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Caught by Song Rushi, Jiang Yizhou, who had been busy before heading home, finally felt it was time to go back. He hoped Sister Ru Shi's parents wouldn't blame him.
He felt a bit schadenfreude thinking about how all those tasks were handed over to her. It seemed she wouldn't be able to spend a good New Year with her parents either, so Jiang Yizhou was at her beck and call.
At the moment, Jiang Yizhou was waiting for the girl with his luggage. The winter chill couldn't deter the crowded scene at the train station, mostly filled with migrant workers, and perhaps there were even his own parents from a past life among them...
Seeing Ding Zhengnan come out from the ticket window, Jiang Yizhou felt a mix of annoyance and happiness. After giving up or choosing the worst path, he felt guilty yet joyful about the girl.
Guilt was primary, while joy was secondary.
Though it was harsh, wasn't that just how life was? Students stepping out of their ivory towers and entering society realized that it was vastly different from what they had imagined. Every penny needed to be exchanged for wisdom, effort, or something valuable they possessed.
His guilt towards the girl stemmed from this; deep down, he didn't want to make promises and didn't know what kind of promises to make. "I, Jiang Yizhou, will love you for a lifetime?"
He couldn't do that. He didn't love anyone deeply enough to offer such promises. Jiang Yizhou believed that his only shining point was keeping his word; any promise he made would be fulfilled. Therefore, he didn't make promises lightly.
If Ding Zhengnan had many other demands like ordinary girls in later years—perhaps being a bit vain and having some flaws like wanting a Beijing household registration, needing a house and car, wanting him to accompany her often, using him as a bragging point, and requiring fidelity—Jiang Yizhou could accept all of that now.
But did the girl lack money? No. She had saved up over a hundred thousand in pocket money, and her family was wealthy. What did she need? What she needed was a high-demand relationship!
This made it tough for a thirty-year-old soul from the future who was somewhat numb towards relationships.
The only thing worth feeling proud about was that such a wonderful girl would pursue him, giving him a sense of pride.
"Hey, Yi Zhou, why are you in a daze? Missing home?" Ding Zhengnan tightened her grip on Jiang Yizhou's arm while helping him pull a suitcase, asking eagerly.
"I was wondering how you got here? I can hardly wait!" Jiang Yizhou smiled as the girl hugged his arm and walked into the station.
"I had someone in front of me who insisted on buying three platform tickets, and I argued with the Ticket Seller for a long time. It almost drove me crazy! Everyone else told him the rules, but he just wouldn't listen!" Ding Zhengnan pouted, a bit annoyed.
Jiang Yizhou didn't say much, just nodded in response, which made Ding Zhengnan feel a bit disheartened.
Although she had gotten closer to Jiang Yizhou, it seemed that only their physical distance had decreased, becoming more intimate. However, there was still a sense of emotional detachment. Although it was an improvement from the previous feeling of rejection, it wasn't what she desired.
Since they were pressed for time, they waited in the corresponding waiting room at the train station for half an hour until this train departing from the capital allowed passengers to board. Watching the crowd, a long line quickly formed, and Jiang Yizhou pulled the girl into the queue.
"Get your tickets out!" the Ticket Seller shouted to the crowd.
...
Looking at the girl waving goodbye through the window with reluctance, Jiang Yizhou found himself at a loss for words. He hoped he could resolve this issue properly; no matter how it turned out in the end, he couldn't imagine it.
He saw the girl's lips moving as if she was saying something, but as the train gradually accelerated and moved further away, he ultimately couldn't hear her clearly.
Jiang Yizhou understood that he was someone with low emotional intelligence, but he never knew how to change. This was different from personal development; at work, he was just a confused guy who didn't know what to do. Many people were like him; he was just one of them.
However, those who had been friends with him often expressed that being friends with him was quite exhausting. Most interactions were superficial; chatting with Jiang Yizhou during relaxing leisure activities felt reliable at times, but as they interacted more, they found his personality somewhat odd. While it wasn't off-putting enough to make people dislike him, it also didn't inspire deep connections.
Those who truly had some rapport with Jiang Yizhou were usually outgoing individuals, but they often had some profound stories behind them.
"Beer, drinks, mineral water, peanuts, sunflower seeds, eight-treasure porridge—coming through! Make way!" A familiar vendor's voice came from outside the carriage. In the soft sleeper compartment, a middle-aged man spoke in Cantonese-accented Mandarin as he bought four buckets of instant noodles outside the carriage.
At the beginning, Jiang Yizhou boarded the train and entered the carriage with a heavy heart. The other two passengers, who were in the upper and lower bunks opposite him, did not disturb him. They appeared to be from Guangdong Province, and this route was indeed the Beijing-Guangzhou Line.
One of them left the carriage with two buckets of instant noodles and returned shortly with noodles soaked in hot water. Upon seeing Jiang Yizhou sit up from his bunk, he apologetically asked, "Is this smell bothering you?"
Jiang Yizhou initially didn't quite understand but soon got it. He shook his head and indicated, "I wasn't hungry at first, but with you tempting me like that, my stomach started growling. You guys don't need to worry about me; I'm just a bit tired and haven't been sleeping well!"
The train wheels clattered as they turned. Aside from the Beijing Urban Area, under the early nightfall, there were only occasional flashes of lights and the silhouettes of trees and land along the tracks.
The two people opposite him were also understanding; they communicated in Cantonese without disturbing Jiang Yizhou, who had fallen asleep early after looking out the window for a while.
During this journey, aside from being briefly awakened by a fourth passenger boarding, Jiang Yizhou fell back into Calm after a bit of noise and slept until morning, feeling as comfortable as if he were at home, as if the box filled with cash hidden under his bed didn't belong to him.
Waking up in the morning, he sat dazed on the edge of his bunk. Eventually feeling a bit urgent, he went to the restroom and then headed to the dining car nearby for breakfast. The breakfast consisted of a plate of vegetables, an egg, three buns, and a bowl of porridge—quite light fare—which Jiang Yizhou savored slowly.
For Jiang Yizhou, traveling had always been synonymous with exhaustion; he never quite understood holiday travel.
Gathering his spirits upon hearing that they had arrived at Xichuan Station, he bid farewell to the other three passengers who were getting off at the final stop or near it and quietly waited as the train gradually slowed down before finally stopping at the platform.
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