Chapter 18: Searching for a Place to Live

Yan Rushan’s eyes were deep and pensive. “There are, of course, but to seize a spot, all those problems can be ignored.”

“Alright then.” Zhong Yuxiu stopped pressing. It was only a matter of a decade or so; once the transportation industry developed, all these troubles would vanish. “Brother Yan, do you want the upper or lower bunk?”

“The lower one. You take the upper.” It wasn’t safe for a young girl to sleep below.

Zhong Yuxiu bent down, pulled out her suitcase, and took out her physics and chemistry books before shoving the luggage back in place. With a couple of nimble moves, she climbed onto the upper bunk, set her books beside her, and lay down.

“Brother Yan, I’m going to catch up on some sleep.”

“Alright.” Yan Rushan glanced up at the bunk above, then turned to lie on his side.

Unfamiliar surroundings made for restless sleep. When Zhong Yuxiu woke from her muddled nap, she felt even more fatigued. Sitting up and rubbing her head, she heard the murmur of women’s voices. Following the sound, she saw two women on the upper bunk across the aisle, speaking in hushed tones.

They must have come in while she slept.

The two glanced over, and one of them offered an apologetic smile. “Comrade, sorry, did we wake you?”

“Not at all. I just couldn’t sleep well. Please, go on.” Zhong Yuxiu climbed down the ladder beside her bunk, noticing that Yan Rushan was awake as well, leaning against the carriage wall reading a book. “Brother Yan, you’re up too.”

Yan Rushan nodded. “Where are you off to?”

“I’m going to wash my face and clear my head. I’ll be back in a bit.” Zhong Yuxiu made her way out of the carriage in search of the restroom. The smell inside was unpleasant, but she only wanted to wash her face, not use the toilet. On her way back, she saw a staff member distributing meals and made a mental note of it. “Brother Yan, I saw there are meals for sale on the train. Should we get something?”

“The food on the train is greasy and not good,” Yan Rushan replied at once. “Some of it’s even spoiled.”

Zhong Yuxiu was genuinely unaware of this. Her three trips through modern times had always landed her in eras of steady technological advancement, leaving her clueless about this period.

“I see! But I’m hungry.”

Yan Rushan pointed to the small table in front of their bunks, where a gray cloth bundle was placed. “Help yourself.”

“Alrighty.” She moved to sit beside Yan Rushan’s bunk, opened the cloth bundle, and took out two marinated eggs, handing one to him. “Here, Brother Yan.”

Yan Rushan shook his head and politely declined. Smiling, Zhong Yuxiu took the egg back, peeled it, and ate both eggs to take the edge off her hunger.

“How much did these cost, Brother Yan? I’ll pay you for what I eat.”

“It was just a few coins. No need to pay me.”

Zhong Yuxiu thought to herself: I’m broke. That stung a little. She ate another half of a flatbread in one go, then climbed back up to her bunk to read. Even though she’d read these books before, picking them up again still brought new insights. The saying goes, ‘Read a book a hundred times and its meaning will reveal itself’—it was no empty phrase.

For four days on the train, the marinated eggs and flatbreads Yan Rushan had packed were just enough for the two of them.

Stepping out of the train station, Zhong Yuxiu couldn’t help but take a deep breath of the fresh air in the capital. The train had been stuffy and crowded, inconvenient in every way, and she still seemed to hear the clattering of wheels ringing in her ears.

“Brother Yan, thank you for taking care of me along the way. Goodbye.” With these words, they parted.

“Where do you plan to settle?” Yan Rushan asked.

Zhong Yuxiu’s eyes curved with a smile. “I’ll find a hotel near Hua University to stay at first.”

“Let me carry your luggage and walk you over. I’m familiar with the area.” He reached out his slender hand.

“Brother! Over here!”

A boy of fifteen or sixteen waved his hand, bouncing up and down.

Yan Rushan turned at the sound. Zhong Yuxiu glanced at the youth and smiled. “Brother Yan, I appreciate the offer, but you’ve just returned—go home quickly.” Not giving Yan Rushan a chance to speak again, she opened her suitcase, used her clothes as cover, and slipped the admission letter from her storage ring, handing it to him before turning away.

Yan Rushan held the letter, a slight furrow in his brow, but did not insist. The young boy, unable to wait any longer, had already rushed over, eyes bright with delight.

“Big brother, who was that comrade just now? Why did she leave?”

“Ru Hai, why are you the one picking me up?” The newcomer was his only younger brother, Yan Ruhai.

Yan Ruhai grinned. “Big brother, you’ve been gone so long—I missed you.”

“Oh, go on with your silly grin.” Yan Rushan shoved his suitcase at him, tucked the admission letter inside his clothing, and strode off without looking back.

...

Zhong Yuxiu asked for directions all the way to Hua University, walking nearly an hour. She found a nearby hotel and collapsed onto the bed without even eating dinner, sleeping soundly through the night. The next morning, after a thorough wash, she went downstairs to the front desk.

“Excuse me, ma’am, could I ask you something?”

“Of course, dear. What do you want to know?” The woman at the front desk was a young matron with a square face and a figure that suggested she had recently given birth.

Zhong Yuxiu smiled and slipped her two yuan. “I was wondering if there are any houses for rent or sale nearby?”

After five days on the road, it was now the end of the month; only three days remained before the start of the term. She needed to find a permanent place to stay quickly.

The young woman took the money, eyeing her with a smile. “You’re a returning youth, aren’t you?”

“Sort of. I got into Hua University, so I’d like to find somewhere close to campus.”

At her words, the woman looked a bit surprised, her demeanor warming at once. “A college student! You’re really something, getting into Hua University. I heard the admissions scores were high this year—lots of people didn’t make it. My own nephew took the exams, hoping to study in the capital, but ended up out of town. What a turn of events.”

“You’re too kind. No matter where you study, it’s all for the country’s future. It’s only a few years—it’ll pass quickly.”

“That’s true.” The woman replied warmly, “You’ve come to the right person to find a place. I have a friend of a relative who’s selling a house. The yard isn’t big, but it’s more than enough for one.”

Zhong Yuxiu’s gaze brightened. “Where is it located?”

“Right next to Hua University. It’s only about a ten-minute walk from there.”

“That’s wonderful. If you could give me the address, I’d like to see it right away. Moving after the term starts would be a hassle and might affect my studies.” She couldn’t help but feel tempted.

The woman laughed heartily. “You’re in a hurry! I’ll go with you to see the house. Wait a moment—I’ll ask someone to mind the desk for me.”

“Thank you so much, ma’am.” A small house was fine for now; the main thing was to settle in quickly. She could always find a bigger place later, and property in the capital would never lose its value.

After a short while, the woman returned with another matron of about the same age. The newcomer studied Zhong Yuxiu for a moment, then nodded in greeting.

“Sister, let’s go. We’ll be quick.” The woman led Zhong Yuxiu out. On the way, Zhong Yuxiu asked, “Ma’am, my surname is Zhong. May I ask yours?”

“You students are always so polite. I didn’t even think to ask your name.” The woman beamed. “My surname is Lian. You can call me Sister Lian, and I’ll call you Sister Zhong then?”

Zhong Yuxiu smiled and nodded. “That’s perfect, Sister Lian.”