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墨書 Inktalez
In the capital city of the nineties, the prosperity far exceeded Jiang Yizhou's imagination. For someone like him, born in the nineties, the year 2000 marked a dividing line. Since the turn of the millennium, the country's landscape had undergone significant changes, while his memories of the past remained trapped in images.
His impressions of this place were mainly shaped by his parents' photo albums and their recollections.
Now, at least in the urban area, the vibrancy was no less than what it would be in the future. The Spring Festival had just passed, and most people had returned to work, no longer experiencing the quietness of the holiday season.
Jiang Yizhou stood close to a map posted near a bus stop, searching for directions to where his parents lived in his previous life.
He had no intention of reconnecting with them; after all, it would be hard for them to accept that someone suddenly appeared claiming to be their son.
Ultimately, people want to live comfortably and freely, which largely depends on themselves. Jiang Yizhou was a typical example; due to his own issues, he had fallen into a state of barely surviving and lacked any confidence or thoughts about starting a family.
So if they remained as they were, they would continue to lead their hard but peaceful lives.
He was looking for someone merely to verify whether this world was indeed the original one or a parallel universe.
If they did not exist, he would have one less concern. It wouldn't be good or bad; it would simply be easier. If there were things to address, he would know what to do.
"Excuse me, sir, could you tell me how to get to Nanwa District?" After looking around for a while and feeling somewhat lost, Jiang Yizhou still couldn't figure it out. In his previous life, he relied on his phone's navigation after moving to the capital for university; otherwise, he would surely get lost and had no choice but to ask others.
The middle-aged man in a black down jacket seemed surprised by Jiang Yizhou's question but quickly reacted. His furrowed brow relaxed slightly as he awkwardly smiled and said, "You’re asking me? Sorry, I’ve only been in Beijing for a short time too. I only know a few fixed routes; I’m not familiar with others. Isn’t there a map?"
If maps were useful, I wouldn’t need to ask you!
Jiang Yizhou politely thanked the man while internally complaining.
He glanced around the bus stop; there weren't many people—only six or seven scattered about. Among them was an elderly woman who looked particularly like a community aunt. She appeared to be in her fifties and could probably be considered an elder. With some hesitation about this thought, he decided to ask her.
"Nanwa District? Take Bus 1 and get off at Aviation Institute, then transfer to Bus 46. That’s where you need to go!" The aunt pointed out the route without even looking at the map or bus stop sign. After expressing his gratitude profusely and showing proper manners, Jiang Yizhou quickly stepped aside to wait for Bus 1.
"Walk further back! Buy your ticket once you get on; have your money ready!" shouted a somewhat plump ticket seller from inside the bus.
Jiang Yizhou got on the bus from the front door, surveying the situation inside the bus. There were quite a few people, so he decided to stand.
Driver yawned impatiently, and upon hearing Ticket Seller call out "Close the doors," pressed the button to start the bus again.
The bus jolted suddenly, and Jiang Yizhou tightly gripped the handrail to steady himself.
Throughout the journey, he witnessed many interesting things. Some people were dressed in styles reminiscent of the 1950s and 60s, while others wore fashionable outfits that caught Jiang Yizhou's attention, even though it was winter and not much fashion could be seen.
Tsk tsk!
For the first time, Jiang Yizhou felt that this era wasn't too bad. At least he was adapting well. Living was just about meeting basic needs, right? As someone who hadn't fully achieved that yet, he had nothing to complain about.
The streets were quite wide, with few vehicles and a chaotic mix of pedestrians. Looking out of the bus window at Outside, he worried that if an accident occurred, pedestrians would bear some responsibility. Fortunately, the bus wasn't going fast.
After two bus rides, it took him about half an hour. Having spent a few days in this era, Jiang Yizhou realized his sense of time had become quite vague.
"Arriving at Nanwa District, anyone getting off?" Ticket Seller called out as usual.
Jiang Yizhou walked a few steps toward the back door. Once the bus stopped and the doors opened, he stepped down.
Crossing the street and passing by a familiar Arcade, Jiang Yizhou resisted the urge to go in and try his luck. It seemed nothing had changed; perhaps he hadn’t changed either. Would he eventually return to this time as his future self, becoming the current Jiang Yizhou?
Wouldn't that be an infinite loop? Jiang Yizhou dismissed the implications of this cycle. Regardless of what existence facilitated it, all he wanted was to live comfortably; everything else could wait until he ensured his survival!
Moreover, it was still unclear what exactly was happening.
In a square area with neatly arranged Hutong, counting them up to 17 confirmed for Jiang Yizhou that he should turn in. He could see the distant Air Fortress as a point of reference.
He had seen that structure many times during his childhood when his parents moved around. It was commonly referred to as Air Fortress. Growing up, he never bothered to learn its real name; his favorite activity was sliding down from the top of that circular fortress.
Of course, the end result was that he wore out all his pants and received a stern lecture from his mother. Later, his father found some materials to make special pants that allowed him to slide down without wearing them out like regular pants.
On a winter morning, even though the sun had risen high, the air still felt cold. Nervously trembling, Jiang Yizhou bit his lip and clenched his fists. Several times he wanted to reach out but hesitated at the door, unable to make himself do it.
Fearing the outcome, unsure whether to feel sad, relieved, or happy yet somewhat heavy-hearted.
Creak~~
Suddenly, the courtyard door was opened!
A somewhat frail woman in her early twenties stepped out from behind the door, dressed in casual home attire, her complexion pale and somewhat sickly.
"Ah!" The woman was startled; she hadn't expected someone to be standing so close outside when she opened the door. "You... hello, may I ask what you need?"
At this moment, she examined the man before her. He wore somewhat plain clothing, but his strong physique filled out the outfit. Looking up, she noticed a pair of eyes that didn't quite match his overall demeanor.
At least he wasn't the type to instill fear or unease, she thought.
"Hello, I'm here to find someone, looking for the couple Jiang Tanxian," Jiang Yizhou forced himself to remain calm. This was something he was deeply concerned about; once he knew, he could continue on his path.
The woman sensed something strange about the young man before her. His excited yet restrained expression was clear to her. After a moment's thought, she replied.
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