Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space novel Chapter 543

Chapter 543: Chapter 426: The Journey

The train slowly started moving, and outside the window, Huang Hui Min ran alongside.

"Godmother, take care!" Zhou Jiao shouted.

Zhou Jiao didn’t know if the other person heard her, but the only thing she wanted to say was take care—it was the only phrase that could express her feelings.

Zhang Guoqing handed the child to her, and he lowered the two middle bunks on both sides, opening up the space, allowing them to sit down comfortably and making it convenient for her and the child to lie down and rest.

The regular sleeper berth was particularly narrow, with shirtless men moving back and forth in the right-side carriage, loudly chatting away without end.

On this return trip, Zhang Guoqing and his wife hadn’t intended to use their privilege for the soft sleeper, but they ended up being specially accommodated. Just by looking at the empty middle bunk berths, one could tell that Liu Ming, the train conductor, was indeed a good friend.

Zhang Guoqing knew that this was inseparable from their usual interactions and even more so from having a great father-in-law. The left side was the duty rest area—who could buy such a perfect spot by sheer luck?

In life, sometimes it’s inevitable to owe favors to people. Take Zhao Chuan Guang’s family, for instance. On their trips to the county, Zhang Guoqing estimated that all the items they brought were snatched from the mouths of his two faux siblings.

Like Zhao Dashan, he provided guidance in work and interpersonal relationships, even getting him into the Party early and helping to craft a perfect résumé for him.

The debt of human kindness is the hardest to repay, and there’s no knowing if there will be an opportunity to do so in the future.

"Brother, stop daydreaming and quickly lie down for a rest."

Zhang Guoqing smiled and shook his head, "I’m not tired. Son, you lie down like a good boy."

"Dad, big chimney, so many furnaces."

Zhang Guoqing followed his son’s pointing to look outside the window. The desolate wilderness was no longer empty; earthen furnaces of various sizes and heights stood silently everywhere.

He remembered the grave mounds... and smiled, shaking his head.

Zhou Jiao picked up her child and looked outside the window. In just a year, the scenery had changed, and who knows what it would look like next time they came back.

She occasionally responded to the child, listening to the father and son’s conversation. As the train moved forward, she started missing her family in the Northeast. Were her in-laws getting used to living alone? Did her little brother find the envelope under his pillow yet?

After Liu Ming finished his work, he happened to hear Ping’an singing a nursery rhyme, "Xiao Wu, your son is something. Little Ping’an, do you want Uncle to take you for a walk?"

Ping’an shook his head with a smile, "I’m with Mama. I’m a good baby."

Liu Ming was tickled and burst out laughing.

"Finished with your work? Sit down, let’s chat. Coming back with the train as usual this time?"

Liu Ming waved his hand, "I’ll just stand here for a bit. Soon someone will come calling again. My job is to run with this train; when it runs, I run with it."

"Try to make the train run for you. Didn’t Uncle Zhang get here like that...?"

Zhou Jiao listened to their banter on the side, her thoughts starting to drift.

"What are you thinking?" Zhang Guoqing asked curiously after seeing off Liu Ming. He had noticed her rare, bewildered expression earlier—what could be worth such deep thought?

Zhou Jiao smiled, "How quickly time flies; it seems like just yesterday we were discussing whether or not to go to school, and now it’s already happened in the blink of an eye."

"Yes, Ping’an was so tiny back then, and now he’s grown so much." After he spoke, the two of them exchanged a smile.

The loudspeaker broadcasted, "Attention passengers, this train is about to start meal service. Passengers wishing to make purchases, please prepare your change."

"Dad, it’s time for dinner," Ping’an looked up for the speaker, not forgetting to remind Zhang Guoqing, curiously blinking his eyes and glancing around.

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