As the car set off again, Xiang Xi let out a long sigh, and Chen Lan also felt heavy-hearted, not wanting to say much.
Xiang Xi, unable to hold back for long, grumbled, "Little Lanzi, you didn't go down to see. It was so tragic! Adults and children alike were emaciated and gaunt from hunger... Little Lanzi, is fleeing famine really the only way? Is there no other solution?"
Chen Lan sighed helplessly and said, "What other way is there? Little Watermelon, you have to understand, this is a natural disaster, one that human effort cannot resist. If heaven doesn't rain, we are utterly helpless. All we can do is prepare in advance; we can't prevent natural disasters from happening. Moreover, we are all human, not gods. Humanity is incredibly small in the face of natural calamities!"
After speaking, she no longer wanted to say anything. The two of them remained silent all the way, their moods becoming exceedingly somber.
What Chen Lan didn't say was that from this year onwards, the country's days were becoming increasingly difficult, not only due to natural disasters but also man-made ones. Neighboring countries were eyeing their nation covetously, and the country was in a state of internal strife and external threat. On August 26th, to safeguard national sovereignty, our country engaged in the "Langjiu Incident" with India on the Sino-Indian border. This event caused strong displeasure from Great Russia towards our country. Our country then fell out with Great Russia and began a nationwide effort to tighten belts and repay national debt, until 1964 when China paid off all loans and interest owed to Great Russia from the last century's fifties, a year ahead of schedule.
Chen Lan and Xiang Xi continued in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. After more than two hours, the car, bumping along, finally stopped. If it weren't for Commander Qin, who got out of the car to open the rear canopy, Chen Lan and Xiang Xi wouldn't have known they had already arrived in Changchun.
Chen Lan's guess was correct; by the time the car reached Changchun, it was completely dark. Chen Lan used her mind to check the system time; it was already past six in the evening. Outside the car was pitch black. Upon disembarking, Chen Lan and Xiang Xi were disoriented, neither knowing north from south.
Commander Qin then spoke, "Comrade Chen Lan, Comrade Chen Xiang Xi, you have arrived in Changchun. Do you two siblings have any arrangements? If not, perhaps you could spend the night with us at the office?"
Chen Lan quickly refused, "No need, Commander Qin. How far is it from the train station? My brother and I want to go to the station as soon as possible to see what time the train to Suifenhe departs. I heard there's only one train a day, and we're afraid of missing it."
Commander Qin saw that Chen Lan had plans and didn't insist. After a moment's thought, he said, "You're unfamiliar with this place, and it's still dark. Let us drive you two siblings to the train station."
Chen Lan and Xiang Xi repeatedly said, "Thank you so much, you're causing us trouble again." With that, Chen Lan and Xiang Xi climbed back into the car.
Not long after, the car stopped again. Commander Qin offered a hand to help Chen Lan and Xiang Xi down. Upon seeing the oversized backpacks they were carrying, he couldn't help but pause for a moment, but he didn't dwell on it.
He then pointed forward and said to Chen Lan and Xiang Xi, "Comrade Chen Lan, Comrade Chen Xiang Xi, we've arrived at Changchun Railway Station. We'll take you this far. Walking in from here is the train station. It's getting late, and it's dark and cold outside. Hurry into the station to warm yourselves up!"
Chen Lan and Xiang Xi repeatedly expressed their thanks, "Thank you, Commander Qin, we've troubled you!" Commander Qin waved dismissively and was about to get into the car when Chen Lan called out to him, speaking with some embarrassment, "Commander Qin, we haven't left the valley for many years and don't have the current currency. Could I exchange some foreign silver dollars with you? Or perhaps we could exchange some grain?"
Commander Qin, without a word, emptied all his pockets, producing only a handful of small change and handed it to Chen Lan. He then went to the driver's cabin and returned, handing Chen Lan another handful of small bills before turning to leave, steadfastly refusing the twenty foreign silver dollars Chen Lan offered. In the end, Chen Lan, with her greater strength, held onto Commander Qin and forcefully pressed the twenty foreign silver dollars into his hand. She then gave him and the driver in the front a bag of mixed flour steamed buns each, and a bag of cooked potatoes.
Commander Qin, unable to refuse Chen Lan, could only accept the items.
Watching the car drive away, Chen Lan and Xiang Xi then turned and walked in the direction Commander Qin had indicated. Su Dan Novel Network
As they approached, it appeared to be a large, circular square. Walking closer, they saw that Changchun Railway Station was a long row of red brick buildings. It wasn't small, estimated to be over a thousand meters long. It was too dark to see clearly.
It was too cold outside, so Chen Lan and Xiang Xi didn't linger and quickly entered the station. The waiting room wasn't too small, estimated to be around four to five hundred square meters. The waiting room was much warmer than outside, likely due to a furnace being lit.
The waiting room was furnished with rows of long benches. Perhaps because it was evening, there weren't many people in the waiting room. Chen Lan saw that the ticket seller at the counter was still there, so she immediately walked forward with her oversized backpack. The ticket seller was a middle-aged woman. Chen Lan asked softly, "Comrade, excuse me, what time is the train to Suifenhe?"
The ticket seller glanced at Chen Lan and asked sternly, "You need a letter of introduction to go to Suifenhe. Do you have one?"
Chen Lan immediately took out a letter of introduction from her pocket, actually retrieved from the system's warehouse, and handed it to the ticket seller. After examining the letter of introduction, the ticket seller's attitude softened considerably. She asked, "So your husband is a soldier in Suifenhe! Are you siblings going to visit him together?"
Chen Lan smiled and replied, "Yes! The journey is too long, and my family worries about me, a married woman, traveling alone, so my elder brother is escorting me."
The ticket seller, seeing that Chen Lan spoke clearly and didn't seem like an unsophisticated country bumpkin, and despite her old clothes and large backpack, appeared neat and tidy. She put aside her dismissive attitude and spoke a few more words to Chen Lan.
She replied, "There's a night train to Suifenhe in another hour. It will arrive at Suifenhe Station at four in the afternoon tomorrow. Two hard seat tickets will cost four yuan and eight jiao."
Chen Lan immediately asked, "Comrade, are there any sleeper berths?"
The ticket seller replied, "Yes, two sleeper tickets will cost nineteen yuan and two jiao."
Chen Lan took out a large handful of small bills from her pocket and began counting. After counting twice, she had only twelve yuan and six jiao, falling short by six yuan and six jiao.
So Chen Lan said softly, "Comrade, can I use foreign silver dollars or grain to make up the difference?"
The ticket seller, who had been waiting for a while and was starting to get impatient, immediately replied upon hearing Chen Lan mention exchanging grain for money, "Yes, how much grain can you exchange?"