After an unknown amount of time, the train suddenly slowed down. Jiang Xuan opened her eyes and saw a desolate scene outside the window, with yellow sand and wild grass, and no sign of human habitation.
The sun was setting, and the whole earth was dyed orange-red.
She didn't know where she was, and she couldn't see a platform outside.
"Dear passengers, the train has been temporarily suspended due to special circumstances and is expected to be delayed for four hours. For your safety and the safety of others, please remain in your seats and wait for further instructions from our staff. We will resume service as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding."
A temporary stopover of four hours?
An uproar erupted inside the train as people began to complain, some even demanding an explanation from the train conductor.
Originally, this train would take 28 hours from the intermediate station Qinshui to Ningzhou, and if you count from the starting station, it would probably take more than 40 hours.
Jiang Xuan had never traveled on a train for so long before, and since she hadn't been able to get a sleeper berth, she felt even more sore all over.
She sighed, utterly despondent.
At that moment, the train conductor came over.
"Hello, we have one sleeper ticket available. Do you still need it?"
Jiang Xuan was overjoyed and quickly said, "Yes, yes."
"Alright, please take your luggage and come with me to carriage number 8 to buy your ticket."
As Jiang Xuan left, the older woman next to her said disdainfully, "What a delicate girl. She even needs to upgrade to a sleeper berth in such a short time. She's just wasting her money."
The woman opposite laughed and said, "She's a young girl, it's normal for her to be a little delicate."
Jiang Xuan got a top bunk. Although the space was small, it was much less crowded than a hard sleeper, so it was still quite comfortable.
She climbed up, checked her belongings to make sure everything was in order, and then went to sleep.
She was so tired.
He slept until the next morning.
The train had already resumed operation. The window was open, and a cool breeze was blowing in. Jiang Xuan felt much better than yesterday.
As soon as I got off the train, the smell of yellow earth hit me.
Ningzhou was still underdeveloped. The buildings near the train station were very old, and the streets were lined with low brick and tile houses and shops. There were few cars on the road, and occasionally a few old bicycles would pass by.
Jiang Xuan looked at this completely unfamiliar city, feeling a mix of emotions.
From now on, she will live here.
Although she was also from the North in her previous life, she really didn't know if she could adapt to this era of scarcity.
"Miss, would you like to stay at the inn? A single room is three yuan."
"Stay at my place, Sunshine Hotel. Hot water is available. It's a dormitory-style place, and it's charged per person, one yuan per person."
As soon as I exited the station, men and women soliciting customers came up to me.
Although it wasn't completely dark yet, social order was poor these days, and being at a train station with many people around, Jiang Xuan didn't dare to be careless, especially since she had over a thousand yuan on her.
She thought she should first find out how to get to the provincial military district, and if she needed to stay in a hotel, it would be safer to stay near the provincial military district.
She walked to a newsstand by the roadside, bought a copy of the day's newspaper, and asked the old man selling the newspapers for directions to the provincial military region.
"The Provincial Military Region is in Gu Ning District, which is quite far from here. It will probably take three hours. The buses will be discontinued soon. If you want to go, take bus number 18 at the west side of the station at 6:00 AM tomorrow. Take bus number 4 to the Petrochemical Plant and then transfer to bus number 4. Get off at the Military Region Family Compound and walk from there."
As he spoke, the old man pointed to the location of bus route 18.
Three hours... Jiang Xuan felt a chill run down her spine as soon as she heard that.
"Are there any taxis here?"
"Taxis are scarce, and if you're unlucky, you might not see one for ages. Besides, you're from out of town, so you wouldn't even know if the driver took a longer route. My suggestion is that you stay nearby for the night and take the bus early tomorrow morning."
Jiang Xuan didn't go to the hotel. She felt unsafe. It was summer, and the wind was hot. She wasn't worried about catching a cold.
Having slept enough in the sleeper berth yesterday, she decided to make do in the waiting room for the night.
*
Provincial Military Region.
10:00 AM.
The sun is already high in the sky.
Under the sunlight, the tall iron gate stood solemnly, with the slogan "Stay vigilant and defend the motherland" written above it. Two sentries stood ramrod straight beside the gate.
As soon as Jiang Xuan stepped onto the curb at the gate, a loudspeaker blared from inside the watchtower: "Military restricted area! All unauthorized personnel, retreat beyond the yellow line!"
Jiang Xuan was startled.
"Comrade, I'm looking for someone."
She walked over.
Both sentries were young, about the same height, one with a round face and the other with a slightly square face.
The one with the square face was carrying a weapon.
The round-faced sentry saluted. "Pass."
Jiang Xuan: "I don't have this."
"letter of introduction."
Jiang Xuan looked completely bewildered.
letter of introduction?
These days, aren't they saying that it's no longer necessary?
She didn't prepare this either.
She said sincerely, "Comrade, I just came from my hometown. I didn't know that a letter of introduction was needed here. You see, my home is very far away. It takes two days to get here by train. Could you please make an exception?"
"No." The round-faced sentry replied coldly, his answer crisp and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Oh, I'm not going in, I just asked you to help spread the word."
Jiang Xuan muttered, "That's so heartless."
The two sentries exchanged a glance, and the square-faced sentry asked, "Who are you looking for?"
"Lu Shengye".
When the two sentries heard that the girl wanted to see Platoon Leader Lu, a prominent figure in their military region, they were both taken aback.
The round-faced sentry glanced at her and asked in a serious tone, "Who are you to Platoon Leader Lu?"
Jiang Xuan's scalp tingled. "I... I am his fiancée."
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