Lin Xiaoman sent an excited emoji: "Awesome! I've already started packing my bags. I'm going to bring a floral dress to take pictures in the rice paddies!"
Xiao Zhang responded with an obedient "OK" sign, followed by, "Ah, Sister Yu, is it really possible to catch crabs? I've only ever seen them at the flower and bird market when I was a kid."
Ah Yu looked at her phone screen, a smile involuntarily creeping onto her lips. She knew that a long-awaited journey had quietly begun on this June morning. And the small town called Qingyang was like a gradually unfolding ink painting, revealing a poetic pastoral landscape in her imagination.
Chapter Two: The Green Train Passes Through the Dream of Wheat Ears
On the morning of their departure, the city was still shrouded in a thin layer of morning mist. Ah Yu, carrying a backpack, stood at the entrance of her residential compound waiting for a taxi. Dew dampened the foxtail grass by the roadside, and the air was filled with the scent of damp grass. Her phone vibrated; it was a message from Chen Mo: "I've arrived at the high-speed rail station and am waiting for you at gate A12. Lin Xiaoman said she's stuck in traffic on the elevated highway."
Ah Yu looked up at the gray sky, feeling a little worried about the weather. The weather forecast said it would be cloudy turning sunny today, but the fog this morning reminded her of what her grandmother used to say when she was little: "If the fog doesn't clear up, it's bound to rain." But then she thought, even if it rains, listening to the rain pattering on the banana leaves in this idyllic town would probably be quite a unique experience.
As the taxi stopped at the high-speed rail station entrance, the morning mist had gradually dissipated, revealing a pale blue sky. Ah Yu pulled her suitcase into the waiting hall and immediately spotted Chen Mo sitting on a bench. He was wearing a faded denim shirt and holding a well-worn copy of Walden. Sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting a rare artistic air on him.
"Good morning," Ah Yu put down her suitcase and sat down next to him. "Where's Lin Xiaoman?"
“Just got a message saying we’ll arrive in ten minutes,” Chen Mo closed his book and pointed to the display screen in the distance. “Our bus departs at 10:15, we have plenty of time.” He paused, looking at the rice-stalk bracelet on Ah Yu’s wrist. “This is…”
“Oh, this,” Ah Yu subconsciously touched the bracelet. “I bought it when I went to Yunnan last time. I thought it had a nice pastoral style, so I wore it.” She remembered the scene of the rice flower village that Aunt Wang had described on the phone, and her heart began to look forward to it again.
Just then, Lin Xiaoman came running over, panting, dragging a pink suitcase. "Sorry, sorry, there was a traffic jam on the elevated road." She was wearing a white floral dress, her hair was tied in a cute ponytail, and her face was flushed from running.
"It's alright, there's still plenty of time," Ah Yu handed her a bottle of water. "Sit down and rest."
Xiao Zhang arrived just then, carrying a huge hiking backpack, looking like he'd brought his whole house. "Ah, Sister Yu, Brother Chen, Sister Xiaoman," he put down his bag and wiped the sweat from his brow, "I brought my fishing rod. Aunt Wang said there are lots of crucian carp in the stream!"
Chen Mo looked at his bulging backpack and couldn't help but laugh: "Are you going on a wilderness survival trip?"
"Hehe, better safe than sorry," Xiao Zhang scratched his head, "I also brought a flashlight to watch the fireflies tonight."
As they were talking, an announcement came over the loudspeaker that it was time to check tickets. The group dragged their luggage toward the ticket gate, weaving through the bustling crowd, as if they were traversing a noisy dream and heading toward another tranquil world.
Once on the high-speed train, Ah Yu sat down by the window, gently pressing her forehead against the cool glass. Outside the window, the city's skyscrapers gradually receded, replaced by vast fields and scattered villages. Green wheat fields rippled in the wind, and occasionally a few farmers could be seen working in the fields. The distant mountains resembled a light ink landscape painting, appearing exceptionally tranquil against the backdrop of blue sky and white clouds.
"Look," Lin Xiaoman said excitedly, pointing out the window, "isn't that a field of rapeseed flowers?"
Ah Yu looked in the direction she pointed and saw a golden flower field shimmering in the sunlight, like a huge carpet spread across the green fields. Several white butterflies fluttered among the flowers, and in the distance, there were a few houses with red tiles and white walls, with wisps of smoke rising slowly from their chimneys.
"It's so beautiful," Lin Xiaoman said, taking out her phone and snapping photos. "I wish I could stay here for a while."
Chen Mo looked out the window, lost in thought, and said, "Sometimes I think about it, what are we busy with in the city every day, really for?" He paused, then turned to look at Ah Yu, "Can this place you recommended really help us temporarily forget about those KPIs and reports?"
Ah Yu looked at the weariness in his eyes, smiled and said, "I believe it's possible. Just imagine waking up to birdsong in the morning, opening the window to see a lush green rice paddy, the air filled with the scent of earth and grass, and sitting in the yard at night, listening to the insects chirping and watching the stars. Isn't this the life we've always longed for?"
Xiao Zhang nodded vigorously beside him: "Yes, yes, I also want to try grinding tofu myself. Aunt Wang said that old mill is really interesting."
The train continued its journey, the scenery outside the window constantly changing. From vast wheat fields to neat rice paddies, from busy highways to quiet country lanes. Ah Yu closed her eyes, as if she could already smell the unique, fresh scent of Qingyang Town, a blend of earth, rice stalks, and grass.
Two hours later, the train slowly pulled into Qingyang Town Station. It was a very small station, with only one platform and a simple waiting room. Stepping out of the carriage, a breath of fresh air greeted her, carrying the faint scent of earth and plants. Ah Yu took a deep breath, feeling completely relaxed.
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