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Chapter 108: Child, do you want a wife?

The train rumbled along the rails.

Xie Hushan and Han Hongbing sat by the car door with cigarettes in their mouths, numb expressions, and their eyes fixed on the outside.

I don't know whether I was in a daze or looking at the scenery slowly passing by.

It was not until the cigarette butt burned his hand that Han Hongbing came to his senses. He flicked the cigarette butt away and said to Xie Hushan:
"It took the train six days to reach Yuzhou Province? Xie Siling, do you think that uncle was joking when we stopped to refill water yesterday? He is actually from the south, but he can speak Yuzhou dialect, so he was deliberately joking with me."

"It's not surprising that we just arrived in Yuzhou Province. We keep stopping and starting, and each stop takes at least four hours. We keep stopping to marshal and add new carriages. It would be strange if the speed is fast. But I guess the things sent to Hong Kong Island by the counties along the way should be almost loaded. I counted them the last time I stopped, and there were more than 30 carriages already." Xie Hushan flicked the cigarette butt away and said to Han Hongbing in a firm tone:
"I estimate that the last three express trains we will add should be the one that starts from Jiangcheng. Our train will take about ten days to reach Jiangcheng, and then we will switch to an express locomotive. Apart from refilling water, we will not stop to add more carriages. In that way, we will reach our destination in about three or four days."

Han Hongbing rubbed his face with his rough hands, his voice desperate:

"Oh my god, it's going to take another seven or eight days to get there? It's only been six days on the train, but I feel like six months have passed. This money is really not earned by humans. Being tired is secondary. The main thing is that the place is so small that it's like a fucking kang. Sitting on it every day is full of mutton and cow dung smells. It's like a toad in a well looking at the sky. It's so depressing."

They had finished reading all the books they bought, and they had even taken turns reading them. Then they started chatting to pass the time, talking about interesting things that happened in their childhood until they had nothing to talk about now.

In order to chat, the two even recounted stories they had heard in childhood, such as the giant monkey stealing children and the fool being a son-in-law.

The speed of this train is really too slow because it stops at least once and at most three times a day during its journey.

Either they temporarily give way to other trains, or they go into a small train station to marshal and add carriages.

Once the train stops, it means that it will take at least four hours to start again. Even if the work can be completed in one hour, the train will have to stop for four hours before it can start again.

The result of such a stop is that if the train stops three times a day, it means that half of the day is spent stopped. How can the train possibly go faster?

The reason why it is slow is because it is an unwritten rule that before reaching the starting station of the three express trains, this train would rather be slow and stand than to speed up and rush.

Four hours is enough time for the escorts to take turns to fetch water, buy dry food, and replenish everything that needs to be replenished. There will be no problems such as escorts not getting on the train after the train starts and being left behind, or insufficient fresh water and dry food.

"Is the train slowing down again?" Han Hongbing sensitively noticed that the train was slowing down again.

Sure enough, there was a "hiss" sound of deceleration and deflation coming from the front. Han Hongbing pounded on the car door frantically and said angrily:
"I'd rather pull a cart to send cattle than this thing to run faster! I'll never take the train again!"

"The water tank was filled with water yesterday, and the dry food was also prepared yesterday. The cows have just been fed. In the next four hours, you can go down with them and walk around nearby. I'll stay in the car and watch over you." Xie Hushan said to Han Hongbing.

He had better concentration and patience than Han Hongbing. Although he was also tormented by boredom and depression, he did not react as strongly as these young militiamen.

It was understandable. After all, they were used to the flat and open fields of their hometown. This space, which was not even as big as a kang, was really impossible for them to adapt to. Before the journey was halfway through, they had already become irritable, depressed and unbearable.

Han Hongbing did not decline or refrain from doing so. He was really upset:
"Okay! I should have stayed in the car, but I just can't stand it anymore! Xie Siling, I will definitely stay next time we stop."

As soon as the train came to a stop, he jumped down hastily. People from other carriages also started jumping down. Xie Hushan stuck his head out of the door and waved to everyone:

"Let's go. I'll get off and sit next to you and read a book. I'll also watch over the four carriages in our county. Let me make an agreement. Just make sure the cows are not lost. Don't feed them. Just pay attention to the time, take a walk and hurry back."

The six militiamen, who had obviously lost weight due to the journey, bowed and saluted to Xie Hushan in gratitude:
"Thank you for being so righteous! Thank you very much!"

"Third brother, when I get home and make some money, I'll treat you to a meal!"

"Third brother, I'll buy you a pack of good cigarettes to repay you!"

These young men walked forward along the railway with Han Hongbing. From Xie Hushan's position, there should be a small train station about two or three miles ahead.

These people just wandered around the train station. For them, who were bored, even if they didn't buy anything, it would be enough to just look at living people and feel a normal social environment. It was too uncomfortable to face cows all day long.

After everyone left, Xie Hushan took out a bucket of water and washed his head and face. He could no longer smell any odor on himself, but he still insisted on washing it several times a day. He didn't dare think about feeding or cleaning, as he felt sick just thinking about it.

It even caused him to have a psychological trauma against beef.

He moved a stone and sat next to the carriage, and began to read "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". The advantage of carrying such a classic novel is that he can read it every time and gain some new reading experience.

For example, when watching it for the first time, you may put yourself in the perspective of Liu Bei of Shu Kingdom, and be moved by Liu Bei's words that he sent troops in anger to relieve Guan Yu and preferred loyalty to the empire. You may also feel sorry for the death of Prime Minister Zhuge Liang at Wuzhangyuan and the failure of Jiang Wei's counter-espionage plan.

Watching it the second time, you can put yourself in the perspective of Cao Cao of Wei State, and try to imagine how beautiful Zou was, and how worthy Cao Cao was to risk the lives of his own son Cao Ang and the fierce general Dian Wei just to have a fight with her.

For the third time, he brought Zhang Liao and Guan Yu into the perspective, and felt the majesty of the emperor, the might of the Sun Wu army, and the wisdom of the Sun Wu generals. Although he often ridiculed the Eastern Wu as a group of rats, Xie Hushan felt that the emperor might have been born at the wrong time. If he lived in other dynasties, his tricks to weaken the Eastern Wu clans would be worthy of praise.

The main reason is the contrast with their peers. The monarchs of the other two countries in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" are so dazzling and their character charm is even more powerful. In comparison with the three of them, the emperor is obviously dwarfed.

This is actually a bit unfair to him. After all, he is the second generation of the Eastern Wu. His charm cannot compare with Cao Cao and Liu Bei, who fought against Dong Zhuo together with his father. It is normal for a big man in troubled times to fight his way out of the pile of dead bodies.

He is not the worst among the second generation. He is not as good as Cao Pi, but at least he can be ranked second with Liu Chan.

Xie Hushan was flipping through a novel to kill time, thinking wildly.

At this time, a middle-aged woman in her forties, dressed in shabby and simple clothes, was carrying a wicker basket covered with a cloth in her left hand, and holding a dirty, barefoot, and skinny short-haired boy in her right hand. She walked along the train, stopping in every carriage to greet the militia escorts in the carriage, lifting the cloth to show the contents of the basket, apparently selling food.

However, after walking for a long time and calling for a long time, no one cared about her business. When she reached the fourth carriage where Xie Hushan was watching, without waiting for her to go to each carriage to speak, Xie Hushan took the initiative to speak:
"Auntie, the people in these carriages have gone to get water and haven't come back yet. I'm the only one left."

"Young man, would you like to buy some steamed buns? They are made at home and can keep you full. They are not afraid of being left out. In this kind of weather, they won't go bad even if they are left out for a few days. Roll one with some pickles and eat it. You won't feel hungry for half a day." The middle-aged woman walked up to Xie Hushan and lifted the cloth. Inside was a stack of thin-skinned pancakes similar to those from Luzhou Province. She smiled at Xie Hushan and said.

Xie Hushan glanced at the child who was being led by the middle-aged woman next to him. The child was about five or six years old and looked like a little beggar. He was not as well dressed as his mother. At this moment, he was biting his thumb in his hand, staring at the steamed buns in the basket pitifully, and his stomach was growling.

"How much?" Xie Hushan asked the aunt.

"Three dollars. I'll give you all of these, including the basket." When the middle-aged woman heard Xie Hushan asking the price, her smile widened and she wanted to bring the basket in front of Xie Hushan to show it to him.

Xie Hushan frowned. The price of this dry food was not cheap. No wonder it couldn't be sold. The steamed buns bought for three yuan were enough to fill up the basket, enough for a young man like him to eat for three days.

"I know it's expensive, but my family needs money... next time..." The middle-aged woman wanted to say that she could sell it to Xie Hushan at a lower price next time, but she didn't say it out loud.

Xie Hushan narrowed his eyes slightly. The other party did not say that he would give him a discount next time. It was obvious that he knew that there would be no next time they met this time, and that he was not an escort for long-distance train transportation.

"Auntie, do you know what this car is for?"

"I know. They're delivering food to Hong Kong Island. When I was young, I delivered chickens there. On the way, the chickens got sick and nearly half of them died." The middle-aged woman turned her head to look at the train and said with a sigh:
"Otherwise, how would I know to come here to sell dry food? How can I say there won't be a next time? This is a good thing. I'm satisfied if I can catch it once in my life."

Xie Hushan took out the money and gave the other party three yuan. The middle-aged woman took the money and put the basket in front of Xie Hushan. She might have sold it and didn't need to move forward. She simply sat on the ground to rest and urged Xie Hushan:

"It's freshly made. It tastes better now. Try it."

Xie Hushan took out a piece of paper and handed it to the little boy next to him: "Are you hungry? If you are hungry, eat it. It's free."

The little boy didn't touch the pancake, but looked at his mother. His mother had a smile on her face and urged the child to take it quickly:

"Sanque'er, if the elder brother lets you eat a piece, just eat it, but you must thank him first."

"Thank you, big brother." The little boy called Sanque'er by his mother was surprisingly polite. He bowed to Xie Hushan first, then took the steamed bun, tore it apart and swallowed it with his mouth open.

Seeing the little boy wolfing down his food, Xie Hushan was afraid that he would choke to death, so he scooped a bucket of water from the car and handed it to him. He then sprinkled some sugar on another steamed bun, rolled it up, and handed it to him: "Eat slowly."

This time, the middle-aged women nearby hurriedly said thank you. Sugar is a valuable hard currency, and most people would not be willing to eat it with their meals.

Xie Hushan gave the other party a total of two steamed buns, chatted with the woman for a few words about where he came from and the customs and habits of this place, then got up, picked up the basket and went back to the car. Unexpectedly, the middle-aged woman came over with the child, stood under the car door and continued to stare at Xie Hushan.

It has come to this point. What is there that Xie Hushan does not understand? He put down his things, turned around, and asked the middle-aged woman in a calm tone:

"Auntie, I've been there when I was young, and every time I think about it now, I regret not staying. Now I want to find a chance to take my children on the bus and go there again. Seeing that I'm easy to talk to, I want to take a ride. Am I right?"

But the middle-aged woman's reaction was beyond Xie Hushan's expectations. She shook her head and pulled her child to explain to Xie Hushan:

"No, no! I won't go, and neither will Sanqueer!"

This made Xie Hushan a little confused. He didn't want to go, but followed the car door and kept looking inside, as if he was looking at a house. What did he mean?
"Then I'm sorry, I guessed wrong, you should go back and rest early after you finish selling your things."

The old lady hesitated at the door of the car for a long time before she mustered up the courage to speak to Xie Hushan:
"Child, I see that you are young and probably not married yet. Do you want a wife?"

"No, I have a wife." Xie Hushan responded with a smile:
"Why don't you go to another carriage and ask?"

(End of this chapter)