The night before their departure, Li Min gave birth to a baby boy.
Tian Jing gave a generous red envelope. They would likely miss both the full moon and the hundred-day celebrations, so she decided to give them all at once.
At dawn, Tian Jing, carrying her daughter bundled up like a large package, and Li Zhengguo, with two burlap sacks of luggage (a quirky habit from her impoverished village upbringing, she insisted on appearing proper), herding their two sons, set off.
As soon as they stepped out of the courtyard gate, they were startled. Many people stood silently outside.
Seeing the family of five emerge, the villagers eagerly handed over the items they held.
It was either hard-boiled eggs or flatbread and pickles.
They chattered incessantly, urging the family to return soon after finishing their business, emphasizing that Kufeng Mountain couldn't do without them.
The villagers' warmth caught Tian Jing completely by surprise.
Li mother took a basket and accepted the villagers' heartfelt gifts.
The basket was quickly filled.
Sister-in-law Niu offered a bundle, "Tian Jing, here are freshly steamed buns, your favorite sauerkraut and vermicelli ones. Eat them slowly on your journey. If they get cold, steam them again when you arrive. Remember to come back soon."
Sister-in-law Niu's voice choked with emotion. No one knew what the situation in the capital would be like.
Tian Jing's parents were there, and no one could say how long they would stay.
Without Tian Jing, Kufeng Mountain would revert to its former stagnant state.
Some people shed tears alongside her.
Everyone was reluctant to see Tian Jing leave.
Though their thoughts were tinged with selfishness, everyone understood that without Tian Jing, Kufeng Mountain would not be where it was today.
Guo Hong also presented a parcel, "Aunt Tian, here is fried fish, your favorite pan-fried fish. It's good hot or cold, and can be eaten as a dish or a meal."
Tian Jing signaled for her husband to accept the offerings from Sister-in-law Niu and Guo Hong, then waved to the villagers on both sides of the road who were still bringing things.
"I understand your kindness, but we can't carry too much. We'll take what we can, and please take the rest back. It would be a shame if it got dirty and fell on the ground."
"Don't worry, I'll be back as soon as things are settled."
Li Liguo took the basket from his mother's hands, helped his younger brother push aside the villagers blocking their path, and walked towards the Kuku River.
After crossing the river and getting into the car, villagers on the opposite bank were still waving.
A cloud of dust rose, and the villagers turned back to the village with a sense of disappointment.
Looking back at the Kuku River and Kufeng Mountain, Tian Jing felt a pang of reluctance.
I will return!
...
The big truck took them directly to the provincial city, where there was a direct train to the capital.
Li Zhengguo sorted through the basket of food. He kept the hard-boiled eggs and had his elder brother take back the flatbread and pickles.
Tian Jing disagreed, thinking the villagers might see it as her being ungrateful.
"Combine Sister-in-law Niu's and Guo Hong's buns into one bundle, saving a cloth wrapper to pack and take along. Let others have a taste; they should be grateful to have such fine food."
...
Li Liguo accompanied Tian Jing and the three children while Li Zhengguo went to find a contact to buy train tickets.
The tickets they could get were for hard seats. They would see if they could upgrade to sleeper berths once on the train.
To be safe, Li Zhengguo bought four seats facing each other. If they couldn't get sleeper berths, the four hard seats would at least allow the children to sleep.
The contact was able to help them buy seats because there weren't many people traveling for work at that time, and it was during the busy farming season.
Even so, looking at the people in the waiting room, they knew squeezing onto the train would be difficult.
Li Liguo, concerned, said, "I'll see you onto the train."
Li Zhengguo thought for a moment and replied, "Alright then, go buy a platform ticket, otherwise you won't be able to get out."
When Li Liguo returned with the platform ticket, Li Zhengguo handed him the two burlap sacks. "If it's too crowded, you can just hand them to me through the train window."
During boarding, Li Zhengguo directly carried his two sons, shielding his wife and daughter behind him.
Li Liguo followed, carrying the two burlap sacks.
Although it wasn't as crowded as during peak travel season, it was still a struggle.
Li Liguo didn't dare to enter the carriage, fearing he might not be able to get off.
Tian Jing subtly used her aura of intimidation, and with Li Zhengguo squeezing from the sides, the family of five soon managed to board the carriage and find their seats.
Tian Jing looked at her three children, while Li Zhengguo leaned out the window to call his elder brother.
Only after receiving the two burlap sacks did Li Zhengguo relax.
The sacks were placed beside their seats, effectively widening the seating area. Li Weihao and Li Weibo took off their shoes and climbed onto the seats, marveling at the passengers still squeezing in and out of the train.
Little Li Weili was also woken up.
Tian Jing unbundled her daughter's large swaddle, handing the bundle and a rolled-up piece of clothing inside to Li Zhengguo.
Li Zhengguo immediately tied it around his chest.
Then, he rummaged through the burlap sacks for his daughter's cotton diaper. Although the weather was warm, the cotton diaper held a lot of moisture, so his daughter's little bottom would have to bear with it.
With a dusting of talcum powder and a clean diaper, little Li Weili grinned.
Tian Jing joyfully kissed her daughter. Her daughter was easy to manage, never crying or fussing, only letting out a small hum and furrowing her brow when uncomfortable.
She had made her daughter uncomfortable for a while to squeeze onto the train. Now, she placed her daughter on the seat to lie down, allowing her to stretch out.
The train began to move.
Li Zhengguo went to the junction of the carriages to ask the attendant which carriage was for ticket upgrades.
As soon as he left, Li Weihao and Li Weibo's seats were taken by others.
Looking at an elderly woman who, dragging a boy of about ten years old, unceremoniously occupied a seat and a half, squeezing her two sons into the innermost corner, Tian Jing frowned. "Please move."
The old woman glanced dismissively at Tian Jing. "You don't have tickets and you're hogging so many seats. Don't you think that's excessive?"
"Who said we don't have tickets?"
"Then show me!"
The old woman was very arrogant. She wasn't unaware that the woman's husband had gone to buy tickets.
"You are not a conductor and have no right to check my tickets. You've squeezed my two children."
The old woman not only refused to move but also squeezed further in. "Hmph! If the adults don't have tickets, the children certainly don't. You should give up the seats."
Li Weihao, with quick reflexes, pulled back his younger brother, who had accidentally been half-pushed out the window.
After the shock, Tian Jing's anger flared. She picked up her daughter, stood up, and with a pull and a shove, tossed the old woman and her child into the aisle.
If not for bumping into another passenger's back, the old woman and her child would have fallen to the ground.
"She's hitting me! She's hitting me!"
After regaining her balance, the old woman rolled onto the aisle and began to cry out.
Tian Jing ignored her, cradled her daughter, sat down, and extended her foot to the opposite seat. "Hao Hao, make sure your brother sits properly. You can't stand by the window."
If not for her eldest son's quick reaction, if not for her eldest son possessing a strength-based ability...
Her heart pounded frantically.
Li Weihao, still shaken, sat down and pulled his brother. "Xiao Bo, sit down."
The old woman continued to wail, and a conductor approached.
The old woman pointed at Tian Jing, accusing her of evading tickets and hitting her.
The conductor asked Tian Jing to show her tickets.
Tian Jing shook her head. "No, my husband took them to upgrade."
The old woman seized upon this. "Comrade, look, look! She has no ticket, and she's occupying four seats. I sat down with my grandson, and she hit me."
Tian Jing sneered. "Not only did you occupy a seat and a half with your backside, but when I spoke to you, you squeezed further in and pushed my younger son halfway out the window."
"If my elder son hadn't pulled him back, he would have fallen out. I understand you looking for a seat, but why did you, an adult, occupy a seat and a half? Why did you deliberately push the child? Your intentions are despicable!"
The old woman refused to admit it. "You're talking nonsense. I don't have eyes in the back of my head, so you can say whatever you want, can't you?"