Chapter 3: Boarding the Train

The mother and son had almost finished eating when they heard the gate next door creak open. Su Qiao knew that it was Sister Guo returning from her midday shift to prepare lunch for her child. She quickly stood up and hurried outside. Speaking over the courtyard wall to Sister Guo, she said, “Sister Guo, Xiaofeng and I will take the afternoon train to visit Xiaoying. Please keep an eye on things at home for us.”

“All right,” Sister Guo replied, busy preparing lunch and not asking further.

After finishing their meal, Su Qiao began to get ready to leave.

“Mom, we don’t need to leave so early.”

“We have to go to the savings bank to withdraw money first.”

“Oh.”

The savings bank was right across from the gate of the machinery factory. Su Qiao withdrew all the money from the passbook. It was the first time Fang Xiaofeng had seen so much money, and a smile finally appeared in his eyes. He reminded his mother, “Mom, make sure to keep the money safe.”

“I know,” Su Qiao said, slipping the money into the inner pocket of her clothes in front of her son, though in truth she had hidden the money in the supermarket.

She considered there was no place safer than there.

Once she had secured the money, she slung the bag over her shoulder, grabbed the luggage, and went with her son to catch the bus.

There were no taxis in those days; the Route Four bus conveniently terminated at the train station.

When the mother and son arrived at the station, it was not yet two o’clock. Su Qiao went first to the ticket office, gave the name of Director Liu, paid, and collected the tickets before taking her son to the waiting room.

When they waited for the train, Su Qiao suddenly remembered something. “Xiaofeng, let’s go to the public phone and call Chen Weimin.”

“Chen Weimin?” For a moment, Fang Xiaofeng couldn’t recall who Chen Weimin was.

Su Qiao didn’t explain. She pulled out a letter from Fang Xiaoying and dialed the number written there. She gave Chen Weimin’s name and position, and the operator immediately connected the call.

“Hello, who is this?”

A deep male voice came through. Su Qiao hesitated for two seconds, then boldly introduced herself.

“I’m Su Qiao. I’m looking for Comrade Chen Weimin. I’m Comrade Chen Weimin’s mother-in-law.”

“Mother-in-law of Chen Weimin? But Chen Weimin and the others went on a training exercise,” Ye Ting said. Suddenly realizing that a call from Chen Weimin’s mother-in-law must mean something serious had happened at home, he asked, “Is something wrong at home?”

“This morning, I received a telegram from the educated youth who went to the countryside with my daughter. The telegram said my daughter is critically ill and asked me to come quickly.”

“What?”

“They just got married a few days ago. My daughter has no history of major illness. How could she be gravely ill? So I wanted to ask if Comrade Chen Weimin knows anything about this.” Thinking of Fang Xiaoying’s uncertain fate, Su Qiao’s voice choked with emotion.

“Mom—”

The young man’s voice nearby also reached Ye Ting’s ears, who casually asked, “Comrade Su Qiao, where are you now?”

“My son and I are at Yang City Train Station. We’re taking the 3:30 train to Shan City.”

As the group leader, Ye Ting quickly understood the situation of Chen Weimin’s mother-in-law: a middle-aged woman who suddenly received news of her daughter’s critical condition and tearfully took her son to see her.

Sympathizing with her plight, Ye Ting asked, “When will you arrive in Shan City?”

“Under normal circumstances, we’ll arrive at 8 a.m. tomorrow.”

“All right. I’m Ye Ting, the team leader of Comrade Chen Weimin’s group. We’ll meet at Shan City Train Station at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning.”

Su Qiao: …

“Comrade Su Qiao, did you hear me?”

“Yes, thank you, Team Leader Ye.”

“Just call me Ye Ting.”

“Okay.”

Only after the busy signal sounded did Su Qiao hang up. Long-distance calls were a bit expensive; just this brief one cost 3.60 yuan.

Fang Xiaofeng listened with a pang of sympathy. He and his mother didn’t even spend three yuan sixty in an entire week.

After mother and son found empty seats in the waiting room, Su Mu came rushing in, sweating heavily with a large shoulder bag.

“Sister?” Su Mu didn’t have a watch and feared missing the time.

“Come, sit down and rest a bit. You’re sweating all over.”

“I managed to get a week off from the workshop director, though the team leader wasn’t happy. I had to ask Xiao Na to keep an eye for me.”

“But Xiao Na doesn’t know how to do your work.”

“Nothing I can do. I just asked my coworkers to watch over her more closely.” Su Mu felt slightly relieved thinking of two kind older women in the team.

“That must be tough on Xiao Na. You haven’t eaten, have you?”

“No.” Su Mu had rushed back and forth several times after taking leave, went home once to pick up his wife, then took her to the workshop. Once everything was arranged, he hurried to the station.

Knowing Su Mu hadn’t eaten lunch, Su Qiao took out a lunchbox from her bag and handed it to him.

Su Mu opened it to find it full of scallion and egg pancakes, his mouth watering. “Sister, all this is for me?”

“Of course it’s all for you.”

“You’re still the best to me,” Su Mu said, not caring if his hands were dirty as he grabbed the pancakes and stuffed them into his mouth.

The pure white scallion and egg pancakes were precious food, and with so many hungry eyes watching, Su Mu feared that if he moved too slowly, someone would snatch them away.

In those days, food was precious and it wasn’t unusual for people to compete for it.

When Su Mu swallowed the last bite, Fang Xiaofeng handed him the water bottle on his back.

“Uncle, drink some water.”

“Hey, my big nephew.”

“Uncle, have you eaten enough? If not, I still have boiled eggs.”

“Haven’t eaten enough? What kind of family is this? Just this lunchbox of scallion and egg pancakes—some families might not even get that for the New Year.”

Someone nearby nodded in agreement, as if to say, “Brother’s right.”

After the three crowded aboard the train and settled into their seats, Su Qiao finally exhaled deeply.

“Sister, don’t worry. Xiaoying is a good person; heaven will protect her.”

“Mm.” Su Qiao answered quietly, but her heart was as restless as the noise of the green train.

She knew these were the original owner’s emotions. Silently, she whispered in her heart, “Go in peace! I will take good care of your two children and send you money during every holiday.”

After saying this, the knot of sorrow in her throat seemed to slowly loosen.

Knowing the original soul had departed, Su Qiao closed her eyes to rest and gather strength. She had a strong feeling that a tough battle lay ahead.

When she opened her eyes again, the setting sun outside the window was blood-red. Inside the carriage, people discussed what they would have for dinner, while others swallowed their hunger quietly.

“Mom, you’re awake?”

“Mm, I’m going to the restroom. You watch the things.”

“Okay.”

It was Fang Xiaofeng’s first time on a train; everything was new and fascinating to him. From the moment they boarded, his eyes never left the rapidly passing scenery outside the window—cities, towns, villages, vast open fields, and rolling hills.