Huayu 1992: Starting with the CCTV Young Singers Competition

Chapter 98 Everyone should have dreams, what if they come true?

"Yes, yes, that's it."

Wang Dali was so excited that he danced around as if he had found a kindred spirit.

"My cousin said that the music scene in Guangzhou is very lively right now. Besides Mao Ning, there is a female singer named Yang Yuying. She is very sweet and is said to be promoted by Chen Xiaoqi and others. My cousin saw her in person at a nightclub and said she is even prettier than on TV."

The surrounding passengers were drawn to this topic.

"Can you really make a lot of money singing?" the dark-skinned man asked curiously.

"Of course, we release cassette tapes, hold concerts, and appear on television."

Wang Dali recounted the details with great familiarity.

"My cousin said that those famous singers earn more in one performance than we do in a year."

The bespectacled young man shook his head: "It's not that easy. One in a hundred, no, one in ten thousand."

"I don't like hearing that," Wang Dali retorted, his neck stiff. "Everyone has to have dreams; what if they come true?"

Lin Hanjiang couldn't help but glance at Wang Dali.

This young man, who kept repeating what my cousin said, had a reckless light in his eyes, growing wildly like weeds.

"dream----"

The dark-skinned man chewed on the word, giving a wry smile.

"I had dreams when I was young. I was a key member of our village's propaganda team. I could sing Henan opera and play the erhu. But after I got married and had children, I gave them up. Before I left this time, my wife said, 'You should live for yourself for once.' When I heard that, I almost burst into tears."

Lin Hanjiang felt sorry for the old man.

His wife probably doesn't have much time left.

Sigh, every difficulty is overcome, but every hurdle is overcome.

This is the most authentic portrayal of ordinary people at the bottom of society.

In every era, some people become rich, while others can only barely make ends meet.

As night deepened, the overhead lights in the carriage were dimmed by half.

In the hard-seat carriages, people tried to fall asleep in all sorts of awkward positions.

The snoring came from all directions, like a discordant symphony.

Lin Hanjiang was wide awake, his mind was racing, yet he couldn't think of anything, his thoughts were a bit jumbled.

At 2 a.m., the train entered Henan province.

At the junction of the train carriages, several migrant workers squatted on the ground playing cards, their cigarette butts flickering in the darkness.

Lin Hanjiang got up to go to the restroom, and as he passed by, he caught a glimpse of a small, thin figure weaving nimbly through the crowd.

He was in his early twenties, with a shifty gaze and his right hand always in his pocket.

pickpocket.

Lin Hanjiang's heart tightened, and he subconsciously hugged the canvas bag in front of his chest.

The thin young man approached a dozing middle-aged woman, swiftly pulled a handkerchief pouch from her coat pocket with his right hand, and then turned and left—the whole process taking less than three seconds.

The middle-aged woman was completely unaware and continued to sleep with her head resting against the car window.

Lin Hanjiang opened his mouth, wanting to shout, but his throat felt like it was blocked by something.

He recalled the various rumors about pickpockets on trains.

These people often travel in groups and carry knives.

Hesitating for a moment, the thin young man had already disappeared into another carriage.

Back in his seat, Lin Hanjiang had mixed feelings.

The dark-skinned man sitting next to me was snoring loudly, with his snakeskin bag casually placed at his feet.

Wang Dali in the back row was also asleep; his floral shirt pockets were bulging, and the shape of a wallet was vaguely visible.

In this era, opportunities and risks coexist.

The South has gold, but also traps.

Lin Hanjiang didn't want to get involved in other people's business, lest he die before he even became famous.

He has no idea if he can be reborn.

Compared to life, this money is just an external thing.

At 6 a.m., just as dawn was breaking, the first gasp of surprise rang out in the carriage.

"My money, my money is gone!"

The middle-aged woman who had been robbed finally woke up.

She frantically searched through all the pockets, then shook open the printed bundle, scattering clothes all over the floor.

"120 yuan, the money for my child's medical treatment—all gone—"

She slumped in her seat, her eyes vacant.

"All gone—"

The cries woke up half the carriage.

People checked their belongings amidst a cacophony of curses, sighs, and words of comfort.

The flight attendants rushed over to inquire about the situation, but had no leads.

The woman cried her heart out: "My child has pneumonia. I've saved up all my money for a year! What am I going to do?"

Wang Dali was woken up by the noise. After hearing what had happened, he slammed his hand on the small table: "It must have been that kid who was running around in the carriage last night. I saw him, acting suspiciously!"

"Why didn't you say so sooner?" someone questioned.

"I—I was in a daze at the time and didn't realize what was happening—" Wang Dali's face turned red.

The train attendant sighed: "Please keep an eye on your luggage and belongings. There are many people on the train, and it's very difficult to find what you've lost."

""

She took out a 5-yuan note and handed it to the woman, saying, "Sister, buy some food first. You can find the police when you get to Guangzhou Station."

Five yuan is a drop in the bucket.

Even if you call the police after arriving at the station, it's almost impossible to find them.

The atmosphere inside the carriage, which had been lively, had now become cautious.

Everyone held their luggage tighter, frequently touching the important pockets.

As the sun sets, the train enters Hunan province.

The view outside the window changed from plains to hills, with layers of green rice paddies.

"Boxed lunch, boxed lunch, 3 yuan a serving."

As the sales clerk pushed the cart past, almost no one looked up.

Everyone took out their dry rations from their bags.

They ate cold steamed buns, pancakes, and boiled eggs quietly with plain water or tea.

Lin Hanjiang finished the last piece of bread and tightened the lid of the kettle.

I need to buy food for the train tomorrow.

That night, after everyone had fallen asleep, Lin Hanjiang took out 100 yuan and gave it to the middle-aged woman, telling her to keep quiet.

"Passengers, the train is about to arrive at Guangzhou Station."

17

The broadcast suddenly came on.

"Thanks to the enthusiastic support of the passengers, we were able to successfully complete the glorious mission of transporting passengers along the way."

Passengers, the train's journey is finite, but the revolution's mileage is infinite.

Let us, in our different roles, contribute our strength to accelerating socialist modernization.

The carriage began to stir.

People began packing their luggage, their faces filled with anticipation and trepidation.

The view outside the window has also changed.

As high-rise buildings rise, GG signs become more common, with both traditional and simplified Chinese characters mixed together.

After a 37-hour car ride and a two-day, two-night journey, I finally got around to it.

We've finally arrived in Guangzhou.

Lin Hanjiang glanced at his watch; it was already 10 a.m.

"We're here, we're here."

Wang Dali shouted excitedly.

The dark-skinned man and the bespectacled youth also got up and picked up their luggage.

Lin Hanjiang didn't get up. This was the most chaotic time, so he sat and waited for everyone to leave before getting off the bus.

I said goodbye to them.

The train slowly pulled into Guangzhou Station.

Through the train window, Lin Hanjiang saw Guangzhou Railway Station.

The station building is huge, and the crowds are bustling. It is even more crowded and busy than Beijing Station.

The platform was crowded with people waiting to pick up passengers, holding up various signs.

Job openings at electronics factories in Dongguan, ceramic factories in Foshan, and construction sites in Shenzhen —

As soon as the car door opened, a wave of heat hit us.

Guangzhou in June is like a giant steamer.

The crowd surged out like a tidal wave.

Taking advantage of the few people around, Lin Hanjiang stepped off the train.

Follow the flow of people toward the exit.

The scene in the station square was even more breathtaking.

Thousands of people gathered here.

"Hey handsome, need a room? Cheap."

"Are you taking a bus? To Dongguan or Zhuhai?"

Looking for a job? Our factory provides room and board.

Lin Hanjiang shook his head warily, deciding it was best to ignore him.

Let's see where I can hail a motorcycle taxi.

This can be considered a unique feature of Guangzhou.

"Help! My child, my child!"