1994: Starting with unpaid leave

The train sped across the vast black soil of Northeast China, the clanging sound of the wheels hitting the rails like a deep and powerful drumbeat, striking Dong Jianguo's heart.

The scenery outside the window rushed past; after the train left Qiqihar, the landscape turned into a vast plain.

Occasionally, you can see rivers flowing through the area, forming large wetlands.

On his first "business trip," Erzhu pressed his face against the cold glass window, his nose flattened by the pressure, but his eyes were fixed on the scenery passing by outside, his mind still replaying the six-yuan bucket of instant noodles he had just eaten.

Seeing his exaggerated reaction, Dong Jianguo couldn't help but shake his head, then leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.

Time flies.

Around 3 p.m., the train finally pulled into Harbin Railway Station with a screeching sound of brakes.

"Harbin Station has arrived! Passengers disembarking, please take your luggage and prepare to disembark!"

As soon as the announcement, delivered in a thick Northeastern accent, rang out, the previously quiet carriage erupted into chaos. People pulled bags down from the overhead racks and dragged suitcases out from under their seats, filling the air with a cacophony of voices.

Dong Jianguo picked up the heavy travel bag and called to Erzhuzi, "Stay close to me, don't get separated!"

Once they stepped out of the carriage, the fresh air invigorated them, and they felt much more refreshed.

Although it was the mid-1990s and the country was working to revitalize the economy, Harbin Railway Station still retained a strong Soviet-style character.

Beneath the enormous dome hung several dusty chandeliers, and the floor was polished terrazzo, covered with dark footprints.

"Oh my god, there are so many people!" Erzhuzi was startled by the dark mass of people in front of him as soon as he stepped out of the carriage. Not only was he scared, but he also followed closely behind Dong Jianguo, worried that the two of them would get separated.

As the provincial capital, its passenger flow is far greater than that of Heicheng.

Moreover, more than one train arrives at the station at the same time, so it's not surprising that there are many people.

"Stay close to me, don't get lost!" Dong Jianguo carried a bag in one hand and cleared the way with the other, struggling through the crowd.

The two followed the flow of people out of the platform.

The spacious plaza in front of the station was filled with all kinds of taxis.

Unlike the ubiquitous "Lada" taxis in Hefei, the taxis in Harbin are noticeably a level above, with most of them being "Xiali" cars.

Of course, there are also many yellow-skinned "flour" (yellowish daifu).

Of course, the most common were the three-wheeled motorcycles with tin canopies, the drivers with their chests open, exposing their hairy backs, shouting in the cold wind.

"Hey, wanna take a ride? Where to? Hotel near the train station square, hot water and a king-size bed!"

"We're having a delivery service! Cheap! One dollar per person, delivered to your doorstep!"

As soon as they left the station, the two were surrounded by a group of drivers and tricycle drivers soliciting passengers, buzzing around them like flies.

Erzhuzi instinctively shrank back, tightly protecting his trouser pockets.

Dong Jianguo, however, appeared much more composed, his eyes clear and unmoved.

As someone who's been there, he knows that drivers waiting for fares at the train station are always the most shrewd. Even locals from Harbin would rather take a longer route, let alone outsiders like the two of them who clearly have a Heilongjiang accent.

"No need, we have somewhere to go."

Dong Jianguo waved his hand, and like a slippery fish, pulled Erzhuzi through the gaps in the crowd and headed straight for the bus stop.

"Brother Jianguo, why don't we take a taxi? These are all these bags..." Erzhuzi wasn't worried about being tired, but rather about the money Dong Jianguo had.

Although he rarely went out, he knew that the dangers on public transportation were no less than those on trains.

"Let's be frugal," Dong Jianguo smiled, switching the travel bag to his other hand. "We call this 'spending money wisely.' Every penny saved now will become the factory's profit in the future."

Besides, taking the bus is also a way to experience life and see how the pulse of this big city beats.

The two squeezed onto an old bus.

The bus was packed with people, filled with the smells of gasoline and human sweat.

Dong Jianguo put his travel bag on the ground, grabbed the handrail with one hand, and put the other hand into his pants pocket, occasionally reaching out to check if the passbook was still there.

Although his movements were somewhat sleazy, his eyes were like radar, searching through the rapidly passing street scenes outside the window.

The streets of Harbin are wide and clean, lined with buildings of various styles.

There are those Russian-style small buildings with red bricks and green tiles, with colorful neon lights hanging on their pointed roofs;

There are also tall and magnificent Soviet-style buildings, with slogans from bygone eras still remaining on their walls.

The birch trees along the roadside have begun to turn yellow, and as the autumn wind blows, fallen leaves flutter down, covering the iconic cobblestone road of Central Avenue.

"Brother Jianguo, look at that building. Why does it look like our chicken coop?" Erzhuzi muttered to himself, pointing to a pointed-roof building with a large clock hanging on it.

Dong Jianguo followed the gaze and couldn't help but laugh: "That's the Hagia Sophia, built by the Russians. Now it's become a work of art."

"If our factory gets big in the future, we'll build you an office like that too, so you can hatch chicks in it!"

Erzhuzi scratched his head and smiled憨厚ly: "That's great, but I still think our old bungalow is more comfortable and down-to-earth."

"That's impressive! All the bungalows will be torn down and replaced with skyscrapers. Then the buildings in our Hecheng will be taller than the buildings in Harbin right now!"

"Huh? How is that possible?!"

Erzhuzi did not believe in the Dao.

Dong Jianguo smiled and didn't argue with him anymore.

Hecheng can never compare to Harbin. Even though their old bungalows have been demolished and replaced by apartment buildings, most of them are 6-7 story walk-up buildings.

It was far from the 20-plus-story high-rise buildings with elevators that later became common in Harbin.

As far as I can remember, high-rise buildings didn't start to appear in my hometown until after 2020.

However, if we compare Hecheng in 2026 with Harbin in 1994, Hecheng has a much better chance of winning.

The bus bumped along the way and finally stopped in a cluster of new buildings.

This is the family quarters of the Harbin Railway Bureau, and also where Deputy Director Wan currently resides.

Instead of immediately going to find Deputy Director Wan, Dong Jianguo found a nearby guesthouse and booked two rooms.

The price wasn't expensive, 20 yuan per room per day, and Dong Jianguo booked two rooms directly.

After putting down their luggage, the two went to a bank in another city to withdraw money.

By the time everything was settled, it was already evening.

It wasn't until after dinner time that Dong Jianguo took Erzhuzi for a walk around the neighborhood.

After asking two or three passersby, the two finally found Deputy Director Wan's home.

"This is it." Dong Jianguo straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and knocked on the green metal door.

"Who is it?" a woman's voice came from inside the door.

"Sister Wang, I'm Xiao Dong from Hecheng."