cookies?"
"No need, I'll have breakfast before I leave, and I'll eat lunch on the train!" Teacher Du put her luggage away and closed her eyes to rest.
After an unknown amount of time, Chen Xihua woke up from her dream and heard the clanging and whistling of a green train!
She peered down into the lower bunk and saw Chen Chunhua coming in from outside. Still half asleep, she asked, "Big sister, when is it?"
"It's past two in the afternoon, you must be hungry. Come down and eat, Teacher Du and I just finished eating, and Teacher Du went to wash her hands!" Chen Chunhua didn't know if her younger sister had eaten breakfast. It had been half a day, and she must be hungry. She was just about to wake her sister up when Teacher Du said that you won't feel hungry while sleeping, and you'll wake up if you're really hungry.
"Hungry, sis, I'm really hungry, but I need to have some water first!" Chen Xihua hadn't felt it before, but now that her older sister asked, she really was hungry, but also very thirsty. It was also very hot outside, and her lips were chapped!
Chen Xihua turned her back and climbed down to find water.
"Drink up!" Chen Chunhua handed over a military water bottle. She had filled it with hot water that morning, and it should be lukewarm now, just right!
Chen Xihua happily accepted it, gulped down two big mouthfuls, and finally felt much better. "Thank you, big sister! It's so good to have you here with me!" Chen Xihua must have been still half asleep, because she started to whine.
"Alright, let's eat. I chose this for you: shredded pork with garlic sauce rice. I know you like it. It's twelve yuan a serving, so expensive!" Chen Chunhua handed over another lunchbox, feeling a little heartbroken. Although it wasn't her own money, twelve yuan was enough for her family's daily groceries!
"Big sister, wait for me a moment, I need to wash my hands!" Chen Xihua turned and walked out. She had to pee urgently and couldn't hold it in any longer, which was why she woke up!
As I walked out into the train passageway, I was about to bump into Teacher Du, who was walking back. "Teacher Du!"
Chen Xihua hurriedly called for help. Before Teacher Du could speak, she saw the bathroom door open not far away and immediately ran inside!
"This girl is so energetic and impulsive, she really is still a child!" Although Ms. Du is an English teacher, she is not the fashionable type, but rather has a scholarly air about her. She wears black-rimmed glasses and is very refined. Her usually serious face shows a helpless smile.
After Chen Xihua returned to the workshop and ate, she didn't want to sleep anymore. Standing by the car window, looking at the unripe rice fields outside, she suddenly felt very comfortable!
In her previous life, she longed to ride a slow, green train, traveling from south to north, and then from north to west, enjoying the scenery along the way—it would have been a wonderful experience. Unfortunately, back then, people mostly traveled by express trains and airplanes!
"If only I had a camera!" Chen Xihua exclaimed as she looked at the map of China's landscape, marveling at its magnificent beauty.
Even in a sleeper car, sleeping all day is tiring. Chen Xihua spent the entire afternoon looking at the scenery. After having dinner around 8 p.m., she finally prepared to lie down and sleep again, thinking she would arrive early the next morning.
Just then, a family of three entered the workshop: a young couple in their thirties and a chubby boy of about seven or eight years old. The couple and Teacher Du, who was in the lower bunk, nodded and smiled at each other as a greeting.
The man was of medium height, wearing a suit, carrying a briefcase in one hand and a bag of luggage in the other, and looked a little tired.
It's like a real estate salesperson: "Hello, are you buying a house?"
The woman was wearing a black lace dress, with exquisite makeup, arched eyebrows, and bright red lips, exuding the air of a noble lady. However, she looked angry, which affected her overall appearance. She was only carrying a red handbag, which she deliberately held tightly to her chest when she entered the carriage, making it look very expensive. In her other hand, she was holding the hand of a boy. The chubby boy was wearing a denim outfit, white socks, and leather shoes.
"Zhang Hai, let me tell you, next time you go back to your hometown by yourself, my son and I won't go back!" The woman was full of anger, and her first words were full of complaints. "Why can't we take your parents to live in Haishi now? Your hometown is remote, poor and backward, and the roads are difficult to travel!"
The man named Zhang Hai said in a somewhat ingratiating tone, "Lili, it will be soon. I will bring my parents to live in Haishi!"
"Soon, soon, you always say soon! By the time you've earned enough money to buy a house, your parents will be old. Why can't you live in the house my parents bought for me? You're so proud you'll suffer for it!" The woman named Lili vented her anger, but then calmed down.
The woman's name is He Lili. She is a local of Haishi. She and her husband Zhang Hai were college classmates and each other's first love. They are still in love and have a lovely son, Zhang Xiaolei. She does not mind that her husband's parents are poor. She just doesn't understand why her husband is unwilling to let his parents live with her and insists on buying a house for her before bringing them over!
Zhang Hai said with a mix of helplessness and doting affection, "Lili, I don't want to wrong you. I'm already very happy to have married you! I don't want to put you in a difficult position either. Your parents weren't very satisfied with me to begin with, so I'm very grateful that they let you marry me!"
"Keep your voice down, we're still on the train!" Upon hearing this, He Lili's face instantly flushed with embarrassment, and she wasn't angry anymore. It's always like this! Humph, I knew she was soft-hearted!
"Xiao Lei, are you sleepy? Lie down and go to sleep!" He Lili pulled her son to the lower bunk opposite her and made him lie down.
Chen Xihua, who was sleeping with her eyes closed on the top bunk, initially thought that a wonderful couple had come in. But after listening more closely, she realized that they were a loving couple who were both thinking of each other!
The night passed, and around eight o'clock in the morning, the train stopped at Haishi Railway Station, and Chen Xihua and the others finally arrived.
The Chen sisters each carried only one backpack, and Teacher Du also carried a small suitcase, so the three of them were quite light when they got off the train. They walked to the front, and Zhang Hai and his family of three followed closely behind them as they got off the train!
As I was about to step off the platform, a commotion arose behind me: "Stop thief... There's a thief..."
At this moment, a dark-skinned, thin man ran in front, followed by several train attendants. The dark-skinned, thin man quickly ran to Chen Xihua's side, passed through a swarm, and bumped into the boy named Xiao Lei. The man immediately turned right and ran away. Xiao Lei was knocked away from his mother's hand and staggered a few steps to the left. It looked like Xiao Lei couldn't stop and was about to fall to the left side of the platform.
Chen Xihua, who was looking back to see what was going on, suddenly had a jolt in her eyes. Her body reacted faster than her brain, and she rushed forward and grabbed the fat boy who was about to fall. He was really heavy. The two of them barely managed to fall and sit on the edge of the platform.
"Xiao Lei, Xiao Lei, are you alright?" He Lili was terrified by what had just happened and screamed loudly. She immediately rushed forward and hugged Xiao Lei, who was still sitting on the ground, shaken.
He Lili realized something was wrong when the dark-skinned, thin man ran towards her, but it was too fast. Her son had already been knocked forward several steps and was about to fall off the platform.
At this moment, Zhang Hai, Chen Chunhua, and Teacher Du also ran over!
Zhang Hai was also terrified and panicked, throwing his luggage and briefcase to the ground. He rushed forward and hugged his wife and children! "Lili, Xiaolei, don't be afraid, don't be afraid..."
"Dad, Mom, I, I'm okay!" Zhang Xiaolei finally spoke after a while, his voice a little scared.
"Sister...sister, are you alright!" Chen Chunhua was terrified. When she saw her fifth sister rushing to save the boy, she was scared out of her wits. Her fifth sister was so brave! How old was she? She actually grabbed a chubby boy of seven or eight years old!
"Big sister, I'm fine!" Chen Xihua smiled and comforted Chen Chunhua. She had already stood up and was moving her arms and legs, and found that she was alright.
"How are you? Are you hurt? Does your arm hurt? What about your leg?" Teacher Du stepped forward and asked Chen Xihua about her physical condition in detail. He neither blamed nor praised her. His face was very serious. He couldn't blame the student for acting bravely, but he also couldn't say it outright. Why was a young girl being so reckless?
"No, Teacher Du, I'm not hurt. Let's go!" Chen Xihua didn't want to be surrounded by a crowd. Many people had already come over, and the person chasing the thief had gone far away, but many people had still seen what had just happened and had all gathered around and stopped!
"Wait a minute, little girl!" Zhang Hai had already caught up with his wife and children. The couple were very grateful, and He Lili, who was walking in front, still had tears on her face.
"Thank you, thank you for saving my son! Little girl, what's your name?" He Lili grabbed Chen Xihua's hand, her voice trembling with emotion. Without this little girl, she didn't know what would have happened to her son. "Where are you going? Should I call a car to take you?"
"No need, beautiful sister, it's nothing. We have to go now!" Chen Xihua subtly broke free from the woman's grasp, turned around, pulled the still worried and nervous Chen Chunhua aside, and quickly walked out of the crowd!
Teacher Du quickly followed, and the three of them arrived at the train station entrance in the blink of an eye, and then left the train station!
"Never mind, Lili, the girl asked for nothing in return, she's a good person. We'll meet again if fate allows!" Zhang Hai, who was two steps behind, brought Zhang Xiaolei over. They saw that their benefactor had already walked away, while He Lili looked sullen and remorseful.
"Xiao Lei, remember to be grateful. Next time you see him, say thank you. You didn't say it just now!" He Lili knew that her son was probably frightened and forgot!
"Okay, Mom, that girl was amazing! She ran so fast and grabbed me!" Zhang Xiaolei had overcome his initial fear and was now lively again! The saying "a relaxed mind makes a healthy body" is really true!
Meanwhile, Teacher Du had already taken the Chen Xihua sisters into a taxi, and they were heading to the center of Haishi Cultural Square!
"Master, how much longer!" Chen Xihua was a little excited. When she came out of the train station, she saw that the buildings outside were different. Shanghai was already very modern at this time, with real high-rise buildings and bustling traffic. It was a pity that it was not at night, otherwise she could see the neon lights and see a dazzling scene!
"It's usually a two-hour journey, but it's rush hour now, so it might take more than three hours!" The male driver said with a slight Shanghai accent, but it was all understandable.
"Although the overpass in the city center was completed a couple of years ago, there are still some traffic jams during peak hours!" the driver added. He was very proud that he had driven his taxi up the high overpass several times after it was built!
"Okay, thank you, master!"
"Teacher Du, have you ever been to Haishi before?" Chen Xihua noticed that she was the only one talking to the driver, so she asked Du Qingshan who was standing next to her.
"I came here before, about seven or eight years ago. It was arranged by the school for me to study!" Teacher Du recalled. At that time, his university advisor said that he could recommend him to become a teacher in Haishi!
"Big sister, it was the right decision to bring you to Haishi, wasn't it? Are you happy?" Chen Xihua asked with a smile, looking at Chen Chunhua who was staring in surprise at the buildings on both sides.
"Yes, I'm very happy!" Chen Chunmei replied with a smile, still looking outside.
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