Chapter 6 Tanks and Snowpiercer
At 11 a.m., Xu Nianyi and Tan Chen took a taxi to Great Wall Motors' delivery center.
Today is the day she picks up her car—the Tank 300 Hi4-T that she had been comparing and longing for online.
All the preliminary procedures have been completed, and the insurance has been taken effect. Today's main task is to complete the last step: pick up the car and then go to the vehicle management office to register it.
Then, following Tan Chen's instructions, the car was driven to the modification shop he had contacted in advance for some necessary upgrades.
As Xu Nianyi entered the delivery center, her gaze was immediately drawn to a beige Tank 300 from the Sand Dunes, adorned with a huge red bow.
It sat there quietly, its sturdy, boxy shape gleaming softly under the lights. The huge bow on the hood seemed to be prepared for a grand ceremony, like a substantial gift waiting to be unwrapped by its owner.
A delivery specialist in uniform greeted me with a smile, holding a large bouquet of carefully arranged flowers in her hands, the main color being her favorite purple hue, with hydrangeas, purple roses, and eucalyptus leaves.
"Ms. Xu, congratulations on picking up your car! This is a gift for you." The delivery specialist handed her a bouquet of flowers.
Xu Nianyi accepted it with a mixture of surprise and delight, and the rich fragrance of flowers wafted over her nose.
She couldn't help but ask curiously, "Wow, thank you! Do you prepare such beautiful flowers for every customer? It must cost a lot!"
The delivery specialist simply maintained a professional smile and vaguely said "It's my pleasure" without giving a direct answer, cleverly changing the subject, "Ms. Xu, let me show you the basic operation of the vehicle first."
Holding the flowers, Xu Nianyi followed the delivery specialist closely, like a child about to unpack a new toy.
She opened the car door and sat in the cockpit. The interior was understated yet sophisticated in black. The large LCD screen, the thick and sturdy steering wheel, and the densely packed buttons all fascinated her.
She touched this and looked at that, and couldn't help but excitedly turn to the delivery lady sitting in the passenger seat and Tan Chen standing outside the car to chatter on:
"I bought seatbelt shoulder covers and those hanging tissue boxes in advance. I'm also planning to hang a plush toy here, all of which are my favorite Kuromi!" Her tone was overflowing with happiness and a sense of accomplishment.
Xu Nianyi, without relying on her parents, relied entirely on herself, and of course, mainly on luck—she bought a car worth over 200,000 yuan in cash!
After the delivery specialist gave a brief introduction to the vehicle's basic functions, he personally drove them to the vehicle management office to complete the registration process.
The process isn't complicated, but the waiting time is quite long.
When it came to the most crucial step of randomly selecting license plates, the screen scrolled rapidly, and 50 numbers flashed by.
Xu Nian held her breath, hoping to strike it lucky and pick a lucky triple number like "666" or "888".
However, reality is harsh; what ultimately appears in the selection list are random, unpredictable combinations of letters and numbers, much like CAPTCHAs, leaving one bewildered.
In the end, she chose one that looked relatively pleasing to the eye.
She pouted slightly, and Tan Chen noticed her slight disappointment and comforted her, "It's okay, just use it for now. When you go back to your hometown or to the city where you work later, you can apply to change the license plate. We'll find a better one then."
These words were like a reassuring pill, instantly brightening Xu Nianyi's mood.
Next, it was her turn to put it into practice.
Under Tan Chen's guidance, she gripped the steering wheel and carefully drove the tank, which was taller and offered a completely different field of vision than any other car she had ever driven before, slowly heading towards the modification shop.
Xu Nianyi has a driver's license and knows how to drive.
At home, she often drove for her father who drank alcohol; at the company, she often acted as a temporary driver or drove the company car to run errands when the general manager's driver was on leave or needed to go out on business.
But this was my first time driving such a rugged off-road vehicle.
At first, she was a little unsure about the width and distance of the car, but with Tan Chen's patient and concise instructions, she was told to "turn the steering wheel slowly," "pay attention to the right rearview mirror," and "press the accelerator lightly."
She quickly got the hang of it and her operation became smoother and smoother.
She sighed silently to herself once again: It's so great to have Tan Chen as a partner!
How could I have been so impulsive as to think I could drive around China all by myself? That was pure fantasy! If I were really alone, just going through the whole process of picking up the car, registering it, and getting used to the new car would probably make me want to turn back on the very first day.
But then she thought about it again. Those three years working as a nanny had honed her ability to handle various trivial matters and unexpected situations independently. If she were alone, she would definitely be able to manage eventually, even if she stumbled along the way.
However, with this man, whom she once had a crush on and who is still reliable, by her side, a strange feeling of wanting to rely on him and be taken care of involuntarily arose.
Once we arrived at the modification shop, the rest of the time was basically Tan Chen's show.
Xu Nianyi knew nothing about mechanics or modifications. She sat in the heated customer lounge, gazing at the figure outside through the huge glass window.
He chatted with the mechanics at the modification shop, pointing to the chassis, suspension, and tires, gesturing and talking about them.
It felt like she was back in her junior and senior high school days. Xu Nianyi's gaze would always uncontrollably drift past the crowd and land precisely on him.
"That's about it, everything's been explained. Let's go, come back in two days to pick up the car. Where should we take a taxi now?" Tan Chen finished explaining, pushed open the door, and brought in a blast of cold air, interrupting Xu Nianyi's reverie.
Xu Nianyi looked away and suggested, "Let's go eat at that really famous Xinjiang fried rice noodle place! I used to order fried rice noodles for delivery when I was working, and I thought they were delicious. Now that we're back in the area, we have to try the most authentic ones!"
Over the next two days, they visited the Xinjiang Museum together, saw the legendary Loulan Beauty mummy, and felt the mystery and vicissitudes that spanned thousands of years.
We went to Hotan Second Street, recommended by the hotel reception, and ate our way from one end of the street to the other, experiencing the most authentic Xinjiang flavors.
I went to Xinjiang Folk Street and searched for popular photo spots in those exotic buildings to take pictures and check in.
Explore the Jinquan Market and carefully select unique souvenirs from the dazzling array of ethnic handicrafts and daily necessities to send to family and friends.
As evening falls, climb up to Hongshan Park and watch the sunset paint the entire city in a warm orange-red hue amidst the biting cold wind, waiting for the moment when the city lights come on.
I also went to the Hongshan Dried Fruit Market, where I picked out the best-tasting raisins, almonds, cheese products, and walnuts from a dazzling array of options, and packed them up to mail home.
On the third day, they returned to the modification shop.
Xu Nianyi finally saw the completely renovated tank.
She couldn't quite tell what exactly had been changed, but she felt the car seemed more imposing and powerful, with some rougher details.
She only understood that they rented four brand-new snow tires, because you had to change to snow tires to get to Hemu, otherwise they wouldn't let you in.
Xu Nianyi noticed that Tan Chen paid for the modification and tire rental directly without using their Yi Nian Chen Guang wallet.
Just as she was about to ask about splitting the costs, Tan Chen casually said, "Consider this my investment in the car. If we're strictly splitting the bill, shouldn't I pay half for the car?"
Xu Nianyi was speechless. She opened her mouth but couldn't refute it, so she could only give up and tacitly agree to let him pay for this considerable expense. However, she felt a strange, sweet feeling in her heart.
Everything is ready; the real journey is about to begin.
However, the way they set off was a bit unusual.
Xu Nianyi drove her new car, but her destination was Urumqi Railway Station.
She will be traveling alone to Altay on the Y965 tourist train, "China's Snow Capital Altay," which departs at 23:10 that night.
The train journey takes 9 hours and 41 minutes and will arrive at Altay Station at 9:01 a.m. the next day. She bought a soft sleeper ticket for 284 yuan.
This is no ordinary green train.
The charm of this train lies in its social atmosphere, which is reminiscent of the novel "Murder on the Orient Express".
The mysterious carriage number 6 is more like a bar than a dining car.
In the pictures, a long bar is filled with all kinds of alcoholic beverages; comfortable booths are placed in the middle of the carriage, and there is even a karaoke system for passengers to enjoy; in the corner of the carriage, there is even a piano, but I heard that there are no musicians, and any traveler who is interested can go up and play a tune.
Imagine yourself on a train traveling through a vast snow-covered plain, the rhythmic clatter of wheels against the rails accompanied by an impromptu piano piece, raising a glass with strangers...
All of this held an irresistible allure for Xu Nianyi, who craved new experiences.
However, for Tan Chen, that was an absolute rejection.
Whether it was the mixed smells on the train, the cramped sleeper berth that prevented him, a tall and long-legged man, from stretching out comfortably, or especially the incessant clanging noise that could drive someone to the brink of nervous breakdown and keep them awake all night, he avoided it all like the plague.
Therefore, the division of labor was clear:
Xu Nianyi will experience her romantic night on the Snow Country Train and will explore on her own after arriving in Altay tomorrow morning.
Tan Chen will sleep in tomorrow, then drive for about five hours alone to Altay to pick her up and take her to Burqin, the transit town.
Nighttime, Y965 train, carriage number 6.
Xu Nianyi's imagination became reality.
The carriage was warmly lit, and the atmosphere was lively.
She quickly became friends with several other young people of similar age who were also traveling alone.
Everyone drank Urumqi beer, sang songs that weren't particularly catchy but were sung with great enthusiasm, and shared their unique stories about where they came from and why they embarked on this journey.
The laughter and cheers almost lifted the roof off the train carriage.
The piano was indeed not neglected; a girl who looked very artistic went up and played a piece. Although she occasionally stumbled, she won applause from the entire carriage.
After the initial excitement, real-world problems arose.
Back in her soft sleeper, Xu Nianyi finally realized how accurate Tan Chen's warning had been.
The train's irregular jolting, its incessant clanging, and the occasional loud "toot" sound—whether from a whistle or some other device—constantly thwarted her sleepiness.
He tossed and turned, his mind as clear as day.
"No wonder the travel guides all mentioned watching the sunrise." Xu Nianyi lay awake in the darkness, staring at the occasional glimpses of light outside the window, and thought helplessly, "It's because I simply couldn't sleep!"
The train steadily traveled through the darkness towards the snowy land of northern Xinjiang, carrying a carriage full of sleepless, excited souls, as well as Xu Nianyi's boundless anticipation for her trip to Hemu.
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