The train was scheduled for 9 AM, so Jun Jiuli and Jin Moyu woke up at 7 AM. After packing, they headed to the train station with their luggage.
Jun Jiuli affixed a talisman to her bag and walked ahead with ease. Jin Moyu, exhausted, could only stand and wait at the crowded station.
When the train arrived, the platform was a throng of people. Jun Jiuli, with her agile movements, boarded quickly. Jin Moyu, laden with bags, was swallowed by the crowd, barely making it onto the train before it departed.
Her face, usually adorned with a gentle smile, was now set in a grimace, as if the world owed her money. Her saintly demeanor was marred.
Jin Moyu took three trips to stow her luggage. She then turned to look reproachfully at Jun Jiuli, who sat calmly opposite her. The four-person seat was still empty except for them.
"A'li, why didn't you help me? I'm your older sister, you know," Jin Moyu pouted, sounding deeply wronged.
"Sister didn't ask me for help. I thought you could manage on your own."
"You..."
"Enough. It's still early. I'm going back to sleep," Jun Jiuli said, turning her head and closing her eyes as if to nap.
By noon, Jin Moyu, overcome by hunger, opened her bag and began to eat a sweet potato with elegant grace.
"Boxed meals! Anyone want to buy a boxed meal?"
When the attendant with her trolley reached Jun Jiuli, she stopped her. Ignoring Jin Moyu's pleading gaze, Jun Jiuli paid two yuan for a boxed meal.
It contained braised pork, stir-fried greens, and tomato and egg soup. The aroma and presentation were delightful, and Jun Jiuli dug in with gusto.
The food was indeed hearty, with no skimping on ingredients. The aroma of the meat wafted far and wide.
Jin Moyu swallowed hard, suddenly finding the sweet potato in her hand unappetizing.
"A'li, why did you buy such an expensive meal? A regular one is only one yuan. You could have bought two for the price of this one."
"I have money. I can afford a two-yuan meal. Besides, I can't eat two." She continued to eat, head down.
Jin Moyu was infuriated, wondering if her sister understood her hints. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to say it directly, so she angrily bit into her sweet potato.
The afternoon passed in a similar state of vexation. Then, a middle-aged couple approached, and the other two passengers arrived.
The man was about 1.7 meters tall, his hair slicked back like needles. The exposed skin on his body was a sallow yellow, his clothes were so shiny they could reflect light, and he wore a pair of ripped canvas shoes.
The woman behind him was small and seemed timid. A headscarf covered most of her face, and her clothes were rather shabby.
As soon as they sat down, an odor of stale feet mingled with sweat filled the air. The middle-aged woman, far from being timid, had a booming voice. She barraged Jun Jiuli and Jin Moyu with probing questions, which was incredibly annoying.
Jun Jiuli, unwilling to engage, left her seat and went to the water room to stand for a while. The middle-aged woman then focused her attention solely on Jin Moyu.
Jin Moyu was also repulsed but, to maintain her kind and gentle image, she endured the conversation, holding back her irritation.
Just then, a flight attendant announced that there were empty berths and that they could upgrade their tickets. Jun Jiuli paid the eight yuan without hesitation, kindly instructed Jin Moyu, and left.
Upon reaching the sleeper carriage, she performed a minor cleaning spell and applied a talisman to isolate herself from any discomfort, then settled down to sleep.
Meanwhile, Jin Moyu's situation was dire. She began to resent her sister for not taking her along.
The aunt continued to chatter incessantly with those around her, forcing Jin Moyu to nod and respond when asked.
The uncle in the next compartment snored thunderously, and intermittent foul odors wafted over. Already exhausted from the day, and unable to stretch her legs due to the cramped seating, she couldn't sleep.
As dawn broke, she finally managed to drift off only to be woken by the aunt. She wanted to lash out but dared not, feeling utterly stifled. The thought of two more days like this filled her with misery.
Those three days were agonizing. She ate nothing but sweet potatoes for every meal. Coupled with the lack of sleep, she felt bloated and her stomach ached constantly, dreaming only of reaching their destination quickly.
"We are approaching Huaining County. Passengers for Huaining County, please prepare. We will arrive in five minutes."
Jin Moyu no longer displayed her previous affectation or dawdled. She quickly packed her belongings and stood by the door. She had endured enough of these days.
After alighting, Jun Jiuli headed directly for the station exit. Jin Moyu watched for a long time, guessing that Jun Jiuli hadn't waited for her. She stomped out of the station, fuming.
Many young men and women, laden with bags, were gathered there. Jin Moyu's arrival instantly drew everyone's attention. She was beautiful and articulate, capturing the hearts of many young educated youths.
"Do all of us sent-down youths gather here? Has anyone seen my sister? She looks a lot like me."
Zhu Baizhou quickly interjected, "Youth Jin, we haven't seen anyone like that. Why aren't you with your sister?"
"My sister had a sleeper berth, while I had a seat. So we weren't together. When we got off the train, I waited for a long time but didn't see her. I assumed she had come out already."
Hearing this, Zhu Baizhou felt his goddess had been wronged. He indignantly said, "You're sisters, why should she get a sleeper berth while you only got a seat? She's so inconsiderate, running off on her own when traveling instead of staying with her sister, causing you to worry."
"Comrade Moyu, I won't allow you to speak about my sister like that. She's still young and immature. It's only right that I indulge her."
"Comrade Moyu, you are simply too kind. That's why she takes advantage of you. Although she is your sister, you are twins, and you are not much older than her. You shouldn't always be letting her have her way."
The others nearby agreed with Zhu Baizhou, nodding in unison. This was the moment for the antagonist, Jun Jiuli, to appear.
Carrying her bags, she rushed over, feigning distress. "Sister, why didn't you wait for me? I stood there waiting for you the whole time. Later, the station attendant told me no one else was inside and I should hurry out, and only then did I realize you had already left."
Her words made the others exchange glances. Indeed, if her sister had left first without waiting, why had she arrived here first?
"I looked around inside, didn't see you, and then left. I'm sorry, it was my fault," she said, lowering her head.
"Comrade Moyu, what does this have to do with you? Clearly, someone was indulging in luxury and bought a sleeper berth for themselves, which is why they were separated from you."
"Hey, comrade, your reasoning is quite flawed. Can I not buy a sleeper berth if I have money? Is buying a sleeper berth illegal? You're not spending your money, so why are you in such a hurry?"
"You, you... As expected, women and petty people are difficult to deal with. Your sharp-tongued remarks are not worth debating."
Zhu Baizhou's words instantly offended all the young women present.
"Comrade, before you speak, could you please empty the water from your brain? The great leader said that women hold up half the sky. You're demeaning women here; do you have a problem with the great leader?"
Zhu Baizhou broke out in a cold sweat. These words could be interpreted in many ways. If someone with an agenda overheard him, he'd be in serious trouble.
"You're distorting the facts. I didn't mean that." He then quickly moved away from Jun Jiuli as if fleeing.