"What's going on? Weren't we supposed to be going to Gansu Province? Why are we getting off the bus now?" one of the leaders said angrily as he watched the two men leave.
"Our men spoke with them, and they did say they were going to Gansu Province." The henchman was somewhat afraid of his boss's anger; how could they have known these two were so wary!
"Damn it, they're all useless! They actually got fooled by an old woman from the countryside. What good are they?" The eldest brother cursed, his heart aching. He was convinced that the old woman was definitely carrying something valuable!
"Boss, should we send some men to follow them and pull off a heist?" a henchman suddenly suggested.
"No, there's a code of conduct. We can't break the rules and let our people keep a close eye on them. They'll definitely come back to the capital. We'll take them down then." The leader's small, sinister eyes gleamed coldly.
The henchmen hurriedly nodded in agreement. They were also feeling aggrieved. They thought they could easily complete the task, but they never expected to be tricked by an old woman from the countryside.
Meanwhile, Aunt Zhang and Zheng Dong had successfully exited the station.
This is another day's bus ride from Aunt Zhang's hometown.
It was still dark when Zheng Dong took Aunt Zhang to a nearby small hotel to book a room.
"Don't waste that money, let's just sit and rest in the train station hall." As they got closer to home, Aunt Zhang reverted to her usual stingy self.
There were quite a few people inside the train station. Some were lying on chairs, and some were lying on the ground. Everyone was either waiting for a train or waiting for dawn.
"No, ma'am, the boss told me to take good care of you, otherwise if anything happens, he'll break my legs when we get back."
Zheng Dong dared not listen to her. Although in the countryside, a woman in her sixties could still work in the fields, and Aunt Zhang was in good health, they had already endured a day and a night on the train. If they didn't get enough rest now, and had to get up early to catch the train again tomorrow, even the strongest physique would not be able to hold on.
"Auntie, let's just get one room, so there'll be a bed and you can stretch your muscles."
After thinking it over, Aunt Zhang decided to follow the arrangement.
She was indeed quite tired. It seems that people are spoiled. She had only been in Beijing for a short time, and after just one night, she felt terrible all over. Sigh!
The small hotel next to the station wasn't great, but it was well-equipped, with an indoor bathroom and sink.
As soon as he entered, Zheng Dong locked the door, checked the windows, and placed the only chair in the room by the door.
They booked a standard room, with two single beds so the two of them could get some rest.
"Auntie, you rest for a while, I'll go out and buy something to eat." After eating cold steamed buns all day, Zheng Dong wanted something hot.
"Where can you still buy food right now?" Aunt Zhang was worried that he might be in danger if he went out.
“I just saw it. There’s a wonton stall outside the hotel. I’ll buy two bowls from him so we can have something hot.” Zheng Dong remembered the owner’s instructions to take good care of Aunt Zhang.
Aunt Zhang was also a little hungry, and she figured that Zheng Dong, that big young man, must be feeling even worse. She really needed to eat something and get a good night's sleep.
"Then be careful and try not to go too far," Aunt Zhang said with concern.
"Okay, please watch the luggage and don't go out." Zheng Dong felt that Aunt Zhang was much more knowledgeable than the average rural old lady, and she was also kind. He had received her care and attention along the way.
"I understand."
Aunt Zhang waved her hand, telling him to hurry back.
Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened, and Zheng Dong brought the wontons back in no time.
Before opening the door, Aunt Zhang cautiously confirmed her identity with him, which made Zheng Dong look at her with new respect.
"Auntie, the stall doesn't sell much, just wontons and baked buns. Please pick what you like to eat."
"Okay, you should eat too, I can hear your stomach growling!" Aunt Zhang handed Zheng Dong a steamed bun as well.
The baked bun looks ordinary, but one bite reveals its crispy exterior and soft interior. Paired with the side of pickled vegetables provided by the owner, it tastes really good.
As for the wontons, they were simply made with cabbage and pork. There wasn't much pork, but the seasoning was quite good, especially the soup made with dried shrimp and seaweed. One sip made me feel much more comfortable.
In the end, Aunt Zhang and Zheng Dong each drank a bowl of wontons and shared the four baked buns.
After packing their things, Aunt Zhang and Zheng Dong quickly went to take a nap, because the lights would be turned on soon.
The bus stop was packed with people at 7 a.m.: some were going into the city to sell goods, some were going out to visit relatives, and some were going out to work...
In this day and age, ordinary people only have two options for travel: trains and cars. Today, they have to change trains twice to get to Giethoorn.
They arrived relatively early and managed to get seats; otherwise, they would have had to stand for hours.
The car swayed and bumped as it pulled out of the station. Looking at the scenery outside the window, Aunt Zhang felt a surge of excitement.
She had never been away from home for so long before; even when she went to see her son, she only stayed away for about ten days.
I wonder if the grass on the old man's grave has grown tall enough, and if the roof of my house is leaking...
Liu Zi has been receiving songwriters from Taiwan these past few days. They are artists from Zhang Shaohan's company and came to discuss songwriting with her.
That evening, Liu Zi treated them to dinner. After a few rounds of drinks, Manager Xu, who was in charge, started chatting with Liu Zi.
"Ms. Liu, we all love the songs you wrote! Our boss praised you as a talented woman!"
"You flatter me. Manager Xu is a senior in the entertainment industry. I'll need your help in the future!" Liu Zi said politely.
"Well, I wouldn't call it preferential treatment, but we can cooperate more. After all, Taiwan has many famous singers, which is something the mainland can't match," Manager Xu said with some emotion.
Speaking of this, Liu Zi also expressed some regret, as there were basically no particularly famous pop singers in the mainland entertainment industry at this time in her previous life.
The national team mostly sings bel canto or folk songs, and its popular music has not developed as rapidly as that of Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“Even if there are good singers on the mainland, they can’t stay. Everyone goes to Hong Kong on their own initiative, like that Fei Fei, for example.” Manager Xu hiccuped.
Liu Zi has also been thinking about this issue, mainly because the mainland platform is too small, making it difficult for singers to develop their careers.
"Ms. Liu, please don't take offense at what I'm about to say. The clothes and fashion in mainland China are a bit outdated these days. Singers need to be packaged, and the most important thing is their appearance. That's how you make those young girls fall in love." Manager Xu's words carried a hint of pride. One of the artists he managed became famous thanks to his packaging, and now he's a household name in Taiwan.
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